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About a week ago, one of my fellow writers posted an excellent article detailing his day-to-day as a public sector worker, and the joys of suckling at the government teat. Of course, success brings out critics, and his column brought the trolls out in droves. Despite what many of the “internet tough guys” would have you believe, my colleague made an excellent case for working in the public sector. And I would know – I’ve worked in the public sector for three different summers with varying levels of responsibility, and I can firmly attest to the benefits of working for pretty much any level of government (assuming you don’t work at the DMV or some other low-level gig). But I’m not here to tell you why you should work for the government – my heart belongs to the private sector.
Before I drop the knowledge on you internet hooligans (is that what the kids are saying these days?), it’s important to make clear that what I am about to say comes with a caveat: not all private sector jobs are created equal. Most people wouldn’t argue that a job as a burger flipper or manicurist beats working a desk job in a state or federal agency. So not all private sector jobs are automatically better than government jobs, just like not all public sector work is automatically better than working for corporate America. But the private sector work has a much higher potential for the following benefits than do most government jobs. I guess the key here is that you can earn these comforts if you manage to find a decent gig – which, judging by the LinkedIn requests I’ve been getting from my former high school classmates, is easier said than done.
Pay
This is the low hanging fruit. While the biggest benefit under the “financial security” column in public sector work is the pension plan, the private sector, by virtue of this new thing called capitalism, allows for a significantly higher pay scale than you could attain while working for the government. Take a list of white collar professions, compare corresponding public and private sector counterparts, and you’ll see that the private sector tends to make a lot more money: accountants, doctors, lawyers, managers, financiers, etc. The list goes on. Sure, you end up working way more hours because your business is driven by profit, as opposed to, well, whatever incentive the government has to be efficient. But the increase in pay, at least in my not-so-humble opinion, is totally worth not being able to read all my usual sports blogs every morning. Again, keep in mind that I am talking about potential for this level of pay – if you graduated from college and couldn’t find any work except as a barista, don’t blame me, blame your gender studies degree.
Upward Mobility
As some of the commenters on the pro-public sector article noted, there are a lot of baby boomers taking up space in government jobs (until they retire) and significantly limiting upward mobility for millennials like us. The reason this problem exists is because of the incentives problem I referenced earlier. For the most part in the private sector, if you are not actively making money for your company, you shouldn’t expect to be there for very long. That’s the beauty of the private sector: if you aren’t moving forward, you’re moving backward. Now if only there was some way to make the government run on this incentive model…
Perks
Yes, government work has its perks. But so does the private sector: namely, when your employer pays for you to do fun stuff or eat expensive food. Theoretically, government workers shouldn’t be paying for steak dinners and expensive scotch with taxpayer funds, but in the private sector, this is a real possibility. While this occurrence runs into some complications in publicly owned companies – accountability to shareholders and fiduciary duties and all that – I for one have thoroughly enjoyed expensive meals and golf outings at the expense of my employer, and look forward to continuing this fine tradition in the future.
My other favorite perk is working in a nice office building. Call me shallow (wouldn’t be the first time), but I love entering a skyscraper from the ground floor, swiping through security, and riding the elevator up to an office with a view that most people only get to see on their computer desktops. While some government agencies work in nice office buildings, most don’t, and believe me it is one of my favorite parts of the job. Not all private sector jobs have this, including many very lucrative ones (doctor, engineer), but it is a damn fine way to start the morning.
Substantive Work
One of the areas my work entails is corporate compliance, so I understand that work in most of the private sector, especially corporate America, entails nearly as much bureaucracy as work in the public sector. Having said that, there is still less red tape to jump through when working for the private sector, and this really allows you to focus on the substantive work for which you were hired. Not everyone may actually enjoy the work for which they were hired, but if you are lucky enough to work in a job where you like at least half of the work you do, this makes happy hour arrive that much quicker..
Image via Shutterstock
Respond
I publicly love my job but privately hate it.
This article briefly summed up in two gifs
Government job
Private sector
Government contractor best of both worlds
Actually, unless you’ve earned a Doctorate Degree, federal employees, on average, make a little more than private-sector employees.
Source: http://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/01-30-FedPay_0.pdf
Leave it to a government employee to use two similar shades of purple in the same bar graph.
Making decisions that impact your life is pretty nice….
You mean like Carnitas or Steak?
Well, no. Getting paid well right out of college is great. However, in the grand scheme of things, you are insignificant. Does working in a government agency suck? Of course it does. Nobody is arguing otherwise. However, when you start talking about direct staffers of members or committees, or campaign consultants, or other related peoples, you are essentially speaking to the power structure of the state you live in/the country.
Do you love/hate the amount of state tax you pay? A staffer came up with that. Do you like taking uber in the city you live in? Staffers drafted the legislation. Wake up, kid. This is how the world works.
I’ll take Hill experience and multiple campaign wins on a resume against Joe corporate climber any day. And the funny thing about that, is that most private sector employers do too. Also, not to mention the connections you make with lobbyists, trade representatives, other members, and important community leaders. But if you’re asking, I’ll take steak. Make sure you don’t forget the guac.
Was it staffers who decided that guac was extra?
Bingo. For the most part, those legislative decisions (from the local to the federal level) are influenced by the constituents(checkbooks). Politics isn’t a good example of the public sector. While they may set the tone, the bureaucrats have to do the real leg work and produce results-which can be tangible and measurable, and rewarding…if you’re in to that sort of thing.
Legislation is bought by corporations.
“Such a waste of talent. He chose money over power, in this town a mistake nearly everyone makes. Money is the McMansion in Sarasota that starts falling apart after ten years, power is the old stone building that stands for centuries. I can not respect someone who does not see the difference.” – FU
Jesus Christ dude, know your audience. No one gives two shits that you think what you do is more important than what anyone else does. We’re all playing the same game called life.
I’ve worked with some real douche bags in the private sector – but nothing can convince me that working for politicians and the leeches that surround them is somehow better or even as good on any level.
You just took a giant cut and missed. Go to the bench, and come back when you’re ready
What would ya say…ya DO here?
I live in Texas, and I do love the amount of state tax I pay.