I think it’s almost silly how we pretend that we work for anything other than compensation. Don’t get me wrong, I have values and passions I bring to work and I want to enjoy what I do. But it is so important
OP got rejected from FAANG and is trying to justify a government desk jockey offer where he will have 7 meetings to approve the font on a poster. Enjoy my tax money!
D6, No way, really??? You do realize that a good portion of fed employees and contractors don’t get paychecks when the government shuts down right? At the end of the day when you have a mortgage to pay, is it really going to make a difference whether or not you don’t have a paycheck due to a lay-off, or due to a government shutdown? At the very least, laid off employees can file for unemployment.
As someone that went from federal government to consulting, I thought I’ll chime in.
What I think deters people from government is the astronomical amount of bureaucracy and red tape. I was working in a job series that was very specialized in a very niche industry, so I knew I had job security for life. However, what I was doing was incredibly dull and did not interest me at all. I knew that I could have gotten to GS-12 and stayed there for the rest of my life, but I knew I would have gone crazy. It was my first job out of school, and I wanted a place where I was surrounded by motivated people my age vs people that were there just to get a paycheck.
Also, government salaries are pretty low when you compare it to industry. You can work your way up the ladder to a non-supervisory GS-13/14 position but it will take you around 10 years or so.
Although I loved my coworkers and the mission, ultimately I knew that going to Accenture would be the right choice to grow my career. I think I would want to go back when I’m older and want to settle down. But not now when I have around 2 YOE, since I will gladly slave away in consulting to gain the expertise for a lucrative exit opp, and then take a cushy gig later.
I guess I just believe that strongly in my technical skills. I worked really hard in college to earn my CS degree and it feels like despite some of the systemic obstacles I’ve had to overcome, I belong in tech. I perform highly every day anyways, it’s part of my work ethic. I am competent and intelligent; that is my security. (I’m an analyst and this year I’m making 102k living in NY)
No one said it’s a failure otherwise. I was addressing your “stability” POV. I mean that my job security comes from my confidence in my abilities. I also find it interesting how you mention job security but then ponder why we don’t join startups. Those are highly unpredictable, you’re not guaranteed an IPO.
I’ve had projects at 2 FAANG companies and have now moved into industry at a F500 that isn’t FAANG. Although my projects were so so at those FAANGs and I know the work in general can be boring because some of them aren’t doing the most innovative work anymore, the WLB is amazing and you really can’t beat the perks they provide.
I’m kind of at a point where I realize I don’t really like working so if I can just get a job that pays for the lifestyle I want and is tolerable, I’m okay not being that career-driven person anymore. The easiest way to do that is FAANG. Sure there are some other great F500 companies that can potentially do that. However, just from asking friends who work at other interesting F500s, the pay isn’t always there (until you get to like Director level or you work in a product/tech oriented department). Thus, the safest bet for having that tolerable, well paid life is FAANG. Additionally, for me, I like the tech and entertainment sphere which is what all of the FAANG companies emphasize. So even if I’m put into a role I’m not as keen in, like what would happen on my projects there, I was still so fascinated by the actual work being done so it balanced out the misaligned work vs. my current industry job where I’m unfortunately in a misaligned role AND don’t find the industry interesting as it’s retail. I’m hoping to use my current company as a jumping off point to try to get into FAANG since I couldn’t transition immediately from consulting. Of course I will target other F500 in the tech space, but I’m at a point in my life where I only want to work 40-50 hours and make a decent salary.
To answer your question specifically: Federal just sounds boring af. My boyfriend works in government contracting and I had a few friends from Accenture who transferred into consulting from our Federal practice, and it just sounds extreeeemely boring. So yeah, great job security, my boyfriend will never be out of contracts and if I were to work in it, I’d have job security for life but I’d be soooo so so bored. And then when the pay doesn’t match a tech company’s salary either, that’s a no from me dawg.
OP, for people that want to accomplish meaningful things with their career or work on interesting projects, the government just isn’t it anymore. Too much bureaucracy, red tape and politics. Like it or not, FAANG companies are highly effective at entrepreneurial activities (which is why they are now the biggest companies in the world), which a lot of people may want to learn before moving on again to a different company or startup. The government doesn’t really train you up for much of anything unless it’s the military, which obviously is not for everyone.
Who ever said that they were “smarter” anyway? Not sure why you bring that up at all. The do, however, have more effective ways of working and organizational nimbleness, which attracts the brightest from around the world. The government does not though.
Depending on the role sure the job security, TSP, and other benefits are good. On the other hand F/G/M are super cushy in terms of perks and benefits, and pay so much more than federal. GS 14/15 are capped at the highest non executive, which is like 170k after locality.
My mom did research for the feds. Had to deal with shutdowns (frustrating when you literally pay your own salary from grants), bureaucracy, and random BS. One year all travel was frozen right before three major conferences. Why? Some stupid pharma charged the fed so much for a hep c drug that they needed to move money around.
There’s so many great companies besides them. I think you all should do projects there before deciding it’s the be all end all of everything. Clearly you’re just reading Internet forums and making up your mind
Sure FAANG is overhyped on this platform and there are many great companies to work for but what on earth made you use the federal government as an example? Lol it’s literally the exact opposite of everything that people find appealing about big tech. They had to bring COBOL developers out of retirement to fix their dinosaur systems
Bet I’ll be unpopular saying this but first we get into consulting for exit options and then since we’re not sure about our exit, choose a FAANG exit to keep those exit options open while we make money (little growth coz FAANG has a much slower growth path than consulting)... only never realising that we need to figure your exit out eventually. And the sooner we do it, the happier we’ll be.
I’ve loved my FAANG exit. I find the work more exciting, really admire my coworkers. My comp went up ($200k+, MCOL), and I do t work past 6:00.
Fed is a good job for many folks, the fit would be tough for me though. The red tape, furloughs in recent years, and substandard colleagues are all cited by my friends in fed. I just dont think my industries offer the combo of big tech companies right now.
I think it’s almost silly how we pretend that we work for anything other than compensation. Don’t get me wrong, I have values and passions I bring to work and I want to enjoy what I do. But it is so important
I would secure the bag first then exit!! Not the other way around op
OP got rejected from FAANG and is trying to justify a government desk jockey offer where he will have 7 meetings to approve the font on a poster. Enjoy my tax money!
FAANG = money
D6, No way, really??? You do realize that a good portion of fed employees and contractors don’t get paychecks when the government shuts down right? At the end of the day when you have a mortgage to pay, is it really going to make a difference whether or not you don’t have a paycheck due to a lay-off, or due to a government shutdown? At the very least, laid off employees can file for unemployment.
Community Builder
As someone that went from federal government to consulting, I thought I’ll chime in.
What I think deters people from government is the astronomical amount of bureaucracy and red tape. I was working in a job series that was very specialized in a very niche industry, so I knew I had job security for life. However, what I was doing was incredibly dull and did not interest me at all. I knew that I could have gotten to GS-12 and stayed there for the rest of my life, but I knew I would have gone crazy. It was my first job out of school, and I wanted a place where I was surrounded by motivated people my age vs people that were there just to get a paycheck.
Also, government salaries are pretty low when you compare it to industry. You can work your way up the ladder to a non-supervisory GS-13/14 position but it will take you around 10 years or so.
Although I loved my coworkers and the mission, ultimately I knew that going to Accenture would be the right choice to grow my career. I think I would want to go back when I’m older and want to settle down. But not now when I have around 2 YOE, since I will gladly slave away in consulting to gain the expertise for a lucrative exit opp, and then take a cushy gig later.
You’re late to the party if you’re joining a company that has a IPO already in the works. There is no big money by then.
I guess I just believe that strongly in my technical skills. I worked really hard in college to earn my CS degree and it feels like despite some of the systemic obstacles I’ve had to overcome, I belong in tech. I perform highly every day anyways, it’s part of my work ethic. I am competent and intelligent; that is my security. (I’m an analyst and this year I’m making 102k living in NY)
No one said it’s a failure otherwise. I was addressing your “stability” POV. I mean that my job security comes from my confidence in my abilities. I also find it interesting how you mention job security but then ponder why we don’t join startups. Those are highly unpredictable, you’re not guaranteed an IPO.
What has faang actually to do with your question?
It could simply be: „why don‘t ppl want to exit to federal?“
Mentor
I’ve had projects at 2 FAANG companies and have now moved into industry at a F500 that isn’t FAANG. Although my projects were so so at those FAANGs and I know the work in general can be boring because some of them aren’t doing the most innovative work anymore, the WLB is amazing and you really can’t beat the perks they provide.
I’m kind of at a point where I realize I don’t really like working so if I can just get a job that pays for the lifestyle I want and is tolerable, I’m okay not being that career-driven person anymore. The easiest way to do that is FAANG. Sure there are some other great F500 companies that can potentially do that. However, just from asking friends who work at other interesting F500s, the pay isn’t always there (until you get to like Director level or you work in a product/tech oriented department). Thus, the safest bet for having that tolerable, well paid life is FAANG. Additionally, for me, I like the tech and entertainment sphere which is what all of the FAANG companies emphasize. So even if I’m put into a role I’m not as keen in, like what would happen on my projects there, I was still so fascinated by the actual work being done so it balanced out the misaligned work vs. my current industry job where I’m unfortunately in a misaligned role AND don’t find the industry interesting as it’s retail. I’m hoping to use my current company as a jumping off point to try to get into FAANG since I couldn’t transition immediately from consulting. Of course I will target other F500 in the tech space, but I’m at a point in my life where I only want to work 40-50 hours and make a decent salary.
To answer your question specifically: Federal just sounds boring af. My boyfriend works in government contracting and I had a few friends from Accenture who transferred into consulting from our Federal practice, and it just sounds extreeeemely boring. So yeah, great job security, my boyfriend will never be out of contracts and if I were to work in it, I’d have job security for life but I’d be soooo so so bored. And then when the pay doesn’t match a tech company’s salary either, that’s a no from me dawg.
My goal is to work less and make more money each year, why wouldn't it be?
OP, for people that want to accomplish meaningful things with their career or work on interesting projects, the government just isn’t it anymore. Too much bureaucracy, red tape and politics. Like it or not, FAANG companies are highly effective at entrepreneurial activities (which is why they are now the biggest companies in the world), which a lot of people may want to learn before moving on again to a different company or startup. The government doesn’t really train you up for much of anything unless it’s the military, which obviously is not for everyone.
Who ever said that they were “smarter” anyway? Not sure why you bring that up at all. The do, however, have more effective ways of working and organizational nimbleness, which attracts the brightest from around the world. The government does not though.
FAANG = Harvard;
Federal = Cal State;
But you’re right OP, idk why anyone wants to go to Harvard
Also once you’ve worked for FAANG a few years many doors will open whether it’s networking or similar tier companies
"Top job" at waste management > your FAANG job
Mentor
Money, perks, and less BS.
Depending on the role sure the job security, TSP, and other benefits are good. On the other hand F/G/M are super cushy in terms of perks and benefits, and pay so much more than federal. GS 14/15 are capped at the highest non executive, which is like 170k after locality.
My mom did research for the feds. Had to deal with shutdowns (frustrating when you literally pay your own salary from grants), bureaucracy, and random BS. One year all travel was frozen right before three major conferences. Why? Some stupid pharma charged the fed so much for a hep c drug that they needed to move money around.
It is a huge motivator for me.
There’s so many great companies besides them. I think you all should do projects there before deciding it’s the be all end all of everything. Clearly you’re just reading Internet forums and making up your mind
Sure FAANG is overhyped on this platform and there are many great companies to work for but what on earth made you use the federal government as an example? Lol it’s literally the exact opposite of everything that people find appealing about big tech. They had to bring COBOL developers out of retirement to fix their dinosaur systems
Mentor
Bet I’ll be unpopular saying this but first we get into consulting for exit options and then since we’re not sure about our exit, choose a FAANG exit to keep those exit options open while we make money (little growth coz FAANG has a much slower growth path than consulting)... only never realising that we need to figure your exit out eventually. And the sooner we do it, the happier we’ll be.
Tl;dr: apparently the only way to work a job with positive externalities is to work for the government
Ok
It's so much more than comp. Don't get me wrong, the comp is way better than my consulting days, but my life is so much better all around now too.
Coach
FAANG = way better work culture. Deloitte is a dysfunctional organization.
Very defensive OP and I’m not sure why.
I’ve loved my FAANG exit. I find the work more exciting, really admire my coworkers. My comp went up ($200k+, MCOL), and I do t work past 6:00.
Fed is a good job for many folks, the fit would be tough for me though. The red tape, furloughs in recent years, and substandard colleagues are all cited by my friends in fed. I just dont think my industries offer the combo of big tech companies right now.