Hiring in the private sector has been slowing down recently as the economy is changing. Many professionals have had much more difficulty finding new employment as compared to earlier during the pandemic. One thing that has changed recently is that employment in the public sector is increasing. If you are having trouble finding employment in the private sector it may make sense for you to consider available employment in the private sector. Here are a few things to know about employment in the public sector
There arE a lot of different jobs available
Some people's perspective is that the public sector consists mainly of teachers, policemen, the Department of Motor Vehicles, and a limited number of other jobs. The public sector employs a vast number of professionals in many different professions. It also helps to keep in mind that the public sector encompasses federal, state, and local government. In one particular location, there could be federal, state, city, county, and/or town positions available. Therefore, if you live in a city and are looking for public sector employment you may have to look at several different websites for posted jobs in all of these different levels of government. Recent statistics show that approximately 20 percent of jobs created in the United States in 2023 were in the public sector which is a lot higher of a percentage than recent years.
The pay has gotten better and the benefits are usually really good
For a while, the perception has been that public-sector jobs are paid much less than private-sector jobs. That has changed somewhat as wages have gone up to adjust for the cost of living and in some cases bonuses are being offered in very hard-to-fill positions. In addition to pay it is important to pay attention to the benefits offered in the public sector which often give more time off and lower cost of health insurance compared to the private sector. For example, some state employees can get 19 holidays in addition to vacation and sick days. Some school districts offer very low-cost insurance to employees and their families and a teacher contract is sometimes about 180 to 190 days. Although this will vary greatly by profession, some people who work in government report having less stress and pressure compared to their time working in the private sector. If you value your time off work for your family, to travel, or even to work on a gig job, it's worth looking into the public sector to see what your options are.
More of a bureaucracy can be frustrating
One downside that has been reported with public sector employment is navigating through a large bureaucracy. Hiring can be slower and more cumbersome than the private sector. This can be because budgets can be uncertain, changing based on tax revenue or other factors. The number of people that may need to sign off on a new employee may be longer and interviews may be very structured with multiple rounds and hours of questions. In terms of promotions and raises some government agencies are very structured with moving up levels based on performance and time working in your role but it can be much more difficult than the private sector to get raises or bonuses.
The public sector has been hiring a lot of new employees in 2023. If you are having trouble finding work in the private sector it may make sense for you to consider looking for work in the private sector. If you are having any issues related to your career, career counseling can help. Contact me today for a free consultation.