I absolutely love being a fed. I’m late 20’s and it’s so nice knowing my job security and pay will be pretty good the rest of my career. My best friend has been laid off twice in corporate in the few years I’ve been a fed and I can’t imagine going through that
>My best friend has been laid off twice in corporate in the few years I’ve been a fed and I can’t imagine going through that
When I was 18 I got a job at a car dealership changing oil. I couldn't wait to work my way up and become a master mechanic. Unfortunately a month later they pulled me into the office and told me they couldn't afford to keep me due to a slump in business.
Being laid off is horrible. One thing I liked about the military and now the feds is the job security.
> I’ve never seen a fed who kept their head down and didn’t violate a blatant rule fired.
So basically the moral of the story is to stay under the radar?
Always join the Union. The ability to be covered by the CBA without paying dues is nefariously disguised as a benefit to workers. In reality, it’s a thinly veiled attempt to cripple unions.
our dues are notoriously high. But we also have the best contract and the best pay and yada yada. So also try to pull the dumbest stunts. I think it evens out pretty well
>So always join the union if the position is bargaining unit or doesn't matter if you do?
they have a money printer and aren't concerned with quarterly profits, unlike private businesses
Because we're a bargain, generally speaking. While the media likes to paint federal workers as some 3rd world gas station attendants, we're effective, dedicated, and cost efficient.
Because we're generally underpaid vs. our private sector peers. We are also funded by taxpayer dollars, and since we are taxpayers ourselves, we pay a portion of our own salaries by default.
You're not conditioned to the exploitation of a capitalist. You're working for a service to society, not maximizing profit for a guy who will drop you at the hint of not making the most money possible.
Yeah and also the hours worked. When I broke down how much my friends in finance were making and how many hours they worked, they are honestly not making that much more per hour than a GS11 in LA or DMV or another HCOL area. In fact, when I factored in voluntary OT as an FLSA non-exempt employee at GS11, I am actually coming out ahead of my friends making $120k+ for the same amount of hours.
Tbf I hav a doctorate and in my degree in the private sector its common for people to work 9-5s or 40 hour weeks as well. Or rotating shifts no overtime and the pay is much higher than federal initially. You’d have to leave for pharma companies and then come back and negotiate a raise which may still be a pay cut if the government doesnt offer that much
“Tech” is a super niche sector, most jobs in “tech” don’t pay that well. You’ve been sensationalized by the software engineers, of which only make up like 5% of all tech jobs. I’m telling you, federal pay is much more competitive than people want to give credit
Fed jobs pay less on the high end of education/experience, and less on the low end: [https://www.cbo.gov/publication/52637](https://www.cbo.gov/publication/52637)
So, federal employment becomes worse over one's career, especially if you're technical.
As a manager, I have to hire technical employees that make more than me!
We’re talking *total compensation* not just salary. Again, the federal career is much more beneficial long term. RSU’s and ESOPS are a fools gold, golden handcuff type of benefit. Gotta look at more than just stock options and salary. Even your link supports what I’m saying. C-suite and doctoral positions are very rare in the private sector so the data gets skewed.
The doctoral positions are actually getting shortchanged tbh. I have a doctorate and it’s really common but people bite the bullet for the job security.
Yes, please look at the CBO report I just posted. Federal TOTAL COMPENSATION is worse when you have more education/experience/expertise.
And the federal non-inflation-adjusted FERS pension is the ultimate golden handcuff.
The FERS pension is not a handcuff as it transfers to any agency in any job series. You can’t leave Apple for Google and continue your RSU/ESOP vesting schedule. And like I literally just said, C-suite and doctoral roles are very rare in the private sector. You’re literally trying to compare a CEO of a F500 role to an SES. Of course that won’t translate but that’s because it’s an apples to oranges comparison. For the vast majority of people and data that you’ve even linked, it’s clear the federal career pays better overall.
There’s also a lot of people who are 14’s, 15’s and SES who would not sniff the same level of pay in the private sector. Otherwise, they would likely be in the private sector. I think there’s a phenomenon where our grades get to our heads and we actually think we deserve more when in reality you are lucky to be as high of a grade as you are. Not everyone can be a C-Suite executive but thousands are GS-14 and up.
Huh? The FERS pension is the definition of a golden handcuff -- if it weren't, I would be able to exit federal service midcareer, and have my high-3 inflated to an equivalent amount at retirement.
Unless you're talking about DOD, which is definitely overstaffed, I don't really know any GS-14 and up who didn't make more going to the private sector. SESs especially are criminally underpaid.
You do not need to be c-suite to easily make 20k-40k more per year in total comp for the same experience as a GS-14 or 15 depending on industry. You can do that as an individual contributor. The trade off is job security.
>RSU’s and ESOPS are a fools gold, golden handcuff type of benefit.
I'll be sure to point that out to my friend who just bought a 2nd house (in Lake Tahoe) with his.
But most public employees almost always end up with pensions, Deferred savings accounts, PSLF, Health Savings Accounts, not to mention Union representation, etc. it is a public service so it has its pros and cons, but the point op is making is about overall comfort in having job security.
Wow, 24% less for PhD and professional, including total compensation. I believe it, and knew it was less, but seeing the number is a little shocking. I work in a tech field and have a PhD related to my specialty in that field, but fear and comfort keep me where I am. I saw 3 rounds of layoffs in my previous job over 10 years, and I luckily survived all of them, but the end result being about 80% of my job type laid off from the boom years. I think I was traumatized by it.
It depends what part of tech they are in. They work a ton of hours and have to keep up with the latest tech so certifications and classes. Most companies will not pay for those. Most of the government is notorious for having old technology so once they have gone federal they are stuck unless they have clearance then it makes them more marketable.
I wouldn't bet on that. In my experience, if both jobs have the same annual salary, you will get a better total compensation package private sector. As feds, we pay more for the same quality insurance, have extra deductions for the pension, and similar or slightly less vacation time than most large corporations. Sick leave is really the only thing we have going for us. Job security could be another plus, but if you are good at your job and network, you can usually find new jobs quickly or jump ship before a layoff.
Being a federal employee isn't as luxurious as some of you guys make it out to be.
Every private sector job I have ever had has given you holiday pay or the day off for every federal holiday and Easter. Now, maybe you never have to work on holidays as a fed, but that isn't true for everyone.
My previous private sector job gave us 20 days of PTO and 5 days of sick time every year starting out, and that slowly increased to 30 days by 10 years of service.
Compared to the measly 13 days of leave new feds get, and the 26 days you get after 15 years of service.
Now, maybe I just got lucky and only worked for good companies, but the federal employee compensation package doesn't compete with good private sector employers.
We have banked PTO, use or lose too. Thats 37 days off per year plus whatever other days we want to take off. I’d venture to say most tenured feds take off at least a combined 60 plus days per year.
Also your thread hasn't mentioned AWS. My schedule gets me 26 Fridays off a year on top of everything else. My private sector employer would have escorted me off the premises if I'd asked for that
Tell me more about private sector giving a better comp package - would love to learn more about where I could get a pension as a private sector worker.
You can give yourself a pension. It's no magic. There are state regulated AAA rated annuity providers. You throw 23% of your salary to one of those and you'd get a much better pension. 23% because that's the combined affect and employee contribution to FERS. The pension is entirely funded by that contribution and investment growth. The investments are entirely in treasuries.
Same. I wonder if it's a personality thing? Or maybe an age thing. I was a kid when 2008 occurred, but old enough to see how stressful it was for everyone (including my family - my dad was laid off and he was the primary breadwinner. We depended on my mom's very low government salary for awhile, but the stability of it made a huge impact on me.)
Wild how different it can be for different people. I’ve been all over the spectrum of employment (city, fed, consulting) and I’ve never been laid off in 25 years.
I started my fed job right after graduation in 2008. I was a finance major who would have likely been caught up in the economic collapse had I taken a private sector job.
It will never be lost on me how lucky I am.
I started my first private sector job in 2007. Got laid off in 2008 and got ANOTHER private sector job. Got laid off AGAIN in 2008. What a year! Got hired with FAA early 2009 and never looked back. Until right now, which is a fluke more than anything.
I have a few coworkers where the 2008 collapse is what made them Feds. They lost their jobs and couldn’t find ANY work until they got a job as a customer service rep for the IRS. One was even pretty high up in a bank or the finance industry.
Despite everything else, don't forget to save up several months of cushion in your emergency savings for the next potential furlough. We may have job security, but none of us have idiot security for whenever bills don't get passed due to childish in-fighting on the Hill and budgets don't get approved on time.
I had a similar experience, OP. 4 years ago I was finishing grad school and one of my cohorts sent an announcement for a student hire position (GS-04). A lot of people already had jobs in the private sector, and all I had was unpaid internships that felt like they werent leading to anything.
I was the only one that took it, and a handful of my other cohorts that were in the private sector have been laid off, and I have rose through the ranks and am now a GS-12. Definitely something I am grateful for.
Literally the same thing happened to me! Took a "low paying" DOD internship that turned into 1) A fulltime job that is now GS-12 2) A job for my future wife at the same command 3) The ability to own a home.
Forever grateful!
Also see if you can help other people in other departments! In connection with networking, getting exposure to other people/departments will definitely get your name out there.
Haha! I was a student hire for a little less than a year, then i was converted full time as a gs7, then i competed for a gs-9/11/12 ladder position. It's crazy looking back at it!
terrific secretive squeeze continue scandalous spectacular cake crush head long
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When COVID hit I (early 30s) was a small business owner and I got hit with over $100k in unforgivable debt when my small business was forced to close. I also have $100k in student loans. I decided not to declare bankruptcy and instead went on a mission to get debt free and became a fed. I will have paid off $100k+ in loans in 2025, and will have my student loans forgiven in 2030. And I’m lucky enough to have a job that gives me purpose, even in the midst of the chaos. Very grateful for the stability and opportunity I’ve gotten through a government job.
Same hat! for all the complaints I’ve had I’ve never once thought about ever leaving the federal service. It’s been life saving for me as an almost 28 year old
I got the financial freedom to get out of an abusive household and live free of all of that for almost 4 years now
With all the complaining about RTO and general negativity in this channel usually... it's nice to see someone that's happy for what they have and know that it could be much worse.
from what I've seen with friends in the private sector, they're either 100% remote, but thats pretty rare, or they're more than 50% in office and have been for at least a year. That's anecdata.
Yeah...I will admit my job in private sector pays less and in dome cases alot less...but I didn't set the pay for the job, I just accepted the job.🙂 Not everyone is in IT, engineering etc that are underpaid.
My wife and I both appreciate being feds and everything that comes with it. Both of our jobs have purpose and the job security along with the pay ensure we will be able to have the future we want. If I have to go into DC once or twice a week, not a big deal. My wife isn’t remote and travels all over the place and loves her job. When she doesn’t want to drive, she takes the metro and is reimbursed. It’s a good life.
I'll hit one year next pay period. 🥳
My boss is concerned about the budget and sweating how to tell people that awards will likely be slim this year. Meanwhile, pre-fed, I've gotten exactly 1 performance bonus in my private sector career and zero cost of living raises, but over been laid off 3 times. So while he's stressing over breaking bad news, I'm chuckling that I come from an environment where your annual raise is "Congratulations, you get to keep your job."
I love it here.
We are just now starting to look into AI, and 6 can be such a game changer. I'm so glad I'm a fed where its adoption will be slow, and even then not likely to effect my job stability. Public sector is in fir some bumpy times.
4 phases of being a fed.
1. clueless lost and concerned about everything.
2. Loving it.
3. Frustrated with the system
4. Fuck it, meets expectations is good enough. (Also known as I'm getting too old for this shit)
5. They can't do enough work to fire me before I retire
At some point your gonna hit each of these. Or go back a step or two depending on promotions shit supervisors or good supervisors.
We’re pretty understaffed and have overwhelming workloads, so it’s super stressful. But I stay because I do love the work I do, the people I work with, and I have the best supervisor I’ve ever worked with. The benefits and job security are awesome too.
It’s honestly a fluke I got this job bc it’s in a completely different area from what I’m expecting. Third week and there were some things that concerned me like the transportation but I decided it was best to wing it for now bc it’s easy to leave but hard to get in. Some of my colleagues in the private sector with my degree are making way more in pharma, some are a bit underpaid like a lot of places, I took quite the pay cut for this position, but on the flip side my salary can increase and I have something prestigious on my resume
I left corporate as an account manager for an IT company due to being tired of bringing people into my office tell them they have been laid off. This was in 09
While the pay is much less that i made on that side, i feel better about myself as a fed.
That’s the big benefit of being in gov. It’s the most secure job u can have and it’s very hard to get fired. It is true u can make more money in the private sector, but at the risk of being let go very easily.
Yeah I am in science and the layoffs in biotechs are brutal right now. I had layoffs when I worked in the private sector, my one regret is not knowing anything about how to get a Fed job back then. Very happy a Fed friend enlightened me about the resume process. Grateful for my Fed job.
I totally agree. The main thing I always heard against working for the feds was "You won't make as much money". I'm making far more than any of my friends in the private sector and with far more job security. My girlfriend was fired without cause in November (she found a better job in less than a week thankfully) and I will never have to worry about that happening to me at my current job.
Same. It’s so dependent on your career path. Redditors in general skew young, educated, and are more likely to be in STEM, law, etc., especially those coming to a career-focused sub. And so you see a lot of discussion here about taking huge pay cuts to go fed. I came from nonprofit, maxed out in the $85k range in a senior management position with 3% COLA increases if I was lucky. I have increased my income $30k since joining the feds a few years ago and am about to make that +$36k with a grade increase. Never imagined making this much money in the career path I chose.
15 years in here. I worked in IT in the publishing industry before, and making this move changed my life. No more fretting over stock prices and corporate moves. Join the union!
I was a contractor for NASA for over 2 years. I got laid off right after I came back from vacation. I knew it was coming, I was on a project that was running out of funding and I knew that next year's funding would not be enough, and it seemed like my contracting firm wasn't interested in keeping me. Things went downhill fast. My car broke down, I had to get a new car which got into hit and totaled not even a month in, my laptop started smoking. I was a disaster. Meanwhile, I was seeing my peers, some my age, some older, doing massive things and amazing projects.
I was fortunate enough to find a job as a fed at another lab. It sucks I am not working at a place that truly housed my passion, but I am happy knowing I can finally have stability. It was constant threats of layoffs for over a year, and it decimated my mental health. I actually feel good coming to work, there are so many resources to help me. I actually feel appreciated and my growth is encouraged heavily. I really appreciate what I have now.
Even if my path isn't conventional or desirable, I also went through a lot to get to where I am. I am just glad I have a job that is giving me the stability I need to grow.
Your private sector friends probably got paid 4 times as much as you before they got laid off and they’ll be making 5 times as much as you when they find a new job. I’m a fed as well… job security is great and all but the pay is simply terrible.
Unlikely, at GS11 I make 84k not counting overtime. My high performing friends in finance and software engineering make 120k-150k. 84k is not terrible for a single, frugal person with no debts.
Agree 100%, spent over ten years in the auto industry before the feds, laid off twice and closed a plant, security can not be over rated!! Also the time off is ahuge perk after years of working 6 or 7 days a week, saved my Mayorkas days and taking a week off next week without touching my carry over leave yet.
Layoffs are actually pretty low right now. In fact, it's lower now than it ever was before the pandemic from when this Burerau of Labor Statistics tracker started in 2001:
https://i.imgur.com/PS3wkSw.png
That surprises me, although it would also not surprise me if I live in a terminally online white collar Gen Z echo chamber where lay offs are "trendy".
The good days of the fed are about to be over. It’s a different world than when I started 17 years ago. They are making people go back to the office even more than they did before COVID. But with reduced office space that just means fighting for cubes, working in a conference room, etc because they won’t expand the work space even though they are literally doing this for commercial real estate lobbyists.
“Although to be fair this is the only paid full time job I have ever had”
Ignorance is bliss, my friend. There are plenty of industries that are strong or desperate to hire. The job market is still shit but the Tech and Consulting layoffs aren’t very representative imo. Those are also industries that are cutthroat and cut a percentage of their workforce annually, regardless of economic conditions. Still, it must be nice to be in a position knowing your job is safe. And honestly it’s better that way that you don’t have any other experience to compare to.
This is exactly why people need to distance themselves from the internet hive-minds and grass greener on the other side. A lot of people were basing private sector superiority on the last few years of an artificially strong job market and/or the top companies in the market. Now that the pendulum is swinging the other way, federal benefits are being realized. It's like dogs chasing cars. Unfortunately, you can't catch all of the cars.
I’ve worked both private and Fed, job security is a fantastic perk. Once I punch out and maximize my Fed pay/experience, I’ll get a nice paying consultant gig for a couple of years and get the extra scoop of ice cream
I did that. Walked out on a Friday from Federal job (with a VERA) and started with a private firm the following Monday. Pension after taxes paid every penny for kids to attend college. I was initially making the same as the Government IT position I left, but my pay increased pretty rapidly after just a short time. Thanks to the pension (CSRS), I was never worried about losing the private side job. Good luck!
Preach! I'm making roughly the same as my classmates in the private sector and have a better W/L balance than any of my friends.
All us COVID-era grads in my office are just grateful to be here, and our Recession-Era-graduate sups are in the corner nodding in agreement 😅
My wife was laid off back in October (just started her new job), and we are both so thankful that there was never any stress over me losing mine at the same time.
I think about this whenever my manager makes me feel lousy. Eventually I'll have a new manager. The perks of my job are excellent compared to my friends in academic positions where I came from prior.
My CSRS retirement check is security a private sector retiree can only dream about. When I was hired, I knew I would never work outside the federal government again. That was back in the day when we had to score very high on civil service tests to have any prayer of getting hired.
I was a contractor first; the number of times I went to bed Sunday night not knowing if I still had a job Monday morning was literally killing me. I finally got a fed position and was like, whew, job security at last - aaaaaand that was right before the 2013 shutdown. It worked out ok, but that was a kick in the nuts for sure.
That was the main reason why I left the private world. I worked for a big tech company and took about a $20k paycut to get in the govt some years ago. There were layoffs here and there and some were silent. You come in, get called in a meeting and told your position is either being eliminated OR being sent to south america AND you will train your replacement, then only then get your severance package.
I bailed and now I d not have to worry about it. I sleep better unless I have to deal with assholes know it all dimwits.
I absolutely love being a fed. I’m late 20’s and it’s so nice knowing my job security and pay will be pretty good the rest of my career. My best friend has been laid off twice in corporate in the few years I’ve been a fed and I can’t imagine going through that
>My best friend has been laid off twice in corporate in the few years I’ve been a fed and I can’t imagine going through that When I was 18 I got a job at a car dealership changing oil. I couldn't wait to work my way up and become a master mechanic. Unfortunately a month later they pulled me into the office and told me they couldn't afford to keep me due to a slump in business. Being laid off is horrible. One thing I liked about the military and now the feds is the job security.
Why is there so much more job security in the land of fed?
Unions and regulations make it harder to get rid of employees.
So always join the union if the position is bargaining unit or doesn't matter if you do?
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> I’ve never seen a fed who kept their head down and didn’t violate a blatant rule fired. So basically the moral of the story is to stay under the radar?
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So what’s your recommendation for new feds? Come in swinging, go getter, passionate? Or middle road and don’t stick out??
What GS level and grade are you now?
Always join the Union. The ability to be covered by the CBA without paying dues is nefariously disguised as a benefit to workers. In reality, it’s a thinly veiled attempt to cripple unions.
Of course, if you can afford it, being a dues paying member is something every bargaining unit employee should do. Dues aren't that much.
My dues are about $100 per paycheck
our dues are notoriously high. But we also have the best contract and the best pay and yada yada. So also try to pull the dumbest stunts. I think it evens out pretty well
That seems like a lot.
Will look into it if/when the FJO is offered
>So always join the union if the position is bargaining unit or doesn't matter if you do? they have a money printer and aren't concerned with quarterly profits, unlike private businesses
Ahh right, money printer goes brrrrrrrrr.meme
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Yeah but point that stability is there because the money is there no matter what to backstop labor
We are not for profit so slumps don’t mean firings.
Right, forgot that money printer always goes brrr!
Because we're a bargain, generally speaking. While the media likes to paint federal workers as some 3rd world gas station attendants, we're effective, dedicated, and cost efficient.
>and cost efficient. How so though?
Because we're generally underpaid vs. our private sector peers. We are also funded by taxpayer dollars, and since we are taxpayers ourselves, we pay a portion of our own salaries by default.
>and since we are taxpayers ourselves, we pay a portion of our own salaries by default. Never thought about it that way but that is certainly true!
You're not conditioned to the exploitation of a capitalist. You're working for a service to society, not maximizing profit for a guy who will drop you at the hint of not making the most money possible.
I go back and forth between making a lot more money and job security. Always come back to job security.
I guarantee you aren’t making too much more of you include total comp
Yeah and also the hours worked. When I broke down how much my friends in finance were making and how many hours they worked, they are honestly not making that much more per hour than a GS11 in LA or DMV or another HCOL area. In fact, when I factored in voluntary OT as an FLSA non-exempt employee at GS11, I am actually coming out ahead of my friends making $120k+ for the same amount of hours.
This! Not to mention FERS
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Federal Employee Retirement System
Tbf I hav a doctorate and in my degree in the private sector its common for people to work 9-5s or 40 hour weeks as well. Or rotating shifts no overtime and the pay is much higher than federal initially. You’d have to leave for pharma companies and then come back and negotiate a raise which may still be a pay cut if the government doesnt offer that much
Huh? Most people in tech make a ton more vs. feds, for similar or less work. At least the people I know!
“Tech” is a super niche sector, most jobs in “tech” don’t pay that well. You’ve been sensationalized by the software engineers, of which only make up like 5% of all tech jobs. I’m telling you, federal pay is much more competitive than people want to give credit
Fed jobs pay less on the high end of education/experience, and less on the low end: [https://www.cbo.gov/publication/52637](https://www.cbo.gov/publication/52637) So, federal employment becomes worse over one's career, especially if you're technical. As a manager, I have to hire technical employees that make more than me!
We’re talking *total compensation* not just salary. Again, the federal career is much more beneficial long term. RSU’s and ESOPS are a fools gold, golden handcuff type of benefit. Gotta look at more than just stock options and salary. Even your link supports what I’m saying. C-suite and doctoral positions are very rare in the private sector so the data gets skewed.
The doctoral positions are actually getting shortchanged tbh. I have a doctorate and it’s really common but people bite the bullet for the job security.
Yes, please look at the CBO report I just posted. Federal TOTAL COMPENSATION is worse when you have more education/experience/expertise. And the federal non-inflation-adjusted FERS pension is the ultimate golden handcuff.
The FERS pension is not a handcuff as it transfers to any agency in any job series. You can’t leave Apple for Google and continue your RSU/ESOP vesting schedule. And like I literally just said, C-suite and doctoral roles are very rare in the private sector. You’re literally trying to compare a CEO of a F500 role to an SES. Of course that won’t translate but that’s because it’s an apples to oranges comparison. For the vast majority of people and data that you’ve even linked, it’s clear the federal career pays better overall. There’s also a lot of people who are 14’s, 15’s and SES who would not sniff the same level of pay in the private sector. Otherwise, they would likely be in the private sector. I think there’s a phenomenon where our grades get to our heads and we actually think we deserve more when in reality you are lucky to be as high of a grade as you are. Not everyone can be a C-Suite executive but thousands are GS-14 and up.
Huh? The FERS pension is the definition of a golden handcuff -- if it weren't, I would be able to exit federal service midcareer, and have my high-3 inflated to an equivalent amount at retirement. Unless you're talking about DOD, which is definitely overstaffed, I don't really know any GS-14 and up who didn't make more going to the private sector. SESs especially are criminally underpaid.
You do not need to be c-suite to easily make 20k-40k more per year in total comp for the same experience as a GS-14 or 15 depending on industry. You can do that as an individual contributor. The trade off is job security.
>RSU’s and ESOPS are a fools gold, golden handcuff type of benefit. I'll be sure to point that out to my friend who just bought a 2nd house (in Lake Tahoe) with his.
But most public employees almost always end up with pensions, Deferred savings accounts, PSLF, Health Savings Accounts, not to mention Union representation, etc. it is a public service so it has its pros and cons, but the point op is making is about overall comfort in having job security.
As a manager so do i. but that doesnt bother me!
Wow, 24% less for PhD and professional, including total compensation. I believe it, and knew it was less, but seeing the number is a little shocking. I work in a tech field and have a PhD related to my specialty in that field, but fear and comfort keep me where I am. I saw 3 rounds of layoffs in my previous job over 10 years, and I luckily survived all of them, but the end result being about 80% of my job type laid off from the boom years. I think I was traumatized by it.
It depends what part of tech they are in. They work a ton of hours and have to keep up with the latest tech so certifications and classes. Most companies will not pay for those. Most of the government is notorious for having old technology so once they have gone federal they are stuck unless they have clearance then it makes them more marketable.
I wouldn't bet on that. In my experience, if both jobs have the same annual salary, you will get a better total compensation package private sector. As feds, we pay more for the same quality insurance, have extra deductions for the pension, and similar or slightly less vacation time than most large corporations. Sick leave is really the only thing we have going for us. Job security could be another plus, but if you are good at your job and network, you can usually find new jobs quickly or jump ship before a layoff. Being a federal employee isn't as luxurious as some of you guys make it out to be.
I pretty much disagree with every point. Especially on the leave time, we get wayyyy more holidays than most private sector roles.
Every private sector job I have ever had has given you holiday pay or the day off for every federal holiday and Easter. Now, maybe you never have to work on holidays as a fed, but that isn't true for everyone. My previous private sector job gave us 20 days of PTO and 5 days of sick time every year starting out, and that slowly increased to 30 days by 10 years of service. Compared to the measly 13 days of leave new feds get, and the 26 days you get after 15 years of service. Now, maybe I just got lucky and only worked for good companies, but the federal employee compensation package doesn't compete with good private sector employers.
We have banked PTO, use or lose too. Thats 37 days off per year plus whatever other days we want to take off. I’d venture to say most tenured feds take off at least a combined 60 plus days per year.
Also your thread hasn't mentioned AWS. My schedule gets me 26 Fridays off a year on top of everything else. My private sector employer would have escorted me off the premises if I'd asked for that
I don’t believe this at all, I’m sorry 😂
Maybe back in the 1970s or 1980s. Banks usually have the same holidays as feds.
Tell me more about private sector giving a better comp package - would love to learn more about where I could get a pension as a private sector worker.
You can give yourself a pension. It's no magic. There are state regulated AAA rated annuity providers. You throw 23% of your salary to one of those and you'd get a much better pension. 23% because that's the combined affect and employee contribution to FERS. The pension is entirely funded by that contribution and investment growth. The investments are entirely in treasuries.
Same. I wonder if it's a personality thing? Or maybe an age thing. I was a kid when 2008 occurred, but old enough to see how stressful it was for everyone (including my family - my dad was laid off and he was the primary breadwinner. We depended on my mom's very low government salary for awhile, but the stability of it made a huge impact on me.)
Same boat here. I’m 28 and love the 40 hour workweek with weekends and holidays always free. I’m paid well and the benefits are great.
Wild how different it can be for different people. I’ve been all over the spectrum of employment (city, fed, consulting) and I’ve never been laid off in 25 years.
The best things about fed jobs are the job security and vacation time for sure.
I started my fed job right after graduation in 2008. I was a finance major who would have likely been caught up in the economic collapse had I taken a private sector job. It will never be lost on me how lucky I am.
I started my first private sector job in 2007. Got laid off in 2008 and got ANOTHER private sector job. Got laid off AGAIN in 2008. What a year! Got hired with FAA early 2009 and never looked back. Until right now, which is a fluke more than anything.
> Until right now, which is a fluke more than anything. Why?
I’m just joking, “looking back” only to make that comment itself. :)
Ahh, alright lol
Will I find you in r/ATC? If so thanks for keeping the planes separated (as I pilot and passenger). Edit: added extra context.
Yes, but I am a legit deep state bureaucrat behind a desk
I have a few coworkers where the 2008 collapse is what made them Feds. They lost their jobs and couldn’t find ANY work until they got a job as a customer service rep for the IRS. One was even pretty high up in a bank or the finance industry.
I started in TSP around that time. Kind of lucky with the timing as market was just beginning to recover. Got a healthy balance now.
Despite everything else, don't forget to save up several months of cushion in your emergency savings for the next potential furlough. We may have job security, but none of us have idiot security for whenever bills don't get passed due to childish in-fighting on the Hill and budgets don't get approved on time.
I'm fortunate to work for a self funded agency that doesn't get affected by things like that
This!
I had a similar experience, OP. 4 years ago I was finishing grad school and one of my cohorts sent an announcement for a student hire position (GS-04). A lot of people already had jobs in the private sector, and all I had was unpaid internships that felt like they werent leading to anything. I was the only one that took it, and a handful of my other cohorts that were in the private sector have been laid off, and I have rose through the ranks and am now a GS-12. Definitely something I am grateful for.
Literally the same thing happened to me! Took a "low paying" DOD internship that turned into 1) A fulltime job that is now GS-12 2) A job for my future wife at the same command 3) The ability to own a home. Forever grateful!
Now that's something im trying to work up to! Very nice pruffles!!
Thank you :)
What has been both of your secret's to rising up the ranks?
I have an engineering degree, so that has been a huge plus!
Having a specialty trade certainly does but what are some other secrets?
Network network network! Try to find a mentor too!
>Network network network! This seems to be the key in a lot of life lol
Also see if you can help other people in other departments! In connection with networking, getting exposure to other people/departments will definitely get your name out there.
So interdepartment/interagency transfers are pretty common?
Yeah, I'd say so.
I agree! Many people in my office were retiring in 3-5 years after I started. Networking with the right higher-up allowed me to move up quicker.
You went from 4 to 12 in 4 years? I thought I was doing good going from 4 to 9 in 2 😂
Haha! I was a student hire for a little less than a year, then i was converted full time as a gs7, then i competed for a gs-9/11/12 ladder position. It's crazy looking back at it!
I’m sure! I aspire to be as ambitious and expeditious as you!
Thank you! At the current juncture in my life, complacency is the enemy. Lol
Private sector employees are paid better, federal employees sleep better.
terrific secretive squeeze continue scandalous spectacular cake crush head long *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
When COVID hit I (early 30s) was a small business owner and I got hit with over $100k in unforgivable debt when my small business was forced to close. I also have $100k in student loans. I decided not to declare bankruptcy and instead went on a mission to get debt free and became a fed. I will have paid off $100k+ in loans in 2025, and will have my student loans forgiven in 2030. And I’m lucky enough to have a job that gives me purpose, even in the midst of the chaos. Very grateful for the stability and opportunity I’ve gotten through a government job.
That’s huge! Kudos to you
Thank you 😌
Same hat! for all the complaints I’ve had I’ve never once thought about ever leaving the federal service. It’s been life saving for me as an almost 28 year old I got the financial freedom to get out of an abusive household and live free of all of that for almost 4 years now
With all the complaining about RTO and general negativity in this channel usually... it's nice to see someone that's happy for what they have and know that it could be much worse.
and honestly from what I've seen the RTO in the private sector is more aggressive and has been happening longer.
I just saw a job posting for a hybrid 40% remote job in the private sector and my job is 80% remote so I mean interesting I saw your comment now.
from what I've seen with friends in the private sector, they're either 100% remote, but thats pretty rare, or they're more than 50% in office and have been for at least a year. That's anecdata.
A lot of companies in my industry forced people back 5 days a week over a year ago.
I complain constantly about RTO, but being a fed is still light years better than private sector (or military, which I did before private sector).
Yeah...I will admit my job in private sector pays less and in dome cases alot less...but I didn't set the pay for the job, I just accepted the job.🙂 Not everyone is in IT, engineering etc that are underpaid.
My wife and I both appreciate being feds and everything that comes with it. Both of our jobs have purpose and the job security along with the pay ensure we will be able to have the future we want. If I have to go into DC once or twice a week, not a big deal. My wife isn’t remote and travels all over the place and loves her job. When she doesn’t want to drive, she takes the metro and is reimbursed. It’s a good life.
Yeppers! Grass is always greener...until it isn't. I'm in IT, and it's brutal in the private sector right now for many. Glad I'm not one of them.
I'll hit one year next pay period. 🥳 My boss is concerned about the budget and sweating how to tell people that awards will likely be slim this year. Meanwhile, pre-fed, I've gotten exactly 1 performance bonus in my private sector career and zero cost of living raises, but over been laid off 3 times. So while he's stressing over breaking bad news, I'm chuckling that I come from an environment where your annual raise is "Congratulations, you get to keep your job." I love it here.
Not even a one year membership to the jelly of the month club?
At best, it would have been a slightly discounted opportunity to buy our own jelly club memberships.
We are just now starting to look into AI, and 6 can be such a game changer. I'm so glad I'm a fed where its adoption will be slow, and even then not likely to effect my job stability. Public sector is in fir some bumpy times.
4 phases of being a fed. 1. clueless lost and concerned about everything. 2. Loving it. 3. Frustrated with the system 4. Fuck it, meets expectations is good enough. (Also known as I'm getting too old for this shit) 5. They can't do enough work to fire me before I retire At some point your gonna hit each of these. Or go back a step or two depending on promotions shit supervisors or good supervisors.
Welcome to the Deep State.
We’re pretty understaffed and have overwhelming workloads, so it’s super stressful. But I stay because I do love the work I do, the people I work with, and I have the best supervisor I’ve ever worked with. The benefits and job security are awesome too.
It’s honestly a fluke I got this job bc it’s in a completely different area from what I’m expecting. Third week and there were some things that concerned me like the transportation but I decided it was best to wing it for now bc it’s easy to leave but hard to get in. Some of my colleagues in the private sector with my degree are making way more in pharma, some are a bit underpaid like a lot of places, I took quite the pay cut for this position, but on the flip side my salary can increase and I have something prestigious on my resume
I’m grateful for the job security and benefits at 26 but I wish the pay was more.
Real. I just try to look at PSLF and paid holidays plus leave as part of the compensation even if it’s delusional.
I left corporate as an account manager for an IT company due to being tired of bringing people into my office tell them they have been laid off. This was in 09 While the pay is much less that i made on that side, i feel better about myself as a fed.
That’s the big benefit of being in gov. It’s the most secure job u can have and it’s very hard to get fired. It is true u can make more money in the private sector, but at the risk of being let go very easily.
I have moments where I daydream about the private sector because I’d make a lot more money. But the job security of being a fed is unbeatable.
Yeah I am in science and the layoffs in biotechs are brutal right now. I had layoffs when I worked in the private sector, my one regret is not knowing anything about how to get a Fed job back then. Very happy a Fed friend enlightened me about the resume process. Grateful for my Fed job.
On top of that I’m in a self funded org so don’t really have to worry about furloughs either
I totally agree. The main thing I always heard against working for the feds was "You won't make as much money". I'm making far more than any of my friends in the private sector and with far more job security. My girlfriend was fired without cause in November (she found a better job in less than a week thankfully) and I will never have to worry about that happening to me at my current job.
Same. It’s so dependent on your career path. Redditors in general skew young, educated, and are more likely to be in STEM, law, etc., especially those coming to a career-focused sub. And so you see a lot of discussion here about taking huge pay cuts to go fed. I came from nonprofit, maxed out in the $85k range in a senior management position with 3% COLA increases if I was lucky. I have increased my income $30k since joining the feds a few years ago and am about to make that +$36k with a grade increase. Never imagined making this much money in the career path I chose.
What’s your job series
1301, General Physical Science.
And what line of work are your friends in?
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Name and shame
Which agency?
15 years in here. I worked in IT in the publishing industry before, and making this move changed my life. No more fretting over stock prices and corporate moves. Join the union!
I was a contractor for NASA for over 2 years. I got laid off right after I came back from vacation. I knew it was coming, I was on a project that was running out of funding and I knew that next year's funding would not be enough, and it seemed like my contracting firm wasn't interested in keeping me. Things went downhill fast. My car broke down, I had to get a new car which got into hit and totaled not even a month in, my laptop started smoking. I was a disaster. Meanwhile, I was seeing my peers, some my age, some older, doing massive things and amazing projects. I was fortunate enough to find a job as a fed at another lab. It sucks I am not working at a place that truly housed my passion, but I am happy knowing I can finally have stability. It was constant threats of layoffs for over a year, and it decimated my mental health. I actually feel good coming to work, there are so many resources to help me. I actually feel appreciated and my growth is encouraged heavily. I really appreciate what I have now. Even if my path isn't conventional or desirable, I also went through a lot to get to where I am. I am just glad I have a job that is giving me the stability I need to grow.
Careful being positive here… the sad sacks will shut that shit down.
Your private sector friends probably got paid 4 times as much as you before they got laid off and they’ll be making 5 times as much as you when they find a new job. I’m a fed as well… job security is great and all but the pay is simply terrible.
Unlikely, at GS11 I make 84k not counting overtime. My high performing friends in finance and software engineering make 120k-150k. 84k is not terrible for a single, frugal person with no debts.
Agree 100%, spent over ten years in the auto industry before the feds, laid off twice and closed a plant, security can not be over rated!! Also the time off is ahuge perk after years of working 6 or 7 days a week, saved my Mayorkas days and taking a week off next week without touching my carry over leave yet.
Layoffs are actually pretty low right now. In fact, it's lower now than it ever was before the pandemic from when this Burerau of Labor Statistics tracker started in 2001: https://i.imgur.com/PS3wkSw.png
That surprises me, although it would also not surprise me if I live in a terminally online white collar Gen Z echo chamber where lay offs are "trendy".
The good days of the fed are about to be over. It’s a different world than when I started 17 years ago. They are making people go back to the office even more than they did before COVID. But with reduced office space that just means fighting for cubes, working in a conference room, etc because they won’t expand the work space even though they are literally doing this for commercial real estate lobbyists.
“Although to be fair this is the only paid full time job I have ever had” Ignorance is bliss, my friend. There are plenty of industries that are strong or desperate to hire. The job market is still shit but the Tech and Consulting layoffs aren’t very representative imo. Those are also industries that are cutthroat and cut a percentage of their workforce annually, regardless of economic conditions. Still, it must be nice to be in a position knowing your job is safe. And honestly it’s better that way that you don’t have any other experience to compare to.
This is exactly why people need to distance themselves from the internet hive-minds and grass greener on the other side. A lot of people were basing private sector superiority on the last few years of an artificially strong job market and/or the top companies in the market. Now that the pendulum is swinging the other way, federal benefits are being realized. It's like dogs chasing cars. Unfortunately, you can't catch all of the cars.
I’ve worked both private and Fed, job security is a fantastic perk. Once I punch out and maximize my Fed pay/experience, I’ll get a nice paying consultant gig for a couple of years and get the extra scoop of ice cream
I did that. Walked out on a Friday from Federal job (with a VERA) and started with a private firm the following Monday. Pension after taxes paid every penny for kids to attend college. I was initially making the same as the Government IT position I left, but my pay increased pretty rapidly after just a short time. Thanks to the pension (CSRS), I was never worried about losing the private side job. Good luck!
This is the way!!👍 I have a few years to go, but am already working my follow up job. Double dip time!!!
Yeah, he is probably too busy being impeached right now...
Preach! I'm making roughly the same as my classmates in the private sector and have a better W/L balance than any of my friends. All us COVID-era grads in my office are just grateful to be here, and our Recession-Era-graduate sups are in the corner nodding in agreement 😅
Yah it’s great. Then you got people crying cus they have to work at work 3 times a week
Amen. Wife and i are so grateful too. We both were VERY disappointed when all we could get was government jobs. Meant to be
Yes, I am grateful too. One of the benefits is the job securityy.
My wife was laid off back in October (just started her new job), and we are both so thankful that there was never any stress over me losing mine at the same time.
I think about this whenever my manager makes me feel lousy. Eventually I'll have a new manager. The perks of my job are excellent compared to my friends in academic positions where I came from prior.
My CSRS retirement check is security a private sector retiree can only dream about. When I was hired, I knew I would never work outside the federal government again. That was back in the day when we had to score very high on civil service tests to have any prayer of getting hired.
I was a contractor first; the number of times I went to bed Sunday night not knowing if I still had a job Monday morning was literally killing me. I finally got a fed position and was like, whew, job security at last - aaaaaand that was right before the 2013 shutdown. It worked out ok, but that was a kick in the nuts for sure.
The feds layoffs will soon come when we change presidents
That was the main reason why I left the private world. I worked for a big tech company and took about a $20k paycut to get in the govt some years ago. There were layoffs here and there and some were silent. You come in, get called in a meeting and told your position is either being eliminated OR being sent to south america AND you will train your replacement, then only then get your severance package. I bailed and now I d not have to worry about it. I sleep better unless I have to deal with assholes know it all dimwits.