So as I posted before I am losing my job in weeks and have been searching for something else. I just cam across a position with the Ohio Department of Taxation and I am qualified and even have a county auditor as a reference so I think I will at least get an interview.
My question is, does anyone on here work a government job? What should I expect about atmosphere or the application process. The reason I am asking is that I am concerned that I might not like working in such a structured environment or at a place full of bureaucracy
<--------------former Federal employee
the bureaucracy sucks....
but if you can stand it, its a pretty good gig
Application process sucks. Tons of paperwork. Don't know about working conditions.
hope you like office politics!
Everything has a bunch of redtape associated with it....especially purchasing [bang]
But over all, I've had a great experience. Great benifits (at least down here in Texas), Good job security (a big + right now), and we have alot of holidays off [laugh]
Things like raises are handled alot differently than in the private sector, so don't really expect to walk in and tell your boss you deserve more money.
Quote from: herm on January 16, 2009, 09:13:04 AM
<--------------former Federal employee
the bureaucracy sucks....
but if you can stand it, its a pretty good gig
Quote from: duccarlos on January 16, 2009, 10:29:53 AM
Application process sucks. Tons of paperwork. Don't know about working conditions.
+11b
and its hard to get fired [laugh]
Krystal knows...shes been trying to get fired for years.
Quote from: metallimonster on January 16, 2009, 08:33:34 AM
I just cam across a position with the Ohio Department of Taxation and I am qualified and even have a county auditor as a reference so I think I will at least get an interview.
My question is, does anyone on here work a government job? What should I expect about atmosphere or the application process. The reason I am asking is that I am concerned that I might not like working in such a structured environment or at a place full of bureaucracy
Congratulations, Taker; you have just found the price at which you are willing to sell out. Government employee? Prepare to be hated.
Quote from: Sinister on January 16, 2009, 01:10:26 PM
Congratulations, Taker; you have just found the price at which you are willing to sell out. Government employee? Prepare to be hated.
Oh, yeah, this thread smacks of politics, which are verboten
Did mean for it to be about politics at all just about what I should expect. To be honest if I were to get it I will take just for the job security and benefits untill I get my degrees December. If we are bordering on poltics some should lock it.
i havent seen a single response which comes close to a political discussion, with the exception of the one accusing it of being about politics.
i sense that there may be some political discussion thoughts behinds some peoples posts, but that's not the same...
in this economy you should be happy with anything honestly. It may suck, but its a paycheck. [drink]
it's a good gig.
It depends on what you're doing. I was proud to work for the USA. I worked in a research group at the USGS and, looking back, it was the best job I ever had. I only left to work international.
Quote from: metallimonster on January 16, 2009, 08:33:34 AM
So as I posted before I am losing my job in weeks and have been searching for something else. I just cam across a position with the Ohio Department of Taxation and I am qualified and even have a county auditor as a reference so I think I will at least get an interview.
My question is, does anyone on here work a government job? What should I expect about atmosphere or the application process. The reason I am asking is that I am concerned that I might not like working in such a structured environment or at a place full of bureaucracy
Best way to get in is through the old boy network, lacking that, be the 2nd or 3rd most qualified applicant. Most of the time we weed out the most qualified, as they do not stick around long ( which seems to be your case) Prepare to be a mindless drone at times, only to be slammed the next. Bureaucracy is the norm, from filling out your time sheets and public interaction, to saying good morning to the cute, albeit sexist sec... err support staff, who will file a sexual harassment report if she thinks you looked at her wrong.
My advice, take the job, and learn to shut off your brain on demand.
The Peter Principle tends to be the rule, at least in the government bureaucracy where I draw my check.
Quote from: Court-Jester on January 17, 2009, 06:30:01 PM
Best way to get in is through the old boy network, lacking that, be the 2nd or 3rd most qualified applicant. Most of the time we weed out the most qualified, as they do not stick around long ( which seems to be your case) Prepare to be a mindless drone at times, only to be slammed the next. Bureaucracy is the norm, from filling out your time sheets and public interaction, to saying good morning to the cute, albeit sexist sec... err support staff, who will file a sexual harassment report if she thinks you looked at her wrong.
My advice, take the job, and learn to shut off your brain on demand.
while there is some truth to this, it is not necessarily the rule. its going to depend a lot more on what you are doing for the man.
as a federal firefighter, i was spared much of the bullshit (although not enough at times) because i could ignore it whenever we were out on an incident.
then, since i couldnt take vacation in the summer, i would spend most of the winter on leave.
Quote from: herm on January 18, 2009, 07:11:44 AM
while there is some truth to this, it is not necessarily the rule. its going to depend a lot more on what you are doing for the man.
as a federal firefighter, i was spared much of the bullshit (although not enough at times) because i could ignore it whenever we were out on an incident.
then, since i couldnt take vacation in the summer, i would spend most of the winter on leave.
Thats the kicker right there. Any shlub can get a paper pusher job and they aren't treated very well. The firefighters, police officers, etc have a bit better time of it because it costs $150-200K to find, hire, and train someone to a level of profiency to be able to do the job. In CA after we get certified we are a commodity that other Cities and Counties love to steal from each other. Also in these jobs they take the most qualified so you work with other motivated, qualified people for the most part.
yeh, its a kicker all right...
a mule kick at times.
the office drones regularly get paid more than the fire fighters (fed at least)
Quote from: hbliam on January 19, 2009, 07:57:56 AM
Thats the kicker right there. Any shlub can get a paper pusher job and they aren't treated very well. The firefighters, police officers, etc have a bit better time of it because it costs $150-200K to find, hire, and train someone to a level of profiency to be able to do the job. In CA after we get certified we are a commodity that other Cities and Counties love to steal from each other. Also in these jobs they take the most qualified so you work with other motivated, qualified people for the most part.
No
field people get treated well, simply because they are out of the office. They have an easy job, great pay, almost no hassle. When you reach supervisor and management, including firefighters and police officers, you start taking shit. It's simply due to the nature of the job.
Oh and you get plenty of shlubs in police and fire. They permeate the government. Chances are you work for a shlub, and don't even know it.
Quote from: Court-Jester on January 19, 2009, 10:10:26 AM
No field people get treated well, simply because they are out of the office. They have an easy job, great pay, almost no hassle. When you reach supervisor and management, including firefighters and police officers, you start taking shit. It's simply due to the nature of the job.
Oh and you get plenty of shlubs in police and fire. They permeate the government. Chances are you work for a shlub, and don't even know it.
a) field people get treated like crap by the paper pushers
b)
the my job was definitely not easy
c) nor was the pay all that good
i was a supervisor, and its true that i had to deal with more crap than my employees...but they had their share as well.
Quote from: Court-Jester on January 19, 2009, 10:10:26 AM
No field people get treated well, simply because they are out of the office. They have an easy job, great pay, almost no hassle. When you reach supervisor and management, including firefighters and police officers, you start taking shit. It's simply due to the nature of the job.
Oh and you get plenty of shlubs in police and fire. They permeate the government. Chances are you work for a shlub, and don't even know it.
What do you do exactly?
Last I checked police officers and firefighters jobs are not "easy". Does your job put you in the postion to get shot, hit by a car, burned, or
sued on a regular basis? No hassle? [roll]
Yesterday, just before I was supposed to go home I had to chase two felons that just robbed a retail store. So make your way through the lot fast but without hitting someone (or you will get sued), get in a vehicle chase out of the lot and onto the freeway (within policy or I get fired and then sued), stop them on the freeway (try not to get hit by passing vehicles), get them out of the car (without getting shot hopefully), determine the nature of the crime, arrest them per the penal code and question them per the US Constitution (or get sued in Federal court), drive them to jail (properly restrained and noted over the air as one was a female (or get fired and sued), book them into jail (make sure they get their mandated calls, careful not to give them any numbers to bail bondsman (or get sued), stay after my 12.5 hour shift for 3 hours (call wife to cancel plans) and finally file paperwork including proper probable cause paperwork (so the department and I don't get sued). Yep, a cakewalk. :)
Shulbs permeate the goverment, true. Not the case as much in public safety. Too hard to get the jobs. DMV? Yes. Most other State office? Yes. Police or fire where less then 2% of applicants get hired and keep the job past probation? Not so much.
Quote from: herm on January 19, 2009, 11:24:46 AM
a) field people get treated like crap by the paper pushers
b) the my job was definitely not easy
c) nor was the pay all that good
i was a supervisor, and its true that i had to deal with more crap than my employees...but they had their share as well.
It all depends on the department. :-\ My employees probably get paid 4-5 dollars a hour too much. I run interference for them so they dont have to deal with the crap.
Scott, I'm in Ag.
QuoteLast I checked police officers and firefighters jobs are not "easy". Does your job put you in the position to get shot, hit by a car, burned, or sued on a regular basis? No hassle? Roll Eyes
Surprisingly enough, yes. Though not on a daily basis, those things are fairly common. I understand that your job is hard, in your area even more so, but here, well, I know a couple of CDF, local pd, and guards that qualify as shlubs. Some of them are former employees of mine. [roll]
Quote from: Court-Jester on January 19, 2009, 06:50:11 PM
It all depends on the department. :-\ My employees probably get paid 4-5 dollars a hour too much. I run interference for them so they dont have to deal with the crap.
Scott, I'm in Ag.
Surprisingly enough, yes. Though not on a daily basis, those things are fairly common. I understand that your job is hard, in your area even more so, but here, well, I know a couple of CDF, local pd, and guards that qualify as shlubs. Some of them are former employees of mine. [roll]
whats Ag?
and
all CDF qualify as shlubs...