Do you think federal service will ever be a desirable or stable career path again?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It may take 5+ years, but our next administration will celebrate our federal workers.

..but there can be another Trump in the future so the uncertainty remains for long term govt employment

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, iff they continue to offer pension. This can be turned around.

CSRS was closed in the 1980s. The "pension component" of FERS is too small to matter to me. Private sector pay for decades with their 401(k) is better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It may take 5+ years, but our next administration will celebrate our federal workers.

..but there can be another Trump in the future so the uncertainty remains for long term govt employment

+1 It will take a generation to get over (forget) the damage currently underway. Next administration must
put in bullet proof fix in place to safeguard civil service so that future employee prospects feel confident.

[Anonymous]

I think the Trump administration has completely broken the trust and now that a presidential administration has demonstrated that it WILL politicize the federal work force and will fire people, decimating their careers and livelihoods without a thought, we will never get back to where we were because future admins will be tempted to do the same. Precedent has been set.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the Trump administration has completely broken the trust and now that a presidential administration has demonstrated that it WILL politicize the federal work force and will fire people, decimating their careers and livelihoods without a thought, we will never get back to where we were because future admins will be tempted to do the same. Precedent has been set.

Yep. Let’s not pretend this was about anything other than setting up a spoils system. It has nothing to do with actual reform.

The one silver lining I saw in all of this was that they said they were going to make it easier to get terminate employees who were engaging in misconduct or performing poorly. A farce! Nothing changed at all there. You would not believe the BS I have had to put up with, no consequences in sight. Seriously, you wouldn’t believe me.

Combine the pre-existing issues with the federal workforce and the current lawlessness, and you have yourself a complete government meltdown.

If I had an offer in hand, I’d be gone tomorrow.

[Anonymous]

my friends daughter accepted a med doc position with the feds few years back. It was lifelong goal to work for the govt - to contribute to public health benefit vs. seeking pure profit maximization. Her salary is roughly 25% of what she can earn in the private sector. She is not a slouch - scholar student from a top notch med program in the US and could have taken a number of lucrative opportunities. She recently informed me not too long ago, there is no way she would work for the people if this garbage was going on. This is the concern...top shelf talent no longer interested so govt will be left with lower grade employees to fill roles.

[Anonymous]

We're living during the downfall of a once great nation. I don't mean that dramatically. I am more in awe of knowing that my generation will be the one that witnessed and lived through the rapid disintegration of the USA. It's wild. And sad.

[Anonymous]

There are no jobs in private sector no job is safe anywhere.

By this time next year millions more Americans will be laid off.

Most of you never read Project 2025 if you had you would know what is coming.

[Anonymous]

Ex-fed here. I have to agree with those who say no. Even if the next administration does everything right, we can't be assured the one after that won't mess everything up again.

I believe in mission-driven work, stability, and work-life balance for all employees. I'd like to see this country get to a point where that's accessible again, and ideally not just in the federal government. I don't know how that will happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It may take 5+ years, but our next administration will celebrate our federal workers.

..but there can be another Trump in the future so the uncertainty remains for long term govt employment

+1 It will take a generation to get over (forget) the damage currently underway. Next administration must
put in bullet proof fix in place to safeguard civil service so that future employee prospects feel confident.

I don’t know what bulletproof safeguards they could put in place now that this administration has shown that they can just ignore laws.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:my friends daughter accepted a med doc position with the feds few years back. It was lifelong goal to work for the govt - to contribute to public health benefit vs. seeking pure profit maximization. Her salary is roughly 25% of what she can earn in the private sector. She is not a slouch - scholar student from a top notch med program in the US and could have taken a number of lucrative opportunities. She recently informed me not too long ago, there is no way she would work for the people if this garbage was going on. This is the concern...top shelf talent no longer interested so govt will be left with lower grade employees to fill roles.

Unless they qualify for military, medical school loan forgiveness, or retirement buyback programs, your friend is not uniquely situated in the top tier category.There are countless other “top shelf” physicians navigating strategically.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Facing a fork in the road. I’m thinking of leaving federal service way before I ever wanted or imagined. I thought I’d be at it at least another 15 years, yet my agency is under attack and I can’t live with the constant and oppressive uncertainty. Is this a time to hunker down and grit my teeth till things get better (I love my job) or is this the end of the road?

Maybe never again.

[Anonymous]

For at least a decade now, the only reason federal jobs are desirable are mission related. They haven’t been competitive on pay or benefits in years, and now they are not competitive when it comes to stability either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Only stay….if you need significant health insurance

We use spouse's health insurance (from her commercial employer - outside the government sector) instead.

Private sector health insurance is more variable, but it often has better coverage at same or lower cost.

Health insurance is not a great reason to stay civil service -- because there are private employers with as-good or better health insurance.

[Anonymous]

It will, but hopefully with fewer useless people who can’t be fired.