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For a slightly different perspective on this, I work for a very small (<25 people) defense contractor in the MD/DC area, and coming from a civilian government p

by tcoppi 13y ago

For a slightly different perspective on this, I work for a very small (<25 people) defense contractor in the MD/DC area, and coming from a civilian government position, it is a breath of fresh air. The management has cultivated relationships with people in the prime contractors and government leadership that recognize that people are not commodities and that the work we do is valuable. The sequester has had very little/no effect on our work, if anything our projects and budgets are expanding. I also have met many people that work at or formerly worked at places like SAIC, Booz etc. that hated every minute of it and described it exactly as you did, so YMMV. Also, the line of work I and my company are in is slightly "unique", so we may be somewhat insulated from the problems facing contracting at the moment. Regardless, it isn't all horrible out there, and I would much sooner switch to another contracting position or move somewhere completely different than ever take a government position again.

bane 13y ago
I actually agree with this. The govie jobs offer stability, but squash every ounce of creativity and drive out of a person and in exchange for the stability you get lower pay, pay freezes and unending bureaucratic BS. If you've ever gotten a loan to by a house, imagine doing that kind of paperwork every day as part of your normal job on top of trying to do the job you are supposed to be doing. The mega-contractors are a different kind of hell, you have to stay engaged and you have to have lots of drive, only it doesn't get spent in the actual work you're doing, it's all jammed up in office politicking and contract cycles. It's remarkably the same experience at the different mega corps also. I think being so close to the culture of the government, it bleeds down and creates this weird kind of secondary effect that seems the same no matter where you go...even if their public image and mission seem quite different. The places I've enjoyed the most have been the smaller sub-contractors or product companies that vend into the government. I think it's because they're allowed to define their own culture and do things their way, with the primes as a shield to soak up all that badness. That all being said, shit rolls downhill, and being a sub or sub to a sub or a vendor like that does end up with your company in some bad positions from time to time...this includes getting acquired by one of the big guys.

by tcoppi 13y ago

bane 13y ago

I actually agree with this. The govie jobs offer stability, but squash every ounce of creativity and drive out of a person and in exchange for the stability you get lower pay, pay freezes and unending bureaucratic BS. If you've ever gotten a loan to by a house, imagine doing that kind of paperwork every day as part of your normal job on top of trying to do the job you are supposed to be doing. The mega-contractors are a different kind of hell, you have to stay engaged and you have to have lots of drive, only it doesn't get spent in the actual work you're doing, it's all jammed up in office politicking and contract cycles. It's remarkably the same experience at the different mega corps also. I think being so close to the culture of the government, it bleeds down and creates this weird kind of secondary effect that seems the same no matter where you go...even if their public image and mission seem quite different. The places I've enjoyed the most have been the smaller sub-contractors or product companies that vend into the government. I think it's because they're allowed to define their own culture and do things their way, with the primes as a shield to soak up all that badness. That all being said, shit rolls downhill, and being a sub or sub to a sub or a vendor like that does end up with your company in some bad positions from time to time...this includes getting acquired by one of the big guys.