By Dixie Somers, Special for USDR
Finding employment with stability is the most important benefit that every job seeker wants. While private sector positions may provide a higher salary, the government has quite a bit more to offer. These incentives include benefits, vacation time, a pension plan and more. Although, this means a trade-off with the amount earned in compensation, the other tangibles mentioned may make-up the difference. Keep reading to learn about why U.S. government jobs are among the most stable and secure:
Benefits and Vacation
Health, dental and life insurance are benefits that are hard to find in the average job in the United States. Government employees do not have this issue. As a matter of fact, they have some of the best insurance benefits of any sector. According to one source, vacation time as another reason for the high level of stability in government employment. It has the most generous gain time and approved time-off compared to other industries.
Service to the Country
Another reason for the great stability of government jobs is the ability to work for your country. Many people enjoy the ability to represent the United States as they travel around the nation, and even sometimes around the world. Those who have served in the military, or served the country in other ways often seek government jobs in order to maintain a sense of fulfillment as they serve the U.S. in other capacities.
The Pension Plan
Another reason why government jobs experience such stability is because of the opportunity to earn pension for retirement. Pension is a benefit that has all but been eliminated in the job market, and has been replaced with a weaker version known as a 401K. Many are drawn to government jobs due to the pension plan since the government rewards its employees with something to set aside for retirement.
Tenure
The last reason for the high level of job stability in the government sector is tenure. Well, it really is not technically “tenure”. However, once you get a government post, it is yours until you either leave or die. While this may sound morbid, it is a fact. Aside from the tenure-like system, another benefit is the low to no lay-off factor experienced as a government employee. While there are budget cuts in the federal government where jobs are downsized, this is done with the strategy of attrition into retirement.
The government warrants serious consideration for job seekers that are looking at all available options. The salaries may not be as robust as the private sector, but the benefits available make these positions very enticing. The information for this article was provided by professionals who offer a master of arts in public policy, for those who are interested in going into government work.