👀 Have you ever thought of leaving the Government industry? Why? Feel free to share more in the comments!

Yesss! It’s so hard to advance.

I did leave government work for a while, and eventually gravitated back to it. There are things about it I like, primarily the stability. I don't have to worry that a company will want to cut expenses before quarterly earnings and decide to do a round of layoffs. Of course, nothing is ever totally guaranteed, but I have more confidence of job stability in my present situation than I did in the private sector.

Yes, every day, but I'm almost to retirement (retiring early) & before that, I couldn't afford to lose my retirement plan because the offset penalty Social Security had. My job used to be enjoyable, until upper management begin trying to over manage with no clue what my department does. Also, they've hired in new employees in comparable positions at a much higher rate without reevaluating my experience and salary & I'm supposed to suck it up.

I’m definitely leaving this year. It’s been a goal of mine for quite some time to jump into the private sector. I’ve hit the highest echelon in federal service before SES and given the incoming administration, the incentive is very high to go to greener pastures.

Yes, every single day! I dislike my job a lot, but it’s stable, and that’s what keeps me going.

Joined the government right after college, pivoted to private sector to learn some marketable skills, returned after having a baby and love it 😅

Yes. We go years without raises due to budgetary constraints, unable to backfill vacant positions for the same reason, each pay grade restructuring basically puts long term employees and new hires making the same amount (so say starting pay goes from 36000 to 45000. You are making 42000 after 10 years of employment. You get a 3k raise. Awesome, right? They decide to hire someone with no experience or government service might even be their first real job they are now making the exact same amount you are with good to great performance reviews for a decade.) Public is always right never the employees even though we are following mandated directives. Required to work onsite during pandemic and now if you can't work remote you have to take leave during inclement weather.

The security and schedule and holidays off keep a lot of people.

Haha hahaha I’ve left and returned to it. Might leave again. It’s too long a story to explain why. 😂

I wish I could but I’m so far in now. It would be a huge poor financial choice if I left. I've seen plenty who made the jump coming back after a few years.

Well, if you're game for a good read... I'll share.

YES! EVERY FREAKING DAY! If you're thinking of DHS & entry/mid-level, READ UP!

There are no written guidelines or policies outlining how employees not enrolled in the internship program can advance their careers. When I have sought clarification, management has offered vague responses and inconsistent explanations. For example, I have been told that awarding a major acquisition contract is a prerequisite for promotion, yet I am aware of employees who have advanced without meeting this criterion.

Concerns:

Lack of Written Guidelines: The absence of formalized policies or guidance for career advancement creates uncertainty and inequity for employees not in the internship program.

Disparate Opportunities: Employees in the internship program appear to have access to specialized training and advancement pathways that are unavailable to others, creating a two-tiered system.

Inconsistent Criteria for Promotion: Management’s verbal explanations for promotion requirements have been inconsistent, further compounding the barriers to advancement.

Yes, there is no career progression and there is no sense of urgency to get things done. I am not someone that is like that. There is stability, but after a while one needs to think about progressing in career and life generally. I also realized that when applying for roles in private companies they do not rate working for government seriously. It is a very tricky situation.

DHS HQ - The Head of Contracting Activity (HCA) has deliberately abused their position of authority, leading to a misuse of power, an erosion of trust, and an adverse impact on workplace morale and operations. This behavior not only contravenes ethical standards but may also violate laws and agency policies.

These actions have had the following detrimental effects:

Employee Morale: A culture of fear and dissatisfaction has emerged, as employees feel unsupported and undervalued.

Operational Efficiency: Inequities and favoritism disrupt collaboration and hinder team performance.

Legal and Ethical Risks: The lack of transparency and potential violations of equal opportunity laws expose the agency to liability.

To be honest, no. I started out in a different industry and then decided I wanted to work for the government. I have loved every second of what I do and I am really glad I decided to take that leap. I can't imagine doing anything other than what I do now.

Constantly, but being on social security only I need the extra income. You would not believe what is expected of low level field reps.

Definitely not, one of my primary reasons for staying is that I don't like working for for-profit organisations. The "Public Service" component is extremely meaningful for me, and getting to deliver projects that have a tangible improvement to my community is important to me.

I think that working in the government industry offer a variety of benefits. And some of these benefits would be one job security Government jobs typically offer greater job stability compared to the private sector, as they are less likely to be affected by economic downturns or company closures. I also think they offer competitive salaries and benefits many government positions offer competitive salaries, along with comprehensive benefit packages, including health insurance, retirement plans, and paid leave such as vacation, sick, and holidays. It also provides good work life balance positions often provide better work life balance with flexible working hours the option for telecommuting and generous vacation days. We usually have access to strong retirement plans, such as pensions of government sponsored 401(k) plans, which provide long-term financial security. I would also say that there are often clear career paths, opportunities for promotions, and training programs to help employees develop their skills and grow within the organization. Another Point to point out is working for the government allows you to contribute to your community in society, making a positive impact on peoples lives through public policies, services, and programs. Government work environment to be structured and standardize which can make day-to-day operations more predictable and organize how's it going man trying to get this yeah. Government agencies offer a wide range of job types across various fields, including administration, education, healthcare, engineering, law-enforcement and social services, allowing employees to explore different career paths. Another thing to point out is government employees often benefit from stronger legal protections, such as anti-discrimination laws, whistleblower protection, and union representation in certain sectors. Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions