Government Jobs?

[Chisoxfn]

Does anyone here work for the government? I have a friend who is interning with the government and I have been looking into various options (go back to school for my MBA) or try my career at the government level and I was curious as to whether anyone has worked for the government and what there experience was.

 

My background is in accounting and I currently work for one of the big "4". However, I'm always looking into other possibilities and I must admit I'm intrigued with the idea of the 5/4/9 workweek (you work 9 hours a day, plus one 8 hour a day shift for 9 days and get a day off every two weeks). Plus from what I was looking at it appears there are 10 holidays, 13 vacation days and 13 sick days a year (starting and I guess you get more vacation time as you stay with the government) in addition to a great pension plan.

 

One of the main things I am curious are the chances of promotion because If I were to leave my job (one where I know if I stay I will get promoted and promoted or fired if I'm not meeting there standards) I'd want to make sure I could continue a steady climb wherever I went.

 

Another concern was pay as I know in the past the government just didn't seem to pay as competitively as private business, but I also know the gov have recently up the pay for many of there positions (accounting positions being one of them) and I'm starting to think there benefits (is it something like full pension after 25 years of service???) mixed in with other stuff could make it something worth while (for someone who absolutely is beginning to hate working long hours).

 

So anyone have any experience with this or the MBA approach (ie the type of jobs you can look for coming out of an MBA; I know I read about the average salary an MBA makes starting but I wonder if those things really are that realistic).

[3E8]

I got a government job in San Diego but eventually turned it down. It was the lowest offer I received out of school and the costs of living in Cali are steep. But this was in engineering, not finance. I know in engineering the qualifications for promotion are well-documented and fair.

 

Didn't you graduate recently too? If you want to get into a top MBA program you will need more years of work experience. As for starting salary, it is highly dependent on where you go. I know you are from California, so your average Stanford grad will be making well over $100k with a MBA, if you looked at somewhere like UC Davis it'd be >30% less.

[Heads22]

Well, I may have told you this, but my pop works for the State of Iowa.

 

You might be persuaded to join one of them there unions.

 

EDIT: I guess technically I'd be a state employee this summer too.

[Heads22]

http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/Work_for...overnment.shtml

[Chisoxfn]

Wow...I was reading through the retirement plan and I really really dig there program.

[southsider2k5]

I know tons of people who work for the federal government in Chicago, as their buildings are two blocks away from where I work, and they are a bitter lot. I don't know if it would be different in what you do, but all of the people I have met, they are underpaid, bitter, and angry.

[NorthSideSox72]

I have an MBA, and looked at some federal jobs. Here are three thoughts to consider...

 

1. Whether or not you are happy in a government job is very much effected by what you expect of your co-workers. If you are the type of person who expects to have people around you that are mostly high-skilled, ambitious and driven, then gov't work is not for you. If you could care less about the other folks and just want a good job for yourself, then by all means, go for it. There are of course lots of intelligent, driven people in gov't work, but in my experience, the percentage is lower there than in the private sector. The one exception would be at the very highest levels of gov't, where I would expect much more ambitious folks.

 

2. Salaries won't be nearly as high in gov't work for someone with a biz background as it will be in the private sector.

 

3. The pension/retirement benefits are great in fed jobs, but that is really only helpful to you if you plan to stay there for your career. Is that the case for you?

[Texsox]

Private versus Government

Faceless corporation a dozen layers above you. Faceless government a dozen layers above you.

Great coworkers you want to hang with. Great coworkers you want to hang with.

Jerks for coworkers you can't stand. Jerks for coworkers you can't stand

Great promotions and advancement opportunities. Great promotions and advancement opportunities

Getting screwed by office politics. Getting screwed by policies.

 

BTW, Nuke has a government job. Exciting international travel, they provide food, clothing, and shelter, excellent training, cool awards and advancement opportunities, they let him and his buddies vote on their boss.

[santo=dorf]

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ May 13, 2007 -> 01:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wow...I was reading through the retirement plan and I really really dig there program.

Good thing English classes aren't a requirement for an MBA.

 

I once read that some government jobs required 80 hours every two weeks, but you decide your own shift hours. You could work 12's the first week and one 8 hours shift, and then you would be off for the rest of the next week.

[Gregory Pratt]

Private versus Government

Faceless corporation a dozen layers above you. Faceless government a dozen layers above you.

Great coworkers you want to hang with. Great coworkers you want to hang with.

Jerks for coworkers you can't stand. Jerks for coworkers you can't stand

Great promotions and advancement opportunities. Great promotions and advancement opportunities

Getting screwed by office politics. Getting screwed by policies.

 

BTW, Nuke has a government job. Exciting international travel, they provide food, clothing, and shelter, excellent training, cool awards and advancement opportunities, they let him and his buddies vote on their boss.

 

You're the best...sometimes.

[Texsox]

You're the best...sometimes.

 

Thank you, don't forget to tip the administrators.

[kapkomet]

Does anyone here work for the government? I have a friend who is interning with the government and I have been looking into various options (go back to school for my MBA) or try my career at the government level and I was curious as to whether anyone has worked for the government and what there experience was.

 

My background is in accounting and I currently work for one of the big "4". However, I'm always looking into other possibilities and I must admit I'm intrigued with the idea of the 5/4/9 workweek (you work 9 hours a day, plus one 8 hour a day shift for 9 days and get a day off every two weeks). Plus from what I was looking at it appears there are 10 holidays, 13 vacation days and 13 sick days a year (starting and I guess you get more vacation time as you stay with the government) in addition to a great pension plan.

 

One of the main things I am curious are the chances of promotion because If I were to leave my job (one where I know if I stay I will get promoted and promoted or fired if I'm not meeting there standards) I'd want to make sure I could continue a steady climb wherever I went.

 

Another concern was pay as I know in the past the government just didn't seem to pay as competitively as private business, but I also know the gov have recently up the pay for many of there positions (accounting positions being one of them) and I'm starting to think there benefits (is it something like full pension after 25 years of service???) mixed in with other stuff could make it something worth while (for someone who absolutely is beginning to hate working long hours).

 

So anyone have any experience with this or the MBA approach (ie the type of jobs you can look for coming out of an MBA; I know I read about the average salary an MBA makes starting but I wonder if those things really are that realistic).

 

Go see my other post...

 

But, I do have some more info to send you, if you'd like .... my university has a relationship with some people for governmental jobs. I can try to get some information, but if you can stand another year or so, it will pay off huge for you.

[BobDylan]

Does anyone here work for the government? I have a friend who is interning with the government and I have been looking into various options (go back to school for my MBA) or try my career at the government level and I was curious as to whether anyone has worked for the government and what there experience was.

 

My background is in accounting and I currently work for one of the big "4". However, I'm always looking into other possibilities and I must admit I'm intrigued with the idea of the 5/4/9 workweek (you work 9 hours a day, plus one 8 hour a day shift for 9 days and get a day off every two weeks). Plus from what I was looking at it appears there are 10 holidays, 13 vacation days and 13 sick days a year (starting and I guess you get more vacation time as you stay with the government) in addition to a great pension plan.

 

One of the main things I am curious are the chances of promotion because If I were to leave my job (one where I know if I stay I will get promoted and promoted or fired if I'm not meeting there standards) I'd want to make sure I could continue a steady climb wherever I went.

 

Another concern was pay as I know in the past the government just didn't seem to pay as competitively as private business, but I also know the gov have recently up the pay for many of there positions (accounting positions being one of them) and I'm starting to think there benefits (is it something like full pension after 25 years of service???) mixed in with other stuff could make it something worth while (for someone who absolutely is beginning to hate working long hours).

 

So anyone have any experience with this or the MBA approach (ie the type of jobs you can look for coming out of an MBA; I know I read about the average salary an MBA makes starting but I wonder if those things really are that realistic).

 

I wonder if they hire based on one's understanding of the differences between their, there, and they're. If so, you got no chance.

[Heads22]

I wonder if they hire based on one's understanding of the differences between their, there, and they're. If so, you got no chance.

 

And than and then.

[Texsox]

I wonder if they hire based on one's understanding of the differences between their, there, and they're. If so, you got no chance.

And than and then.

 

You too are two much. Go two you're rooms. Write Know!!

[SoxFan562004]

I quasi work a government job. IMO...

 

pros: Good retirement plan, great health insurance, you get 13-14 holidays, some positions give you 2 weeks vacation at the beginning, it's a pretty solid 9-5 job, with not a lot extra asked.

 

cons: money is what it is, it's OK, but you need to enjoy the pros to deal with the money, especially if you're a professional who could make more in the private sector.

[BobDylan]

You too are two much. Go two you're rooms. Write Know!!

 

My head is spinning. But seriously, I had to read that a few times to understand it.

[Chisoxfn]

My big debate is just the type of opportunities there are. I realize the pay is a bit less, but I also see major perks in the benefits (and the flex scheduling). I currently work a ton of hours during my non busy season, than during my busy season I have no life for 2 and a half months (think about coming home from work around 9:30 everynight, knowing that you got in at 7 AM) and than have to come in ocassionally on weekends to boot (yep, its that fun).

 

That said I realize the private sector pays more, however, I have very little interest in becoming a controller (most likely thing you'd do when you leave the public sector as an auditor) and think it could be interesting working for the SEC (supposed to be a pretty good department in the gov to work for).

 

Plus I think having the flex schedule would enable me to have the flexibility (time) to get my side-busines off the ground (which is what I really want to do). Plus, how can you not like the fact that if you retire in 30 years (i'd be less than 65) and assuming I get up to one of the higher levels of pay grade, be getting a low to mid 6 figure a year pension annunity.

 

That said, if I go the MBA route I'd graduate with a six figure a year salary (assuming all goes well) and if I stay where I'm at in 5 years I'll be at that point with the upside of making around twice that in the private sector.

 

There and their, who gives a hoot.

[santo=dorf]

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ May 14, 2007 -> 04:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There and their, who gives a hoot.

The HR people and anybody below you. You asked a question so it should end with a question mark as well.

[Chisoxfn]

The HR people and anybody below you. You asked a question so it should end with a question mark as well.

Funny thing is, at work (I work in teams at my various clients) I'm the first person everyone looks to when they have a question about spelling or grammar (because I actually am pretty decent at it, but naturally I write as fast as possible and certain gramatical rules get ignored). It should also be noted, I only work with college graduates and all of those college graduates had to have at least a 3.0 in college.