How to handle being bored at work

[Anonymous]

I have been in a new job since Jan and since Jan its been pretty slow. I keep asking my boss for more work and he usually has an excuse like "oh its been slow for me too", and I talk to his boss about getting more work. Sometimes I get a few small assignments and it keeps me busy, but I have usually it done a week later and back to asking for more work. My boss is also terrible- new at supervision, no clue how to manage people and never checks in or follows-up. I am midcareer Fed employee so I am wondering if this is how it is in federal agencies? I have started looking for other jobs and networking. Should I just suck it up and deal until something new comes along?

[Anonymous]

well, there is always DCUM

[Anonymous]

Enjoy it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have been in a new job since Jan and since Jan its been pretty slow. I keep asking my boss for more work and he usually has an excuse like "oh its been slow for me too", and I talk to his boss about getting more work. Sometimes I get a few small assignments and it keeps me busy, but I have usually it done a week later and back to asking for more work. My boss is also terrible- new at supervision, no clue how to manage people and never checks in or follows-up. I am midcareer Fed employee so I am wondering if this is how it is in federal agencies? I have started looking for other jobs and networking. Should I just suck it up and deal until something new comes along?

Be careful about going over your boss's head. How old are you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been in a new job since Jan and since Jan its been pretty slow. I keep asking my boss for more work and he usually has an excuse like "oh its been slow for me too", and I talk to his boss about getting more work. Sometimes I get a few small assignments and it keeps me busy, but I have usually it done a week later and back to asking for more work. My boss is also terrible- new at supervision, no clue how to manage people and never checks in or follows-up. I am midcareer Fed employee so I am wondering if this is how it is in federal agencies? I have started looking for other jobs and networking. Should I just suck it up and deal until something new comes along?

Be careful about going over your boss's head. How old are you?

OP here thanks for asking, no worries, my boss is in those conversations as well. Its as if he has given up trying to keep me busy. I am in my mid 30s.

[Anonymous]

Good grief. This is pretty much the sum total of what I suspect goes on when working in govt.

[Anonymous]

Mid-30's when a lot of Feds "think" about jumping the ship. A few jump, many don't. This is when people realize while the job security is good, the brain is f**ked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Good grief. This is pretty much the sum total of what I suspect goes on when working in govt.

That's not helpful. Also what are you doing on DCUM if your job is so busy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have been in a new job since Jan and since Jan its been pretty slow. I keep asking my boss for more work and he usually has an excuse like "oh its been slow for me too", and I talk to his boss about getting more work. Sometimes I get a few small assignments and it keeps me busy, but I have usually it done a week later and back to asking for more work. My boss is also terrible- new at supervision, no clue how to manage people and never checks in or follows-up. I am midcareer Fed employee so I am wondering if this is how it is in federal agencies? I have started looking for other jobs and networking. Should I just suck it up and deal until something new comes along?

It is not going to get any better. It's even worse if you were in the private sector and understand what it means to create value or be part of a well-run organization.

I had an exec level gov't job for awhile ($160k) but quit after a couple years because it was so obvious it would never get better.

[Anonymous]

I do classes online.

https://www.coursera.org/

[Anonymous]

Similar situation. Been in a fed job for two years. I keep asking for work and my boss keeps promising it will pick up. Currently job searching because I am bored as hell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Similar situation. Been in a fed job for two years. I keep asking for work and my boss keeps promising it will pick up. Currently job searching because I am bored as hell.

OP here- can we be friends?

[Anonymous]

Use the time to job search.

[Anonymous]

Can you telework?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do classes online.

https://www.coursera.org/

Not OP, but thanks for the link!!! I am checking it out now.