Dear EDN,
I’m fairly new on the job and I have a coworker that has been assigned to train me on a certain task. In the beginning, I felt like I was learning, getting support, had what felt like a plan of action and goals. However, that has changed. Now she’s assigning me tasks that generally an assistant would perform, she’s not my supervisor, just a lead. I complete the work but I’m not learning or growing. Our team is small, I don’t want to ruffle feathers, but it seems like people are afraid of her and don’t push back. I want to report her to my supervisor, but she seems to do the same thing everyone else does. Also, she is pretty old and I feel guilty. What should I do?
Dear “Newbie”,
First, we want to acknowledge that you sound motivated and eager to learn so it’s only appropriate that you address your concerns sooner rather than later. It’s a tough position to be in, especially as a new team member on the job. We were able to gather some great feedback and we wanted to share some of it with you.
The Checklist
Before having a sit-down conversation with your team lead, we recommend that you ask your supervisor for a checklist of all things you are expected to learn during this training period. Then, determine which of the actions are contributing to your training and which are out of scope for you. Once you gather the specifics, you can leverage these details to facilitate a discussion with your lead about your concerns.
Communication
It is important that we are learning and growing professionally to achieve our career goals. It seems like you’re eager to learn and develop your skills. Given that you were learning and getting support from your lead initially, we recommend you start by politely asking to have a sit-down meeting with her to voice your concerns. Start the conversation by thanking your lead for the support and knowledge she has been providing you thus far. Then, mention that certain tasks you have been performing are not in line with what you consider to be part of your role. Be clear and mention that certain key skills required to perform your job well are not being taught, and some tasks you have been assigned are interfering with your ability to contribute to the team. If the lead responds negatively to your concerns, then we recommend that you document your interactions.
The Final Steps
Once you have addressed your concerns, see if any changes are being made. If you feel that your needs are still not being met, then we recommend taking it one step further and raising it to your supervisor. Your concerns aren’t accusatory but instead seem valid and responsible. Last, if you learned everything that the job had to offer and you feel like there is no room for growth, it may be time to explore other opportunities.
We wish you the best of luck.