Twice a week we publish problems that will feature in a forthcoming Dear Jeremy advice column in the Saturday Guardian so that readers can offer their own advice and suggestions. We then print the best of your comments alongside Jeremy's own insights. Here is the latest dilemma – what are your thoughts?
How can I make my job more interesting? I can do it blindfolded and my salary hasn't increased by more than £5,000 in 15 years. I'm 42 and unmarried and don't have children, so having a job that really makes me think is extremely important to me. I work as an executive assistant in Manchester and have been a personal/executive assistant for the last 20 years, moving firm every four or five years when I get used to the duties and no longer feel challenged.
I'm lucky enough to work in an organisation where the core business is really interesting (sport), and in all other respects, colleagues, commute etc, I'm very happy. If I moved, I'd feel the same ennui after a couple of years.
However, I would like more responsibility and challenge. My firm has a complete lack of understanding about CPD – they are happy to pay for training for technical staff, but won't even consider it for administration staff. A language would be useful for my job but they won't pay for it, or even let me finish a little earlier so that I could attend (and pay for) a class myself.
Any suggestions? The lack of career progression is getting me down. Do I try to do something about this – or re-adjust my work-life balance to spend my free time taxing my grey matter outside of work? I've still got 25 years of my working life left, and the thought of still doing this is frightening me to death.
Do you need advice on a work issue? For Jeremy's and readers' help, send a brief email to dear.jeremy@theguardian.com. Please note that he is unable to answer questions of a legal nature or reply personally.
