I have worked in Human Resources in state government since November 16, 2001, beginning as an HR Assistant II (a "junior" position) and moving to the HR Assistant III (the "senior" position) in January of 2005.  Our small staff serves 500 employees, and through several different administrations, several HR administrators have come and gone.  Since our previous administrator left in January 2004, I had been able to help our second in command with hiring procedures and had also been able to fill in as payroll officer since our last one left in November, 2005.

Although our almost continual short-staffing has been stressful at times, it has been very rewarding for me professionally and personally.  I ve been able to learn new skills and work more independently and with more authority and have felt important and needed.

Now that we finally have a new administrator and are in the process of recruiting a new payroll officer, I should be relieved but instead am very depressed.  The autonomy and authority I enjoyed have been abruptly curtailed and I am being encouraged to return to responsibilities that are no longer challenging.

How do I regain my enthusiasm for my old job?  Should I even be trying to do so?  Any advice would be appreciated.

Answer:

Now that you have had the opportunity to plump up your skill set, it will be very difficult to go back to your former, thinner responsibilities.

It s time to have a conversation with your manager and explain how you feel. Tell him or her that you enjoyed the payroll responsibilities and other expanded roles and that you would like to find out which development steps you will need to take to qualify for future openings.

There are probably some qualifications you are missing. For instance, do you need to complete a college degree? If so, does your organization offer tuition refund? Going back to college may give you the challenge you need-albeit on the outside-while you build your promotion requirements.

If you already have the basic qualifications, such as a degree, but you weren t considered for the payroll job, you need to find out why. Perhaps it is nothing more than a lack of experience in the job that prevented you from getting it. But if it is something else, you need to hear feedback about it, so you can remedy the problem, or fill the skills gap.

If your manager was pleased with your work, he or she will be sympathetic to your situation and won t want to lose you, and certainly doesn t want to see you depressed and unmotivated on the job. Consequently, your manager has a vested interest in finding more challenging work for you. Ask your manager if there are any projects that have been on the back burner while the department was undergoing the turnover. With so many leaders gone, there have to be projects left undone. They might be perfect for you.

If you really enjoyed the payroll responsibilities, perhaps you could approach the new payroll officer and ask that person to mentor you as a "backup" in the position. In fact, there may be duties the individual would like to assign to you.

If these options aren t possible, you may need to consider a career move. Ask yourself, "What was it about those duties that I really enjoyed?" Perhaps you will discover that you would be interested in a job outside of HR.

For example, you mentioned autonomy and authority. You said you felt important and needed. It sounds as if you really like being in a management position. Management jobs are usually more independent and carry more responsibility and authority. Ask your manager if there are management positions for which you would be qualified now (especially now that you can put some "management" experience on your resume).

If your manager agrees that you are ready to move up into a management level, ask if he or she is willing to let you network with individuals outside the department. Perhaps your manager would be willing to make some inquiries on your behalf, as well.

If none of these attempts work, it s time to decide if you should leave. Start checking the want ads and job boards, to see if your qualifications measure up. Try to find ways to beef up your resume outside of work by getting involved in your local HR organization (serving on the Program Committee is a great way to network with other HR professionals).

Start asking your friends and relatives if they would be willing to put you in contact with their HR colleagues. When you meet contacts don t ask for a job, simply tell them you are exploring your options. If they like what they see, you ll be fielding job offers. Who doesn t want a go-getter who steps up and wants to learn and grow?

Joan Lloyd is an executive coach, management consultant, facilitator and professional trainer/speaker.  Email your question to Joan at info@joanlloyd.com.  Joan Lloyd & Associates, (800) 348-1944, Visit www.JoanLloyd.com © Joan Lloyd & Associates, Inc.  Do you want more tips like this?  Send an email with the subject line "Online Newsletter" to info@joanlloyd.com and receive Joan Lloyd s free mini-newsletter each week.

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