Government employees
- Thread starter LoneWolf
- Start date
I'm in IT and have worked on a local government project as a consultant. Good money. However, if I had to work directly for the government (doing the same job), money would be no way near. Few times, I was embedded in Government offices and my personal experience was, there's bit more red tape/politics than private sector. Change of Governments can impact as well depending on where you are in the food chain.
Having said that, if the job offers opportunities/right salary, I wouldn't say no.
Some people that I met while I was on that project were employees for 15+ years and have been given good career opportunities.
Having said that, if the job offers opportunities/right salary, I wouldn't say no.
Some people that I met while I was on that project were employees for 15+ years and have been given good career opportunities.
I'm a govt employee.
As yet my dept has been largely unaffected. Generally people who were on a contract weren't extended at the end of the contract, so we've lost people, however they weren't permanent employees.
My husband works for a different dept and is quite concerned about his job.
Looking at the audit report that came out last week I'm expecting some big announcements in the budget.
I think there is some pain to come.
As yet my dept has been largely unaffected. Generally people who were on a contract weren't extended at the end of the contract, so we've lost people, however they weren't permanent employees.
My husband works for a different dept and is quite concerned about his job.
Looking at the audit report that came out last week I'm expecting some big announcements in the budget.
I think there is some pain to come.
I think there is a perception that if you get into a Gov Job, you are set for life. Don't believe it's true anymore. From memory, when I was at that Gov project, they reduce the number of positions and asked people to re-apply. Which means some people would get the sack. Also, in other cases, they have merged couple of roles into one, which means, almost unrealistic work loads.
Apart from all that though....it can be a fantastic place to work.
Lots of opportunity for those who put the effort in.
A lot of variety - I could change jobs every 2 years and do something completely different, yet still stay within my Department.
Interesting work - stuff I do has a direct impact on people's lives which makes it quite rewarding.
Very family friendly.
Lots of opportunity for those who put the effort in.
A lot of variety - I could change jobs every 2 years and do something completely different, yet still stay within my Department.
Interesting work - stuff I do has a direct impact on people's lives which makes it quite rewarding.
Very family friendly.
I used to be a federal government employee and it was a good place to work given the number of hours people put in. They all have something called 'flex time' so if you work more than your standard hours by x hours, you get x hours off accumulated for next time. Like any PAYG job it can drain your spirits if you stay there long enough but it's not too bad.
I've been a fed govt employee since graduating from uni 7.5yrs ago. I think it's a great option to start out of uni and get into the workforce, as it is a secure job (comparatively to the private sector) with good pay amd conditions (flextime has already been mentioned).
However, once you get to the top of the non-Exec levels, where I've been for the past five years, progression is severely limited. The Commission of Audit identified that the Federal Public Service is very top heavy - too many EL1s and EL2s in respect to the number of direct employees reporting to them. I feel this is certainly the case in my agency. The recruitment freeze for goodness knows how long compounds the problem. Been looking passively for some time now for jobs in the private sector.
It isn't an issue about the work, because it can be challenging, exciting and varied, but for me the lack of options for career progression is the big issue. Moral of the story, great if you don't want a management job, otherwise, you can do it for a few years and gain experience, then look elsewhere.
However, once you get to the top of the non-Exec levels, where I've been for the past five years, progression is severely limited. The Commission of Audit identified that the Federal Public Service is very top heavy - too many EL1s and EL2s in respect to the number of direct employees reporting to them. I feel this is certainly the case in my agency. The recruitment freeze for goodness knows how long compounds the problem. Been looking passively for some time now for jobs in the private sector.
It isn't an issue about the work, because it can be challenging, exciting and varied, but for me the lack of options for career progression is the big issue. Moral of the story, great if you don't want a management job, otherwise, you can do it for a few years and gain experience, then look elsewhere.
Both my other half and I work for state govt departments in WA. I've been a govt employee for about 12 years now. Initially I was attracted to it because of the greater stability of the job generally, together with what was then great parental leave entitlements (I think when I started work it was four paid weeks if you were the primary carer - WOW 
).
Now, if I look at where I am in my life, my current work provides a stable base. Even with the cuts that are proposed at the state level, you're still far more likely to keep a job through redeployment etc. Also, my existing job is nice and mundane, and I have a great boss - he's fine with me working 7am-3pm even though I have a desk job. This probably sounds boring, and it is; but it leaves my brain space free for things like self managing seven properties as short term lets, and also teaching the flute two afternoons a week. In a nutshell, it suits me perfectly Really it's the ideal work/life balance situation for me.
My hubby finds it a bit more intrusive, with on-call and availability requirements, but he also likes the stability and work/life balance aspects.
And it is nice getting long service leave after seven years. I still have mine from my first seven years sitting there - at this rate I will have my second lot accrued before I take my first. If I took both at once, that's 26 weeks' leave, fully paid. Can't complain about that
).Now, if I look at where I am in my life, my current work provides a stable base. Even with the cuts that are proposed at the state level, you're still far more likely to keep a job through redeployment etc. Also, my existing job is nice and mundane, and I have a great boss - he's fine with me working 7am-3pm even though I have a desk job. This probably sounds boring, and it is; but it leaves my brain space free for things like self managing seven properties as short term lets, and also teaching the flute two afternoons a week. In a nutshell, it suits me perfectly
Really it's the ideal work/life balance situation for me.My hubby finds it a bit more intrusive, with on-call and availability requirements, but he also likes the stability and work/life balance aspects.
And it is nice getting long service leave after seven years. I still have mine from my first seven years sitting there - at this rate I will have my second lot accrued before I take my first. If I took both at once, that's 26 weeks' leave, fully paid. Can't complain about that
except Army Infantry haha
I'm in the Army as an infantry soldier and I would say definitely don't join if you're after any of the above benefits. We get ok superannuation, but the military superannuation fund has some pretty bad policies. For example the entire amount that government puts in, is unfunded and only rises with inflation. They also force you to put a minimum of 5% in each year as well, however this amount is invested in the usual stuff. We get a decent amount of leave every year (about 10 weeks) but you're away a lot (4-5 months per year) and when your not on leave or away living in the bush or on a course interstate, you will bang out a 40 hour week..............buuuuut I get to shoot machine guns, so it's not all doom and gloom hahaha
I'm in the Army as an infantry soldier and I would say definitely don't join if you're after any of the above benefits. We get ok superannuation, but the military superannuation fund has some pretty bad policies. For example the entire amount that government puts in, is unfunded and only rises with inflation. They also force you to put a minimum of 5% in each year as well, however this amount is invested in the usual stuff. We get a decent amount of leave every year (about 10 weeks) but you're away a lot (4-5 months per year) and when your not on leave or away living in the bush or on a course interstate, you will bang out a 40 hour week..............buuuuut I get to shoot machine guns, so it's not all doom and gloom hahaha
There are times when I wish I was govt. I have a friend at a govt dept doing the same job as me - they didn't blink an eye when he spent a week fixing an issue that I'd normally get 30 mins allocated for.
As a fee earner for my company, my time efficiency, billable hours targets and client budget approvals are very important kpi's. Things that are polar opposites in govt
This what I hear on daily basis from my wife who works in NSW Health.
It's a form of welfare I guess...
Probably not if you want to earn good money. If you are a woman who is about to have children and want to chill for the next 10 years I would say go for your life as their maternity leave program is very generous.
It depends on your objective.
If you can accept that you are powerless to change the process, outcomes are predetermined, nothing is independent, everything that you do must have an audit trail, there's a methodology for every process ie not 'fly by the seat of your pants', the letter that you draft in response to a query may not resemble the response which gets sent, then... government is for you.
