Work: When your boss wants to direct your career

Welcome to the first article in the freshly created “Work” category.

The first question: have you ever been in a situation where your boss attempts to direct your career - probably in a different direction than that you yourself have chosen?

Basically, suppose that there are several work-related things you like to do, that you really enjoy doing, and, so, you look for a job where you’ll be asked (and paid) to do exactly that. So far, so good. But… some time afterwards (maybe months, or even a couple of years), you increasingly feel that your boss is attempting to steer you away from the things you enjoy, and towards something you either hate, or simply doesn’t have anything to do with you.

You’re a reasonable person, so you’re aware that you won’t ever have a “perfect job” in which everything you do is something that challenges, stimulates or fascinates you - that there are some “menial”, or boring, or simply unpleasant jobs to be done, from time to time. That’s normal, and you were prepared from that from the beginning. But now, you’re finding out that those tasks are increasing in number and length, and that what you really love doing, what you were hired to do in the first place, is getting rarer and rarer.

If it was because the company’s requirements have changed - maybe they don’t really need anyone to do what you like doing anymore - the solution is obvious: move. (if you have kids to feed or something, move after you get hired to something better, of course.) But what if it’s not the company, but just your boss?

Talking to him is the obvious thing to do, right? But what if he refuses to understand? What if he treats you as if you’re a “spoiled” or arrogant worker who believes he must always do things he enjoys, and nothing else? What if he truly believes that he’s “helping” you, by making you learn new skills (even though they’re things you’ve already tried — and hated) - possibly even more “marketable” skills, like project management, or drawing Visio diagrams, or administration of some some software you dislike?

The solution again seems to involve “quitting”. But, have you been in a similar situation? Do you believe that it’s possible to make your boss appreciate your skills, your passion for your real work, and stop trying to steer you into a career you’d hate?

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