I’m always asking my readers and speaking audiences to tell me their real-world, real life questions about decisions and choices you need to make in your life at work. Here’s one I hear all the time: “What do I do if my skills are not being utilized?”

(Personally, I hate the word “utilized” for anything having to do with human beings, but somehow, that’s the real language many of you are using. So be it.)

If that’s you, and your skills are not being used at their best and highest use, read on.

Let’s dig in to what’s happening for YOU when you feel like your skills are not being utilized. What’s the truth about what you’re noticing?

• That others are doing work you thought you’d be doing, and so there’s no real need for you?
• That you’re so much better than the last person that you get all the work done in half the time and so have tons of open time?
• That the job expectations are at a level lower than where your skills are?
• That you’re not learning and growing?
• That you’re bored?
• Or something else?

Too often, this excuse of “I’m under-utilized” just covers up something else that’s happening. You may need to do a little investigation to uncover the truth.

Put it into words.

Don’t worry–we won’t tell anyone. Just get clear on the true problem, just as you see it right now.

Need help getting clear? Try my on-demand class Get Career Clear, with five short video segments and powerful tools to help you move forward, faster. More here.

2. Consider How Your Leader Hears It

A client of mine had a similar “my skills are not being utilized” conversation with his leader. And he expected something to change.

It did, all right.

He suddenly found himself the owner of every failing, languishing project in his department.

Ouch.

Almost overnight, he became overwhelmed—and angry.

The work that now came his way felt like busywork, time-wasters, and was far, far away from his superpower space.

Here’s his mistake.

He didn’t get clear about what the problem was and so didn’t realize how his leader heard his request.

In this case,  this leader heard “I’m not busy enough.” He didn’t hear “I’m not doing enough of the kind of work where I can make a bigger contribution.”

For you, dear reader, I can just picture your eyes rolling when your leader said “just enjoy the summer.”  It sounds like that leader heard the initial “my skills are not being utilized” conversation as information, not as a request.

And it probably doesn’t sound like enough of a problem to her (compared to everything else on her plate) to move into any action. After all, why wouldn’t anyone just want to relax and enjoy the summer?

3.  Outline the SRA

Now that you know what your specific problem is, and you recognize how it might be heard, it’s time for your SRA:

Your Specific, Reasonable Action.

What do you want someone to DO? Hearing about the problem is one thing, but what request are you really making? How can someone help you?

It might sound like this:

So . . . Do You Need a New Job?

I hear your husband’s concern that he sees you’re not happy and thinks you need a new job. I’m so glad you have his support in what you do.

He’s right in that there’s no reason right not to keep networking while you work (grab my scripts to get started here) and watching what’s happening in your market.

You always have the power of “no” for new opportunities once they’re real. Since you found a new job a year ago, you’re probably still well-practiced enough to keep networking and seeking out new roles. There’s nothing wrong with keeping your eyes open. But I always caution people that it always SEEMS easier to jump to a new job when your current situation gets tricky.

The stronger, more satisfying path is to first apply a bit of courage and confidence to your current situation and see how you can make your current work work for you.