Underutilization relates to how meaningful someone’s work really is to them. The smart and talented people you hire want to be challenged and stretched. They want to see the impact of their contributions on a bigger picture. Open organizations especially depend on people who take ownership of opportunities, who proactively take on challenges and speak up when they see things that are not working as well as they could be.

Start by talking to your boss. Some ways to approach the conversation include:

1. Ask what you can do to increase your scope, and explain that you are eager and able to take on more.
2. Remind your boss of some of the skills and experience you have, and explain that those are not being utilized. Are there any assignments that might use some of your unique skills?
3. Chances are good you have some ideas of specific things you could work on. Mention those things and ask if you can take them on.
4. Describe some of your observations, including opportunities for improvement in how the team works or in outcomes that it could achieve. If your boss agrees these are good opportunities, ask if you can take responsibility for them. 

(Credit: https://opensource.com/open-organization/17/4/feeling-underutilized)

During the initial years of your career, you will be moved to various roles. Sometimes you will be moved to roles which you aren’t passionate about. At that time a dilemma arises on whether to continue in the organization and pursue that role or change your organization and apply for to role of your choice. But its important to understand why you aren’t passionate about your role. Thich could be because of your organization or you career. 

Everyone is different and has different interests in different fields, if you are not a 9–5 office person then you don’t have to be. How to find out what suits the best for you?

1. Hobbies

If you love doing something like a particular sport, passion for technology related stuff, good at accounts etc then try taking us classes or something related to that for a month or so. This will help you find out your career path.

2. Being Good at something specific

if there is something you are specifically good at and most people around you are not good at it then you should take that up as a choice for your career path.

3. Youtube, Google etc

Try watching videos or book related to specific topics you like for example: Animals (Vet), Finances (accountant), Musician (Artist) etc

4. Entrepreneur

if you think you have basic business ethics, finances and the risk-taking ability then you can be an entrepreneur. You should be able to Lead others, manage daily expenses, Able to take risk, work hard, Be confident, Disciplined and loyal to your very own business. Treat your employees as your own and grow successfully.

The best way to begin keeping your skills current is to decide which skills you’d like to develop. You may want to get some feedback on this from others. 

• Talk with your manager. Describe your goals and ask which skills would help you achieve them. Be frank about any time or financial constraints that you have. You might say, “I’d like to become a manager someday and want to take some night classes that could help me reach that goal. But I’m not sure whether it would be best to study marketing, accounting, or communications. What would you suggest?” 
• Talk with co-workers who have strong skills that you lack. Share questions and ideas with them about how they got where they are. Staying in touch with colleagues from any previous jobs can also help you determine what skills you should strengthen. 
• Seek advice from a mentor. Ask about the skills that a person uses regularly and how she acquired those skills. If you don’t have a mentor, talk to someone who currently holds the type of position you would like to have in the future.

• Community-based adult education programs
• Online courses
• types of distance-learning programs
• Private teachers or tutoring
• Reverse mentoring
• Seminars and workshops
• Publications
• National or professional associations

You may feel like change is happening suddenly and that it is directed right at you. In reality, most changes begin outside the company many months or even years before internal changes take place. Research shows that most major business changes are a response to changes in the external marketplace.

These external marketplace changes can result in:

• Loss of market share (your company is losing money)
• New offers or capabilities by competitors (they’re creating new business faster than your company)
• Lower prices (their cost of doing business is lower, resulting in better prices to their customers)
• A new business opportunity for growth

External business drivers take time to set in. If they have already affected the bottom line of your company, change is needed immediately. In some cases it is already too late—the internal change should have started much sooner.

When external marketplace changes become apparent inside the organization, managers suddenly realize the risks of not changing.

For businesses, the risk of not changing could mean:

• Loss of jobs (even at the executive level)
• Failure in the marketplace
• Bankruptcy or loss of revenue

For employees, the risk of not changing could mean:

• Job dissatisfaction
• Fewer promotional opportunities
• Lower job security in the long term
• Immediate loss of employment

If financial success of the organization depends on change, then you can expect the change to happen with or without you. Waiting will usually not change the outcome.

In most cases a company will change, even in the face of resistance from employees and especially if financial success is at stake.

This does not imply that change will be bad for you. In the end, many changes result in positive outcomes for employees. Benefits might include better tools, improved work processes, more secure jobs, and new opportunities for you to advance your career.

Change to a business can include:

• New ways of doing work
• New systems or tools
• New reporting structures
• New job roles
• New products or services
• New markets or geographic locations

How will the change impact me? That depends on your current job, the extent of the change, and the choices you make in response to the change.

With small changes, you may not be impacted at all. With major changes, you may be doing new work, using new tools, or reporting to a new manager. With radical changes to the business, some employees may work in other departments or even move to other companies.

When the change is implemented, each person will be affected differently. In the end, how you react to the change plays an important role in how the change will impact you.

The good news is: The actual impact of the change on you is directly related to how you react to the change.

In other words, you are in control of how you respond to change. Better yet, how the organization views you and your future role in the company may depend on your response to change and the choices you make.

Your choices about how to respond to change will vary as the organization moves through the change process. Think about the change in these time periods:

• When the change is first announced – but before the change is implemented
• During the change process – when the new solution is being deployed
• After the change is in place – following the implementation of the solution

Your choices and their consequences depend on the phase of change you are experiencing. In some cases, choices you make may have negative outcomes. They may be bad for you and for the organization. Other choices you make will benefit you and enhance your ability to thrive in a changing organization.

The benefits of supporting the change, especially changes that are critical to the success of the organization, include:

• Enhanced respect and reputation within the organization
• Improved growth opportunities (especially for active supporters of the change)
• Increased job satisfaction (knowing you are helping your organization respond effectively to a rapidly changing marketplace)
• Improved job security

What if I feel they are fixing the wrong problem? Be patient. Keep an open mind. Make sure you understand the business reasons for the change. However, don’t be afraid to voice your specific objections or concerns. If your objections are valid, chances are good they will come to light and be resolved. If you feel strongly against a specific element of the change, let the right people know, and do it in an appropriate manner.

When your organization is undergoing a change, this usually means that new processes, systems or skills are required. Your role in the changed environment may include learning these new processes or acquiring new skills. Indeed, some of your responsibilities may change.

For the old way of doing things, compensation may actually decrease as the value of that work to the organization goes down. However, compensation for new work may increase as the value for new services and products increases. This is a part of change.