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Jobs: Public vs Private sector

marty_0001marty_0001 I am a fileand you put documents in meRegistered User regular
edited July 2007 in Help / Advice Forum
Bit of a background story about my situation:

I am an accountant: doing tax, compiling financial reports, that sort of edge-of-your-seat work.

I currently work in an accounting firm as a trainee. I do my accounting degree part-time, which means it's half the pace at which a normal uni student would do it (and thus takes twice as long to complete). I'm halfway through finishing my studies. The firm I work in is in a large town, most of the clients are farmers, we have about 40 staff. When I'm not at uni, I'm at work. Things are pretty good at this firm, they're not the sort to squeeze every second of productivity out of you, we do lots of social stuff which the firm pays for at no cost to us employees, and the people I work with are pretty fantastic. And I walk to work.

The other week, my dad showed me a job vacancy with a government department. Specifically, they deal with ordering all the stuff that the army uses. The position was for someone who was part-way through their studies. The job was being a trainee accountant, where you assist with the general accounting duties (sorry I can't be much more detailed but that was about all that was said). If I took this job, I would study full-time, have my textbooks paid for, and work a few hours during the week. I'd be paid a salary which is about twice what I'm earning now. I would be moved to a capital city (moving costs paid for by the gov't). And just a little thing that I think is cool: upon completion of my degree I would get a "Secret" level security clearance (irrelevant lol but how damn awesome would you feel?).

I'm not sure if I should go for this job. On one hand I'm in a comfortable job living in a comfortable place, where things are fairly quiet. On the other hand, there's the job with money and city living, which kind of appeals to me but I guess I haven't had much experience with.

Any thoughts? Is working for the government very different to working for a commercial firm?

marty_0001 on

Posts

  • Uncle LongUncle Long Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    Sounds like a great opportunity.

    That being said, you should bet that you're not the only one applying for this job.

    That being said, I don't think these are questions that you are necessary going to be able to answer until you get said job. If you are hired or they make an offer I bet you'll be able to decide.

    Oh, and from what I've seen, government work varies widely from the overworked underpaid to underworked overpaid.

    Uncle Long on
  • LeitnerLeitner Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    TheLong wrote: »
    Oh, and from what I've seen, government work varies widely from the overworked underpaid to underworked overpaid.

    In Britain it tends to be that low down government work is better paid then the equivalent in the private sector whilst higher up work is paid drastically less then the private sector equivalent. Holidays, job security and work flexibility tend to be better when working for the government.

    Sounds like a good opportunity. I'd go for it.

    Leitner on
  • The CatThe Cat Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited July 2007
    Here at least, the interview process is stupidly formal, but once you're in, you're in for life. Even if that job runs out, if you're liked you'll get others no probs, because people on the inside of the system know how to play it to keep the people they like around. Government work tends to be secure and offers a better work/life balance, with the price being slightly lower pay than the private sector.

    The Cat on
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  • ThanatosThanatos Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    I mean, really, it pays more, pays for your schooling, lets you get your degree done twice as fast, and you get a security clearance out of it (which, if you go to work for the defense industry, is worth a shitload of money). I think you're crazy not to apply.

    Thanatos on
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