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Tell the Boss You’re Bored

Take Charge of Your Own Career

LET’S FACE IT: You need your boss. Unless you work for yourself, the boss is still an organizational necessity and is a major part of your work experience. Your boss hands out work assignments, makes sure you get paid, keeps you from falling asleep in meetings, and hopefully protects you when you make a mistake. But sometimes the boss is the last to notice when you’re ready for something new. This is understandable. After all, the boss is focused on making the team look good (not to mention him-or herself) and that can be a full-time job. No, it’s your job to manage your boss, and that includes communicating when you’re ready for something else, such as a new project or assignment or even a new job somewhere else in the company.

Now, you can’t just walk in and say “I want to do something different,” prior to meeting certain criteria. First, a great performance record is a must-have for this discussion; you better be knocking the ball out of the park or else your boss will laugh you out of the office when you ask for a bigger, better role. Results come first, no matter how large or small the role or organization. It also helps to have a sense of the culture and how things work around your company. If you’ve only been in your role for a year, and the unwritten code is that managers need to “pay their dues,” well, you better factor that into your thinking. It’s probably going to be an issue.

Second, you must bring a plan with you. Do your homework so that you have an idea of what you want and a few reasons why this is such a brilliant idea. You need to sell yourself and your proposal, and you better be prepared to answer your boss’s questions. If you want to expand your role, why do you think you can take on more team members or responsibility? If you propose that you move to a new position, who is available to replace you? Why is this the right time to make this move? What are your long-term career goals? Think through both sides of the conversation; anticipate what your boss is likely to say, feel, and do, and be ready with your responses. Prepare to defend your position, and try to steer the conversation toward why this is good for you and the company.

Sell Your Strengths and Make Your Case

Let’s say you’re a high performer, and you feel you could make a greater contribution. Or maybe you’ve learned everything you can in your current role. Congratulations, you’ve reached Step 1: realizing your strengths and identifying what motivates you. Write it down, and be prepared to articulate your unique skills and desired contribution to the boss (see Chapter 7). Boredom is not a virtue; if you’ve proven yourself and have capabilities that are being unused in your current role, it’s time to speak up. Pair this with grateful appreciation for what your boss has already done for you. The conversation might go something like this: “I really appreciate what you’ve done to help me learn my current job. I’m enjoying it very much, but I’d like to explore taking on more responsibility/trying something new.” Follow that with your thoughtful self-assessment and specific ideas: “I think I’m pretty good at X, and I’d really like the opportunity to take on/explore/work on Y.” You’ve just done half the work by expressing appreciation and firmly stating your case. Now prepare for Step 2: bringing suggestions to the table.

Lay out your ideal next job and the reasons why it makes sense. Maybe it’s expanding your current role or shedding some of what you do to focus on a specific task. Maybe it’s moving up in your current department to a leadership position just above your current role. Or maybe it’s an entirely new job elsewhere in the organization. Whatever it is, have your facts straight and a strong rationale for your reasoning. A helpful resource to consult as you prepare for this discussion is The Lessons of Experience, which makes the case for career development from a “learning by doing” perspective.¹⁵ Read this book, and you’ll be prepared to say: “Here’s why I think this is good for me and the team/company.” Be firm, but don’t back your boss into a corner. The secret is to ask for your boss’s input and support in helping you achieve your goals. After expressing what you’d like to do, say: “I’d like to get your thoughts on this; what do you think?” And as the conversation goes along, don’t be afraid to ask directly for support. Say: “Can you help me make this happen?” or “Is there anything else you need from me?”

Your immediate boss is probably the most important person in your work life, certainly as far as advancing your career is concerned. Each boss you work for has the power to help you move forward and accelerate your career or frankly, derail it. Don’t be that manager who sits in the same job year after year waiting for the boss to offer a new and exciting role. Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps, and go out and make the case for yourself. If you don’t do it, who will? Do you really want to risk putting your career in someone else’s hands? Make your boss an offer, present it with passion and conviction, and appeal to your boss’s sense of pride in helping you move your career forward. If you’ve nailed your current role, chances are good that your boss will be there for you. Just don’t be afraid to have the conversation!

Bootstrap Takeaways

Take Charge of Your Own Career

1. Be proactive and assertive about your career moves—don’t be afraid to ask for your next assignment (once you’ve mastered the current one).

2. Let your boss know that you’re interested in your next role—don’t make your boss guess. Have a plan, and be prepared to sell yourself!

3. Seek out a role that best suits your skills and future learning objectives—think of jobs in terms of what they can teach you.