By the time you’re old enough to have a career, you understand that you won’t get everything you want out of every (or perhaps any) job. Some gigs will offer low pay, but high meaning, or the chance to gain valuable skills; others will provide you with the big bucks, but otherwise inspire yawns. Possibly the toughest scenario, though, is the one in which you like almost everything about your job … except your boss.
In this week’s roundup, we look at what to do when you can’t stand your manager, plus how to ask for a flexible schedule, and how to stay strong, even when you don’t feel “good enough.”
Kat Boogaard at ZipRecruiter: Should You Stay at Your Job If You Hate Your Boss?
“First things first, it’s time to determine what exactly your boss does that gets under your skin,” Boogaard writes. “Yes, your immediate response might be, “Everything!” but you and I both know that’s not necessarily true.”
Figuring out exactly what you don’t like about your manager will help you, no matter what you choose to do. It will also help you answer Boogaard’s other questions, and ultimately, decide whether you should stay or go.
Alison Doyle at Career Tool Belt: How to Ask for a Flexible Schedule
“You need to be very careful about how you approach your employer, or you can send the wrong message about your commitment to the job,” Doyle writes. “However, many employers are willing to negotiate a schedule with a highly valued employee. That’s especially the case when it’s easy for you to work from home and still get your job done.”
If you’re thinking about asking your boss for a flexible schedule, Doyle’s tips will help you make your case.
Marc Chernoff at Marc and Angel Hack Life: 5 Ways to Stay Mentally Strong When You’re Not Feeling ‘Good Enough’
“Every day we’re comparing apples with oranges – comparing our insides with other people’s outsides,” Chernoff writes. “That colleague of yours who’s giving a really smooth presentation to the boss, while you wait nervously in your chair until it’s your turn? She very well might be panicking inside. You just can’t tell.”
Impostor Syndrome, he says, gets worse as we get better at what we do, research shows—which means that not even becoming adept at your job will save you from occasional feelings of inadequacy.
Before you get bummed out about that, consider: this also means that your feelings of inadequacy might be a sign of how you good you are at your job. The challenge is to adjust your thinking, and Chernoff’s advice can help you get started.
Tell Us What You Think
What’s the best career advice you’ve read this week? Talk to us on Twitter or leave a comment.
Leave a Reply