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 »
How many times have you read something, or taken a training, and almost immediately forgotten what you learned? Don’t feel too bad! The fact of the matter is that we lose 77% of what we learned within 48 hours. Fortunately, there are proven ways to help you retain knowledge. Research from Bob Mosher & ConradRead… Read more »
A cover letter can be a powerful tool for landing yourself an interview. It can give a better glimpse into your personality and how you’ll fit with the company culture than a simple resume, and it can give you a chance to provide a context around your achievements. A poorly-written cover letter, on the otherRead… Read more »
Hopefully, you’ve read my last two posts (see here and here) about negotiating your starting salary. But if you are an avid GovLoop reader, there’s a decent chance you already have a government job. Don’t let that hold you back, though. There’s still plenty of room to negotiate your compensation. If you work in theRead… Read more »
Navigating office politics is hard enough. But finding words to express the frustrations you feel about office politic can be even more challenging. The below terms, definitions and usage will help you communicate these frustrations more effectively. Ceiling diplomacy (noun) – Undertaking the act of pretending you are unaware of something that you are veryRead… Read more »