Dear Andrea:

I have been at my job five years and am getting burned out. At my mid-year review my boss said she wants me to move into the role of Office Manager. But she is not giving me any room to grow. I still do copies for her administrative assistant, plus any other little minor bit of work that comes up. She made me go to seminars and meet other office managers to see their responsibilities, but I feel she is wasting my time and company money if she doesn't allow me to grow into other areas. How do I approach this at my next review without sounding negative?

--Bored and Burned Out

Dear Bored and Burned Out:

First, be realistic. How much of your new job entails your old duties? Is it fair to say she's not giving you any room to grow? It sounds like you'd like to shed all your old "minor bits of work." If so, create a new job description of how you see this role. Make sure you've figured out who else can handle those minor things. Based on what you've seen other office managers do and what you've learned at this seminars what else do you want to be doing?

In your review, tell her:

• you're excited about the chance to develop your skills in this new position
• some of the specific ways you've done that over the past six months
• that you'd like your duties to focus more in these latter areas, not the old ones
• what else you want to do and who could handle your old duties

Bottom line, don't go to her with the problem; create a solution that will help you grow and still get the work done.

© by Andrea Kay