if asked about lack of motivation at work

[Jadefeather7]

The situation is that I’m looking for other jobs so I know I’m not going to be here next year. I am still working hard on the stuff that really matters (the client work) but there’s a lot of other stuff that we get asked to do which I find pointless and I know it means I’m not suited to long term progression in the type of company I’m in. I don’t volunteer for this work like other people in my team. I have tried to push myself a few times but I really hate it and I just can’t find the motivation to go above and beyond at this point. I have a feeling that at some point my (new) boss will ask me why. Can I just say that I don’t like this aspect of the job? Can I put it down to trying to find my feet after maternity leave? Can I just tell him I don’t plan to stick around much longer (just joking!)?

Either of the first, or both! Don't even joke about the third, you still need a decent reference.

I feel like saying I don’t enjoy this particular aspect of the job is almost like me saying there is no future for me here because you can’t really progress in this job without doing that stuff. Maybe it’s indirect enough not to be an issue though?

With the maternity leave bit there’s some truth in it because my mind is really focused on doing a good job with what matters (the client work) so I don’t have have headspace for the rest.

Stick with the maternity line, the less they know the better. Keep your cards close to your chest until you've figured things out.

Not everyone in work wants to move up the greasy pole, they are happy doing a good job at a level they are comfortable with. So I don't think you have to justify why to don't want to climb the ranks if you are doing a good job.

I think stick to the maternity line and emphasise that you never want to let clients down.

If you still enjoy elements of the job, stick to enthusing about those, and then say option one or two.

I wouldn't recommend being brutally honest, it will just paint your manager into a corner they won't be able to do anything about - but absolutely make plans to leave, good jobs are out there!

Dont talk about what you don't do. Focus on your ability to prioritise and that you ensure what's important is done well.

However, are you not pulling your weight on stuff that is leaving peers with more than their fair share of it? It's not fair to just opt out of your share of things that need doing.

To be honest it’s not stuff that “needs” doing in my view- it’s all time filling stuff because the team doesn’t have much client work. It’s supposed to help us bring clients in but I know that we will just refresh a bunch of marketing material that will just sit in a folder and never be seen by anyone or join calls with other teams trying to get them to refer us to clients (which they won’t). They’ve been doing this for over a year now with no results. I don’t think the new boss is the right person to run the team as he doesn’t have the network or expertise that our old boss had to bring work in and I think all this activity is just do distract us from that and keep us busy whilst we have very little ‘real’ work.