But I do have to say something [...]]]> I have mentioned here before that I am a Federal employee in DC. I won’t go into any more discussion than that. Not that I am saying anything that would harm my position but because I believe that what I do doesn’t matter for the purposes of this blog.

But I do have to say something about the treatment of Federal employees in the media. We are not lazy bums sitting around all day doing nothing and getting rich off of taxpayer money. We pay taxes. We pay for our health insurance (in fact, I had a much better and cheaper plan when I worked in the private sector). We can get downsized and all the talk of reducing the size of government scares us.

When we downsize in government, it is a RIF – a reduction in force. If my position went, they would have to find me another job, but it doesn’t have to be something I like. So yes, my paycheck is safe, and I am not downplaying that. But going into a job you loathe isn’t exactly a good thing.

Right now, there is a reduction in hiring. That means that as people leave – which they do – no one else comes in to take their jobs and the rest of us take on more. Just like in private industry.

I won’t lie – I know we’re in a good spot. But I loathe the implication that we are a waste. The general public would be surprised if all of a sudden, everything shut down, including all the emergency services. We would be missed.

And they asked for me!

It was really flattering to be asked.  I was really nervous at first.  After all, the devil you know beats the devil you don’t.  I was excited to [...]]]> Out of the blue, I’ve been put into a new position at work.  We had someone leave and the department needed a new person.

And they asked for me!

It was really flattering to be asked.  I was really nervous at first.  After all, the devil you know beats the devil you don’t.  I was excited to try something new, but that team is known for hard work and lots of yelling and frustration.  I can handle hard work, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to be yelled at every day.

Turns out, I much prefer the yelling to the backstabbing.  At least when someone yells at you, you know what they think.  I very much prefer that to my old team’s method of being nice to your face, then trying to sabotage you behind your back.  Yes, this is a great place to work.

But in all honesty, I’m really surprised at how happy I am with the new team.  I actually haven’t been yelled at yet, and in fact, I’ve been complimented quite a bit.  I had forgotten how nice that is.  I’ve been doing a lot more writing than normal, and it turns out that our editor was instrumental in getting me transferred to this new team because when he edited my work, he didn’t have to do much of anything, and apparently, he ends up rewriting a lot of the stuff that crosses his desk.  I knew that English degree was good for something!

I’ve still got my application out at a number of places, but right now, I’m really happy with the work I’m doing.  I can’t talk about it a lot, but it’s a very unique job, and definitely one that’s fascinating to talk about.  And best of all, when I do a good job, they point it out.  I don’t need compliments all the time, but it’s sure nice to hear them.  I think we could all benefit by remembering that.

Of course, my office’s view of casual attire is not what [...]]]> For many Americans, Memorial Day weekend signals the beginning of summer.  In my office, Memorial Day signals the beginning of summer attire.  For reasons I do not understand, between Memorial Day and Labor Day, we are allowed to wear casual attire rather than business attire. 

Of course, my office’s view of casual attire is not what I would consider casual. 

Business attire is typically anything from a full suit to khaki pants and a button down shirt.  I usually dress somewhere between the two.  Casual attire is anything from khaki pants and a button down shirt to jeans and a nice shirt.  Of course, people take it much more casual than that.  I fully expect to see someone in a velour track suit at some point.  And there will definitely be people in t-shirts.  And I don’t mean nice solid colored t-shirts.  I mean Michael Jackson tribute t-shirts and the like.  I like Michael Jackson a whole lot, but don’t think a t-shirt with his face is appropriate for the office.

When I first started here, I said that I wouldn’t wear jeans during summer attire.  I wanted to dress nicer than that.  That plan quickly fell by the wayside.  The dress code says we can wear nice jeans during the summer, so that’s what I do.  I also wear cute summery skirts on occasion, but for the most part, it’s jeans and a nice top (and usually a cardigan, because it is freezing in the building).  I still look well put together, I think, but not overly so.  The people who do refuse to participate in summer attire tend to look like they’re trying too hard.  I figure if my boss wears jeans, I can wear jeans.

But it brings up an interesting point.  What is appropriate office attire?  If everyone else is doing it, does that mean I should too?  I know that some will say that I shouldn’t wear jeans at all – that I should stay professional all summer.  I agree in theory.  But I like my jeans, and I like not having to iron every weekend.  From a frugal standpoint, I’m saving a lot of wear and tear on dress clothes.  Jeans are much more durable.

I think that deciding what to wear in the office is a bit of a balancing act.  You don’t want to go too far to the professional side (especially in this office, where if you wear a suit during the summer, people think you have a job interview elsewhere), but you don’t want to fall into the habit of dressing borderline inappropriately either.   It’s easy to fall into that habit, though I don’t think I will be wearing a velour track suit anytime soon.  (Or ever.)

What is attire like in your office?  Do you have people who take it too far on either end of the spectrum?

I’m a little excited and a little apprehensive.  The work looks [...]]]> I found out yesterday that I’m probably taking on a new role at work.  No change in job title (I don’t think) or pay (that I know), but I will have a new boss and totally new responsibilities, completely unrelated to what I do now.

I’m a little excited and a little apprehensive.  The work looks interesting, so that’s definitely exciting.  But the scary part is that I feel like I’m being thrown to the wolves.  People on this team quit left and right, which is scary.  Two people are quitting in the next month, which is why I’m being transferred.  Unfortunately, my main point of contact on the team is out until Monday, so I can’t even ask if my schedule has to change or anything like that.  I’m not a fan of the unknown on this point.

On some level, it’s like getting a whole new job – except that a lot of the questions I would normally have answered before accepting remain unknown. 

Plus, a little part of me is reluctant to give up the projects I have worked so very hard on.  I have learned at this job that you should never become attached to anything you do, because projects frequently get pulled away from you and given to someone else.

I’m hoping to get some answers to my questions today or at least get the chance to chat with some people who currently work in that division who can offer advice on how to deal with the various personalities. 

Change is good, but change is scary.

It was really interesting to talk [...]]]> Yesterday, I had the formal graduation ceremony for my fellowship program.  Technically, I’ve been done with the program since October, but the deadline for the entire fellowship class to complete was this past week (I think), so we had our ceremony yesterday, in order to get the most attendees possible.

It was really interesting to talk to the other fellows and find out what everyone was up to.  It was especially interesting to people who accepted fellowships at offices where I turned down fellowships (I was offered four positions).  I definitely ended up jealous of one of the people.  Her job sounds absolutely incredible.  But when I accepted the fellowship, I wanted to move to D.C., and this offer was elsewhere in the country.  Plus the pay wasn’t as good, which I realize now shouldn’t have been as big of an issue as it was for me.  I know that I made the best decision with the information that I had before me, but that doesn’t make it any easier to not have regrets.

The speaker at the ceremony as well as my conversations with others have definitely renewed my dedication to finding a new job.  Don’t get me wrong – I’m very thankful to be employed and to have a steady paycheck, but I have a job.  I would like to be in a career.  Even if that means more hours for less pay (though I’d rather not work more hours, to be honest – I like having a life!), I need to make a change. 

Of course, for now, that means nothing.  I expect to hear back soon on a job I applied for in November (I expected to hear last week, but that’s another story).  If that doesn’t go where I hope it goes,  I will be polishing up my resume and sending out applications throughout the month.  Big fun, I tell you.

 At 28, [...]]]> Like most people, once I’ve read a blog entry, I often don’t go back to it to see the comments unless I have commented myself, which means that some of you may have missed the great comment that Abigail made on yesterday’s post.  I liked it so much I’m going to reprint it here. 

 At 28, I say you need to try doing what you love. Soon enough, you’ll find yourself in a life that you’re afraid to endanger. You’ll put it off because you’re saving for a wedding or kids or whatever. Do it now. I say take the job even if they don’t offer you quite what you want. If it’s a fulfilling job, it’s worth a little scraping.

My husband’s health has prevented him from working for awhile. We actually had to move to Arizona to get his health back to a reasonable level. Now, he’s looking at some part-time work (I want him to ease back in, since stress can exacerbate his condition). But once he’s sure he can work sustainably, he’s going to start applying to work with the developmentally disabled. He will be starting out at the absolute bottom rung — around $8 an hour. Things will be hard. But I’d rather see him happy and fulfilled in his job, than working a job he hates to maintain a more materialistic lifestyle.

Yes, we want to start a family once we’re out of debt. But we can still attain those goals, so long as we’re careful with money. And he may, eventually, get a better paying position. (Some of the facilities will give you help with tuition to get a work-related degree.) But if he doesn’t, oh well.

I’m, by nature, a very cautious, risk-averse person. But you only get one chance at this whole “life” thing. (Or, at least, that we remember, which amounts to the same thing.) So try it. The worst case scenario is that it doesn’t work out and after a year or so you start looking for higher-paying jobs like the one you’re in now. If you don’t try now, you’ll always wonder what if.

So my advice is not just to go after this job, but to start (or keep?) actively looking for jobs like it. People find they can adjust to a life with less money; but it’s a lot harder to adjust to a life without happiness or fulfillment.

Now maybe it’s because it’s what I’m hoping to hear, but I really liked this comment.  It helps to put things into perspective.  And now that you’ve finished reading, go check out Abigail’s blog!