# 19 year old INTJ needs to prove to boss I can help him grow his business



## shaunentrepreneur (Aug 10, 2012)

I've been working at this very profitable and quality oriented pizzeria for about 6 months. I'm a delivery driver, but as a driver you also have to do the dishes, take out the trash, clean tables, fold pizza boxes, sweep, and mop. I've never been the most outgoing well-spoken social type so it took about a month to get the hang of things. Now I'm used to the job and have actually mastered every aspect of it, as well as taking about 2-3 times as many deliveries in the time it takes other drivers to make just 1. My boss understands that I'm his best worker he has, but I'm starting to get bored of these same mundane tasks with the same wages, even though I do twice as much work as everyone else. How can I approach my boss or prove to him that I can offer much more in helping with another aspect of his business? I've already done cleaning & organization tasks no one else has done since I've been there and I understand business very naturally and see solutions to his problems or ways to increase efficiency I just want the opportunity to be given more responsibility. I'm not good at being upfront with what I can offer, because I don't want to come off cocky or conceded.


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## drmiller100 (Dec 3, 2011)

well, bosses are used to people asking for raises.

One way to spin it positively is to go the boss, and ask him "What can I do for you to make you more money?"


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## drmiller100 (Dec 3, 2011)

the other thing to do is get more creative in asking for tips from customers. 

a tip jar with a string around your neck holding it up?


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## FlaviaGemina (May 3, 2012)

shaunentrepreneur said:


> I've been working at this very profitable and quality oriented pizzeria for about 6 months. I'm a delivery driver, but as a driver you also have to do the dishes, take out the trash, clean tables, fold pizza boxes, sweep, and mop. I've never been the most outgoing well-spoken social type so it took about a month to get the hang of things. Now I'm used to the job and have actually mastered every aspect of it, as well as taking about 2-3 times as many deliveries in the time it takes other drivers to make just 1. My boss understands that I'm his best worker he has, but I'm starting to get bored of these same mundane tasks with the same wages, even though I do twice as much work as everyone else. How can I approach my boss or prove to him that I can offer much more in helping with another aspect of his business? I've already done cleaning & organization tasks no one else has done since I've been there and I understand business very naturally and see solutions to his problems or ways to increase efficiency I just want the opportunity to be given more responsibility. *I'm not good at being upfront with what I can offer, because I don't want to come off cocky or conceded*.


That's the best way to go about it. Don't mention anything about efficiency or how you can improve things. Tell him that you would like to learn more about how the business works and whether there are any tasks you could do to improve your skills. Ask whether you could "shadow" a more experienced colleague etc. If he then asks you what you have to offer, you can still tell him what you are good at (but if you are as good as you say and he isn't a moron, then he already knows).


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## Up and Away (Mar 5, 2011)

"I'll have to get back to ya on that" I think is a statement that has just changed my life

But I have to mean it when I say it, research what I need to, and present it well with wisdom and positivity


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## Diphenhydramine (Apr 9, 2010)

19 year old INTJ needs to get a reality check imo.


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## bluekitdon (Dec 19, 2012)

I would just tell your boss that you are interested in taking on additional responsibility if any opportunities become available. If you are doing everything you say you are and something becomes available then I'm sure you will be considered. Not sure how big of a company you are working with, but you may be a little limited on growth with a small pizza place.


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## jbking (Jun 4, 2010)

shaunentrepreneur said:


> How can I approach my boss or prove to him that I can offer much more in helping with another aspect of his business? I've already done cleaning & organization tasks no one else has done since I've been there and I understand business very naturally and see solutions to his problems or ways to increase efficiency I just want the opportunity to be given more responsibility. I'm not good at being upfront with what I can offer, because I don't want to come off cocky or conceded.


How about mentioning it like this, "Hey boss, could I get to know more about this other part of the business?" where you are specifying some part that you haven't examined yet. Could be looking at ordering the food, marketing the place, or a whole bunch of other things but the idea here is to get out of those areas you've already done and look at some other stuff.

I'd be careful on the responsibility piece unless you know what you are wanting here. Are you wanting to become an assistant manager? That would be the typical route people would expect you to take though you may be better to get to know other areas within the company to see what seems to be better for you to improve that area with your natural talents.


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## Sovereign (Aug 19, 2011)

My first question: Why are you working at the pizzeria? If you don't enjoy it, or you don't see yourself there for the long term, don't approach your boss at all.

However, if you have a good reason (to you) to want to continue working there as opposed to somewhere more profitable, I personally would take this approach:

Tell your boss that you enjoy working at the pizzeria, and that, given the right conditions, you could see yourself working there well into the future. You really want to learn more about how the business operates, and (in keeping with your desire to continue working there) would jump at any chance to take on some extra responsibilities in hopes that you might eventually become a manager. Here's an example.

"Mr. So-and-so, I'd like to talk for a brief minute if you don't mind.

As you know, I've been working here for [x time]. I have enjoyed my experience thus far, and I think highly of this company. If it's possible, I'd like to continue working here as long as I can. However, I will eventually need more money to support myself as I become more financially independent and accumulate more expenses. Knowing that, I just wanted to let you know that I will gladly accept any extra responsibilities you would like to give me; particularly ones outside my normal modus operandi. I'm telling you this because I want to learn more about all the aspects of this business and how it operates so that I will be better qualified to compete for a manager's position should one open up here in the future."

If one of my employees approached me in this way (direct but not curt, honest about intentions, showing initiative but not ego), chances are they'd get whatever they were asking for.


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## PowerShell (Feb 3, 2013)

So while you are more efficient and you have some free time, are there any responsibilities that haven't specifically been delegated to you (or you aren't even trained on them) but someone else usually takes care of them? Do these responsibilities stay undone until someone else? Basically the big thing is taking initiative for things you were never asked to do but need to be done. For example, when I was 17 years old I worked in the IT department of a trucking company. My main focus was basically working in the back and fixing computers and mainly non-customer facing tasks.

One task I was never trained on was doing help desk. I had my own desk phone and after a certain amount of rings to the designated help desk phone, it would ring everyone's desk phone. One day I just picked up the phone and answered, "Hello helpdesk." Well my bosses saw that even though I had not been specifically told or trained on help desk, I took the initiative and was able to do help desk. Before you know it I was given greater responsibilities. By the time I was 17-18 years old I had keys to the kingdom and was trusted doing work that many people coming out of college wouldn't have been trusted to do right off the bat.

I guess in your situation do you inventory? That would be a bit step. As you clean, take a mental inventory of consumable items. You can then make a list and come to your boss and say, "Hey while I was cleaning I noticed our inventories of product x and y are running low. We should look into ordering." Maybe then you'll be given the task officially doing inventory the way the owner sees it. Try to find something, take initiative and just do it. Just make sure you don't overreach and step on anyone's toes doing it.


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