Message #427

[dragonladybug]

I've just gone thru something similar.  I had plenty of things to do, but they were all routine and/or trivial.  I felt I was wasting my skills.  I just sat down with bossie and just laid all my cards on the table and let him know that although I love my job and working for him, I needed more.  We have a really good working relationship, so I asked his assistance in finding ways to add value to my job so that I wouldn't get bored enough to leave.  We are currently redefining my job to coincide with an inter-office move that makes a good "starting point" for my additional responsibilities.  It's been a long time coming, and it's going to take a while longer to get it all sorted out, but at least I know he understands and we are actively working out a solution.  I really didn't want to leave the company, or even transfer to another department in the company, but I couldn't stand the rut I was in.  Fortunately, our business unit is large enough to offer some options, and the upcoming move is disruptive enough to cause some people not to move with us, thus creating opportunities for those who do move.  I outlined all the skills I was not using, and was afraid of losing, along with some areas of the business that interested me, and I was given the opportunity to explore some of these areas.



All I can say is, you have to decide if it's important enough for you to leave over, because putting all the cards on the table is kind of risky - many people are afraid to let management know they don't have enough work - afraid that instead of giving them more responsibility, their job might be eliminated.  I was just at the point where I didn't care what happened, I just needed something different and I was tired of pretending everything was okay.



So examine your interests and skills and make a list, then decide just how important it is to you and how far you want to pursue it, then talk with your boss again and "lay it on the line".