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There are plenty of reasons not to do work outside of the scope of your job responsibilities. Maybe you’re not being paid for it, or it will hinder you from finishing your assigned tasks. While there are times to say no to doing extra duties other than those assigned, there are also times where you should do work outside of the scope of your job responsibilities. Find out if you’re being taken advantage of or work in a toxic workplace before submitting yourself to additional work.
You should look to pick up duties outside of your job description to further yourself in your career. This means going out of your way sometimes to volunteer for tasks you aren’t necessarily assigned to do. These tasks should add to your skill growth and relationship growth. Of course, you can say no every once in a while, especially if it’s for something that takes time and doesn’t really lead to self-improvement.
Three Main Reasons To Do Extra Work:
- Add skills to your resume
- Build better relationships with higher-ups
- To help your case for a pay raise
Let’s take a further look at what each of these means and how extra work can contribute to them.
Add Skills to Your Resume
The fastest way you can improve your resume is by finding new skills and certifications to include in it. Going above and beyond at the workplace will only help you develop your skills. Those can include soft skills such as leadership, teamwork, and organization. They can also include hard skills such as Microsoft Office applications, data analysis, or project managing.
If you’re looking to change jobs within a period of time, it’s best to ramp up that resume. Most employers want to know what you are going to do to make improvements at their company. That means going above and beyond the regular duties of your job to do so.
When you can tell an interviewer that you went outside the scope of your duties to make sure that sales were increasing or improved a lagging system, they will take note.
Build Better Relationships With Higher-Ups
Sometimes going outside of your job duties will mean talking with supervisors, project managers, directors, and maybe even the CEO. These are the most important people in your company to build relationships with. Letting these people know that you are a reliable worker and have their back will create trust between you.
Building relationships with higher-ups will make your case for a raise or a title bump even better later down the line. The best way for higher-ups to see your full potential is to go out of your way to facilitate communication with them.
Not only are these people important for building status within the company, but they’re the people who you will want to use for references. Having high-title people on your side in your success is so important in your career.
To Help Your Case For a Pay Raise
We’re all out here working for money. When the time comes for your annual review and your much-anticipated pay raise, how are you going to show you not only deserve it, but you deserve an extra bump?
The best way to make an argument for a higher pay raise is to show what you have been doing to deserve it. That means going above and beyond in your role a little bit to achieve that.
Be specific. Make sure you know how your efforts have improved the company or your position. The best way to show your efforts is to quantity them. For example, if you’re in sales, you would say that you increased sales by 15% from the previous year. This gives employers an excellent understanding of your accomplishments at their company.
Of course, you don’t have to wait for the annual review for your raise. If you’re looking for a raise sooner, this is an excellent time to begin adding tasks to your schedule. Employers won’t always just hand out a raise because you ask. You have to show them what you’re doing to deserve it.
When to Say No
There are many reasons to say no to extra job duties. When you take on additional job duties, you do it because you see the advantage it brings. You do it when it’s not getting in the way of your routine tasks. If a manager is increasingly adding job tasks without asking you first, you need to speak up.
When Assignments Don’t Add to Your Skillset
Say no to assignments that don’t contribute to your skillset. Doing monotonous, menial tasks just someone needed to do it doesn’t mean you should volunteer your time. Doing these types of jobs, like running to get coffee for everyone, won’t get you far in your career. Sure, you can go out of your way to do small things here and there, but when it becomes a habit, sometimes you just need to say no.
When it’s too Much
Do not take on tasks that you can’t handle. You may think jumping in to lead that vital project will be a perfect opportunity for you. It won’t be when it causes you to be stressed and worn out at work. Don’t take on extra tasks if it will lead to burnout! You will still need to be able to complete your core job duties. If you decide to set those aside for something outside of the scope of your work duties, you may be putting your job on the line.
Remember to always stay true to yourself. You don’t need to stray so far outside of your job duties to be noticed or add skills. Picking up smaller additional tasks that are manageable within your schedule can give you a significant career boost. These things will help to improve your resume, build better relationships, and ultimately add to the likeliness you can earn a nice pay increase.