A few weeks ago, I went on vacation with my family. Or, perhaps I should say, I took some time off, because it certainly didn’t feel like a vacation at the start of it. While I scheduled the time months ago when schedules looked relatively clear, new obligations and responsibilities invaded my calendar like weedsRead… Read more »
In the seminal military treatise, The Art of War, author Sun Tzu writes, “In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.” This maxim holds true during workplace transitions. Change for Govies is constant, taking on varying forms. Whether it’s a system upgrade, turnover, reorganization, or downsizing, it is bound to happen at your agency.Read… Read more »
Attracting and retaining talent is a challenge for many public sector organizations, especially in light of an aging workforce and an upsurge of retirees. One effective method to uncover the reasons employees jump ship, be it to the private sector or elsewhere in the public sector, is the exit interview. What is an exit interview?Read… Read more »
Many of us govies spend a lot of time at work surrounded by drab-colored cubicle walls with limited privacy or personal space. Although I long for the day that I will have a door and dream for the time when I will be able to control my own lighting (bye-bye harsh fluorescents), I have foundRead… Read more »
In my recent posting on ‘ceiling diplomacy‘ I gave names to elements of office dynamics. Below I‘ve provided a list of additional words that fit the bill. The below terms, definitions and usage will help you communicate your frustrations about office politics more effectively. 1) me-signments (noun) – Assignments you’ve taken upon yourself (i.e., FamilyRead… Read more »
There can be a lot of stress at the end of summer. Fall’s coming on fast and that means the extra work of end-of-year campaigns and deadlines, year-end reviews, Election Day, and the holiday season. The blissful summertime quiet of your office is vanishing as your coworkers return from their vacations. And, perhaps your boss has suddenly stopped procrastinating about year-end planningRead… Read more »
Staying in the same job for your entire career is not a typical scenario for most government workers, making interviewing for jobs a necessary evil. Believe it or not if you prepare correctly, you can blow away the competition and never again be caught unprepared during an interview. In last week’s post about writing aRead… Read more »
Looking back through almost 25 years of federal employment, I’ve seen a noticeable decline in workplace camaraderie and socializing within my organization. I’m not the only one seeing this; others have noticed this trend as well. I sent out a survey to a few retirees and long-term co-workers in an attempt to coarsely gage any trends acrossRead… Read more »
This blog is the first of a two-part series called, “You Got the Position: Now What?” We’ll focus on what you as a millennial should do to maximize your position once you attain that awesome job or internship. By now you hopefully have some interviews lined up or have even landed a job or internshipRead… Read more »
I love many things about my job. The agency has a meaningful and worthwhile mission that I believe in. I share a mutual respect with my supervisor. I enjoy real friendships with a few of my coworkers and professionally appreciate many more. There are perks to my job: I can work from home sometimes, I’mRead… Read more »