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Jessie · Newbie Joined: 25 Mar 2008 Posts: 2 Career Advice: +0/-0

Hi, here is my problem. I have started work for almost three months, as the assistant to COO. But he is travelling quite often and I am usually idle. The situation is I don’t have specific duty, and don’t have to cooperate with other colleges. Thus I feel that I am alone in the company. My boss just need me on-call. In this case, I gradually lose the working passion and cannot contribute all my efforts. But originally I am not a person like this. Before I took this position, I didn’t mind OT and enjoy the satisfaction from some solutions I worked out, which stimulates my passion to work harder.
I believe it is the time for me to talk with my boss. Since I am almost a fresh MA graduate, I don’t have much experience about this issue. Could anyone give me some suggestion? Such as how to start the conversation, how to state my concerns. Thanks.

lexa10881 · Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 3:46 am Post subject:

Tell him you worry that there are things you could be doing in down time that could best serve the company and his interests. Are there any additional duties/responsibilities that you can take on to help him out? It will look good and odds are you will get more work to keep you busy.

http://www.cvtips.com/how_to_be_indispensable.html

Randy · Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 5:54 am Post subject:

I'll swith jobs with you. Paid to really do not much of anything other than to be "on-call"? Yeah, I could live with that.

In my experience, it has proven to be an absolute truth: Never volunteer to do anything, period, end of discussion. Employers, and especially immediate bosses/supervisors, feel incurably threatened by someone who shows, and takes, truth initiative. Employers hate like hell when an employee says "that's not my job" but let that same employee start showing a genuine interest in matters and it now becomes the employer who is the first to scream "That's not your job!"

I'd simply mile that puppy for all I could! Very Happy

lexa10881 · Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 2:53 am Post subject:

Randy is right; guess I never thought the flip side of this through. I usually wind up with a lot of junk dumped on me at work. Maybe you should just ride it out and relax a little? There are perks to being on call; you could have a second job in your spare time and be lining your pockets with extra money or something, if nothing else.

http://www.cvtips.com/your_colleagues_helping_to_be_helped.html

Pauloz · Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 5:41 am Post subject:

Jessie

The problem I see with this situation is long term. Your CV is going to be "Assistant to COO". OK for other assistant jobs, but not necessarily much use for anything else.

Assistant work isn't where you want to be, obviously. I would suggest that you also start looking at long term career moves and upgrading yourself.

Sitting still is another description of "going nowhere". You need career options, and this job isn't giving you any.

If you think you can get something else happening in the job, go for it. If not, start looking for something better.

If you're literally "on call", work around it. What you've got there is a lot of possibly wasted time that could be put to better use.

walkman · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 2:36 pm Post subject:

I kinda disagree with some of the other commentators wishing for less to do on the job - as attractive as it seems on busy days, it can be an energy and morale drain. Most of us are happier when we have something to do, plus it makes the day go faster.

If you have a lot of down time, this is a great opportunity to do several things.

Enjoy this time while you have it - you will have jobs where you yearn for this kind of down time.

znapple · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:54 pm Post subject:

You could try finding a hobby. With the economy in the toilet near right now you might want to stay where you are.

lexa10881 · Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 8:01 pm Post subject:

Yeah, walkman had a few great suggestions on what you could do with the down time, including classes online and updating your resume in case you decide you can't stand it and want out of there! Some days I wish I had that kind of time on my hands.

http://www.cvtips.com/corporate_culture.html

Jessie · Newbie Joined: 25 Mar 2008 Posts: 2 Career Advice: +0/-0

Thanks for all the comments.

I am thinking about upgrading my CA and search for some better jobs.
Actually I dont know which area is my interest.
I graduated from Econ Dept with MA. Most of my classmates worked in Finanical Industry, such as investment bank, Hedge Fund... But my research major (Industrial Organization) for MA is almost nothing related to this area.
Thus I am confuesd what I am capable to do.

I am uograding my statisitical skill these days and hope to find a job in Consultancy area. Hope it makes sense.

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