To not be very ambitious? ...job related

[josben]

I work as a part time marketing assistant (20 hours a week) and i also have another little job on the side as a cleaner. (10 hours a week)

I have 3 DC age 14,13,9

I have just had an email from my boss asking me to attend a meeting tomorrow to discuss my workload, my 'personal aspirations' and where I see myself in 12 months and beyond....

There's so much going on with the DC, DH my mum needs my support too....

AIBU to want a job that i don't find too stressful and i can turn up to and leave at the office..?

An annual review is normal, and wanting to continue as you are is fine. Any responsible employer needs to check you're happy with the status quo (assuming theres no business need to change anything) and support you if you did have aspirations, by giving training or stretching your experience.

Just say you're happy with your job as it is and that you hope to continue doing well over the next year

Unless it's affecting your performance and your manager brings it up, no need to mention anything else

Thanks for your posts, yes there is a business need to change things and so we have a new plan of how we are doing things at work .... so this will possibly mean me undertaking training, and getting more involved new areas like the website etc....

I feel bad because i know loads of people would love a new challenge etc.. but my heart just lurches at the thought of taking on more responsibility ...

I know that I am probably feeling a bit overwhelmed with other stuff that's going on at the moment - severe lack of money, DH stressed, DS1's teen angst + DD1 needs SEN support at school.....

But i worry i'll regret my lack of enthusiasm in my job in a few years when things have calmed down and DC's are at uni etc...?!

Or will i regret not giving more attention / concentrating more on the DC's ?? :(

Argh!! :)

YANBU - I've been saying the last line of your OP at my review for 12 years!

I'm like you, happy to be a worker. No great ambition, no desire to manage other people and no way would I want my own business. Much to the chagrin of my father and sister.

But hey, the world needs people like us. Willing to put in a day's hard graft and go home and focus on family.

You can do a good job and keep progressing without being ambitious. No amount of responsibility and taking on extra projects will detract from your children if you just do them within your working hours.

I'm 37 and have only recently started taking my job more seriously. Until now, I turned up, did as well as I could and left on time. I was good at my job, progressed, got pay rises, and did well without the need to put in extra hours or spend any time outside of my working hours thinking about work.

I'd use this review as an opportunity to tell them what you like, what you feel comfortable doing and what you think your limitations are. But at the same time, don't automatically close yourself off from learning more - that doesn't necessarily have to mean added responsibility.