Have you ever had a moment at work when you suddenly felt like your boss was testing you? Managers typically evaluate their employees from time to time to get a better sense of how they work and how well they’ve developed certain skills.
It could be, for example, because they are trying to figure out how you handle yourself when a tough situation arises, how well you work under pressure, or if you’re ready for a leadership position.
Whatever their reason, it’s a great opportunity to demonstrate how well-suited you are for the position and increase your chances of being promoted or earning more responsibilities.
The problem is, these tests can happen at any time and are often an unpredictable aspect of the workplace that can leave its mark on how you handle certain situations and how other people see you as an employee.
Thankfully, in this article, I will cover the most common signs your boss is testing you at work – and how you can prepare yourself to meet their expectations.
Read on!
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Signs Your Boss Is Testing You At Work
1. Your boss gives you vague and open-ended tasks
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When your supervisor gives you vague and open-ended tasks like “Improve the website” or “Write a memo about new policies”, it’s usually a sign that they want to see how you will react to being given some free reign.
It’s a test of your problem-solving skills and your ability to think on your feet. They want to see if you will take on the responsibility or just sit back and wait for them to give more direction.
This is also a great way to evaluate your productivity and check if you have the creativity, flexibility, and initiative to respond well under pressure. If you struggle with these kinds of tasks, then your boss will know that he or she can trust you less with more important responsibilities.
And while you don’t want to spend a lot of time crafting a well-planned course of action only to discover that the boss wants something completely different from what you first thought, you should actually take it as a challenge.
In this case, the best thing you can do is to embrace the opportunity, think outside the box, and show them what you are capable of!
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2. Your boss is asking you to take the lead on a new project
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Being asked to lead a new project, especially right out of the gates, is usually a good sign that you are being evaluated.
You might assume that this is just a temporary situation and that your boss is just looking for someone to delegate work to, but if they’re asking you directly – and not one of your peers or subordinates – they might be gauging your leadership skills.
They are also probably checking up on how much autonomy you’re willing to take and seeing whether or not their expectations match up with reality.
The best way to prove yourself as a leader is by taking initiative and following through on tasks from start to finish.
Whether it means doing some extra reporting or staying late one night to finish something up, taking initiative shows your boss that you’re willing to put in the extra effort when it’s needed. It also helps them feel confident in delegating responsibilities to you.
3. You are being left out of the loop and not invited to meetings you normally attend
This is a common tactic among managers who want an honest assessment of how their direct reports handle themselves in unfamiliar territory. They will leave them out of some meetings, then assess how they behave when they’re not included.
If they hold their own, it sends a positive message about their ability to adapt and thrive in new situations. If not, it could be time for someone else to step up and take over.
The best way to deal with this is by staying on top of your work and continuing to contribute as much as possible so that even if you are excluded from meetings, your boss knows that they can count on you.
4. You have been assigned a project with a tight deadline
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If you have been assigned a project with a tight deadline, it’s probably because they want to see how fast you can deliver quality results, and how willing you’ll be to work hard and put in the extra hours.
They want to see if you are really up to the task of your position, and they don’t feel comfortable enough with your work ethic to just tell you straight up.
It’s common at lower levels of employment – particularly internships – to put employees in high-pressure situations like these so they can learn on the job and start developing hard skills (like time management) early on.
So if your boss has been assigning you these kinds of projects lately, don’t panic. As long as you stay organized and on top of things, you can prove to them that you have the ability to do the job.
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5. Your boss gives you a task that is in an area outside your usual responsibilities
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Some managers view broadening your horizons as a way to grow professionally. Maybe they want to see how you will handle an unfamiliar job, or evaluate your work performance by giving you the opportunity to learn something new before moving on to bigger and better things.
The best way to respond is by doing a great job despite the fact that it’s outside of your comfort zone. Your boss will appreciate your adaptability and will see how well you work under pressure.
6. You are suddenly getting feedback all the time
This is a pretty big red flag that your supervisor is testing you. If he or she starts criticizing your work more than usual or nitpicking at things you’ve always done well before, it could be a sign that they are trying to see how you will respond when they give you some constructive criticism.
The best way to deal with this situation is by keeping an open mind about the suggestions and criticisms, rather than taking them personally. This can improve your standing in the organization by showing you have what it takes to learn from mistakes and improve yourself over time.
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7. Your boss is asking other employees to keep tabs on you
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If your boss seems to be checking in with other employees about you, or if they are asking a co-worker to “keep an eye” on things, chances are it’s because they’re evaluating your performance.
It could be that your supervisor thinks you are having a bad attitude, procrastinating at work, or delivering low-quality results.
In any case, it’s not always a bad thing – sometimes this means your manager sees promise in you and wants to make sure you don’t get too comfortable with your position.
You can use this as an opportunity to address any issues that may be coming up and get some constructive feedback from your boss.
8. Your workload has suddenly increased
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If your manager is piling on more work than usual, then there is a good chance they are testing you to see how you prioritize tasks.
This can be stressful, but it’s also a good opportunity to show that you are capable of juggling multiple responsibilities and getting everything done in record time.
If your boss gives you more work than you can handle and sticks around to watch you try, make sure they know how grateful you are for the opportunity to prove yourself and that you’re going above and beyond what would normally be expected of anyone in your position.
9. Your boss assigns you more challenging projects
If your supervisor has been giving you smaller projects and suddenly start asking more from you, that’s a sign they’re evaluating your readiness for something bigger.
They want to see if you can handle the extra responsibility, pressure, and stress that comes with taking on a more challenging role in the company. In short, it’s a sign that they want to see your potential for growth – and that they trust you with more responsibility.
If this is your case, it’s time for you to step up your game and prove yourself!
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10. You are expected to work extra hours during evenings and weekends
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It’s normal for companies to ask employees to put in more hours during peak business times, like the holiday season.
But if your boss is consistently getting you to come into work on weekends and evenings for regular tasks, it could be a sign of how committed you are to the job, especially if you’re being considered for a promotion.
If that’s what you want, you should maintain your productivity levels and the quality of your work during those extra hours.
However, if this situation begins to pose a problem for the balance between your work and your personal life, you have to calmly, but firmly, communicate with your boss about it.
You can also tell them that if they want to see what you can do with additional responsibilities, they should give you a chance to prove yourself on something that actually matters before giving you more hours.
Also Read: How To Apologize To Your Boss For A Mistake?
11. Your boss stops coming to see you or is rarely around
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If you have a high potential for getting promoted to a leadership position, your manager can also evaluate your worth and commitment by withdrawing from you.
Now, there is no question that a boss who is absent from the office can be frustrating and stressful because it puts you in charge of things that he was once responsible for and it leaves you without a direct point of contact to ask questions or seek guidance.
This can make you feel unmoored and unsure of what’s expected of you. However, you have to remain calm and focused on the tasks at hand rather than worrying about how to please an invisible boss.
This will show them that you are able to do a good job on your own and that you have what it takes to get the promotion.
12. You are constantly given conflicting instructions
This one is pretty straightforward. If your supervisor is giving you different orders for the same project on a weekly basis, then they might be trying to determine how well you respond to pressure.
The point of this is to see how quickly and efficiently you can adapt to a new situation. They are trying to see if you can go from being told something is one way, then turning around and doing it another way without complaining or getting flustered.
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13. Your boss asks you to meet with HR to discuss your progress
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This is a sign that your boss is trying to figure out whether or not you are a good fit for the company. They have probably noticed that you’re not performing up to their standards and are trying to figure out what’s going on.
This can be a great opportunity for you to prove yourself!
Also, it’s important to remember that the HR representative isn’t there to judge you. They are there to help you succeed in your job and grow within the company.
14. You have been assigned several projects at once
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This is a common tactic in the workplace: assigning a bunch of work to an employee and seeing how they handle it.
It can be helpful for a boss to get this information because some people are better at certain types of projects than others, and if they know what your strengths are, they can assign you more work that plays to those strengths.
Your boss may also be testing if you are able to multitask or if you’re flexible enough to switch gears in the middle of an assignment.
However, if you are getting overwhelmed by the amount of work suddenly assigned to you, then it’s probably best to talk with your boss about it so they can adjust the workload accordingly.
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15. Your boss is giving you tasks that require you to interact with people at a higher level within the company
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If your manager has been treating you like a trusted employee and now has started giving you assignments that require you to interact with people at a higher level within the company, this could be a sign that they are testing you.
This includes anything from scheduling meetings with other managers or executives to sending emails to important clients outside of your department.
In a nutshell, they want to see if you can handle yourself when working with more experienced individuals. If they feel like they can trust you, they may consider promoting you or offering more responsibilities in the future.
Also Read: Bad Reasons To Quit Your Job
16. You receive frequent requests for status updates or progress reports
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This is a way to make sure you are on top of things, but also to keep tabs on how much time you are spending on the job.
If you receive frequent requests for status updates or progress reports, it’s possible that your boss doesn’t trust your skills – or they may simply be monitoring your productivity levels.
This helps your supervisor to gauge your performance as well as determine whether or not you’re ready for more responsibility.
The best way to deal with this is to respond quickly and confidently and make your reports complete and thorough.
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17. Your boss has been putting you on the spot in front of other people
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If your manager is putting you on the spot in front of other people, it’s probably because they want to see how you respond to public pressure.
Maybe they ask you to make a presentation or give your opinion on something that feels like it’s not really your place to speak on. Perhaps it’s before your co-workers, some clients, or even a potential employer – which means you are being evaluated for your professionalism and poise.
Whatever the reason, it means that your boss is actually interested in what you have to say and wants to see how well you do when given the opportunity for growth.
The best thing to do in this situation is to try not to let it get to you too much. Instead, do your best and try to be confident – if you are not confident, it will show.
And if your boss sees that you are nervous, they will probably continue to test you more often to see if they can break through your nerves and make you crack instead of giving in to them yourself.
So take a deep breath, speak clearly and confidently, and just keep going!
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18. You are given unimportant or boring tasks
If you are getting assigned a bunch of menial tasks, chances are your manager is trying to see how you handle being bored at work.
It might seem counterproductive, but it’s actually a brilliant way for them to see if you can stay focused and productive even when there isn’t anything particularly thrilling going on.
If you diligently do the work and make it look good, then your boss may start giving you more challenging assignments. On the other hand, if you slack off on these initial assignments, your boss will probably think of you as someone who lacks initiative and won’t trust you with larger responsibilities.
That’s why it’s important to be as productive as possible while working on these tasks because they could be leading to something great – it all depends on how you handle them.
19. Your boss pairs you with an inexperienced colleague who has less work experience to work on something together
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This is a good way of evaluating your attitude when working on a team and your leadership skills at the same time. In this case, your supervisor wants to see how you handle interacting with someone who may not have the same level of knowledge as you.
They are watching to see if you are patient and adept at explaining things in a way that is easy for your co-worker to understand and apply.
This helps them find out if you are willing to help out when your colleague is struggling, or if you will act like a mentor and teach them what they need to know.
In this situation, try not to take it personally if things don’t go as planned. It’s important to show your manager that you are capable of handling situations like this without taking over or losing control of yourself or your team members.
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20. Your boss keeps moving the goalposts on you
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If you’re ever at work and notice that your manager keeps “moving the goalposts on you,” it could be a sign that he or she is testing your ability to think strategically.
As an example, let’s say you’ve been hired to manage the launch of a new project for the company. Your boss has set performance goals and expectations for you, but as the project develops, he or she keeps changing what those goals are.
Each time a new goal is set, your boss will likely observe whether or not you can adapt to the new demands. The more successful you are at adapting to the demands, the more likely it is that your boss will trust you to handle similar situations in the future.
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Final Word
In the end, there are many ways your boss can test you to see how well you fit into the job, so pay attention to how they treat you.
The list above will help you figure out the underlying meaning behind some of your boss’s actions and give you the tools you need to make a more informed decision about how to approach the situation.
