Gub'ment job?

At the airport working for the government is called "On the job retirement".

alfadriver wrote: Another- why do you think that is limited to civil jobs?

I don't, and never said I did. There are plenty of dead-end bleak private sector jobs.

Nor do I think there are not any creative jobs in either.

But, as a generic statement, government jobs are not noted for their flexibility and creativity.

My wife worked for the federal government for 36 years. Started out as a secretary in the typing pool and ended up as the Administrative Officer for the HR division at N.I.S.T. Never heard her say she was bored, usually too busy for that. But she did get frustrated at time with how slow things were going.

But the stability, benefits and very comfortable retirement more than made up for the frustrations.

I'm tired of the kind of work I'm doing, and have been doing for years. I've been in automotive technical jobs for 15 or 16 years. From technical writing, teaching, curriculum development. I feel like I work my butt off to produce nothing. Even though I know that when I'm done with a course technicians will learn about this new technology or vehicle, but there's nothing tangible. When I was wrenching on cars, I was tired at the end of the day, but there were 6 fewer broken cars as a result.
Plus, this office job stuff does not promote a healthy lifestyle.

foxtrapper wrote:

alfadriver wrote: Another- why do you think that is limited to civil jobs?

I don't, and never said I did. There are plenty of dead-end bleak private sector jobs. Nor do I think there are not any creative jobs in either. But, as a generic statement, government jobs are not noted for their flexibility and creativity.

So you say you don't mean it, but repeat the steryotype agian, as if that adds some truth.

So very many jobs in the world require no creativity or have flexibility, but you feel the need to point out that you think govenment jobs are exactly the same as most jobs in the world... ok.

I bet that most beer lovers would hate jobs at Budweiser since it requires no creativity, and the plants need to run 24/7.

Just like most car lovers would poke their eyes out working on a production line making cars.

Why government jobs get a special reputation is beyond me.

I started working with the Feds when Nixon was in office.

There are some valid points here but also some stereotypes. Stereotypes, like rumors are based on a little fact.

Much like the private sector, you can work in terrible places, you can work for a supervisor that steals credit for you hard work, you could be unhappy, underpaid, disrespected and taken for granted. Just like the private sector, it depends where you go. I have unlimited training and a minimum annual requirement. When new Engineers sign on and if they agree to stay five years, the Feds pick up their student loans.

If through no fault of your own you get laid off, they make every effort to find you another job; the Feds have them all over the World. I know ex-machinists that are running weed whackers in an Air Base in Florida, one guy I did prototype work with ended up as a toolmaker at the Smithsonian. Can you imagine spending your day in their back room?

Some of you will poo poo the whole thing, have at it. The Government isn't the end all job. How many people now days retire from the company they started with 40 years ago?

Doctor, hourly people get overtime, salary people get comp time. You also get overtime or comp time for travel. I don't know what your field is, but if you have questions I will seek out Feds in that field and pose your question.

No rumor, no stereotype.

Dan

Thanks Dan. The things you stated are why I'm interested in. BTW, I applied for a job as an instructor at The Smithsonian. I would have paid THEM for that job. I thought the same thing "can you imagine hanging out in that basement???"
I'm just frustrated with my job. We had a big meeting today, some big-wigs came from the other side of the pond. The first comment from one of them was "Its nice to be here, to meet all of you. Its good to put a face to the names I hear all the time." I realized that the upper-management don't even know who I am. I bust my hump for them. I have NEVER missed a deadline in the almost 4 years I've worked there. I was tasked with saving a very large account, and did. I've learned two software programs with no training while under shortened deadlines and delivered the courses before they were due. I've had three specific letters of commendation from customers sent in. That is getting me nowhere. The thought of doing to a maintenance garage and fixing stuff just sounds nice to me right now.

I'm probably the kind of government worker most of the stereotypes are about, mostly because I get paid way above typical for my location even though that corresponds to 5-10% below what the people who I interface with in the private sector get paid for the same job. That said, I came from similar jobs in the private sector for location and could offer up some comparisons: -My health insurance is almost exactly the same as what I had at previous jobs, coverage and price wise. I had a couple cheaper options but the coverage wasn't as good for some stuff, and my rate (pre-AHCA) was within $10/mo of my civilian job rate.

-There is a retirement plan, but it isn't as good as a lot of them. For me it's a formula: 1% of whatever my highest annual salary was per year for every year I work for the fed. So if I make $50k/yr and work for 30 years I can get $15k/yr for retirement. There's a penalty for not doing 30, though, so if I work only 25 years at that same salary I would get $9350/year, or @$800/mo before taxes. They do charge me 3% of my salary to participate in the retirement program, so 3% over 30 years, which probably means I'm not actually ahead until several years into retirement if ever. Unlike most companies, thought, any idiot over at the IRS can throw a party and the next thing I know Congress has decided to not give me any retirement and there would be nothing I could do about it.

-I also get social security and have a 401k-ish thing just like most real jobs, just with less company matching.

After almost 15 years working for the federal government, including that military time I had to "buy back" by paying out of pocket to the government the 3% of my lifetime military salary they didn't take while I served, I do get decent time off. I get @100 hrs of sick time and @150 of vacation a year. Cubicle clowns get 8-10 holidays too, but I work a rotating shift and have to work holidays, nights, and weekends. Sick time most everyone saves up to use as short-term disability in case something happens and the 3.5 weeks of vacation is inline with most jobs after over a decade of working there.

In reply to bravenrace:

GM, Ford, Chrysler, VW, and Nissan are all hiring in Greater Detroit alone.

oldopelguy wrote: -My health insurance is almost exactly the same as what I had at previous jobs, coverage and price wise. I had a couple cheaper options but the coverage wasn't as good for some stuff, and my rate (pre-AHCA) was within $10/mo of my civilian job rate.

The feeling the government employee benefits are great seems to be pretty pervasive, if not terribly accurate. There is a small pension and 401k matching to around 5%. The health benefits are not great, and are pretty expensive. They don't include dental or vision, those are add-ons. My FIL works for the UAW. He used to tell me that he wished he had "those great government benefits" until we sat and talked for a while.

The stability is nice. You'll probably get more time off than you can use. You'll never get rich, for sure.

DrBoost wrote: Thanks Dan. The things you stated are why I'm interested in. BTW, I applied for a job as an instructor at The Smithsonian. I would have paid THEM for that job. I thought the same thing "can you imagine hanging out in that basement???" I'm just frustrated with my job. We had a big meeting today, some big-wigs came from the other side of the pond. The first comment from one of them was "Its nice to be here, to meet all of you. Its good to put a face to the names I hear all the time." I realized that the upper-management don't even know who I am. I bust my hump for them. I have NEVER missed a deadline in the almost 4 years I've worked there. I was tasked with saving a very large account, and did. I've learned two software programs with no training while under shortened deadlines and delivered the courses before they were due. I've had three specific letters of commendation from customers sent in. That is getting me nowhere. The thought of doing to a maintenance garage and fixing stuff just sounds nice to me right now.

I know this will sound like I'm being a jerk, but this sounds like the typical "Change is happening at work and I don't like it." It seems like you are assuming you aren't important, recognized, etc. Not to mention, why would upper-management from a different location know who you are unless you interact with them regularly?

Now if you just want out of the office, that I understand. Being in a cube farm all day sucks.

oldopelguy wrote: -There is a retirement plan, but it isn't as good as a lot of them. For me it's a formula: 1% of whatever my highest annual salary was per year for every year I work for the fed. So if I make $50k/yr and work for 30 years I can get $15k/yr for retirement.

That's not the standard retirement plan under FERS, that's for retiring early.

https://www.opm.gov/retirement-services/fers-information/types-of-retirement/#url=Early-Retirement

Sorry, maximum could be as high as $16500 a year if I retired with 30 years and was over 62. Still not as much as Social Security for a 30 year commitment, and not as much as the retirement plans at my previous employers.

oldopelguy wrote: Sorry, maximum could be as high as $16500 a year if I retired with 30 years and was over 62. Still not as much as Social Security for a 30 year commitment, and not as much as the retirement plans at my previous employers.

Crikey I'm getting old. Everyone I know who has or can retire federally all came in under CSRS. Didn't realize FERS was so weak, leaving you relying so heavily on the TSP.

A while back, I met a guy who had retired from a state job down here. For the sake of conversation I asked what he had been doing and in return received a ~10 minute tirade about how politics was first and foremost, how his boss was a compleat bitch, how his co workers played at working, etc so forth and so on. He said he was planning to quit on 4 different occasions, his dad told him 'don't you quit that state job' so he stayed.

At the end of this rant, I still had no idea what his job had been.

z31maniac wrote:

DrBoost wrote: Thanks Dan. The things you stated are why I'm interested in. BTW, I applied for a job as an instructor at The Smithsonian. I would have paid THEM for that job. I thought the same thing "can you imagine hanging out in that basement???" I'm just frustrated with my job. We had a big meeting today, some big-wigs came from the other side of the pond. The first comment from one of them was "Its nice to be here, to meet all of you. Its good to put a face to the names I hear all the time." I realized that the upper-management don't even know who I am. I bust my hump for them. I have NEVER missed a deadline in the almost 4 years I've worked there. I was tasked with saving a very large account, and did. I've learned two software programs with no training while under shortened deadlines and delivered the courses before they were due. I've had three specific letters of commendation from customers sent in. That is getting me nowhere. The thought of doing to a maintenance garage and fixing stuff just sounds nice to me right now.

I know this will sound like I'm being a jerk, but this sounds like the typical "Change is happening at work and I don't like it." It seems like you are assuming you aren't important, recognized, etc. Not to mention, why would upper-management from a different location know who you are unless you interact with them regularly? Now if you just want out of the office, that I understand. Being in a cube farm all day sucks.

Part of the problem is that change isn't happening. They are making the same stupid mistakes at every turn. And losing customers/projects as a result.
And what I mean about the new folks from over the pond is, they know some people here. Those recognized people aren't the ones that are doing a great job, just the ones that don't mind having a brown nose. I'm doing a great job here, and I guess I resent flying under the radar. These recognized people aren't interacting with them either, but they are on the boss-man's radar.
And no, you didn't come off like a jerk at all. And I think a big part of it wanting out of the cubical farm.

Toyman01 wrote: I work with a bunch of government employed maintenance people. I couldn't work with them, because they don't actually work. The electric shop mostly watches TV and surfs the internet. The carpenter shop mostly drinks coffee and watches TV. Pretty much all of them watch TV and play on the internet. It wouldn't take me long to get fired for calling someone, probably the boss, a lazy SOB. After a week, I'd be stir crazy.

I did air monitoring at a state college that was doing an asbestos abatement project over the long Memorial day weekend. I was replacing a co-worker who had been on the project all week, but he had a conflict (ie a long weekend) so I got stuck with taking over for him for the weekend. It should have been finished the day I got there, but it didn't finish until the following Tuesday. The reason? They got something like triple overtime and made it last as long as they could. I was salary and I got nothing. Boss said I could take Wednesday off as comp time. Great, who else got off Wed that I could play with?

That has been my experience with most gov't workers.

I guess it would depend on where and which branch of the govt you would work for. I work for the govt, army specifically. I'm also retired army. Spent several years as a contractor before getting into civil service. Yeah, there are the stereotypical gubmint workers around but plenty that take their jobs serious. I think, at least around here, the pay and other benefits is at close to market. At least in my field. Yeah, not much overtime but again dependent on job. My daughter is also a civilian but a different branch than I am. Corps of Engineers. She on par with the branch she works for but would be a higher grade if working at a command like I do. Won't get rich but will be comfortable. Furloughs do occur but really not as often as you would think. But furloughs are temp anyway. I've only seen furlough once and that was this year. And there were 2 this year but the second one ended up to be payed anyway, just a few free days off. Sometimes things don't work as you would think or as fast as you would want. If you work for a good boss and with good people it can be very rewarding. I consider one of my benefits is I get to visit the troops regularly as part of my duties. I worked private sector for a short time and have friends that work private. Our experience with civil vs private are comparable. It's what you make of it.

Another federal worker here, in facilities management at SSA. My role tends to be more IT related, however, as I manage the AutoCAD contract and users nationwide as well as the bluprint/CAD drawing database and management system. I also make presentation graphics and help with development on new facilities (so a lot of 3D modeling and rendering). I don't have to deal much with poltics except in annual budget meetings (had one with the Associate Commissioner this morning, where I got to inform him of how I was saving the Agency a ton of money). I also get to be fairly innovative in developing new systems to more efficiently manage our space and facility management requests nationwide.

No overtime (very few people in the Agency are getting overtime, and it's been that way for a number of years now) and the salary freeze has been a bit of a pain for the last few years (we managed to get a 1.5% COLA increase this year, after none for 3 years). We've also been on a hiring freeze for about 5 years, so as people retire out (and there have been thousands that have over the last 5 years) workloads have been going up, sometimes dramatically.

I will admit, I like the stability of the job, though yes, you can get fired for non-performance. I do as much work now as I ever did in private industry and am responsible for a lot more than I ever was. As was mentioned, like any job, it is what you make of it. There are idiots you have to deal with in any job, and there can be bad bosses in any job. I've been lucky in that I've only had good bosses while in teh government. Wasn't so good in the private sector. Unfortunately I haven't been here long enough to have accrued much in the FERS retirement system OR TSP (12 years now) so retirement probably won't be happening any time soon.