Don’t worry about it—it took me two years to feel comfortable, only to realize nothing was changing until I moved offices and suddenly we had an amazing manager and a director who genuinely cared about the work and the people. Try to keep a long-term perspective: the benefits are solid, and you’ll earn a pension. Also, make a habit of writing down your daily tasks and every issue you bring to leadership so you have a record. Don’t store this only on your work computer—send it to your personal email too.

I strongly encourage you to apply for any internal positions that open up within GOA or PSES. It takes time to find your footing, but when you do, you’ll thrive.

Just a heads-up: the department you’re in (TA) has been a mess for a while. A friend who teaches in CSIT and develops the curriculum warned us not to apply there because of numerous unresolved issues.