In Over Your Head

Proving Your Worth

The attitude of the average 9-to-5’er goes like this: If I do this boring job long enough and well enough, I’ll be promoted to the job that’s fast-paced and exciting. That’s the job I really want.

The problem is, showing people you can only do boring work will only consist in more boring work.

When I was very young, I spent a lot of time on touch typing programs, and learned how to type over 100 words per minute. Proud of myself, I would tell my bosses this over the years. What would they inevitably do? Give me the most boring jobs ever, of course.

There has to be a path for those who want the fast-paced exciting job NOW. A different way to prove themselves. What do you think?

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14 responses to “Proving Your Worth”

  1. Rob Avatar
    Rob

    It’s a fair point. Surely the only way to get out of that situation is to stick your neck out a bit. Get involved with things you’d rather be doing!

    Reply
  2. Anthony Avatar
    Anthony

    Volunteer.
    You can get a lot of responsibility in a short period of time.
    If you do a good job, leaders in the organization will see that and recommend you for other gigs you may like.

    Reply
  3. Zach Avatar
    Zach

    The best advice I’ve heard for the workplace would seem to apply here. Find a need and fill it. You want the exciting, fast-paced work? Find it. Or make it.

    Reply
  4. worldmikel Avatar
    worldmikel

    Skills and ability to do boring jobs don’t get you stuck in boring jobs. Job “success” or ability to rise depends on factors outside yourself. Often the “who you know/are related to” accounts for your getting a “better job”. Blackmail or the cash you bring gives some “success”. Longevity and being the last man standing will give rise to promotions. Very few jobs – as the Auto companies and the Financial firms have shown recently – elevated people due to positive merit of their real efforts and skills directly related to the work they have done or the positions they’ve held.

    Fast-paced exciting job? I think most will be happy if they have a part-time job at the end of this year. And most of those may be in service areas as the glitz jobs that don’t add value to anything in the world will, by necessity, disappear.

    Unfortunate, but this is also the open wound that is now exposed and won’t heal in our system until it manages to eradicate it. That won’t be anytime soon. You can trust that.

    Reply
  5. John Meadows Avatar
    John Meadows

    I have a saying posted beside my desk at work: “If all you can do is follow the manual, you can be replaced with someone cheaper.” The key is finding a way to be innovative — there is NO job that does not provide an opportunity to make suggestions, and employers are increasingly valuing employee innovation and creativity.

    Also, if the workplace has things like health and safety committees, United Way committees or other groups you can volunteer for, these groups can be an excellent way to get noticed by people either way above your level in the hierarchy with whom you would not normally interact, as well as people in other areas of the organization.

    Reply
  6. Nate Avatar
    Nate

    I would say the best way to make fast-paced exciting job right now is to create your own. It seems like theres nothing more exhilirating and challenging than being your own boss. Cool post.

    Reply
  7. Rayanne Langdon Avatar
    Rayanne Langdon

    Julien! I can type 120 words a minute! Hire me!

    Reply
  8. Christopher Avatar
    Christopher

    As a guy who has an assistant whose job was boring (by design), I will tell you this: She made her job interesting by coming to me with good ideas for the company that she was passionate about. I told her ‘go for it’ and now her job (same job mind you) is interesting and challenging for her.

    And the company is now an (arts) industry leader in social media.

    And I got an assistant who isn’t bored out her mind and who I will have to replace in a year.

    Reply
  9. @luchito Avatar
    @luchito

    A job is what you make of it and if a person is not happy and fulfilled doing a job, then they need to find another one. Easier said than done in some cases, but that’s where the person’s creativity and drive will make the difference. Put on a good attitude, find ways to stand out, work harder than the guy/girl next to you, and opportunity will make its way to you.

    Reply
  10. steve garfield Avatar
    steve garfield

    This is great book:

    http://www.johnnybunko.com/

    There is no plan.

    Reply
  11. cheryl andonian Avatar
    cheryl andonian

    It really depends on the type of person you are. I have never found satisfaction from any job that was created by someone else for me to do. The jobs that have been the most rewarding and fulfilling are the ones that I have created for myself. A more difficult path to follow indeed, but for me at least, a better way to reach my goals and aspirations is to create and implement my own vision and my own path.

    Reply
  12. Gab Goldenberg Avatar
    Gab Goldenberg

    It’s called starting a company :).

    Reply
  13. Marsha Avatar
    Marsha

    I always hated my corporate jobs. The endless meetings, the politics, the ever changing priorities.
    Then the layoffs. You never knew who would be gone until your email came back returned.
    Now I am self employed and there is a whole new set of conflicts.

    Reply
  14. Justin Owings Avatar
    Justin Owings

    It’s satisfying to be able to type **anything** that fast. Why is that? Mastery of a routine process?

    I think the attitude of the average 9-5’er is less about sexy promotions, and more about squeezing the most out of a fairly non-sexy trade-off. The compromise of taking a boring job is then offset by the opiate of life after work intermingled with the possibility of the chance of a minimal effort resulting in a reward (promotion/bonus/whatever).

    An honest and happy individual is aware of the choice they’ve made (the compromise) and have accepted it.

    Reply

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