What Your Job Is Not

Mar 12, 2012 | Business and Entrepreneurship, Crafting Your Career, Professional Development

What is your job?

Or, more importantly, what is your job not?

One evening, late on a Friday night, I asked myself what I was accomplishing, and what I was achieving. Who am I working for? What’s the bigger picture? How am I making this happen? 

Sometimes, to figure out what to do, you have to make a “do not” list. A “Your job is NOT” list.

So, frustrated, I scratched a few reminders and notes down in my journal. What am I doing? I thought. What really needs to be done?

Here’s a few:

  • Your job is not checking email.
  • Your job is not (just) making other people happy. 
  • Your job is not to stay late.
  • Your job is not to be miserable.
  • Your job is not to make other people miserable.
  • Your job is not procrastinating. 
  • Your job is not acting in a way that goes against your beliefs.
  • Your job is not to be bored.
  • Your job is not your life.

What is your job? 

  • Your job is something you do.
  • Your job might help you to pay the bills.
  • Your job is a place to create great work. 
  • Your job is to learn.
  • Your job is to bring your unique and necessary skillset to particular projects.
  • Your job is to excel.
  • Your job is to innovate, improve, and generate.
  • Your job is to to make your boss look great.
  • Your job is to use your judgment wisely.
  • Your job is to be the best professional you can be, given your knowledge, expertise and judgment.
  • Your job is to be a great teammate. 
  • Your job is to make others’ work better. 
  • Your job is to grow.