Not feeling needed at work

[Lilu]

Hello everyone- Happy New Year!

 

Thanks to both of you for posting- I was hoping for more opinions but your coments are appreciated.

 

Lilu

[Boughtandpaidfor]

If you spend 98% of your time doing nothing- then when you die you will have wasted 98% of you life right?

 

On the other hand if you are spending that 98% of the time (when you don't have to do work) doing something you like, then I'd say you've got a pretty sweet job.

 

Money is nothing I reckon- you sound bored and like you need a push to do what you clearly already want to do!!!!!

[rocio]

You have every right to feel this way. And your workmates should not be saying those negative things about your position.

 

Do you have access to the internet? Maybe you can spend your time searching for a new, better job.

 

One thing that my friends and I have discovered, however, is that people generally expect very little of you. It's difficult to find a job that challenges you.

 

You'll still want to keep this job as a reference, so don't start slacking off because you've lost faith. Spend your time trying to find extra things to do and impress your boss, leaving on a good note.

[charley]

Why don't you ask or request to help with other job duties?

 

My favorite activity at work is writing computer programs, usually for real estate financial analysis, sometimes for annuity analysis, sometimes for medical records keeping, but sometimes those job activities are not needed.

 

When those activities aren't needed, I ask for other projects to do. Then I might find myself writing legal documents related to real estate, or sometimes just being a humble typist of business letters, but I'm still keeping busy and earning my pay.

 

Heck, I've even fixed many vacuums for the janitor. I'm willing to do any job activity if there is not a need at that time for my highest skills. I've even been known to push a vacuum and help with the cleaning, if that's what needs doing and there is (at that time) no higher level activity for me to do.

 

So ask for other projects or things to do. You might end up with a different job at the same company either temporarily (like I do) or possibly permanently, but at least you'll be busy, earning your pay, and still employeed. Your employer will also resprect you for it, or should.

[Aurian]

I was also feeling a bit underused at work, and feeling a bit tired of simply covering for other people's extra work. I proposed to my boss that I get trained in some new things that interested me and would give me more good points for a future promotion. I like this because I like my current job, and this would let me feel like I am moving towards something again. My boss likes this because I am an excellent employee and my current job is hard to train a newbie into! This also makes me for flexible and able to help out the department in a crunch.

[charley]

Re what Aurian said: Exactly. Get cross trained. Then you'll always have something to do. I'm cross trained in many things. So I always can find something to do, or they give me something to do.