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Noticed offers for higher paying jobs in private, different roles but there are just more roles in private... pro being more money, con is also more money. The increased money isn't for "free", it is at a cost of longer hours, or travel or anything else.
But do people see this trend where they are too? CD talks about lack of stability often, but then people get it and leave.
short sighted. In my field pay is better with the fed, but what is better is job security and rules that prevent management from fing with you too badly. Just show up, work 40, do a good job, and don't worry about layoffs, politics, or whatever crap the management is going to pull.
Some good information there, but a lot of misinformation (or at least misunderstood) as well. Yes we do have a hard time keeping them, but the biggest issue we see is not the social media, special snowflake that so many articles portray, but plain and simple pay. There benefits for new hires are basically the same as industry (401K like retirement plan instead of the old retirement system which went out in the 80s) but less pay than industry. No company cars, no stock options, out of date technology, out of date processes. The folks we lose get at least $20K pay boost by going to the private sector. Just can't compete.
A few thoughts, take them with whatever weight you'd like:
1) I'm one of those dreaded Milennials. I tried like hell for about 18 months to get a Federal job. Got there about a year ago. I frequently say that they'll need a tow truck to drag me out of here.
2) The pay is far better than anything I made prior to government, the hours are better, the benefits are better.
2a) I actually enjoy what I do, something I couldn't say for my prior line of work.
3) At least where I'm at, Facebook is not blocked. In fact it usually stays up in the background for chats while I'm doing other work.
4) Do I expect, with experience, for industry to reach out and offer me a better salary? Sure. But doubling my salary wouldn't be enough to make me move. Not even close. I value my 40 hour workweek and knowing that payroll comes in every other Friday.
***
That isn't to say there aren't downsides with my job - the bureaucracy, various rules and procedures, the stupid things I've seen people do, the Boomers who have been there since 1979 and are wondering why Millennials don't just get jobs when all the Boomer had was a liberal arts degree... I try to remind them that today's liberal arts degrees generally aren't worth the paper they're printed on...
A few thoughts, take them with whatever weight you'd like:
1) I'm one of those dreaded Milennials. I tried like hell for about 18 months to get a Federal job. Got there about a year ago. I frequently say that they'll need a tow truck to drag me out of here.
2) The pay is far better than anything I made prior to government, the hours are better, the benefits are better.
2a) I actually enjoy what I do, something I couldn't say for my prior line of work.
3) At least where I'm at, Facebook is not blocked. In fact it usually stays up in the background for chats while I'm doing other work.
4) Do I expect, with experience, for industry to reach out and offer me a better salary? Sure. But doubling my salary wouldn't be enough to make me move. Not even close. I value my 40 hour workweek and knowing that payroll comes in every other Friday.
***
That isn't to say there aren't downsides with my job - the bureaucracy, various rules and procedures, the stupid things I've seen people do, the Boomers who have been there since 1979 and are wondering why Millennials don't just get jobs when all the Boomer had was a liberal arts degree... I try to remind them that today's liberal arts degrees generally aren't worth the paper they're printed on...
I find it sad that the only "good job" today is a government job. There was a time where workers aspired to work for one of the great American companies. Many of which offered excellent wages, benefits, pension, etc.
I worked a government job and now I work in the private sector. My private sector job pays more, but I do less work. I like the people that I work with better (they actually do their jobs, which is nice). Also, I'm not limited in where I live and work, which is also nice.
My particular job is pretty stable. My bosses are independent small business owners with a thriving business. They are currently expanding. They are good people that care about their employees (which I do acknowledge is a rarity these days). Best of all, there is no bureaucracy (and the associated incompetence) to deal with.
Maybe when I get older, I'll try to get a government job, but, right now, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense for me.
The trouble with getting a govt job when your older is you start at step one the minimum grade so a lot of times it is a big pay cut and getting back up is a slow process of step increases for years. If you want to do govt it is best to start young.
The trouble with getting a govt job when your older is you start at step one the minimum grade so a lot of times it is a big pay cut and getting back up is a slow process of step increases for years. If you want to do govt it is best to start young.
We should make note that many sections of the Federal employment are moving away from the GS system with it's defined grades and step to some form of pay bands. Ostensibly the idea is to let the manager reward top performers with pay increases. The down side is there is no actual budget for those increases so it often turns into a peanut butter spread with the same result as the GS system. Great idea in theory, but poor implementation in practice.
One thing that kept people going through all those years of slow growth was the pension. The pension plan that everyone associated with government was actually closed in the 80s so only a few old timers are still on it. The system that most employees are on is essentially like a 401K and in the last few years Congress has changed the contribution rules that make it less attractive for young hires compared to much of the private sector 401Ks.
What all this means is, in the hard to fill STEM fields, gov has a hard time competing. I know everyone sees and believes the articles about "overpaid" gov, but the reality is more mixed. In general, non degree positions are overpaid compared to market, but many/most of those are gone, while the professional degreed positions are underpaid compared to market. And of course degreed millennials are looking for just those positions.
Frankly in today's market young professional have to WANT to work for government, whether out of patriotism, sense of purpose, or working toward something larger than yourself, in order to put up with the pay, politics, and general lack of respect they receive.
I find it sad that the only "good job" today is a government job. There was a time where workers aspired to work for one of the great American companies. Many of which offered excellent wages, benefits, pension, etc.
For me, it was the other way around. I had a state job before I got lured out of it and into the private sector. Nowadays, I make way more than my friends in the dept of transportation. I get a new SUV every couple years from my company that I have unlimited use of while my friends in the dept of transportation have to drive old state owned cars with 100k+ miles and they can only use it for work. I get the latest iphone every couple years for both personal and business use while my friends in the dept of trans are still using flip phones. I also get yearly bonuses based on performance, something that is unheard of in a government job. Last year, I got $5K (after taxes) and another $6K (after taxes) for introducing a senior level manager to the company. We also have employer 100% match toward our retirement.
This past Thursday evening, my boss called me and asked me if I was coming in for work Friday? I told him no I was taking a PTO to start working on my kitchen. He said don't use my PTO and save it for a real vacation. Just put down as working from home and have a nice 4 day weekend. This wasn't the first time he gave me a day off without using my PTO's. Last year, my significant other had surgery so I had to take a couple days off. He also told me back then to log onto the server a couple times and "work from home" to save my PTO's.
We actually celebrate people's birthdays. And if someone isn't busy, he can grill behind our office so everyone can eat and socialize during lunch. A few months ago, the branch corporate office actually sent out an invite to everyone to a continental breakfast to celebrate people's birthday that month. It included mine. Most of us declined the invite, though. I had a meeting with a client that morning.
You can say I'm bragging if you want. I'm just trying to make a point that there are honest-to-goodness good companies out there that treat their employees very well.
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