I didn't want to be a fed. I was laid off from a corporate job and someone sent me a USA job link that was a perfect fit.

I stayed because it is low stress, family friendly, work I enjoy, and stable. My salary is close to $200K and I can get my kids off the bus, go to important events, and take vacation without checking in. The balance of being there for my family while earning a decent salary is my why.

Anonymous wrote:I’m a fed and I don’t understand it either. It annoys me that people are in it for the benefits and just to coast by like it’s welfare. It’s not the reality at my agency. I’m so glad my coworkers aren’t coasting.

I'm a fed and most of my coworkers work 50 plus hours a week to stay above water. Sure there is a pension but i joined after 2017 so i got a bad pension. At my private sector job, I was paid a lot more, with free health insurance, and lucrative bonuses. I support the mission and I like my boss, but it is anything BUT easy street.

Anonymous wrote:I work in Finance and make 700K in the private sector with a 7% 401K contribution 100% matching. My colleagues who do similar jobs at the SEC make around 250K. Not everyone wants a job in the government.

Everyone understands fed jobs are not the highest paying. That's why they are asking why so many people want them. People don't ask why people want 700k jobs because it's obvious.

Its like working at a non profit but with better pay and benefits. Employees are treated better and high profits are not the most important thing. Goals are long term not short term. Frankly I think many big corporations would benefit from treating employees better instead of firing everyone at 50 and doing big layoffs every 10 years but there’s too much pressure for immediate results from shareholders and superstar CEO’s. An employee who sticks around for 10-20 years is a huge asset to a company in terms of knowledge share. The gov workers I’ve known are generally big assets to their agencies. Whether the job or agency mission is that useful to the taxpayer is another question.

Anonymous wrote:$150 after a decade is not great money. You would do better than that with almost any graduate professional degree.

They didn’t mean that. They meant that it takes 10 years from when you are a 14-1, which is a high graded position few will get to within 10 years of graduating, although some do manage it.

Anonymous wrote:Did not appreciate my Fed job until diagnosed with terminal health issue. Would seriously be up a creek in several ways had I not been a Fed. Sick leave alone an incredible benefit.

I'm so sorry about your health and diagnosis. Hope you are getting good care.

Anonymous wrote:$150 after a decade is not great money. You would do better than that with almost any graduate professional degree.

Where does someone with a Ph.D. in humanities make more than that after a decade?

Happy with my pay and happy with my mission-driven job in a cultural institution. No interest in working a job that numbs my mind even if it's for twice or three times the pay. We're all different and it's a good thing because if people like me didn't exist, then there'd be a lot less great stuff in this world. Imagine if no one wanted to work at the Smithsonian or the Kennedy Center simply because the pay is crappy compared to private industry.

You're welcome.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. It’s interesting that there’s a pretty consistent narrative for seeking federal government work.

So, I have a follow up question. Most of you seem pretty happy with your federal government gig, yet you still complain A LOT. Square that for me. How can you be so aware of how good you have it and yet complain that you’re underpaid, for instance? When you say such things, do you temporarily forget the cost of your pension, days off, etc. The whining makes you seem ungrateful for what many of you have described as a pretty desirable situation.

OP you asked why people want federal jobs. The people complaining aren't going to answer you because they want out and would prefer a private sector job.

The feds who are going to answer your question are those who wanted their jobs (because that's the question you asked) and are pleased with them. They are not the ones complaining.

See how that works?

Now go get some sleep and maybe when you wake up you'll feel better.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in Finance and make 700K in the private sector with a 7% 401K contribution 100% matching. My colleagues who do similar jobs at the SEC make around 250K. Not everyone wants a job in the government.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing totally useless and irrelevant information.

The point is not everyone is obsessed with working for the Fed when it is better in the private sector.

Anonymous wrote:$150 after a decade is not great money. You would do better than that with almost any graduate professional degree.

This is not true for archeologists, historians, etc (see post above).

Anonymous wrote:I work in Finance and make 700K in the private sector with a 7% 401K contribution 100% matching. My colleagues who do similar jobs at the SEC make around 250K. Not everyone wants a job in the government.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing totally useless and irrelevant information.

$250k base+$25k employer contribution to 401k+pension+great health benefits
Potentially base up to $300k (if you want to be/become a manager).

I work in Finance and make 700K in the private sector with a 7% 401K contribution 100% matching. My colleagues who do similar jobs at the SEC make around 250K. Not everyone wants a job in the government.

$150 after a decade is not great money. You would do better than that with almost any graduate professional degree.

For a few fields, the pay is actually better than private sector - some of the humanities and social sciences. And more reliable without living grant to grant. Think archaeologist, historian, etc.