Maybe some other areas the government over pays but it isn't in engineering. Based on my time of service and how bad the economy is I have a feeling I will see a RIF in 3-5 years. I have the death nail on my resume now - Government Worker. I feel very pessimistic about everyones future.
I know there are bad government employees (10%) and in private sector I would say (3%-5%) are worthless. So 2 to 3 times more dumb asses running around at DOD. I'm sure its worse (MUCH WORSE) in those areas that are positively unconstitutional in their scope (Dept of Energy, Education, ...)
I don't take it personal when everyone bashes Govt employees. I just picture the dumb ass down the hall that “works” 3 hours a day and bitches about how busy she is and figure everyone is talking about her. :)
I’m in the same boat as you.
I left (lost, actually) a great private sector job in 2002.
I now work for the VA - and just now, in 2011, have managed to match the salary I had in 2002. My current job is much more complex and technical then my private sector job ever was, for the whopping salary of $49,000.
As for the comments about how great Fed benefits are - really? The health insurance is so expensive we use my husbands, Holidays and vacation are just normal - I had more at my private sector job. What other benefits are there? We can’t even get coffee for a department staff meeting. I buy my own pens and planner, and folks who telework pay for their own internet. My private sector company paid for all of that.
My office is an old nasty building that doesn’t even have central air. There is so much work and so few staff everyone in my office takes work home (we don’t get OT either).
People really have no idea what they’re talking about when they start whinning about how great Federal employees have it.
Do I think there are useless employees, useless jobs and even useless agencies? Yes. But the broad brush sweeping all of us as lazy, underworked, overpaid rubes is way off base.