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I'm not here to brag, so let's clear that up first. This is a serious situation I'm trying to cope with.
I need fast-paced, stimulating work; that's just who I am. I need to be in charge of organizing projects, communicating with people, troubleshooting, problem-solving complex equations, etc. Big picture kind of stuff; think of Ari Gold from Entourage. I'm a younger version of that, but I'm very capable and can prove it if given the opportunity.
A couple years ago, I landed a job with a company that I had no particular interest in. I just needed a job and they offered me one. I took what I could get. I thought it would turn into something bigger and better, at least that's how it was described to me in the interview. Here I am, two years later and I feel like I'm nothing more than a glorified customer service rep who responds to emails all day. I'm not learning anything new. I'm afraid this will interfere with my career, because my skills are stagnating.
Question: It it a waste of time for me to ask my employer about something more challenging...to learn something new? Would it have already come if it were available?
Or should I not bother and just look for something else?
FYI: Management is very hands off; hardly see or hear from them throughout the year. Not sure if they know I still exist actually haha. Makes me feel "so ronery".
Last edited by Z3N1TH 0N3; 02-10-2011 at 12:45 PM..
I've never watched that tv show you mentioned but ask if there's stuff they need help with but don't take anything on your shoulders. Tell them what you think your rare talents are, then suggest those talents be put to use instead of going to waste. If they're receptive but ask you to work out all the details, that's an indicator they're lazy in terms of management and outside-the-box thinking. Before any of this, you should have even more dialogue with yourself. Begin with "Most people ____________, but I'm rare because I ___________ and I love that about myself." If you discover you're too similar to most people (in a blah/bad/unremarkable way), then (insert chuckle) you might have to admit that you're a dime-a-dozen.
I've never watched that tv show you mentioned but ask if there's stuff they need help with but don't take anything on your shoulders. Tell them what you think your rare talents are, then ask if those talents can be put to use instead of going to waste
I understand what you're saying. I think that many people do make the mistake of seeing themselves as being better than they are in reality. In most cases, this rubs others the wrong way. Just watch this thread and see how many "Maybe you're not as good as you think you are" responses I get. That's why I prefaced this thread by stating that it wasn't a post to brag about how superior I am. I know when I'm bored and under-challenged and, at this job, I AMbored and under-challenged.
I agree with Grimace8 on this. Talk to who ever is over you or over them and see what they are working on. Let them know that you want to learn something more and ask to help on a project that interests you or that they are having a problem with. Over time become the go to person for what ever that problem is. Own it and within a short time your position will change. During the early stages they will learn that you can accomplish bigger things that you are doing now. I have watched an intern in our organization become an admin assistant, to assistant admin, to assistant VP, to associate VP, to VP, to associate administrator, to running one of our hospitals in a 10 year period. His advice, always see what you can do to help. Take over projects, and over time you will move up in the organization.
I have to say I see a bit of conflict with your post. The way you describe yourself doesn't seem to really jive with someone who hasn't even approached their employer about learning more and more challenges. I would expect someone who really had those qualities to have been going after what they really wanted from the beginning.
With that being said, I think it would be a bad decision to just write this job off. What do you really have to lose unless you think by talking with them it will somehow lead to you being let go.
I have to say I see a bit of conflict with your post. The way you describe yourself doesn't seem to really jive with someone who hasn't even approached their employer about learning more and more challenges. I would expect someone who really had those qualities to have been going after what they really wanted from the beginning.
Maybe he was coasting for awhile. People often do that as respite. Some people coast too long for their own good though. But in most coasting cases there are complex reasons.
I'm not saying the OP is any of the above, just general comments.
I have to say I see a bit of conflict with your post. The way you describe yourself doesn't seem to really jive with someone who hasn't even approached their employer about learning more and more challenges. I would expect someone who really had those qualities to have been going after what they really wanted from the beginning.
With that being said, I think it would be a bad decision to just write this job off. What do you really have to lose unless you think by talking with them it will somehow lead to you being let go.
I tried to keep the OP succinct and straight to the point. I've been with the company for two and a half years. Of course, I've asked for more work during that time. If it were granted to me, it was in the form of pulling weekly spreadsheets. It was nothing technical, just busy work similar to licking envelopes or printing mail merges. They knew that, I knew that. Pulling spreadsheets is not going to get me to the next level. Eventually, I just said the hell with it and gave up asking.
I'm in need of tasks that are challenging, you know, causes one to think, to plan, to strategize, and to conquer. I'm not an admin. Not that I believe the work is beneath me, it's just that it totally under-utilizes my skills and talents. You don't hire someone who can manage projects to push papers forever, just as you don't hire an engineer to be a receptionist or a doctor to be a CNA.
And I wasn't trying to put down the OP in any way. More getting the OP to think about why he is in the situation he currently is.
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