Luckily...some wise associates of mine forsaw the future outsourcing problem we now have today before I got out of college in 1996. Their advice...take a slight cut in pay, ignore the bureaucracy and politics and get a job with the government...if you can't beat'em...join'em. Fortunately, newer employees in GS-9 and higher positions (present company included) actually are grateful for their jobs, seek to be a benefit to the taxpayer and exhibit a much better work ethic than what is known as the "typical government employees" or "lifers".
Have you ever heard the real estate business referred to as the real estate industry? I have. Many times.