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My boss is a surly bastard. Can I get a transfer?

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By Ohmygov.com's Bureaupat



Dear Bureaupat,

My supervisor is a surly bastard. The past two years have been the worst two years in my working life.Recently, I've sought professional services. I'm a mess and my boss is making my life a living hell. Can I ask for a transfer? Is there such a thing?

Dear On the Edge,

The trick is to keep yourself outside of a room with padded walls - a place I fear you'll end up if your present situation continues. Take a deep breath, have a shot of vodka, and get an even keel: this can be over soon.

Concern about poor supervisors appears to be a recurring theme from many of my readers and may be a result of the the government's incestuous hiring practices. It takes one to know one right? Well multiply that by tens of thousands of times and you'll have a sense of how these bosses become so pervasive. Of course, crappy bosses are no stranger to the private sector as well. Just ask GM, Chrysler, Ford, AIG, and Fannie Mae employees. I'm sure they'll have lot to say. But I digress...

Surly bastard supervisors like yours can make the best of the best miserable. The question for you is: do you fight or run away. I recommend you run away and don't look back!

You can either start looking for jobs within government or you can seek a transfer at your agency. Both will require work on your part, but fortunately you have a government job and can likely do most of it in your cube. However, it's important to know the transfer option is available as one of the benefits you enjoy as a federal employee.

Regarding transfers, if you meet job qualifications and job requirements for the position you are seeking, you can usually transfer from location to location (i.e. withing your own agency)or from agency to agency without competing as long as the position is at the same or lower grade level. It's called a lateral move.

To apply for a transfer you must first conduct your own job search. If applicable, contact past supervisors that you respected and would enjoy working for. Ask if there are any open positions and make them aware of your availability and eagerness to transfer.Alternatively, you can bypass your boss and ask his/her supervisor to transfer you out of your boss's crypt.

The more proper process is to apply in response to vacancies announced under the merit promotion program.Some agencies accept applications only when they have an appropriate open merit promotion announcement, while others accept applications at any time.

Be warned, if you are seeking a higher grade or a position with more promotion potential or supervisory experience than you have previously held, generally you must apply under a merit promotion announcement and rank among the best-qualified applicants to be selected. This is not your goal. Your goal is to find a new ship and sail away as fast as possible. Don't let greed or career ambitions get in your way.

Remember, transfer eligibility does not guarantee you a job offer. Hiring agencies and their officials have the discretion to determine the sources of applicants they will consider, so get on the phone and work it!

If needed, consult with your human resource office if you have any questions. And if you're up to the challenge, help remove this surly bastard from the federal system and save us all from his/her abuse!

Yours in Gov,
Bureaupat

www.ohmygov.com

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Comments

  1. Warrenlm's Avatar
    I'm already seeing the change coming from the youngsters in expectations. The boss is expected to change to meet their needs in a supervisor. And heaven forbid a boss talk loudly or forcefully and directive. I've seen a VP wind up getting transferred because a couple twits complained about a loud voice. Unbelievable but coming.
  2. Handballer's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Warrenlm
    I'm already seeing the change coming from the youngsters in expectations. The boss is expected to change to meet their needs in a supervisor. And heaven forbid a boss talk loudly or forcefully and directive. I've seen a VP wind up getting transferred because a couple twits complained about a loud voice. Unbelievable but coming.
    I was listening to Rush Limbaugh Thursday on the radio. A caller got on the line with Rush and said he served in Afghanistan with a fellow marine. Soon after they returned to civilization life, his friend was forming a new company and asked him for some money to help form the company. He withdrew money from his TSP account and gave his friend the money. Some time later he was hired as a worker at the company. Later, his friend/owner of the company said to him he had to be let go because he could not afford to pay for his obamacare. The company only had six employees.
    I thought obamacare did not affect companies with less than 50 employees.

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