List of Toxic Federal Agencies

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Federal Reserve is one of the most toxic places I’ve worked in. Mean people, fragile egos, and completely ineffective.

Wow, not true at all in my experience. Great place to work.

Yeah, outside of some RAs grumbling, never really hear any complaints about the Fed.

The pay is good enough to stifle dissent and unrest. But it’s a messed up place full of messed up people. I warn good people to stay away (and they can’t keep talent).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They're likely all toxic. I've spent 15 years across 3 federal agencies and they're all toxic. The incompetence, apathy, and laziness in all three was quite consistent. I would highly discourage anyone who actually enjoys their field to join the federal government. It will literally kill any joy you have in your field. When I got in 15 years ago I noticed a lot of old people who won't leave but hate it there. I always said I won't end up like that. But the system beats you to submission.

NOT TRUE

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They're likely all toxic. I've spent 15 years across 3 federal agencies and they're all toxic. The incompetence, apathy, and laziness in all three was quite consistent. I would highly discourage anyone who actually enjoys their field to join the federal government. It will literally kill any joy you have in your field. When I got in 15 years ago I noticed a lot of old people who won't leave but hate it there. I always said I won't end up like that. But the system beats you to submission.

I love working at the FCC.

+1

[Anonymous]

FDA is terrible. Thank Scott Gottlieb for putting a bunch of hacks in permanent positions without competition. Can’t do a thing without begging HHS for permission.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Federal Reserve is one of the most toxic places I’ve worked in. Mean people, fragile egos, and completely ineffective.

Wow, not true at all in my experience. Great place to work.

Yeah, outside of some RAs grumbling, never really hear any complaints about the Fed.

The pay is good enough to stifle dissent and unrest. But it’s a messed up place full of messed up people. I warn good people to stay away (and they can’t keep talent).

Which division? Many divisions have little to no turnover.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What’s the scoop on NPS?

Other than it’s harder to get a job there than at 99% of other elements and agencies

Very hard to get above 12 without significant management responsibilities, every park is a fiefdom, iunderstaffed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:USAID OIG. STAY VERY FAR AWAY FROM THIS ORGANIZATION! The all-caps is VERY INTENTIONAL

Agree.

+1. I worked there for 12 years and left last year. The leadership is the worst and it's always been like this. The scandals in this organization would make amazing reality TV.

I am in the community and was about to ask if you thought things might improve when your new IG was confirmed... But then I saw she's an internal. Sorry.

What kinds of scandals? Are there any shady or illegal stuff going on?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NIST Gaithersburg

I thought NIST was a really good agency to work for with smart scientists and engineers? What you didn't like?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NIST Gaithersburg

Really? I’ve been there for work a few times, and it seemed like one of those secretly great agencies. Guess not.

I know many people who work there and they’re all happy and believe it to be a great organization. If you’re in a toxic area, find a new role in a different organization.

I did. I work for a different org making 75% more and with better benefits. Making considerably more than my contemporaries at NIST make now.

When I was there, my entire lab and the administration was a shitshow. It was toxic because you couldn’t go up the chain to address issues. They alternative pay bands were designed to allow managers to minimize or deny merit raises. I think some of the lazy and arrogant boomers have retired since then so hopefully the culture is better.

This is true. I was at Naval Research Lab(NRL) where culture is very toxic and most of the young people leave. It is full of old people who don't want to leave and haven't perfumed any good work for a long time. Just status quo and technician's work at scientist's salary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Federal Reserve is one of the most toxic places I’ve worked in. Mean people, fragile egos, and completely ineffective.

Wow, not true at all in my experience. Great place to work.

Yeah, outside of some RAs grumbling, never really hear any complaints about the Fed.

The pay is good enough to stifle dissent and unrest. But it’s a messed up place full of messed up people. I warn good people to stay away (and they can’t keep talent).

Which division? Many divisions have little to no turnover.

Agree with this. Most people really like it and stay forever. This sounds like one person who was in a bad area or had a bad experience.

[Anonymous]

What about NIH?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Federal Reserve is one of the most toxic places I’ve worked in. Mean people, fragile egos, and completely ineffective.

Wow, not true at all in my experience. Great place to work.

Yeah, outside of some RAs grumbling, never really hear any complaints about the Fed.

The pay is good enough to stifle dissent and unrest. But it’s a messed up place full of messed up people. I warn good people to stay away (and they can’t keep talent).

Which division? Many divisions have little to no turnover.

Agree with this. Most people really like it and stay forever. This sounds like one person who was in a bad area or had a bad experience.

Eh, I agree there is an extremely low turnover, but that may have more to do with the amazing pension than people actually liking working there.

In my experience, the place is overall very dysfunctional and disjointed in terms of processes and collaboration. It takes FOREVER for any decision to actually get made. But the work itself is interesting and rewarding and that often makes up for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about NIH?

Huge with many divisions and center. People really need to inquire about a specific office or center. I mean, I work for an agency 1/10 the size of NIH and some offices are toxic, some are great.

[Anonymous]

Just want to say that there are great people and components at the FBI. Not sure where pp worked but my experience has been fantastic. Of course it’s not perfect, job is. Toxic management is a problem everywhere because people and politics suck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Federal Reserve is one of the most toxic places I’ve worked in. Mean people, fragile egos, and completely ineffective.

Wow, not true at all in my experience. Great place to work.

Yeah, outside of some RAs grumbling, never really hear any complaints about the Fed.

The pay is good enough to stifle dissent and unrest. But it’s a messed up place full of messed up people. I warn good people to stay away (and they can’t keep talent).

Which division? Many divisions have little to no turnover.

Agree with this. Most people really like it and stay forever. This sounds like one person who was in a bad area or had a bad experience.

Eh, I agree there is an extremely low turnover, but that may have more to do with the amazing pension than people actually liking working there.

In my experience, the place is overall very dysfunctional and disjointed in terms of processes and collaboration. It takes FOREVER for any decision to actually get made. But the work itself is interesting and rewarding and that often makes up for it.

Yep. I’m the OP of this post. You’re right— some divisions don’t have as high attrition but I have found that people with real talent and an understanding that the Fed’s management/decision making processes are the stuff of nightmares move on. The people who stay are ones that have either bought into a broken system or are ok not raising problems because of a lack of courage or caring about it. There are lots of people who have left recently and most people at other agencies doing similar work think the Fed is a joke.