• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

How I do back out of this in a professional manner?

J

jtvang125

Diamond Member
About a month ago my assistant director/programmer tossed the task of maintaining our SQL Server database onto my lap even though I have no database programming experience. Although creating and maintaining databases isn't exactly programming I've never enjoy programming and I'm not enjoying this either. It's boring me to tears that I can't even work on this for 10-15 minutes before I start falling asleep.

So today before our weekly training I'm going to let him know that I honestly don't think I'm the right person for the task. I've already discussed it briefly with my supervisor (director) about it and he assured me that I don't have to do anything I don't feel comfortable with doing or that is not within my scope.
 
Good luck mate, I wouldn't have a clue about this. I'd probably talk to him and see what he says.

Koing
 
Originally posted by: jtvang125
About a month ago my assistant director/programmer tossed the task of maintaining our SQL Server database onto my lap even though I have no database programming experience. Although creating and maintaining databases isn't exactly programming I've never enjoy programming and I'm not enjoying this either. It's boring me to tears that I can't even work on this for 10-15 minutes before I start falling asleep.

So today before our weekly training I'm going to let him know that I honestly don't think I'm the right person for the task. I've already discussed it briefly with my supervisor (director) about it and he assured me that I don't have to do anything I don't feel comfortable with doing or that is not within my scope.
Click to expand...

This would be a terrible idea. You just need to buck up and learn SQL Server. You tell him that you aren't the right fit, and he'll remember that on your next review. Basically you'ld look like a quitter. (no offense).

good luck
 
Life is too short to be spent suffering through something you can't stand doing. Be honest and straightforward with this, and if you do end up looking for another job remember life is too short to suffer and find one you like doing.
 
Originally posted by: jaqie
Life is too short to be spent suffering through something you can't stand doing. Be honest and straightforward with this, and if you do end up looking for another job remember life is too short to suffer and find one you like doing.
Click to expand...

Guess we should ask, is this your career? or just another job?
 
If bored but you can do it, do it.

If not capable or beyond your abilities, bring that up right quik before it snowballs.
 
What is your actual position, exactly? A lot depends on what you're meant to do and how outside the scope this responsibility is for you.

I'd make sure to state that although you don't have any prior database experience, you thought it would be an interesting area to explore and gain education within, but that it simply isn't working out for you, and that you think it serves everyone's best interests to have the tasks delegated to someone more suitable.

A lot of posters here have this odd mentality that whatever the boss says is law, but that's bunk. I've been asked to do some work outside my general scope in the past, and I've straight up said no and stated that I would be horrible/slow at those tasks, or that I'm too busy. Some disappointment may initially occur, but an employer isn't going to fire you for not doing something that you weren't supposed to do anyways. On the other hand, if you take on this role and do badly at it, that's going to reflect on your overall performance no matter what. Better to nip it in the bud.
 
Originally posted by: yllus
What is your actual position, exactly? A lot depends on what you're meant to do and how outside the scope this responsibility is for you.

I'd make sure to state that although you don't have any prior database experience, you thought it would be an interesting area to explore and gain education within, but that it simply isn't working out for you, and that you think it serves everyone's best interests to have the tasks delegated to someone more suitable.

A lot of posters here have this odd mentality that whatever the boss says is law, but that's bunk. I've been asked to do some work outside my general scope in the past, and I've straight up said no and stated that I would be horrible/slow at those tasks, or that I'm too busy. Some disappointment may initially occur, but an employer isn't going to fire you for not doing something that you weren't supposed to do anyways. On the other hand, if you take on this role and do badly at it, that's going to reflect on your overall performance no matter what. Better to nip it in the bud.
Click to expand...

Just to add on to that, if an employer does fire you for something trivial like, say, not wanting to completely fuck up their database because that isn't your area of expertise, then the hell with them. I have an odd philosophy of life; never prioritize anything that doesn't bring you happiness. If you aren't happy in your job, leave. There are literally millions of jobs out there, there is bound to be a better fit somewhere. I treat a job similar to how I treat a relationship; if there is a good potential for happiness, I will make concessions to try to make things work. I refuse to change myself completely, do things I am uncomfortable with, or devote my life to pursuing anything that does not bring me happiness.

You have one shot at life on this planet. It's too short to spend miserable. Find something that you enjoy doing and work your ass off to make it work for you.
 
Originally posted by: yllus
What is your actual position, exactly? A lot depends on what you're meant to do and how outside the scope this responsibility is for you.

I'd make sure to state that although you don't have any prior database experience, you thought it would be an interesting area to explore and gain education within, but that it simply isn't working out for you, and that you think it serves everyone's best interests to have the tasks delegated to someone more suitable.

A lot of posters here have this odd mentality that whatever the boss says is law, but that's bunk. I've been asked to do some work outside my general scope in the past, and I've straight up said no and stated that I would be horrible/slow at those tasks, or that I'm too busy. Some disappointment may initially occur, but an employer isn't going to fire you for not doing something that you weren't supposed to do anyways. On the other hand, if you take on this role and do badly at it, that's going to reflect on your overall performance no matter what. Better to nip it in the bud.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the great advice. Currently I'm doing all the desktop and basic phone support for about 150 onsite employees and 50 remotely. This is what I got my degree in and enjoy doing. Programming on the other hand is a totally different story.
 
With this recession and job market, I would put as much effort into making management happy as possible. Put some effort into, but if don't want to do the job because it's boring (causing you to fall asleep after 15 minutes) than it will be very easy for them to find someone else to do your job. There are probably thousands of starving people in your metro area that need work right now.

Or, you could follow Atomic Playboy's advice: "If you aren't happy in your job, leave. There are literally millions of jobs out there, there is bound to be a better fit somewhere."

It's true that there are millions of jobs out there... they are just filled with people doing their best to get through our current economic state without being laid off.
 
Really now? have you checked other professions, Red?
There is still (has been for about ten years running) a very large deficit of registered nurses and other healthcare professionals, for one. They are being fought over by health care institutions nationwide. That profession is not alone in this position. Last I checked, the OTR truck driving industry is the same way.
 
Originally posted by: jaqie
Really now? have you checked other professions, Red?
There is still (has been for about ten years running) a very large deficit of registered nurses and other healthcare professionals, for one. They are being fought over by health care institutions nationwide. That profession is not alone in this position. Last I checked, the OTR truck driving industry is the same way.
Click to expand...

Is the OP a registered nurse or someone who is prepared to drive a truck with a CDL?

His post makes it sound like he is in the programming field.
 
I fought a similar losing battle a while back. I actually knew before being assigned the duties that I didn't want to do them. My employer told me to just "try it out" and then if it wasn't working out he'd reassign. Yeah... that never happened despite the occasional complaint.

Things like this are symptomatic of an unprofessional company, BTW. Having no DBA likely means that the DB is not designed or maintained properly.

In my old job, it just became more and more obvious that they didn't believe in professional quality of product. It took years before they even got a professional designer to work on our web pages. These were multi-million dollar projects that we (a big consulting company) were doing for the state government. The designer they got was a little weird, to say the least. And the idiot managers would have him do totally ridiculous things like make fonts that couldn't be changed in IE then have a help page that explained how to change the font size with a disclaimer that it won't work on our pages.

Still, he did a decent job - better than any other random programmer had done in the past. Better than I could do, for sure.

Then he left. My boss told me to design the next version of the web site. Again, a multi-million dollar application and they claim that it's impossible to use a real designer. Any time I ask they say that things just don't work that way? What? What way, the professional way?

I mention that I am not a professional designer and I'm concerned about the quality of the product... don't we have a designer somewhere? It's a multi-million dollar project. The same guy who pushed for font craziness had the balls to say, "I've never heard an employee ask if someone else could do their job before." I found a new job within a month.
 
Originally posted by: George P Burdell
If it pays the rent, stfu and do it.
Click to expand...

Spoken like someone who has given up on their dreams. "If I can't be happy, then no one else should be either!" Didn't we have a poll here yesterday where everyone said they would rather be poor and happy than rich and lonely? How quickly we change our minds...
 
Originally posted by: Red
Is the OP a registered nurse or someone who is prepared to drive a truck with a CDL?
His post makes it sound like he is in the programming field.
Click to expand...
Originally posted by: jtvang125
.... Currently I'm doing all the desktop and basic phone support for about 150 onsite employees and 50 remotely. This is what I got my degree in and enjoy doing. Programming on the other hand is a totally different story.
Click to expand...
Seems you may need to read the thread a bit more. I am too tired to delineate exactly what I was getting at with the different career tracks post, I hope you can understand what I mean in this dual quote...ugh my brain is melting. Im gonna try to sleep again (aint insomnia fun?)
 
Originally posted by: jtvang125
Originally posted by: yllus
What is your actual position, exactly? A lot depends on what you're meant to do and how outside the scope this responsibility is for you.

I'd make sure to state that although you don't have any prior database experience, you thought it would be an interesting area to explore and gain education within, but that it simply isn't working out for you, and that you think it serves everyone's best interests to have the tasks delegated to someone more suitable.

A lot of posters here have this odd mentality that whatever the boss says is law, but that's bunk. I've been asked to do some work outside my general scope in the past, and I've straight up said no and stated that I would be horrible/slow at those tasks, or that I'm too busy. Some disappointment may initially occur, but an employer isn't going to fire you for not doing something that you weren't supposed to do anyways. On the other hand, if you take on this role and do badly at it, that's going to reflect on your overall performance no matter what. Better to nip it in the bud.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the great advice. Currently I'm doing all the desktop and basic phone support for about 150 onsite employees and 50 remotely. This is what I got my degree in and enjoy doing. Programming on the other hand is a totally different story.
Click to expand...

So great advice is only what you want to hear? 😕
 
Originally posted by: Red
With this recession and job market, I would put as much effort into making management happy as possible. Put some effort into, but if don't want to do the job because it's boring (causing you to fall asleep after 15 minutes) than it will be very easy for them to find someone else to do your job. There are probably thousands of starving people in your metro area that need work right now.
Click to expand...

You still have to balance what you're honestly capable of against what you're asked to do. As torpid states, having the DB duties handed to him probably means that he's screwed from the get-go by being handed a poorly designed and maintained system. Who wants to associate their professional name with that? Better to let a pro tackle that mountain and let you do what you do best.

Living in constant fear of being fired because there are 85,184 people just itching to take your place out there is probably the best way to give yourself a heart attack. You're going to have to say no sometimes in your professional life. As long as you do it with logical reasons behind the decision, another logical person will recognize and accept that.
 
tell your boss that you dont know how to manage SQL DB, but that you did stay at a holiday inn express last night
 
arrange for an 'accident' to happen which involves a hacker stealing all the confidential information in the database and then holding it for ransom.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top