Why does the rest of the country hate DC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love all of these lawyers at an alphabet agency saying they could be making more at firms. The jobs are so different so as to not even be the same career.

I've been told my 160K 15/10 would be tripled by a big firm because of my specialized knowledge. I'all make the leap soon.

Then do it. Meanwhile I'll keep trying to get in touch with the agency regulator who works from home four days a week, doesn't check voicemail, and prefers not to respond to inquiries in writing (all of which he told me when I finally called the deputy).

Please tell me what you did to get a response. It is gold to get any Fed to contact you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love all of these lawyers at an alphabet agency saying they could be making more at firms. The jobs are so different so as to not even be the same career.

I've been told my 160K 15/10 would be tripled by a big firm because of my specialized knowledge. I'all make the leap soon.

Then do it. Meanwhile I'll keep trying to get in touch with the agency regulator who works from home four days a week, doesn't check voicemail, and prefers not to respond to inquiries in writing (all of which he told me when I finally called the deputy).

That sounds like a management/communications problem.

NP. I once needed a fast answer from a fed agency on a Friday morning. starting at 9 am, I called a dozen+ field offices. Each informed me that the person I needed to talk to was on a work arrangement where they were off/out of office on Fridays. Wasn't until I got to mountain time and a New Mexico field office that I got a manager who was willing to talk to me....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can we get past the myth of the army of public servants that could be making so much more in the private sector? I don't doubt that many public servants sincerely believe in the mission, but the vast majority of civil servants could not cut it long term in the private sector. This is especially true of lawyers. Sure, they may survive short term stints in big law or the private sector but most lack the temperment and personality to do it long term.

That isn't necessarily a bad thing....

All the Feds I know who left small, medium, or big Law did so because they needed "normal" schedules or couldn't make it at those firms. Many of them are women with children, and I think it is great that we can get very talented people into the government this way. But to allege they are doing it out of a sense of service to the country is not true. They are doing it to make their lives manageable. Again, not a bad thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Frankly my husband and I could have had more lucrative careers in the private sector like many of my college and law school classmates but we came to government out of a sense of patriotism and civic duty."

Now this is what I call a Bwahahahah moment!

Translation: "Frankly my husband and I would love to have more lucrative careers in the private sector like many of my college and law school classmates who had better grades and worked harder than we did, but we came to government out of a sense of desperation because no one in the private sector would look at us."

[Anonymous]

OP, I have not read all previous responces, but this is my input:

People don't hate DC, people have no respect for the majority of government workers. What are you calling hard work, it a 9-5 job and you have no idea how hard people work in private industries. People have no respect for government workers becasue each of us encountered at least dozen of encompetent federal employees who we know never ever be fired and are collecting a decent paycheck from a tax payers money. A lot of governement employees with years develop the sense of entitlement and it is really hard to make them do what is in their job description. I dont' thing it it a hate that most of the people experiencing toward government employees. I would call it lack of respect.

Another observation: a lot of government agencies created so may meaneanless positions. I bet you can cut every single agency 25% and no one would notice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Frankly my husband and I could have had more lucrative careers in the private sector like many of my college and law school classmates but we came to government out of a sense of patriotism and civic duty."

Now this is what I call a Bwahahahah moment!

Translation: "Frankly my husband and I would love to have more lucrative careers in the private sector like many of my college and law school classmates who had better grades and worked harder than we did, but we came to government out of a sense of desperation because no one in the private sector would look at us."

+1. There are very few exceptions to this, but generally, so true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Frankly my husband and I could have had more lucrative careers in the private sector like many of my college and law school classmates but we came to government out of a sense of patriotism and civic duty. I work hard because I want our government to function well, I had no idea how many people assumed I am a lazy drain on the economy.

What have we done to earn this vitriol and how do we change this perception?

You could not cut it in the private sector. Just be honest, you chose incredible job security, cushy benefits and low stress in return for lower pay than your peers. But your "low" paying job is a dream for most people in this country. And I am going to guess you don't produce anything that adds to GDP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Frankly my husband and I could have had more lucrative careers in the private sector like many of my college and law school classmates but we came to government out of a sense of patriotism and civic duty."

Now this is what I call a Bwahahahah moment!

Translation: "Frankly my husband and I would love to have more lucrative careers in the private sector like many of my college and law school classmates who had better grades and worked harder than we did, but we came to government out of a sense of desperation because no one in the private sector would look at us."

+1. There are very few exceptions to this, but generally, so true.

I am going to give her the benefit of the doubt. She may well be capable of being successful in the private sector, but chose govt for other reasons ( low stress, security etc). Not believing that patriotic bull.

[Anonymous]

Didn't read the whole thread but from my vantage point as a lawyer in private practice, most government lawyers are lazy. Not all, but most. So it wouldn't really bother me if some of them got fired for once.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Didn't read the whole thread but from my vantage point as a lawyer in private practice, most government lawyers are lazy. Not all, but most. So it wouldn't really bother me if some of them got fired for once.

Example: I am on a deal where I have been working 10-14 hours every day, including late every Friday night and each day both weekends. Now the government folks involved in the transaction are bellyaching about how Tuesday is election day and Friday is a holiday so of course all next week is basically shot and nobody should expect anything from them until mid November. Whatever.

[Anonymous]

Sure--could double or triple my salary in private sector. Know I could be hired easily because there is high demand for people who can help private sector navigate the thicket of regulations my agency has subjected it to. Prefer working from the inside to limit in any small way I can the craziness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sure--could double or triple my salary in private sector. Know I could be hired easily because there is high demand for people who can help private sector navigate the thicket of regulations my agency has subjected it to. Prefer working from the inside to limit in any small way I can the craziness.

Would you be okay with working twice as much and having weekends and holidays be considered fair game for working?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sure--could double or triple my salary in private sector. Know I could be hired easily because there is high demand for people who can help private sector navigate the thicket of regulations my agency has subjected it to. Prefer working from the inside to limit in any small way I can the craziness.

Would you be okay with working twice as much and having weekends and holidays be considered fair game for working?

Have averaged over 65 hours a week over the last year. Last holiday was Columbus day and came in at 14 hours. So no, wouldn't be okay with doubling hours. It takes a lot of work to roll back some of the really bad ideas others in my agency can come up with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sure--could double or triple my salary in private sector. Know I could be hired easily because there is high demand for people who can help private sector navigate the thicket of regulations my agency has subjected it to. Prefer working from the inside to limit in any small way I can the craziness.

Would you be okay with working twice as much and having weekends and holidays be considered fair game for working?

Have averaged over 65 hours a week over the last year. Last holiday was Columbus day and came in at 14 hours. So no, wouldn't be okay with doubling hours. It takes a lot of work to roll back some of the really bad ideas others in my agency can come up with.

OK. Well why don't we give you a bonus -- say $50k -- and fire them? Wouldn't that be a win-win?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sure--could double or triple my salary in private sector. Know I could be hired easily because there is high demand for people who can help private sector navigate the thicket of regulations my agency has subjected it to. Prefer working from the inside to limit in any small way I can the craziness.

Would you be okay with working twice as much and having weekends and holidays be considered fair game for working?

Have averaged over 65 hours a week over the last year. Last holiday was Columbus day and came in at 14 hours. So no, wouldn't be okay with doubling hours. It takes a lot of work to roll back some of the really bad ideas others in my agency can come up with.

That's surprising, but refreshing to hear. Columbus Day isn't even considered a holiday in my firm; I was thinking more like Christmas and 4th of July. Sad but true. Clients could not care less if it's a Tuesday or a national holiday. It's all the same to them when time is money. So many ruined holidays over the last 20 years but somewhat better as a partner than an associate.