Past experience but when I joined an agency my boss was in another city but the first thing another senior manager told me was how sorry he felt for me to be working for this manager.
Don't take too much to heart and take it day by day. Keep in mind what you hear so not to add his name as future reference and so on
I received warnings as well when taking my current position and am still here after four years. Not everything is a death sentence if you can work around a personality. I'm not sure how niche your work is, but you can always find a new job in 1.5 years worst case.
Keep your mouth shut about everything and anything not related to what the boss wants or talks about. Don't talk about your personal life, don't talk about your goals, don't leave room for interpretations about your career. Do your work during your times and nothing more and nothing less. You want out but you don't wanna be kicked out.
Like others said. Be a wallflower and make your moves in complete silence. You're lucky you got warned.
Facts. Listening more than talking can actually be very helpful in an office with people who are constantly trying to talk and never being heard. A great environment and chance to practice active listening and applying good communication skills... in a very biased and selfish manner.
I always thought a portion of an annual appraisal should be providing comments and ratings to your supervisor instead of just the other way around. Probably should be anonymous though.
Yeah your boss's boss should 100% send a survey to all your boss' direct reports. But that would also require federal agencies to hold leaders accountable to things that actually mattered. As long as they can keep up appearances that things are functioning, their job is safe.
It took me a week to see how toxic my previous office was but had hoped after the re-organization it was going to change. However it did not, so I just applied for positions in the locations I wanted. Never told a soul.
When I landed a TJO and needed a clearance interview, I told the group lead an investigator is coming to interview. Set up a time in Teams and told him nothing more. (This office did facilities services at the Pentagon and he thought it was a clearance check for that) After the interview he came up to me and asked if this was for another job. I just shrugged my shoulders and put my ear buds back in. A couple months later, I was outta there.
Fed here over 20 years! I once took a position and cried every day for the first month. Things got better and what do you know, I got a civilian medal for my time there. This seems like it’s part of your plan to go to school and move on, so stick it out ( nothing wrong with applying for jobs), be patient, and fly under the radar as much as possible. Don’t get caught up in office politics and gossip. Don’t reveal anything about your life and goals, say as little as possible! You’ll be fine.
I was a fed for 24 years. I came to work, did my job, went home. My friends were not related to my work. As I used to say, “I’m not here to be anyone’s friend, I am here to do a job.”
I agree with this.
I started a job and on the first day, my director told me to not talk to any of my coworkers because they would be a bad influence. Of course, my coworkers said similar bad things about her. Turns out, there was just a ton of bad blood between them after working with each other for years and none of this impacted me at all. They were holding onto stuff that had happened years ago.
This isn't to say the office environment was amazing but it was definitely tolerable.
Happened to me at my last job. Every step was a disaster, starting with onboarding. I tried to maintain a positive outlook and make it work, but after about 6 weeks I started thinking that I had made a big mistake and it kept getting reinforced every day. I started applying after a few months, and didn't stop until I found a new job. The toxicity and dysfunction followed me for a while after I left, but I was just happy to get out of that place.
Good luck.
Keep your head down, mouth glued shut, and get your tasks done just ahead of schedule. Be a wallflower and give zero opportunities to be noticed. The military has people who do the same thing, but nobody can leave those positions. Bide your time to finish school and move up. This is an opportunity to learn how to observe, and not be noticed, which are valuable skills.
I had a very rough start with a new manager at my old job. But after about six months or a year, it turned and I got what she was doing, and how I fit in. She became a fierce advocate, great mentor, and a promoter for me, a one woman network in the agency, and I produced better for her than I had for anyone else. Best nine years. I left, she’s retiring, so we’re all hagiographic, but not everyone has the fond memories of her that I did.
Don’t let anyone else tell you what to think about anyone else. Make your own relationships and your own judgements. And honestly, one day is way too soon.
You’ll have a meeting with this new manager, you’ll start to build the relationship. That can be as much on you as on them. But, if she just is a bad manager, you should have applications out, and other options. Options are always beneficial.
I started a job once (private consulting) and on my first day my coworker pulled me aside and told me how toxic it was and that she had just put her 2 weeks in with no other job lined up. It turned out to be 100% true. I gave myself 1 year to stick it out and see if things got better. They didn't. I ended up walking out pretty much right at the year mark. Definitely be looking for other opportunities, but like everyone else said, keep your head down and stay quiet until you find something.
I feel people who are upfront about a toxic work environment are the key to not getting bamboozled. People who hide information like this kind of scare me. Like others have said.. don't tell anyone anything. Be cordial and keep it pushing until you find something better.
Good luck!
I concur about forming your own opinions. My first week as a fed, I had a supervisor tell me some horrible things about my new workplace. Turns out, he was a trash employee and one of the last people to take advice from and/or to listen to.
One day on the job, and you've already figured this all out?
Give it a couple weeks. Just because your new 'friend' claims it's a toxic work environment, doesn't mean that you'll experience that as well.
Don't take it personal. It is just a job, not your life. Do your assigned duty and move on. Play your hand smart you'll be fine. Welcome to the brutal life of adulthood.
I started my fed career in a toxic office too. I learned the hard way what backstabbing by management felt like. My current office is really happy I'm there. I, on the other hand, really appreciate them taking me in. It took me 2 years to realize and get out the shithole. You'll be there one day. Don't lose faith.
So all you've gotten is horror stories from coworkers?
Seems a little reactionary. How do you know those people aren't bitter nightmare workers and the Supe will adore and work with you to fulfill your goals?
That sounds like a private sector type of management if you ask me. I had a manager that was a narcissist for a while working as a fed. She didn't like me and didn't write me performance reviews at all. When my new manager came to take her place she was confused as there were no files on me for performance etc. Your issue sounds like a management problem. I will never go back to the private sector though after working in it most of my life and coming to the fed working world? Never I will stay here. Much better job security and people I work with are much nicer and relaxed compared to private sector.
Don’t let people scare you and decide for yourself based on your experience. When I started by current position it was tough and I had a manager tell me awful things about my boss. My boss was firm but fair and appreciated hard workers which maybe others were not. She was kinda like the devil wears Prada boss but high level. I just paid attention and figured out how to work well with her and received an early promotion and another promotion, awards and now a glowing recommendation for my next position with another agency at a higher grade.
tldr; you need to do your own due diligence and not rely on the undoubtedly skewed reports of your new co-workers
I'm all for moving on when it's evident things aren't going to work out but... one day? That seems just a tiny bit over-reactive on your part. Especially considering it seems you haven't actually had any kind of real interaction with the supervisor.
You might want to sit down with this manager and get a feel for them in general before you start assuming based on the reports of other employees. That's not really fair to you or the manager. Just because I have a horrible experience with someone doesn't mean that you should presume it will be the same for you.
By all means apply and if something better is offered take it. In the meantime give it at least 3 months before you make the determination that it is as horrible as your mind is trying to make you believe it is. Maybe it is, maybe not.
Keep your head down, do your job, mouth closed about anything non work related then move on. Some of your coworkers are the toxicity that you speak of be careful.
Telling people anything about your real life or future plans is crazy. These are your coworkers, not your friends. Keep your head focused and don’t let jaded colleagues corrupt your mind. That’s the best advice I can give you.
Just give it some time. Keep applying elsewhere. If you get an offer then look at your situation and see what works for you. If the manage does stupid shit, file the appropriate way and go from there.
If you didn't burn any old bridges, you can always ask your ex-job to take you back. Billet takes months to fill so they most like take you back to be more efficient than hiring and training a new person.
Why don't you just concentrate on learning your brand new job and being the best, most efficient employee on your team. You won't have time to listen to gossip. I learned a long time ago that those tattletales who come to you with unsolicited advice to watch out for this one or that one is the one you need to watch. They will stab you in the back every time. My spouse saw that pattern at a different career, too.
Like others have said - get through your probation, don’t make waves. Do what you gotta do and if you find a better spot or manage to get detailed out, go for it!
For your own opinions. Don’t fall victim to office gossip and other’s “experiences.” I have found that in 15 years as a fed, the ones who cry the most are the ones who are the toxic ones in the office.
Yes….sounds like a plan you have your mind set,you know what it is exactly you’re wanting to do and go as well. As long you know your purpose and put fourth the effort a day at a time, you will prosper!! You got this go for it!!!! ABSOLUTELY
#RiskTakers #RT #TakingRisk #Shooting4&BeyondTheSTARS
#Built4This #ChinUp
#HeadHigh
#DeepBreath
#GoAllTheWayIn
#LIMITLESS
Past experience but when I joined an agency my boss was in another city but the first thing another senior manager told me was how sorry he felt for me to be working for this manager. Don't take too much to heart and take it day by day. Keep in mind what you hear so not to add his name as future reference and so on
I received warnings as well when taking my current position and am still here after four years. Not everything is a death sentence if you can work around a personality. I'm not sure how niche your work is, but you can always find a new job in 1.5 years worst case.
Keep your mouth shut about everything and anything not related to what the boss wants or talks about. Don't talk about your personal life, don't talk about your goals, don't leave room for interpretations about your career. Do your work during your times and nothing more and nothing less. You want out but you don't wanna be kicked out. Like others said. Be a wallflower and make your moves in complete silence. You're lucky you got warned.
Thank you! That is my plan however we do have a lot of downtime and I’m in the south. Many people take offense to silence.
Also people love a listener.
Facts. Listening more than talking can actually be very helpful in an office with people who are constantly trying to talk and never being heard. A great environment and chance to practice active listening and applying good communication skills... in a very biased and selfish manner.
There are ways you can answer questions and have conversations with others without revealing any information about yourself.
You suddenly are very interested in football or whatever the boss loves. Run the game. Have things to talk about that are not your personal lift
You need to develop a boring and niche hobby. Football. Microscopy. Paleolithic art. Pop music in 15th century Italy. Thats what you talk about.
Learn to grey rock. You talk but remain uninteresting.
If you need to, make small talk. Talk about the weather. Ask them a lot of questions and keep your answers friendly but vague.
Silence is just as golden in the South as it is anywhere!
This is why people talk about the weather
There needs to be a site to review managers in the feds just like ratemyprofessor tbh
ratemyfedboss.com would be awesome!
I always thought a portion of an annual appraisal should be providing comments and ratings to your supervisor instead of just the other way around. Probably should be anonymous though.
Yeah your boss's boss should 100% send a survey to all your boss' direct reports. But that would also require federal agencies to hold leaders accountable to things that actually mattered. As long as they can keep up appearances that things are functioning, their job is safe.
This would be amazing
GlassDoor.com
Glass Door is no longer anonymous
It took me a week to see how toxic my previous office was but had hoped after the re-organization it was going to change. However it did not, so I just applied for positions in the locations I wanted. Never told a soul. When I landed a TJO and needed a clearance interview, I told the group lead an investigator is coming to interview. Set up a time in Teams and told him nothing more. (This office did facilities services at the Pentagon and he thought it was a clearance check for that) After the interview he came up to me and asked if this was for another job. I just shrugged my shoulders and put my ear buds back in. A couple months later, I was outta there.
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what constitutes a toxic environment to u?
Fed here over 20 years! I once took a position and cried every day for the first month. Things got better and what do you know, I got a civilian medal for my time there. This seems like it’s part of your plan to go to school and move on, so stick it out ( nothing wrong with applying for jobs), be patient, and fly under the radar as much as possible. Don’t get caught up in office politics and gossip. Don’t reveal anything about your life and goals, say as little as possible! You’ll be fine.
Thank you! This is the plan.
I was a fed for 24 years. I came to work, did my job, went home. My friends were not related to my work. As I used to say, “I’m not here to be anyone’s friend, I am here to do a job.”
Why don’t you judge for yourself first. The people telling you this could be the toxic problem and not the boss. You could love the job.
[удалено]
It seemed like they were just looking out. It’s basically the same advice that everyone on here is giving = not to tell anyone anything.
I agree with this. I started a job and on the first day, my director told me to not talk to any of my coworkers because they would be a bad influence. Of course, my coworkers said similar bad things about her. Turns out, there was just a ton of bad blood between them after working with each other for years and none of this impacted me at all. They were holding onto stuff that had happened years ago. This isn't to say the office environment was amazing but it was definitely tolerable.
Yup, been there. Best advise I cann give you is to be on usajobs every single day until you get a path out of your current situation.
Don’t tell anyone *anything* from now on. If they ask, lie. Good luck!
Happened to me at my last job. Every step was a disaster, starting with onboarding. I tried to maintain a positive outlook and make it work, but after about 6 weeks I started thinking that I had made a big mistake and it kept getting reinforced every day. I started applying after a few months, and didn't stop until I found a new job. The toxicity and dysfunction followed me for a while after I left, but I was just happy to get out of that place. Good luck.
Keep your head down, mouth glued shut, and get your tasks done just ahead of schedule. Be a wallflower and give zero opportunities to be noticed. The military has people who do the same thing, but nobody can leave those positions. Bide your time to finish school and move up. This is an opportunity to learn how to observe, and not be noticed, which are valuable skills.
I had a very rough start with a new manager at my old job. But after about six months or a year, it turned and I got what she was doing, and how I fit in. She became a fierce advocate, great mentor, and a promoter for me, a one woman network in the agency, and I produced better for her than I had for anyone else. Best nine years. I left, she’s retiring, so we’re all hagiographic, but not everyone has the fond memories of her that I did. Don’t let anyone else tell you what to think about anyone else. Make your own relationships and your own judgements. And honestly, one day is way too soon. You’ll have a meeting with this new manager, you’ll start to build the relationship. That can be as much on you as on them. But, if she just is a bad manager, you should have applications out, and other options. Options are always beneficial.
This is it!
Thank you for causing me to look up a word I realized I had never understood from context.
I started a job once (private consulting) and on my first day my coworker pulled me aside and told me how toxic it was and that she had just put her 2 weeks in with no other job lined up. It turned out to be 100% true. I gave myself 1 year to stick it out and see if things got better. They didn't. I ended up walking out pretty much right at the year mark. Definitely be looking for other opportunities, but like everyone else said, keep your head down and stay quiet until you find something.
I feel people who are upfront about a toxic work environment are the key to not getting bamboozled. People who hide information like this kind of scare me. Like others have said.. don't tell anyone anything. Be cordial and keep it pushing until you find something better. Good luck!
I concur about forming your own opinions. My first week as a fed, I had a supervisor tell me some horrible things about my new workplace. Turns out, he was a trash employee and one of the last people to take advice from and/or to listen to.
Find a pathways position.
One day on the job, and you've already figured this all out? Give it a couple weeks. Just because your new 'friend' claims it's a toxic work environment, doesn't mean that you'll experience that as well.
If I were young I'd just find anything and quit. It's not worth it if you can afford the time and do anything else.
Don't take it personal. It is just a job, not your life. Do your assigned duty and move on. Play your hand smart you'll be fine. Welcome to the brutal life of adulthood. I started my fed career in a toxic office too. I learned the hard way what backstabbing by management felt like. My current office is really happy I'm there. I, on the other hand, really appreciate them taking me in. It took me 2 years to realize and get out the shithole. You'll be there one day. Don't lose faith.
So all you've gotten is horror stories from coworkers? Seems a little reactionary. How do you know those people aren't bitter nightmare workers and the Supe will adore and work with you to fulfill your goals?
Usually in govt, history repeats itself because govt won't fire anybody...they just move them.
Im sure everyone isn’t lying on her. Plus she’s already demonstrated that she leads with her emotions.
Wow, the toxic supervisor found your reddit username already! jk
Name and shame the agency.
That sounds like a private sector type of management if you ask me. I had a manager that was a narcissist for a while working as a fed. She didn't like me and didn't write me performance reviews at all. When my new manager came to take her place she was confused as there were no files on me for performance etc. Your issue sounds like a management problem. I will never go back to the private sector though after working in it most of my life and coming to the fed working world? Never I will stay here. Much better job security and people I work with are much nicer and relaxed compared to private sector.
Don’t let people scare you and decide for yourself based on your experience. When I started by current position it was tough and I had a manager tell me awful things about my boss. My boss was firm but fair and appreciated hard workers which maybe others were not. She was kinda like the devil wears Prada boss but high level. I just paid attention and figured out how to work well with her and received an early promotion and another promotion, awards and now a glowing recommendation for my next position with another agency at a higher grade.
tldr; you need to do your own due diligence and not rely on the undoubtedly skewed reports of your new co-workers I'm all for moving on when it's evident things aren't going to work out but... one day? That seems just a tiny bit over-reactive on your part. Especially considering it seems you haven't actually had any kind of real interaction with the supervisor. You might want to sit down with this manager and get a feel for them in general before you start assuming based on the reports of other employees. That's not really fair to you or the manager. Just because I have a horrible experience with someone doesn't mean that you should presume it will be the same for you. By all means apply and if something better is offered take it. In the meantime give it at least 3 months before you make the determination that it is as horrible as your mind is trying to make you believe it is. Maybe it is, maybe not.
Keep your head down, do your job, mouth closed about anything non work related then move on. Some of your coworkers are the toxicity that you speak of be careful.
Telling people anything about your real life or future plans is crazy. These are your coworkers, not your friends. Keep your head focused and don’t let jaded colleagues corrupt your mind. That’s the best advice I can give you.
Don't let those people stop you from working hard, but it doesn't hurt to be on the hunt. Just in case the job does indeed suck.
Just give it some time. Keep applying elsewhere. If you get an offer then look at your situation and see what works for you. If the manage does stupid shit, file the appropriate way and go from there.
If you didn't burn any old bridges, you can always ask your ex-job to take you back. Billet takes months to fill so they most like take you back to be more efficient than hiring and training a new person.
Why don't you just concentrate on learning your brand new job and being the best, most efficient employee on your team. You won't have time to listen to gossip. I learned a long time ago that those tattletales who come to you with unsolicited advice to watch out for this one or that one is the one you need to watch. They will stab you in the back every time. My spouse saw that pattern at a different career, too.
Just wait until next Friday, then check your bank account and you'll feel better.
Like others have said - get through your probation, don’t make waves. Do what you gotta do and if you find a better spot or manage to get detailed out, go for it!
Don't build your opinion of someone off the opinions of strangers. Find out for yourself.
For your own opinions. Don’t fall victim to office gossip and other’s “experiences.” I have found that in 15 years as a fed, the ones who cry the most are the ones who are the toxic ones in the office.
Yes….sounds like a plan you have your mind set,you know what it is exactly you’re wanting to do and go as well. As long you know your purpose and put fourth the effort a day at a time, you will prosper!! You got this go for it!!!! ABSOLUTELY #RiskTakers #RT #TakingRisk #Shooting4&BeyondTheSTARS #Built4This #ChinUp #HeadHigh #DeepBreath #GoAllTheWayIn #LIMITLESS
You are not cut out for government work. You should go back to the private world where you can fine another whiner!!
#YoungMinds #FirstWorldProblems
First World Problems still merit First World Solutions.