SO Sorry For the Long Post - Feeling more important at my job

[Malin889]

Hi,

 

I mentioned once about my full time job - I started this job back a few months ago. My last job was very very stressful and the commute was 3 hours round trip. My old boss wasn't very good to me and had had a history of assistants who didn't last very long, I lasted the longest. I could never get home in time to pick up my daughter or take her to things. Anyway, I found this new job - much more closer - only a 20 minute commute. The hours are a lot more flexible, for example, my kid's school let out early today because of the weather, and it was no problem getting there on time, and working from home in the afternoon.

 

The only issue is: My job, right now, is a 6-month contract job. I'm in administration/support staff. I took it because I was promised that I'd be made permanent much sooner than 6 months, and the salary would go up quite a bit once I was made permanent. And it was in an industry I really like. Well, it'll be 6 months in 6 weeks. And there's been no mention of permanence. I contacted the person at my agency last week just to see if we could talk about my future and what was happening, and I never heard back. I thought that was odd. I did ask my boss the other day if we could talk the next time he was in town (he works remotely), and we're talking later this week.

 

Also, the work hasn't been very challenging. The office is pretty quiet. A lot of people work remote, with people only coming into the office a couple times a week, and because of that, the training has lacked a little bit.

It's hard to get to know the business when most people work remotely.

Some days, there's nothing to do. Other times, I get involved with projects but they're not long-term. I don't think that the lack of work is is personal. One girl told me that there hadn't been anyone in my position in almost a year, so they're not used to someone being there doing things for them.

 

Then today, my boss just invited his direct staff to a cookout at his home in a few months, but I didn't get an invite!

 

I don't know what to do. It's been hard the last 5 months because aside from the unknown future, I haven't had any paid vacation time, so when everyone else was off during the Christmas week, I was in the office, and there was nothing to do. That's happened a couple other times during the 5 months where no one came into the office, or at one time they all were at a big meeting in another state, and I had nothing to do. I took a gamble on this job, being that it was so close to home and in an industry I love, but I also took a pay cut because the commute was so much closer. I definitely cannot stay on this salary long term. I have a mortgage to pay.

 

Anyway, I'm trying to figure out what to say to my boss during our meeting. I want to talk about my future - if there's a future - and talk about taking on more projects and have more things to do that are actually MY responsibilities. I feel like I don't have my own duties. Before I started, the job description looked a lot better than when the job actually is. Since I started, I constantly have to ask people if they need help. And I do that - all the time. I'm always trying to take the initiative, but it's hard because I have no direction and hardly any training. How do I say, is there a future for me without saying that? How to say that I want my own responsibilities and want to take on more?

 

Its hard because I really need to know if they plan to make me permanent because I'm the head of my household and I need to start job searching now if not.

 

I'm just afraid my boss will say they're not renewing my contract, or, they are renewing my contract for another 6 months, but I'm not being made permanent yet. If that's the case, I can't stay. I've never had a job like this where I don't have my own responsibilities. It's ironic because I wanted a job with a good commute close to home, but in exchange for that, I got a job where I feel like I don't have much importance. But I don't feel like it's my fault, I've done so much to try to take initiative.

 

What should I say to him? Was the non-invite to the cookout an oversight or is it that he doesn't see me as part of the future there?

 

This is my career damnit, I want more!

 

Sorry for the long post, and for being all over the place!

[Eternal Sunshine]

You should have been looking already, I don’t think they will make you permanent. If there seems to be nothing to do, I don’t see why would they.

 

As a manager now, I dislike when people offer to help or ask for additional responsibilities in a vague way. Asking “can I help?” Or saying “I want extra responsibilities” creates additional work for me. I have to spend time thinking and then showing/teaching a person what to do. What I like is a person having specific ideas, projects or tangible tasks. “I was thinking of X Y Z.” I think you should have spent more time carving your way into projects or taking the initiative to do things that haven’t been explicitly asked of you. Then promoting this work to your boss. In your situation it may not be possible to do this but in most situations there will be something along those lines.

 

Also, in this day, hands on training is almost never necesseary. A self-starter will dig through company documents and a wealth of online information and tutorials on almost any topic.

 

Good luck but I would start with the job search and keep this in mind for your next role.

[Malin889]

I appreciate your advice but I disagree that hands on training isn’t necessary. How do you expect anyone to learn if you don’t train them? And I actually think saying that I Want to take on more responsibilities is a good thing and as a manager you should want to help new people learn, and teach them, not leave them to read through training manuals and see what they come up with.

I’m actually a very proactive person and love to bring new ideas to the table, but everyone needs direction of some sort, especially as a new employee.

 

As a manager, it’s not very nice to say its a waste of your time when someone asks to help. Goodness!

[clia]

What kind of training are you wanting?

 

This might be a case where the business got so used to no one being in your role that they have realized they don't really need someone in your role, particularly if people are typically working from home anyway. It is alarming that you are spending so much time doing nothing.

 

What do you view your responsibilities as being? If your view conflicts with what was in the job description, I think you can bring that up to your boss. You can also ask your boss what he views as your role in the company. Be ready to explain how you feel you can add value in ways that are not currently being utilized. I agree with Eternal that you should be proactive about finding ways to make yourself useful. Give your boss and the other employees help where they didn't even realize they needed it. At nearly six months in, you really are no longer a new employee. You should be able to identify ways you can add value.

 

As far as the barbecue, if it's a few months out then it seems like your boss is not planning for you to be around.

[Wallysbears]

If they wanted to convert you to a full time, permanent employee they likely would have already or would have told you of their intention to do so.

 

I'd start looking for a full time, a permanent job elsewhere.

[Malin889]

I had the catchup with my boss and everything is well. With so much going on (there’s some reorg happening on the corporate level) he had forgotten that my contract was ending and said he thinks I’m doing a great job and really wants to make me permanent but has to check a few thing with HR, etc, to make this happen. But he wants to give me more projects. He said he was glad I took the initiative and asked for more work.