Honestly, are most federal jobs really boring?

[Anonymous]

It depends on the job and how interested you are in what you do. I work at NASA and frankly, I'd say well over half really enjoy their jobs, but that's because they are engineers, scientists, and technologists who are doing something they enjoy, for a cool agency, and in a good and supportive environment. There are still many office workers who really don't enjoy their jobs that much, but there are so many here who do enjoy what they do.

Are you in a field that you enjoy and like? That's the first step. If you are only in a given field because it pays well, then you probably feel the same no matter where you go. What would you find to be interesting work? How would you characterize a job that you enjoy with the skills that you have? I know some people who were in fields that they loved, but the "good jobs" were boring to them. They found ways to redirect their skills into other ways. One friend is a lawyer who didn't not like practicing law. She changed to corporate philanthropy for a non-profit group. They needed someone with a legal background like hers to help them navigate through some legal issues and she got to do something very different and that she now enjoys. I know someone else who didn't enjoy the practice of their profession as much, but moved into teaching the profession and enjoys that much more. She now teaches for one of these technology companies that teach workshops, certification testing, etc and she enjoys the interaction with different people week in week out.

[Anonymous]

Op here, no I'm not a fan of my field. Personally I would love to work in the HR office, but it's so hard to get into HR without experience without starting over as a gs-7.

I'm debating going to the private sector also to work for a small company, but not sure if that would be the wise thing to do.

[Anonymous]

I've worked in Federal law enforcement for a long time and would hardly call it boring (especially when assigned to a field office). It's very difficult for us to transition to a desk job at HQs because of the routine and mundane nature of the work. Couldn't imagine spending a career as a cubicle dweller....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just wondering. My job bores me so badly. Some of my co-workers swear that really all fed jobs are mostly slow and boring and say it's pointless transfer elsewhere because I'll find the same thing. I'm grateful for my job but sometimes it feels like I'm losing brain cells.

No, of course they aren't. Time to start looking for something else.

[Anonymous]

like any organization, depends on the job and division.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most jobs ae boring. Fact.

That I can agree with. Working sucks period. I can think of a hundred other things I'd rather do.

This. PP, I wish we worked together. Sometimes feeling like the only one who hasn't bathed in the kool aid is demoralizing. It's great to know I'm not alone in feeling this way.

[Anonymous]

I think most jobs are boring. I'm an attorney and I like my federal job a lot, but I would be terribly bored in just about any other position in the agency, especially the clerk and paralegal spots. As others have said, the jobs that really interest me -- outside of law, that is -- don't pay enough or I'm not qualified for them. But I can't imagine that is unique to the government; I'm sure it's the same everywhere. If your job is boring, you should look for a different one or change fields, if you can.

[Anonymous]

I'm a research scientist. My job was anything but boring!
DH works in the same field at NIH, in the Cancer Institute, and the work was wonderful.
Of course, the people can be batty... but that's scientists for you

[Anonymous]

Mine is usually interesting, but there isn't really enough work so there is a lot of downtime. Then again I'm fine with that.

[Anonymous]

My theory is legal and administrative positions in the federal gov't are boring because you are working just to maintain the status quo. If something big does happen, it's probably catastrophic and you don't want it. But unlike a private firm or organization, you're trying to help the client expand and grow and do exciting things (in theory).

[Anonymous]

Absolutely not! I am a Foreign Service Officer, and find my work quite interesting and enjoyable. I have pushed myself in ways I may never have done had I stayed stateside. In addition to speaking two foreign languages fluently (one was my minor in college), no day is ever the same. I meet new and interesting people all the time, and have learned to be very flexible and adaptable.

I have served in six countries in the past 15 years - all very different places. I could never see myself stuck at a desk in Washington - and to the extent that I can I try to avoid Washington assignments. They do happen, though.

In the end, I don't think I have a job as much as I have a lifestyle. I love every minute of it!

[Anonymous]

And and a bonus - you know if your particular job sucks now or you have a bad boss, you will be moving on in 2 -3 years to your next assignment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My theory is legal and administrative positions in the federal gov't are boring because you are working just to maintain the status quo. If something big does happen, it's probably catastrophic and you don't want it. But unlike a private firm or organization, you're trying to help the client expand and grow and do exciting things (in theory).

I disagree . . . I work at a litigating component of the DoJ (attorney) and I don't feel like my work maintains the status quo. Also, I've had friends in big law and their work often sounded boring to me . . . it seemed like the goal was usually to help some big company cover their butt, which did not strike me as an exciting thing. But different strokes for different folks. I have one friend who found working on mergers very exciting, whereas to me, it seemed like endless paperwork to help the fat cats get fatter.

I think the key is to find the tasks that interest/challenge you and then find a position where you are charged with those tasks. So, public speaking, or research, or debate, or drawing . . . whatever floats you boat. Of course, there are many jobs that include many tasks that most people find boring -- filing, or answering someone else's phone calls, or washing dishes -- and those jobs will be boring no matter who your employer is.

[Anonymous]

I work with a bunch of feds mostly scientists at CDC and NIH. They do fascinating work and show great passion for their jobs. Not saying they love it all the time, but I know they are not bored.

[Anonymous]

I'm a relatively new fed. Everyone I work with is working 12 hour days. It's fascinating and the pace is insane. I came from consulting and that seems slow in retrospect. This place is a pressure cooker, co-workers are brilliant (mostly all from private sector, but also some long-term feds), and the work is substantive. Of course, it's a new program (Obamacare) so maybe it will slow down once it's up and running.