Government jobs

techie2012

I have just began to get a weird urge to pursue a government job, Department of Defense. Does anyone have any experience with government jobs that can give me advice? Mainly, what are pros and cons of private sector vs. government? Thanks

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Comments

phantasm

Federal positions are all about Nepotism. Trust me here. I applied for a job I was qualified for in every aspect and it was given to a less qualified person because he was friends with the director. I know this because we were both contractors for that agency. Being a government contractor is fine for me, good pay and federal holidays off. Working for the fed has its advantages, but they rarely do any technical work.

spiderjericho

I agree. It's about who you know. I'd say contracting and use that to get your foot in the door.

N2IT

Federal positions are a tough gig to find. It takes people who know the system, people within the system, and some heavy luck. I started the first 5 years of my professional life working for the USDA, DoD, DoA. I was rejected for 100's of jobs but every once in a while I would get a new position. Eventually I wanted to try the other side (private sector) and I love it. The stress of delivering is much higher and you are expected to compete in a much tougher environment. (at least from all my experiences)

For me it's private sector, but we are all different and I understand the other side of the moon as well.

Valsacar

tprice5 wrote: »

I work as a federal contractor and it's not so bad. The benefits aren't that great, but it is the best way to parlay into a DoD job because unless you know the hiring manager, you WILL NOT get that job. You do have to worry about the contract expiring. If the contract is not renewed, the new contractor will likely move you over because it is far too expensive and unrealistic to replace the entire work force of a given organization. The exception with that being if you are in a management position. Receiving a raise mid-contract is unheard of around here. Bonuses exist but only for one contractor on the entire installation. There are no education benefits because there are no long-term ties to the company so it doesn't benefit them to educate you. The same goes for certifications.

I'd say you work for a shitty company. In less than 6 months with my company I was sent overseas for a conference, a few months later sent to another overseas place for a bootcamp and CISSP exam (passed first try, great training). In less than a year I started working on my Masters degree, which they are paying for, they also paid for my CCNA. Co-workers, in other companies, get similar benefits (ranging from payment of courses to bonuses for gaining certifications/higher degrees).