What to Do - Finally Got Federal Job But I HATE It

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve been in this position, but it sometimes takes me years to find another lateral fed job…how do you all manage to keep plodding along? I honestly already had depression now I am totally dead inside.

decent paying jobs in my series are rare, and they write the qualifications so specifically for the 13 and 14 that you need to have had the exact job before to even get an interview.

“Dead inside”. FFS, you would literally kill your self if you had to do a real job like working a paving crew in August, sanitation, or as a social worker dealing with unhinged unhorsed.

If you are really so capable, use the time to do the best work you can, take a cr@p ton of training and self teach on skills (become a PMP or learn to program Excel — these are all things that can make any job more productive, so you aren’t defrauding the gov), and make what improvements you can. Exercise during lunch.


I can’t even, did you have ever to work a mildly unpleasant job like dining hall in college or cleaning up on aisle 13 in high school, or did mom and dad grease the skids you only had to work in an air conditioned office on your tush?

My first job was the overnight crew at Walmart, but thanks for your concern.

Retail? I guess it’s harder than an office job but definitely nicer than my dads job of climbing through coal stacks to swap scrubbers.

I’m sorry you have depression, but coming on here to basically attack Feds and paint a broad brush that this job leaves you dead inside is a poor representation of those with mental health challenges. Situational depression is a thing, but “my job is boring and they talk to much” usually isn’t the root cause.

Why not post here looking for a therapist rather than taking out a hit on Federal employees?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve worked in multiple agencies and have never experienced or heard of anything like this.

+1, three agencies here, plus a state agency, never heard of anything like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve worked in multiple agencies and have never experienced or heard of anything like this.

This

(Move but do more homework next time about the culture/atmosphere where you are going)

[Anonymous]

Get ear plugs.

Try to get as much done as possible on your telework jobs.

That way if you can't concentrate at work, it's not as a big a deal. Do some work and spend some time surfing the web or paying bills or whatever.

Be nice to people even if you don't like them. Bring in a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts one day and send an email around offering them to folks. Have a candy bowl on your desk. (I realize this is ridiculous advice but it could help.)

Start applying for other jobs.

For the anecdote re people not helping you quickly:
1) Is your manager giving you the assignment one day and telling you it is due the next? If not, you shouldn't wait till the day before its due to ask someone for training. If so, perhaps you could say to your manager: "Could you identify who could help train me on this and ask them to help with this quick timeline?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve been in this position, but it sometimes takes me years to find another lateral fed job…how do you all manage to keep plodding along? I honestly already had depression now I am totally dead inside.

decent paying jobs in my series are rare, and they write the qualifications so specifically for the 13 and 14 that you need to have had the exact job before to even get an interview.

“Dead inside”. FFS, you would literally kill your self if you had to do a real job like working a paving crew in August, sanitation, or as a social worker dealing with unhinged unhorsed.

If you are really so capable, use the time to do the best work you can, take a cr@p ton of training and self teach on skills (become a PMP or learn to program Excel — these are all things that can make any job more productive, so you aren’t defrauding the gov), and make what improvements you can. Exercise during lunch.


I can’t even, did you have ever to work a mildly unpleasant job like dining hall in college or cleaning up on aisle 13 in high school, or did mom and dad grease the skids you only had to work in an air conditioned office on your tush?

My first job was the overnight crew at Walmart, but thanks for your concern.

Retail? I guess it’s harder than an office job but definitely nicer than my dads job of climbing through coal stacks to swap scrubbers.

I’m sorry you have depression, but coming on here to basically attack Feds and paint a broad brush that this job leaves you dead inside is a poor representation of those with mental health challenges. Situational depression is a thing, but “my job is boring and they talk to much” usually isn’t the root cause.

Why not post here looking for a therapist rather than taking out a hit on Federal employees?

Attack feds? You are something. I said I had one miserable and unfulfilling job, that happened to be a fed job. I never said it was endemic to the whole government and could easily have occurred in the private sector. Why are you reading so much into this?

And I never even implied the job was the root cause of my depression, in fact I stated I had depression before even taking the job in the first place. Of course bad situations can make mental health worse.

You really are the one getting weirdly defensive seeing insults that are not there. You might need therapy for that!

[Anonymous]

As someone who works in the government, don't be surprised if you ask for help on a task that's due the next day and the person is not willing to drop anything to help you that day. I have a colleague who has a sign on her desk that says "Your lack of planning is not my emergency."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As someone who works in the government, don't be surprised if you ask for help on a task that's due the next day and the person is not willing to drop anything to help you that day. I have a colleague who has a sign on her desk that says "Your lack of planning is not my emergency."

This is OP. I always immediately ask for help because I want the most amount of time to complete it, given that I’m new. When I did this, my “trainers” will push it out a couple of weeks or so eats into my time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve been in this position, but it sometimes takes me years to find another lateral fed job…how do you all manage to keep plodding along? I honestly already had depression now I am totally dead inside.

decent paying jobs in my series are rare, and they write the qualifications so specifically for the 13 and 14 that you need to have had the exact job before to even get an interview.

“Dead inside”. FFS, you would literally kill your self if you had to do a real job like working a paving crew in August, sanitation, or as a social worker dealing with unhinged unhorsed.

If you are really so capable, use the time to do the best work you can, take a cr@p ton of training and self teach on skills (become a PMP or learn to program Excel — these are all things that can make any job more productive, so you aren’t defrauding the gov), and make what improvements you can. Exercise during lunch.


I can’t even, did you have ever to work a mildly unpleasant job like dining hall in college or cleaning up on aisle 13 in high school, or did mom and dad grease the skids you only had to work in an air conditioned office on your tush?

My first job was the overnight crew at Walmart, but thanks for your concern.

Retail? I guess it’s harder than an office job but definitely nicer than my dads job of climbing through coal stacks to swap scrubbers.

I’m sorry you have depression, but coming on here to basically attack Feds and paint a broad brush that this job leaves you dead inside is a poor representation of those with mental health challenges. Situational depression is a thing, but “my job is boring and they talk to much” usually isn’t the root cause.

Why not post here looking for a therapist rather than taking out a hit on Federal employees?

Attack feds? You are something. I said I had one miserable and unfulfilling job, that happened to be a fed job. I never said it was endemic to the whole government and could easily have occurred in the private sector. Why are you reading so much into this?

And I never even implied the job was the root cause of my depression, in fact I stated I had depression before even taking the job in the first place. Of course bad situations can make mental health worse.

You really are the one getting weirdly defensive seeing insults that are not there. You might need therapy for that!

Ignore that pissy PP. He probably has a low paying private sector job and is jealous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve been in this position, but it sometimes takes me years to find another lateral fed job…how do you all manage to keep plodding along? I honestly already had depression now I am totally dead inside.

decent paying jobs in my series are rare, and they write the qualifications so specifically for the 13 and 14 that you need to have had the exact job before to even get an interview.

“Dead inside”. FFS, you would literally kill your self if you had to do a real job like working a paving crew in August, sanitation, or as a social worker dealing with unhinged unhorsed.

If you are really so capable, use the time to do the best work you can, take a cr@p ton of training and self teach on skills (become a PMP or learn to program Excel — these are all things that can make any job more productive, so you aren’t defrauding the gov), and make what improvements you can. Exercise during lunch.


I can’t even, did you have ever to work a mildly unpleasant job like dining hall in college or cleaning up on aisle 13 in high school, or did mom and dad grease the skids you only had to work in an air conditioned office on your tush?

My first job was the overnight crew at Walmart, but thanks for your concern.

Retail? I guess it’s harder than an office job but definitely nicer than my dads job of climbing through coal stacks to swap scrubbers.

I’m sorry you have depression, but coming on here to basically attack Feds and paint a broad brush that this job leaves you dead inside is a poor representation of those with mental health challenges. Situational depression is a thing, but “my job is boring and they talk to much” usually isn’t the root cause.

Why not post here looking for a therapist rather than taking out a hit on Federal employees?

Attack feds? You are something. I said I had one miserable and unfulfilling job, that happened to be a fed job. I never said it was endemic to the whole government and could easily have occurred in the private sector. Why are you reading so much into this?

And I never even implied the job was the root cause of my depression, in fact I stated I had depression before even taking the job in the first place. Of course bad situations can make mental health worse.

You really are the one getting weirdly defensive seeing insults that are not there. You might need therapy for that!

Then why even mention it’s a Fedesal job — just say it’s a new job that sucks? There are often threads here attacking Fed employees esp during govt shutdown talks. Hence my skepticism

[Anonymous]

As someone in defense contracting - dog eat dog world of constant work... you are describing my dream job. I have been trying for YEARS to get into govt work.

[Anonymous]

Welcome to boomer central, they make a point to argue to do no work

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are they hiring? I’m looking for a lazy girl (midlife menopause) job

#same

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, focus on impressing people so that you can have great reviews when you interview for other jobs. Once you are in a federal job it’s easier to get other federal jobs. Treat this like your foot in the door.

This is good advice. Do this OP!

[Anonymous]

This sounds like my District agency. Most of DC government is like this so don't try for a job here! I get by because I am very focused on the mission of my agency plus I have a lot of hobbies that I can focus on at work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This sounds like my District agency. Most of DC government is like this so don't try for a job here! I get by because I am very focused on the mission of my agency plus I have a lot of hobbies that I can focus on at work.

What hobbies are you able to focus on while you're at work?