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Being tasked with things you don't understand at work

post #1 of 23
4/26/10 at 4:46pm
Thread Starter 
Do you find that you are asked to do thongs that you have no business doing at work? Things that you are unqualified to do, not things that are morally wrong. This happens to me all the time.


Example: Although I am a communications type by trade (and have never purported to be anything else), and work in a communications group at the company where I am employed, I am currently expected to perform financial systems analysis. Simply put, I don't have the slightest clue about financial systems. My skill is crafting and delivering high-level messaging.

So now I find my self sitting here not getting much done. This breeds tremendous anxiety b/c I know that eventually someone will want to see the results of my financial systems "analysis," and it won't really be too good. Sometimes I get nausea just thinking about work. I get cold sweats sitting at my desk.

I don't want to sound like I'm complaining too much, b/c I know I'm lucky to even have a good job in this economy. But this is really making me uncomfortable. I really want to quit this job, but I'm afraid that the same thing could happen at my next job, whatever that may be.

Does this happen to others? What do you do?
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post #2 of 23
4/26/10 at 4:48pm
Just keep doing what you're doing until someone calls you out on it.
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post #3 of 23
4/26/10 at 4:49pm
i think i know what you are talking about. this sort of thing happens to me as well, when i have to deal interdepartment on certain projects. fortunately for me, there are alot of avenues for me to turn to for help and advice, everyone here is willing to give some info or lend a hand if they know i will go about doing my part the best i can.

usually, it doesnt end up as bad as you think. you may find yourself eventually turning in something that they feel very satisfied with, and you'll say i was anxious for no reason. hope this is the case for you
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post #4 of 23
4/26/10 at 4:50pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Neo_Version 7 View Post
Just keep doing what you're doing until someone calls you out on it.

If I keep doing this I will get called-out. I don't want that to happen. I don't think I should have been asked to do this in the first place.
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post #5 of 23
4/26/10 at 4:54pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by sho'nuff View Post
i think i know what you are talking about. this sort of thing happens to me as well, when i have to deal interdepartment on certain projects. fortunately for me, there are alot of avenues for me to turn to for help and advice, everyone here is willing to give some info or lend a hand if they know i will go about doing my part the best i can.

usually, it doesnt end up as bad as you think. you may find yourself eventually turning in something that they feel very satisfied with, and you'll say i was anxious for no reason. hope this is the case for you

Thanks. Its tough to go for help here though. Since we are "consultants" on contract the politics are very sensitive. Also, I've only been consulting to this organization for about 4 months so I don't have any institutional knowledge.

The whole idea behind management consulting is that the consultant advises the client in his/her area of expertise. My area of expertise is not financial systems. MC is such a backward industry sometimes.
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post #6 of 23
4/26/10 at 5:07pm
welcome To The World Of Consulting

Fml.
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post #7 of 23
4/26/10 at 5:12pm
oh boy , i dont know what to say then. however, i do know as a general bit of advice, that you can , even if you dont know how to go about your project, or even know where to start,

start building up and working off small tasks you may know that may be anything related to the financial analysis, that may come off as maybe something that may be useful when the pieces do come together .
instead of just sitting there cycling your mind through a writer's block full of 'how do i do this?' and "what ifs" , just start feeding that energy through small simple tasks set out one or two each day.
look at it from a task point of view. won't overwhelm you i would hope. collect data here and there, etc, and after a week ( i dont know the timetable of yours) you may have gathered 10-12 task related data files,
which even if it all goes to naught, they did see the professional effort behind all of this, and believe me, lot of it usually is the process and professionalism (of attitude) that is valued when it's all said and done. i dont know. i would think if this project was dire and you have to get it right, they would not have issued it to you.

just do you best in that respect. they cant say anything about you other than, "this project wasnt in his expertise, but we still need this guy, because he still put in some good work."
they see that and respect that . good luck se e what else others have to say here
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post #8 of 23
4/26/10 at 5:17pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by MetroStyles View Post
welcome To The World Of Consulting

Fml.

I know, right? This isn't the first time this has happened to me in the five years I've been in this business.

Are you in consulting Metro? Got any similar stories/angles?
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post #9 of 23
4/26/10 at 5:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Louche View Post
I know, right? This isn't the first time this has happened to me in the five years I've been in this business.

Are you in consulting Metro? Got any similar stories/angles?

My similar story is prepare to be anxious 100% of the time and afraid that someone will "call you out". Much less of a big deal internally than when you are the one interfacing with a client who is paying a lot of money.

I am not exaggerating. It's like being a 10th grader and being given 3 days to prepare a lecture on Linear Algebra for an MIT math class, and then have to deliver it with a straight face.

Of course, when you are working on something other than financial concepts, this is usually quite easy to do. But when you delve into the world of quantitative analytics, it makes for some hairy situations and sleepless nights.
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post #10 of 23
4/26/10 at 5:33pm
well.. that is why you guys get the big bux.
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post #11 of 23
4/26/10 at 5:34pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by MetroStyles View Post
My similar story is prepare to be anxious 100% of the time and afraid that someone will "call you out". Much less of a big deal internally than when you are the one interfacing with a client who is paying a lot of money.

I am not exaggerating. It's like being a 10th grader and being given 3 days to prepare a lecture on Linear Algebra for an MIT math class, and then have to deliver it with a straight face.

Of course, when you are working on something other than financial concepts, this is usually quite easy to do. But when you delve into the world of quantitative analytics, it makes for some hairy situations and sleepless nights.

Great.
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post #12 of 23
4/26/10 at 5:35pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by sho'nuff View Post
well.. that is why you guys get the big bux.

LOL. I work for a gov't contractor.
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post #13 of 23
4/26/10 at 5:35pm
This happens to me all the time.

Signed,

Barack H. Obama






[/AF]
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post #14 of 23
4/26/10 at 5:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Louche View Post
Thanks. Its tough to go for help here though. Since we are "consultants" on contract the politics are very sensitive. Also, I've only been consulting to this organization for about 4 months so I don't have any institutional knowledge.

The whole idea behind management consulting is that the consultant advises the client in his/her area of expertise. My area of expertise is not financial systems. MC is such a backward industry sometimes.

Instead of complaining on SF, do some research and learn how to do it. Whether that be on the interwebs or by buying and reading some books.
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post #15 of 23
4/26/10 at 5:41pm
Hahahaha. Love the whole thing.

Mr. Big Shot sells in a project from a management consulting company to some client. Then they staff the project with whoever and assign them responsibilities according to the deliverables. If you are available for the project and need hours, in you go. Doesn't matter if you know how to do it, you can bill hours to it, so your company gets paid. So you get assigned to it.

It is your direct manager's responsibility to provide you with the tools you need to do your job. Go to him and ask for examples of the "financial analysis" (or whatever) it is so you can mimic them... errr... make sure your report/analysis conforms to company standards.

You can also ask the project manager... if they can provide examples from other clients/projects. Sometimes you have a good project manager, sometimes they suck and are worthless.

The good news is you get to learn a new skill on somebody else's dime. That makes you more valuable and you'll eventually earn more money because of it.
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