STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

member · Hermes

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Elle · Hermes

RE: What Should I Do? Need Advice

NCshopper · Hermes

I like LMonet's advice. I would copy your W. and K. on the e-mail as well, so it makes it look as though this is applying to K. as well, so it doesn't look like you're singling out A. And then your boss is copied on it so that he knows the whole situation and how you've handled it. I would also stress in your e-mail that this is a temporary thing and that you'll get back to helping them more as soon as you can, that way you can buy yourself some time until January and also not burn your bridges.

If after the e-mail, you're still not getting the results you wanted, then I'd call it quits with A. and K. I'd try not to bring your boss into it because it really doesn't have much to do with him, and it sounds like he's made it clear that all you need to do is say "enough" and you won't have to help the other two out anymore.

member · Hermes

Well the thing is..how do I say now that I dont have time to help them and then expect there to be a choice for me come January? I was more asking what you girls think I should do overall? Should I just keep w/it because it's a good opportunity for me or is not worth the stress and I should just tell them to shove it! LOL. I don't want to do anything at all until January because they are giving me a bonus and I wouldn't want them to not give it to me. I don't think they could because it's for the work I've done this year..but you never know. Does that make sense?!

Elle · Hermes

How important would they be for future advancement? Would the continued experience in that area look really good on your resume and possibly help you get a job in that field? If quitting would have a negligible effect on both of these and the work is causing you more grief than anything, I say hold your tongue until January and gracefully end your involvement. If you'd theoretically like to continue if you could do so on your own terms at your own pace, then I'd say grin and bear it for now and hopefully things will get back to normal soon, especially if A. is feeling alot of pressure lately and it's spilling over to you. If she's still harping on you in a month or two, then maybe re-evaluate what you'd be gaining by continuing with her.

jacL · Coach

Weigh your pros and cons. It is good experience but since it is only a side job, it doesn't present as much opportunity as if it were your first priority. You don't need this extra stress. I would wait it out til January and do all the work to the best of your ability, then tell them you can't work for them anymore uness they give you a regular position (don't even know if that is an option).

member · Hermes

jacL wrote:

Weigh your pros and cons. It is good experience but since it is only a side job, it doesn't present as much opportunity as if it were your first priority. You don't need this extra stress. I would wait it out til January and do all the work to the best of your ability, then tell them you can't work for them anymore uness they give you a regular position (don't even know if that is an option).

At this point, it's not an option. They already told my boss and I that they don't have the budget to have me work for them. So basically, they are giving me bonus money at year end for the work I've done this year for them (since June) and then this next year I won't get anything from them again unless I work all of 2006 for them. Sooo, I just don't know that it's worth the headache it's causing lately...arrgh.

LMonet - I'm not 100% how important it would be towards my future, but it can't help. I've always thought I'd like to get into Marketing/Communications and this is something I can put on my resume.

NCshopper · Hermes

shopchicago33 wrote:

I'm not 100% how important it would be towards my future, but it can't help. I've always thought I'd like to get into Marketing/Communications and this is something I can put on my resume.

I'd suggest updating your resume and see if what you can put on there from what you've already done for A and K is enough to make it look like you at least have some experience doing Marketing and Communications. If it looks as though you've got some good experience under your belt already, then you may want to just call it quits with them and use the experience you've already got (if that makes any sense). Or you can judge how much more experience you're likely to get by helping them out--if you'll be stuffing envelopes or something like that, then I say forget it! But if it looks like you might get some valuable experience from it, then I'd say stick with it. Have they had you do challenging and meaningful things in the past? If so, then you can probably count on that to continue and I think that would be good experience.

member · Hermes

Honestly - what they have me doing is a mixture of both. I've been doing more event planning, but I always did some anyhow as an assistant. A couple things though that I don't get to do in my assistant job, but get to do w/them is write news articles, create & publish a weekly newsletter, help build our website, etc. Other days they have me do things that is just glorified admin work. So it's a little bit of both.

I really appreciate all the advice. I think maybe I'll see how it goes thru the end of the year (until I get my bonus!) and go from there. Right now, I'm thinking I have enough to put on my resume and it's not worth the stress. Maybe it will improve after the holidays.