I Am Being Assigned Tasks That Are Not In My Job Description, What Should I Do?

Question 

I have been working as a copy writer in an advertising firm for a year now. Although I am quite good at my job but for some time now I have been thinking about leaving the company and find another job. However, I love the company I am currently working at; I love my job and the environment and if it were not for a single problem I would never dream of leaving the company. The problem that I am facing is that apart from performing my usual duties, I am being regularly asked to perform tasks that are not in my job description at all.  Although I do not have any trouble in doing the extra work, but I think that it is inappropriate of my employer to ask me to perform tasks that my job description does not entail. For some time I contemplated refusing to do so but failed to muster up the courage. Now, I am considering either asking the company to pay me extra money for the extra duties or resigning from the job and looking up for another one. I am totally confused and need help. Please guide me in the proper direction so that I can make the right decision that can help me in my professional life.

Amir Hassan

Answer 

Dear Amir,

The problem that you have mentioned above is not that uncommon, and a lot of people have complained about facing similar issues at work. However, there are several dimensions to this kind of problem that need to be understood before deciding which path you want to follow.

First of all, you need to understand the nature of favors being asked by your boss. For instance, if he wants you to take his car to car wash or to pick up his clothes from the dry cleaner, you definitely are a victim. In such a scenario, the best case is to politely inform the boss that you will be unable to do the chore that he has asked you to for some one reason or another. By doing so once or twice, you will send the message that you are here for the official work, not personal chores and in all probability, your boss will stop making such request.

The other scenario is where the boss is asking you to perform tasks that your other colleagues are unable to do. This might not really be a bad thing since it proves that your Manager is aware of your capabilities and trusts you with more responsibility than your peers. You can actually use this scenario to your advantage by proving your worth to your boss, who might be impressed by your performance and consider you for a promotion.

As far as asking the company to pay you for your efforts is concerned, there is nothing wrong in making such a demand since you have all the rights to do so. However, it might lead to the impression that you are more interested in money making than contributing to the company. This, in future, can be harmful to your professional career.

Lastly, if you still wish to leave the job, it would be wise to secure a good job before hand, since jobs are scarce these days and rate of unemployment is quite high. We hope that these suggestions will help you in making an important professional decision.

Best of luck!
Raheel Ahmed Khan