How to tell your boss you don’t want a promotion

Hi friends! Hope everyone’s enjoying not melting this week!! I’ll be doing nothing but sitting in AC and making TikTok popsicles for the foreseeable future.

Friday tunes: Staying with the theme of the back of my legs sticking to quite literally any chair in this heat, Demi’s “Cool For The Summer” seems appropriate.

—Rod

How To Tell Your Boss “No Thanks” to the Promotion

 question 
My management team put me on their succession plan for future management openings. While I’m glad to be recognized for my hard work, I enjoy my current role and I know from prior experience that management roles aren’t good for my mental health. Is it necessary to keep climbing the corporate ladder because others say I should? How can I be comfortable saying no without my bosses saying I’m not a team player?—L.

 answer 
If someone told me I should never listen to 2000s pop ever again, am I going to listen to them? No.

Currently listening to this, tyvm. So let’s stop listening to others try to tell us what’s best for us and focus on what we know is best for us.

Let’s also chat about a couple things to remember before you talk to your boss and say:

1. You have no obligation to climb the corporate ladder just because people are telling you that you should. It’s great that you’re prioritizing your mental health by recognizing that management positions aren’t for you. (The entire Roy family really could have taken a page out of your book.) And remember your only real job is to fulfill the responsibilities listed in your current job description.

2. Remember, if your mental health is suffering you won’t be able to be a good team player anyway! Your boss would much rather you be up front and honest now, instead of you taking the job and stressing so hard that you’re unable to do it well. And if you happen to change your mind down the road, the ladder will always be there to climb.

What To Do When Work Isn’t Challenging Enough

 question 
I’m a couple weeks into a new job and really not liking it. I took the job because I wanted to take on more responsibility but it turned out to be pretty junior for my level of experience and feels almost like a step backwards. I’m considering applying for another job I’ve seen that seems like a better fit. Is this a bad idea? I feel guilty.—M.

 answer 
A couple weeks into a job isn’t very long at all. So there may be a chance that your workload will change over time. Your manager may have tried to not overwhelm you with work in your first few weeks, so I’d encourage you to have a conversation with them about how you’re feeling. This way you can see if there are more opportunities for work beyond what falls under your title.

My typical rule? Give it at least three months. And if you still feel like it’s not a good fit, I think you have your answer.

Two things to remember in the meantime:

• It never hurts to apply. Everyone should be open to other opportunities no matter how much they like their job. You never know what's out there!

• Don’t feel bad. Hate to say it but if you put your two weeks in, your job will most likely be looking for your replacement before you even leave. So there’s no reason to feel bad if it doesn’t work out!

Got a Q for me to A? Submit yours here.

Things to message your work besties

…after you finish your fourth Sudoku puzzle of the day.

TIL: You can use ChatGPT to rewrite your emails so you sound less petty when Susan from accounting starts getting on your last nerve 🙃. Thank you AI! See how other experts are actually putting AI to work.*

Repeat after me: “I am Jenna Rink, big time magazine editor!” The fact that Jennifer Garner and Judy Greer have been friends for the 20 years it's been since 13 Going on 30 is so wholesome, but also reminds me I should probably start using an anti-wrinkle cream.

In Vogue’s 73 questions, Olivia Rodrigo admits that her favorite McDonald’s meal is… oatmeal?? One of us is not like the other.

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Thanks for reading! Stay cool this weekend (literally and figuratively). I’ll see you back here on Monday! 😎

IDK WHAT DO I KNOW?! LMAO!

—Rod