Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Very simply it comes down to why you want to work. People don't go into public service to make big bucks; they go into it because they are driven to serve something larger than themselves. You need to have a belief in the mission to sustain you through those times when the political climate blames you for their problems. As you've noted most people have very wrong beliefs about public servants. The comments in the media, from political agendas, and even on here can wear you down because of the constant drumbeat of negativity.
So there's your answer. If you love the mission then public but if not go private because you will be miserable.
Thank you. A number of people have said it depends on what I want to do, and that's true. I'd like to ask, what decision did you make, and why?
I definitely have my own opinion but I need to get some distance.
Quote:
At a $300k difference, a few years of that could possibly mean you could retire out of the area.
Well, our family is here and we love it here. We don't want to leave. That's why I left the job I loved and did well at in the first place. I couldn't afford to be a mere technical worker. If I could "retire" I'd go back to doing the job I loved. So would my partner. We used to do technical work for very important things socially, but this is Seattle and we have kids. If we want the quality of life for our kids that we had, we have to work. We want them to be able to live here too. We can't give up our spots in one of the best places in the world just for career satisfaction.
But obviously, $200k is nothing to shake a stick at even in Seattle. Plus my partner also works. So combined, we'd be fine either way.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bodie_Bunk
There is no job security above a certain pay grade in the public sector either. If a positioned is "appointed" you can be let go and have no union or other protections.
Yes, thank you.
Dorian, re: one crazy person ruining the entire thing... I'm not sure if you've noticed who's in charge of the public sector right now.
Whatever your political views, the fact that thousands of positions are going unfilled, and that some of these are essential to national security and human life, suggests it's safe to say there is no job in the United States right now which is considered secure.
Now, you might consider that a good thing, especially if you think that the government is filled with sclerotic bureaucrats. You might think it's a bad thing if you think that managing billions of dollars on which the lives of veterans, soldiers, the elderly, and children depend is an important job which should be filled by experienced, motivated and caring people.
But if you think there is job stability, you're crazy. Even in the unionized positions, they can't stop a furlough. Teachers, garbage collectors, nurses in the veterans hospitals, people who deliver Medicare checks, people who repair the traffic lights: we're all going down together if we can't figure out a budget or even if they just decide to stop funding something.
Of course, there isn't 100 percent job security but the point is it is Substantially BETTER than anywhere in the private sector.
I see more people retiring State/Federal positions than I see from companies as once you are deemed "too expensive" good bye. They'll just bring in the cheaper/younger ones. There is a limit to the abuse that can be done to a public sector employer. There is NO limit now to the abuse of private sector employees. Its the Wild West for sure where "one upping" the other and throwing people under the bus is essential.
You're going to be dealing with idiots everywhere regardless but idiots won't completely destroy your career like they will in the private sector, just because a bunch of "higher up" sociopaths need a new weekend home or yacht.
"leadership" today in the private sector is just a term for cost cutting and cutting anywhere they see applicable while downsizing . Good luck making it through 30-40 years of that type of mindset
Thats what Im getting at.. If you're unions were once again prevalent in the private sector, things may be different. But they pretty much all been destroyed.
Please spare me the "furlough talk". How long does a Furlough Last?? A few days? Week? 2 weeks MAX? Come onn... And don't you get back pay for that in many cases? Give me a 1-2 week vacation in the public sector over 1-2 YEARS Of looking for work and hopefully find a non-exploitive employer any day of the week and twice on Sunday
When people start complaining about a measly 1-2 week furlough at max, (Aka an unpaid vacation, or paid many times) that tells me they are spoiled rotten Public sector employers. Theres no vacation furloughs in the private sector. They just kick you to the curb with all your belongings when they deem you too expensive, not part of the corporate clique, some bloated executive toad needs a 2nd Ferrari.
Bottom line, the public sector is the only way to go today (unless Daddy is a VP of a big company and you get fast-tracked up the corporate ladder and you come from luxury ). you would be a FOOL to even think about the private sector. Not with the way the private sector operates today. Theres no rules, no protection, anarchy reigns
Of course, there isn't 100 percent job security but the point is it is Substantially BETTER than anywhere in the private sector.
I see more people retiring State/Federal positions than I see from companies as once you are deemed "too expensive" good bye.
...
You're going to be dealing with idiots everywhere regardless but idiots won't completely destroy your career like they will in the private sector, just because a bunch of "higher up" sociopaths need a new weekend home or yacht.
...
Thats what Im getting at.. If you're unions were once again prevalent in the private sector, things may be different. But they pretty much all been destroyed.
Please spare me the "furlough talk". How long does a Furlough Last?? A few days? Week? 2 weeks MAX? Come onn... And don't you get back pay for that in many cases? Give me a 1-2 week vacation in the public sector over 1-2 YEARS Of looking for work and hopefully find a non-exploitive employer any day of the week and twice on Sunday
When people start complaining about a measly 1-2 week furlough at max,....
And regarding the public sector, the people you see retiring now started in the 1960s and 1970s.
People who started in the 1990s through today are in a totally different situation. Many of them don't have pensions.
I don't expect not to be exploited. I'm working for money.
Ok 2 weeks-1 month max than it’s back to the cushy job. Would you rather have that or looking for work for 6 months to a year or even longer during a recession with no guarantee you will even find a good job that pays a Livable wage because we need to outsource everything?
Ok 2 weeks-1 month max than it’s back to the cushy job. Would you rather have that or looking for work for 6 months to a year or even longer during a recession with no guarantee you will even find a good job that pays a Livable wage because we need to outsource everything?
You are arguing with me about your vision of an imaginary job. Please stop. You clearly have no idea how government has worked in the past 50 years.
If you don't know what you're talking about, stop talking, don't just make up an imaginary fantasy job.
If there weren't 403(k)s instead of pensions, if there weren't at-will firings and entire department cuts, if there weren't outsourcing (your implying that the government doesn't outsource is comically naive), if there were truly the job security you speak of, this wouldn't be a hard decision.
You clearly have not worked in the government. You just sound jealous of someone you know who's been successful there.
Job security at the level I would be working is not a function of government. I would be publicly accountable and my state has a strong audit function. I would be asked to leave with 0 notice at the hint of any mismanagement or even an oversight.
Well, our family is here and we love it here. We don't want to leave. That's why I left the job I loved and did well at in the first place. I couldn't afford to be a mere technical worker. If I could "retire" I'd go back to doing the job I loved. So would my partner. We used to do technical work for very important things socially, but this is Seattle and we have kids. If we want the quality of life for our kids that we had, we have to work. We want them to be able to live here too. We can't give up our spots in one of the best places in the world just for career satisfaction.
But obviously, $200k is nothing to shake a stick at even in Seattle. Plus my partner also works. So combined, we'd be fine either way.
Grossing an additional $300,000 annually gives you options. One of those options is to bank it, and possibly retire early elsewhere. If that's not a good option for you, that's fine. You could work in the private sector, live on the $200k, and come close to have a year's gross paying as emergency savings with that delta. You could upgrade your lifestyle. There are any number of things you could do with it. If the private sector job ends up being awful, you could take that savings, bail, and find something else.
Is the $200,000 job a state position? I live in Tennessee, and the governor's salary is substantially less than that. $200,000 is close to 5% money in SEA. A half million is well into the 1%.
If it was a $20,000 or $50,000 difference, I'd say take the government position, but $300,000 additional annual salary is a life-changing difference for most people.
Of course, there isn't 100 percent job security but the point is it is Substantially BETTER than anywhere in the private sector.
I see more people retiring State/Federal positions than I see from companies as once you are deemed "too expensive" good bye. They'll just bring in the cheaper/younger ones. There is a limit to the abuse that can be done to a public sector employer. There is NO limit now to the abuse of private sector employees. Its the Wild West for sure where "one upping" the other and throwing people under the bus is essential.
You're going to be dealing with idiots everywhere regardless but idiots won't completely destroy your career like they will in the private sector, just because a bunch of "higher up" sociopaths need a new weekend home or yacht.
"leadership" today in the private sector is just a term for cost cutting and cutting anywhere they see applicable while downsizing . Good luck making it through 30-40 years of that type of mindset
Thats what Im getting at.. If you're unions were once again prevalent in the private sector, things may be different. But they pretty much all been destroyed.
Please spare me the "furlough talk". How long does a Furlough Last?? A few days? Week? 2 weeks MAX? Come onn... And don't you get back pay for that in many cases? Give me a 1-2 week vacation in the public sector over 1-2 YEARS Of looking for work and hopefully find a non-exploitive employer any day of the week and twice on Sunday
When people start complaining about a measly 1-2 week furlough at max, (Aka an unpaid vacation, or paid many times) that tells me they are spoiled rotten Public sector employers. Theres no vacation furloughs in the private sector. They just kick you to the curb with all your belongings when they deem you too expensive, not part of the corporate clique, some bloated executive toad needs a 2nd Ferrari.
Bottom line, the public sector is the only way to go today (unless Daddy is a VP of a big company and you get fast-tracked up the corporate ladder and you come from luxury ). you would be a FOOL to even think about the private sector. Not with the way the private sector operates today. Theres no rules, no protection, anarchy reigns
Clearly you have no clue about the $200k public sector collection. They usually have to be appointed by someone. It is not unusually for people to last a month or even days in those jobs because they are selected and will never get appointed. They have to be reappointed yearly in some cases. At least in the private sector you might get let go with a golden parachute.
Could not rep you, Serious, so thanks for your post.
The $200k is for high-level city administrative positions in a wealthy area. They don't want corruption so they have to pay you something for your work.
It would probably be 5 years at least before I could get to half a million in the private sector. And by "at least" I really mean "at an absolute minimum, with significant risk".
I have a hard time imagining what people do when they retire early. Everyone I know works their whole lives, or gets sick and dies. Do you know anyone who's made that choice? What did it look like for them?
You are arguing with me about your vision of an imaginary job. Please stop. You clearly have no idea how government has worked in the past 50 years.
If you don't know what you're talking about, stop talking, don't just make up an imaginary fantasy job.
If there weren't 403(k)s instead of pensions, if there weren't at-will firings and entire department cuts, if there weren't outsourcing (your implying that the government doesn't outsource is comically naive), if there were truly the job security you speak of, this wouldn't be a hard decision.
You clearly have not worked in the government. You just sound jealous of someone you know who's been successful there.
Job security at the level I would be working is not a function of government. I would be publicly accountable and my state has a strong audit function. I would be asked to leave with 0 notice at the hint of any mismanagement or even an oversight.
I would be jealous of just entry level government. Do you know how rough it is out there in the private sector today unless you get lucky have establish connections with the right people or a family member of some corporate big shot?
You aren’t in danger of losing your job in the public sector every day. You sure are in today’s private sector however
I have a hard time imagining what people do when they retire early. Everyone I know works their whole lives, or gets sick and dies. Do you know anyone who's made that choice? What did it look like for them?
My brother in law retired early (about 58 I think) from a government job. He worked part time for a while, and now volunteers part time at a facility that's like Ronald McDonald House.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
