There are a number of ways to reshape your current job role if you feel unhappy with your day-to-day tasks. You could trade tasks with a coworker or volunteer for a task that would normally go to a more experienced person. For example, if you’re a programmer, you could take on more project management responsibilities.
You can also ask your boss if she’ll delegate one of her responsibilities to you. If you want to learn more about finance and managing a budget, you could ask her if she’ll let you track expenses for a quarter. Or, if you want to take on the challenge of managing a high-visibility client account, ask your boss or another more senior colleague who has a number of these accounts to delegate one to you.
You can also reshape your job on your own. Re-examine responsibilities that are already a legitimate part of your job but haven’t been a priority. If coaching and developing your subordinates is a neglected role, then consider how to give them guidance and support. Or focus your coaching on that one person, who—with just a little more polishing—could turn out to be a star performer. The key is to do something you haven’t done before and learn what it takes to do it well.