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I sympathize but will play devil's advocate. If there was a high level inspection, an audit, a safety or fire inspection, is EVERY SINGLE duck in a row? Would your place of business pass scrutiny on all angles? Restrooms are 100% working with no leaks - I'm not saying you should clean or fix plumbing but you can report things and get them fixed. Are all your fire extinguishers properly inspected and serviceable? Do people know how to use them? Do you have a safety program in place? OSHA cares about pencil pushers, too. Do you have an exit plan in case of an emergency? Do you have good personnel folders on each person so that, in an emergency, you can notify someone on their behalf? Is there a file plan and are the accounts (and everything) totally organized? Are your lights energy efficient? Is there anything you can do to improve the appearance? Is there anything you can take off of the people to free them up for more productivity? There's rarely nothing to do. Even if you work slowly to stretch it out.
Picking up on Hunter's idea^^ - As office manager are there no new procedures, or new manuals or contact lists you can update?
IMO, the OP's actions should depend upon whether she wants to stay with that employer or not.
If, yes, find a way to shine so they give you more to do, move you up, whatever. And shorten her day, since that's a big part of this too….the long work day.
I believe she said the previous office manager had nothing to do either. So clearly, that particular job slot at that employer has nothing more expected from it. Unless you show more can and should be done.
If she doesn't want to stay -- well then use her down time to learn a skill or acquire knowledge she can use some where else.
I have lots of down time at my job too, but I don't have to look busy, just to fake productivity. So, I surf the net. And I'm jaded and burned out…and very clear in my own mind that I just want to coast until retirement. So I'm not volunteering to do anything my boss doesn't require. If the people who get paid a LOT more than I do, don't expect more, then I don't feel the need to do more.
- I'm in my late 20's. So I'm not entry level anymore but sort of trying to reach mid
- I work downtown and my place is all the way uptown. It's not TOO big of a company so I'm not sure what other positions I could move int
-It's the hours and the gig
- You actually answered the question...They like to have a person answer the phone during those hours. There is an LA office too. Phone calls can always get transferred there. I just don't know how the old office manager did it...like I literally can watch a couple of netflix movies throughout the day because I have THAT much free time and that isn't what I'm really looking for...so I was going to meet with my boss to see if I could take on any additional work but eh...rethinking it now I just am in a rut
That type of work can be done at home....and often is! If I were you, I'd start looking for something else, while staying in good standing with the current job. Sooner or later, they will realize your position is superfluous, and find some way to outsource it. Don't hasten their decision by bringing it to their attention! The worse thing you could do is to tell them the job isn't productive. They hired you, let them figure out for themselves!
In the meantime, realize this isn't a job that will last, and start looking for something else. Consider the current job a paycheck until you do. You're in the best possible position to job hunt now, while you are employed. Companies don't like to hire those who are laid off/ue. There's a stigma, I guess they figure if you were any good you wouldn't be UE. Also, they figure you are desperate enough to mis-represent yourself just to get a paycheck going. Now that you are employed, you can be honest and simply tell potential new employers that you are looking for something with more upward mobility. Then, you aren't coming across as someone who will take anything for a paycheck.
Full time job, benefits, probably pays quite well, and you can sit around all day and watch Netflix and read, etc.? Sounds like heaven to me.
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Originally Posted by rocky1975
THIS!. I am in IT, so when I have downtime I am learning how to program, studying for certifications, or learning/watching videos about something that pertains to technology we may be implementing in the future.
I've been in one of those job situations. It's not heaven. It's more like hell. You can't study for certs, watch videos, or anything like that. You have to LOOK like you are doing something, even when they tell you to do NOTHING. The APPEARANCE of productivity is much more important to those type of supervisors than actual productivity. Often because the importance of their position depends on how many people they supervise, so they create positions that have no real function. Do you know how hard and exhausting it is to sit around all day LOOKING like you are heads down typing when there isn't anything? I'd much rather be busy all day than be subjected to that.
- I'm in my late 20's. So I'm not entry level anymore but sort of trying to reach mid
- I work downtown and my place is all the way uptown. It's not TOO big of a company so I'm not sure what other positions I could move int
-It's the hours and the gig
When you say the hours, do you mean you're more of a morning person and would rather start earlier and end earlier? Or do you mean your work hours plus your commute hours in total are just too much?
Take free courses on Lynda.com. Lynda.com is not actually free, but if you have a NYPL card (which I assume you do, since you live in Manhattan) then you can log in through the NYPL site for free. Many excellent classes and tutorials!
My last job was very similar to this, though hours were standard 9-5. I literally watched the time tick by.. Minute by minute. Like another poster said, I also started devoting that time to learning new skills and such. For example, I spent several weeks learning about investing(in my 20s, had little knowledge, besides knowing I had a 401k) so I learned a LOT in that time. My dad who also works a job with little work, he is constantly online researching and learning new things. Still, like myself it wasn't what I exactly wanted with a job, I felt my position was pointless I had had little to no real impact. I only stayed 5 months. Sounds like between the hours (yea, that would be tough with the commute times..) and the job itself, maybe you should look elsewhere if the company has no other positions. I would be cautious about asking your boss about another position and why your not happy in the current one because if they won't move you to another position, they may expect you will leave anyways and let you go.. Just a thought! Good luck with it all!
Just ask yourself how long you're willing to live like this. I was in a similar job to the one you described for 3 YEARS. Do I regret it? No, because I was in a situation where I HAD to stick it out. It was like a prison sentence. I made a calendar and ticked off the days to when I would quit. A couple of those "deadlines" came and went and I couldn't quite do it. My last 3-6 months, I just was waiting for the thing that was going to push me over the edge and one day I just turned to my boss and told her I'm done. I quit. Her response was "You can't quit!" I asked her would she stay there IF she didn't have to and she said no. She understood completely why. The job was completely soul sucking. She wasn't happy I was leaving, which somehow made me feel a little better about quitting.
The people that had been there more than 3-5 years were a miserable bunch and took it out on everyone else. Now, I am dealing with the whole process of starting all over again and financial insecurity. But, it's done now. Sometimes it's necessary to take that leap into the unknown. Life isn't just about a steady paycheck.
Last edited by A1eutian; 08-21-2016 at 01:03 AM..
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