Abstract
Would any manager hire an entry-level employee with the promise of a guaranteed lifetime job? Most likely not, and this is seldom a consideration as studies show that the average person will hold 11.7 jobs between the ages of 18 and 481. In comparison to that unstable and unattractive national snapshot--in our universities many of our libraries are chockfull of Millennials and Gen Xer staff who have 5-20 years invested in our institutions with no obvious path for advancement or even the promise of increasingly interesting work to keep them engaged and contributing employees until they reach retirement. This article is meant to encourage more of us to have uncomfortable conversations with our current, well-performing staff and to let them know, openly and honestly, how at risk their positions may be for stagnation and/or job loss. We must lead our library staff in developing a focus on new roles and skills that can improve their career trajectory and the library's talent pool.