By Lily Whiteman, author of “How to Land a Top-Paying Federal Job”; speaker on career issues; twitter: @Lilymwhiteman Although it doesn’t say so on the invitation, every job interview is really a Bring Your Own Success Portfolio —BYOSP—event. What is a success portfolio? A collection of tangible materials that validates your qualifications and proves thatRead… Read more »
There are a lot of problems out there that need fixing. Some are big, and complicated. Others are quite small, and simple. Why not try picking one of the small and simple ones, and fix it? Back in 2007, I started a new job in local government. I was a risk manager! I hadn’t beenRead… Read more »
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Mary Mary Quite Contrary…..How does your (People) garden grow? With silver bells and cockle shells and pretty maids all in a row. Well this article has nothing to do with the history of torture behind the legacy of Mary Tudor. What I really am referring to has to do with our thinking of relationships withRead… Read more »
I was sitting in a floor-level seat at the Eagles concert in Los Angeles back in January. Although I was enjoying myself, I couldn’t shake the feeling of dread. I had performance reviews (along with my regular never-ending stack of work) waiting for me back in Fort Worth. I was promoted to my first supervisoryRead… Read more »
Over the course of the next 12 weeks, I will focus on things you can do to eventually land your dream federal job. There is a quote by Maxwell Maltz I love it says, “Visualize this thing that you want. See it, feel it, and believe in it. Make your mental blueprint and then beginRead… Read more »
Are you looking out your window and witnessing a government stampede out the doors? Is your office looking empty? Probably. The Office of Personnel Management reported that more than 114,000 people left the federal government last year – mostly through retirements. To give you a better picture, the 114,000 departures is roughly 6.2% of theRead… Read more »
Oh, the joy of Labor Day Weekend. Beach? Check. BBQ? Check. Pool-side chillin’ with some bureaucrats? Ummm…I’m guessing that may not be your idea of a good time, but the significance of public engagement for government agencies cannot be overstated. Citizen inclusion, transparency, and participation all help promote a functioning democratic process and society. AndRead… Read more »
“Let me just show you around…” “…your desk is by the window…” “…and you’ll need to turn that in every Friday…” “…here’s the coffee maker, it’s a little fidgety, so just…” “…Joel’s been with us since the beginning, just ask him anything…” “…extra pens in the closet…” “…meeting every Tuesday, except this week it’s Wednesday…”Read… Read more »
According to Merriam-Webster.com, “perfectionism is defined as viewing something that is anything other than perfect as unacceptable.” While is it acceptable and expected that federal employees meet and exceed expectations, the pursuit of perfectionism can often lead to a stranglehold on one’s ability to achieve basic work-related goals. Let’s be honest, every day we goRead… Read more »