3 Reasons You Should Stop Saying “That’s Not a Part of My Job” in the Workplace

Many of us have heard others or ourselves say these dreadful words that no manager or supervisor wants to hear “That’s not a part of my job”. Before you get up in arms, starts a strike and call the union let me share with you why that statement should no longer be a part of your vocabulary in the workplace.

Now let’s be clear, you should not let an employer violate your employee rights, run all over you and dump piles of work on you,  that is not what I am saying here. What I am saying is something that may not be a part of your job now may be a useful and or a promotable skill set in the future. I was a huge “That’s not a part of my job” advocate. When I saw work that was not a part of my job description coming my way I would stop it by saying “oh no that is not a part of my job description” but I had to shake that attitude ASAP and so do you.

3 years after being in my position, I wanted to get promote but guess what, I had no skills that were promotable. One seasoned and wiser employee pulled me to the side and said, if you want to have more skills to promote, you need to take on more responsibility around here”.
The next time my supervisor approached me with a “that’s not a part of my job” task, I accepted and of course she was shocked but she set me up for my training and there I was learning a new skill that no one could take from me, a skill that was promotable professionally and personally plus I was now becoming an asset to my job.

It took me 3 years to learn that things that are not a part of my current job description could be a professional and person skill booster. Removing “that’s not a part of my job” from my vocabulary in the workplace helped me get promoted 3 times and taught me how to run my own side business.I don’t want you to have to learn this the long and or hard way like me.

Here are 3 reasons you should stop saying “that’s not a part of my job” in the workplace

1. Free Training

Accepting something that’s not a part of your job description gives you the opportunity to be trained in something new that you can list on your resume and highlight during an oral interview. You can get knowledge that cost you nothing in monetary value, just cost in your personal time to learn.

2. Transferable Skills

Some skills you learn outside of your current job scope can be used in your professional and personal life. Something you learn at work could help you to start a side business (HINT: Seek learning skills and or task that you KNOW can be a plus for you in your overall life. Such as grant writing, accounting and event planning just to name a few) these skills you learn can be transferable to any part of your life you see fit.

3. Competitive Edge

Knowing how to do something that isn’t a part of your regular job description may come in handy and give you the competitive edge if and when you decide you want to promote or apply for a new position. You will have more knowledge than the competition in your field and or position because you have taken the initiative to be trained on a specific topic that others are waiting to get to a certain position before they are trained on. You will be an asset to wherever you promote or apply to because they won’t have to spend time and money training you on things you have previously learned. You will stand out when you have more knowledge and or skills than potential position candidates.

So before you decided to yell out “that’s not a part of my job” next time, please think twice. That one skill you may refuse to learn today because it not a part of your job could get you promoted, a new position and be a bonus to your personal life.

Posted in Career Advice, Workplace and tagged , , .

Jenine Lopez (Gojenbefit)

Jen helps women lose weight, goal set and live a healthier lifestyle. Jen blogs about wellness and living a happier life every day. Jen earned a Masters in Educational Psychology from Pepperdine University and is a Certified Group Fitness Instructor from NASM.

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