Comments on: I Live to Serve

By: leah

leah — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 05:41:11 +0000

you make that type of job very, very appealing. especially this, “It’s a job that fits in with my life rather than a job that takes over my life.”

you have the right perspective about it, and a very sensible lady you are

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:29:01 +0000

XUP – I would like that from my boss! Timmie’s is always appreciated. Pizza? Even more! As for the BBQ, I recall that HC also did a big BBQ in Tunney’s Pasture. So my department isn’t that much out of the ordinary…

Elliot – Yeah, I know, but I’m just an EA. My boss can do without me for an hour. Especially since she’s going to be in a meeting. But yeah, the BBQ is from 11:30 to 2pm. They needed people for different parts and I volunteered for the last hour.

By: Elliot Ross

Elliot Ross — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:14:24 +0000

“..from 1 to 2pm on Thursday”

Work hours – tsk tsk tsk

By: Susan

Susan — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:56:09 +0000

Five happy words. Public Service Priority Hiring List. It’s all good.

By: ian

ian — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:43:06 +0000

I don’t think I could handle it… day in, day out like that. I mean the perks are nice, but the frustration at the ‘promotions’ or the lack of an axe behind my neck would drive me nuts! What you’ve described as gov’t work – is exactly the same as what it was like to work in Germany for me, and I couldn’t take it… for them, work was somewhere near 95th on the list of most important things! (which is of course good or bad, depending on your perspective)

But for those where that does work – good for you, enjoy it – we all need different things. I’m actually relatively pleased with some of the online services that are now available – so keep it up and hire good PM’s (maybe me one of these days

By: XUP

XUP — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:35:23 +0000

Amy – Some departments don’t make as big a fuss about it as other departments. But you’d think in Ottawa everyone would be doing something? Bake him a nice cake.

Jobthingy – There’s always cake. See some of the other comments below. Public servants love their free cake. It used to be a joke at my department in Halifax that the Communications unit spent 99% of their time ordering cakes for all the special occasions.

Bandobras – And look what happened to the auto industry!! And you’re only talking about large corporations with unions. Large corporations without unions are a lot more efficient — not often fun to work for, but efficient. Then there are large corporations without unions that are both efficient AND great to work for. We should all be paying closer attention to them maybe.

Susan – Thanks Susan. Make sure you leave yourself a couple of years between applying for the job and starting work. Unless you’re bridging in on a graduate program or post-graduate recruitment thing. No, that takes forever, too.

Geewits – Government drones come in all shapes and sizes and styles. The government is a microcosm of the entire country – cultural mosaic!

Stephanie – Hey, fellow PS! Gotta love the special occasion cakes! It’s a good thing I don’t really like cake or I’d be as big as a house by now. Your workplace sounds like much more fun than ours. Our director brought a couple of crates of Tim Horton donuts and some pizzas for lunch yesterday. And we’re all going out for breakfast on Friday. We have a small unit though, so that might explain it. Happy PS week!

Pinklea – We’re also alike because everyone thinks we have cushy jobs – you with your 2 1/2 months of vacation every year! Also I’m guessing that dealing with parents all the time isn’t much better than dealing with public servants all day long. Still, we must like it most of the time, right? Or we wouldn’t be here anymore.

By: pinklea

pinklea — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 02:21:23 +0000

As a teacher, I’m sort-of a public service employee too, except at the provincial level. Most of what you list as making your job lifestyle-friendly is equally applicable to teaching – oh except that there are kids involved in my job. Lots of kids. Lots of other peoples’ kids. Which means that teachers end up having to do a lot of parenting. Which as we all know, is thankless and unpaid labour. But other than that small detail, teaching is very similar to a federal PS job.

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 01:26:31 +0000

Hey, I work downtown for the PS and today we had a cake auction in the building lobby. I believe there were 14 cakes made by employees and the money made went to the Government Workplace Charitable Campaign. Let me tell you… yummy!!! On another note, the top dude at our department is having a free BBQ for all staff (the entire department) and there’s gonna be cake (which I will be serving from 1 to 2pm on Thursday) served by the youth network of the department.

By: geewits

geewits — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:26:52 +0000

You don’t seem like the government drone type, but having said that, I’m not really sure what that is. Mom worked 15 years for a state university, so in effect, she worked for the state, and she didn’t seem like one either. Okay, I have to think on this some more. Or not. But Yay for you and all the Canadians you help, and keep on droning!

By: Susan

Susan — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:24:59 +0000

*raising a glass to toast XUP and all those other public servants* When I am done college, I shall become one of you. I look forward to the day…