Work Work Work!!!

I haven't blogged in awhile and I must apologize for that. This is due to the fact that I've had nothing interesting to blog about or I just don't feel like blogging at all. Sometimes, I don't even want to be in front of my computer when I come home from work.

Anyway, work has been incredibly busy lately due to the departure of two very important people -- the senior analysts. The only senior analysts for our team. And I miss them dearly. I miss the random comments, the random conversations, and the fact that we were able to joke around and they wouldn't care. Since the departure of the senior analyst that I was working under, I've been taking the lead on a hot file and coincidently, there were two important meetings regarding the file soon after he left. I had to organize the meetings, send out the agendas, book the boardrooms, and make sure all the little details are done. While I have knowledge about the file, I do not have the experience or the amount of knowledge required to lead a file. At times, I feel like I'm letting down my team (more like letting down my Director) and the people from Service Canada that form the working group with another department. Other times, I feel like I'm doing an impressive job with the limited amount of human resources and knowledge.

On top of this lead file, I was also tasked with putting together a Powerpoint presentation for an important federal-provincial meeting. With all the work that needed to be done for this meeting, I had to stay a little later than usual, which I don't really mind, but sometimes it's just physically and mentally draining. Good thing my admin assistant was also preparing documents for this meeting so we were both stressed about this meeting and meeting the Director General's expectations. Good thing we always have a good laugh about the work. Without her support, I think I would have thrown a hissy fit at someone.

Anyway, we had three new people start with us last week and this week. While they are "senior" in title, they are still trying to get their feet wet with how our group works and what files they will be working on, and so on and so forth. So I've been briefing one of them on the hot file that I've been working on and which she will be working on as well. So far, I've still been doing most of the work, since I have the knowledge.

To top off all this turnover, our team's other junior analyst is leaving next week to take up an assignment with another team. While she will still be within our branch and group, she won't be working with us anymore. So what will happen to all her files? That's right...they go to me! Good thing I've done a bit of work on some of the stuff she does, so it won't be a huge surprise. Still, it's going to be more work for me. I hope my Director will realize that another junior analyst is needed. I'm only human and I'm only one person. I don't want to be burnt out and be jaded too soon. My goal is to stay with the team for another year (until next spring/summer 2009) and then jump ship.

Speaking of jumping ship, prior to one of the senior analysts departing for CIC, he asked me whether I was interested in working for CIC or even considered joining the Foreign Service as an immigration officer. I told him that my goal in my career as a public servant is to definitely do a stint with CIC. As for FS, I told him it would definitely be very interesting and challenging, but a lot of sacrifice. He asked me about FS, because he knows people that works in the FS section of CIC and can refer me if I so desired. And since I speak a third language, I could be posted to a country/area (Hong Kong!).

So I've been giving this FS option a lot of thought during the past week. Not because I don't like the work I'm doing, but because my team is currently going through this huge transition/turnover, which I feel will continue for at least another year. Sad thing is, I have a feeling that another analyst wants to depart our team soon (even though she only started in February). I really don't want to be trapped in a situation where I will be depended upon to know everything and be able to provide a comment or opinion on the spot about File C or File D, when I only have an opinion on File A and File B. Don't get me wrong here, I'm not mad about all this work that has been literally thrown at me, because I enjoy these little challenges and this is the prime time to be learning and developing my experience as a policy analyst/advisor. But like I mentioned above, I'm only one person.

So to end off this post, here's an interesting fact that I like to mention: I've been the longest serving member of my team (if you don't count the three months I took off). Everyone that worked there when I first began back in April 2007 has departed for another department or team. Craziness eh?

Oh yeah, softball season has begun again. Go Vanier Brewers!