Anonymous writes:
My employer is currently training me to serve as backup relief for a position that I do not want to fill. The position requires excessive overtime and the rate of pay does not adequately compensate for the demands of the job. Eventually this training will lead to a promotion to fill this position. I personally know I can do the work but would rather not have anything to do with the position.
The Career Doctor responds:
Yours is a problem that I am seeing more and more of in this current environment of employers pushing productivity by training employees for multiple positions so that one person can do the job of the others who have been rightsized out of the firm.
On one hand, you should feel good about yourself that your employer values you enough to expand your skills and prepare you for a possible promotion. On the other hand, too many people get promoted or moved into career paths that they end up hating — and wondering how they ever got so far away from where they started.
So…you have a couple of choices.
First, given the current employment scene, you may decide it best to keep your mouth shut for the time being and continue the training until the employment picture gets better — which for many industries and careers should be some time this year.
Second, if you have any kind of positive relationship with your supervisor, you could try having a heart-to-heart and spell out exactly how you see your career path — and how it does not include a switch to this other position (with or without a promotion). Be forewarned that no matter how good your relationship with your boss, this strategy could lead to you being marked as ungrateful and not a team player.
Third, you could start a new job search by getting your resume together and contacting all the people in your network. Depending on the size of your company, you may even be able to do an internal transfer to another division.
Never settle for something that makes you unhappy. Life is too short.
