I couldn't have put it better myself.

This is my first Canadian job and a real eye opener, we are so over staffed at the moment it's a joke. What do the managers do? they recruit more of us

If a job needs doing, they sub it out to external companies while we look over them and oversee the project. Gov't jobs are nice, great security and decent money but it would be nice to actually come home from work feeling like you've worked once in a while.

Trust me it wouldn't. Fancy a job swap ?

R.

Not a bad description but the consulting, personal or as a pimp, is just jam these days. We make 90% of our income from software royalties, that is recurring fees for the use the of existing programs.

Oracle? If so then ask yourself how well Larry Elison manages his work/life balance.

HI. I am confused by the above quote. I am still in the UK and work in a hospital here. I do not get coffee breaks and i only get thirty mins for lunch too, although, as i am not usually supervised i do stretch this occasionally.

I am supposed to work 8am-4pm but this is rare, i usually work later than 4.00pm and never work weekends unless overtime is paid.

I think, if you work and are prepared to put in extra hours you should be able to fit in anywhere. Is is hard or easy to get a job in a hospital in Canada - i am headed for NS, if my nerves hold out and i have been told i should have no problem, but with my kind of work/job being unionised is this harder still (Medical Secretary). Would appreciate any advice, as i do not want to walk away from all i have if i cannot guarantee some kind of job etc.

Emmjay

Souvette got quite a shock earlier this year when she moved from military administration to public service administration. From what she says, people just don't give a shit. It seems prevalent at all levels. Her boss, a Director General, told her she'd need to go through a period of "detox".

Like moving from a benevolent dictatorship to a democracy ? I guess the management style would be a change eh ?

R.

Thing is, though, she turned the comment on its head. She is introducing her way of doing things and few people have the guts to stand up to her.

I have often joked that whenever she goes to a new position there is a need to hire extra cleaning staff, to wash the splattered egos off the walls.

I empathise. Sounds like she kicks ass. It's tough working with the fragile ego's of insecurity, incompetence, and sloth.

It's hard to balance quality with efficiency, but it's a wonderful skill to be able to deliver such a beast to businesses.

I often describe myself as the guy with the laser beam; Switch it on, scan, analyse, execute, move on.

R.

It's a combination of her character and 23 years in military administration. Say what you like about the military but they do know how to run organisations and their ethic is to do what they are supposed to.

Since the recruitment rules were changed a year or two ago, lots of military admin types have moved into the public service.

Ah yes. If only more people in business knew that. Instead they're more interested inn office politics, mud slinging, character assasination or simply covering their ass in fully operational job-protection mode.

IMHO only 5% of people in business deliver the goods, the rest are useless hangers-on simply there as warm bodies to make up the numbers.

R.

what you're saying is true, although there a lot of contractors/consultants up the food chain too, am a contractor working for one of those companies menitoned on the 2nd level of food chain, and the difference btwn the next level for me was night and day, ie output during the working day , i avoid o/t & weekends like the plague these days though

Yep, it is hard work trying to be Bill Gates...

PMSL

I am very similar. I have a gov't job here in the UK. Work from home 2 days a week - and it is a given that we do bugger all at home.

I KNOW I am in for a shock when I have to get a "proper" job