A job seeker's dilemma: Is it worth applying for a position in the government?
The primary consideration of almost all job seekers is the reasonableness of the job's salary. Aside from salary, they also consider other benefits that come along with the position. With these as foundation, the job seeker begins to ponder on whether to apply for a position in the government institution or private institution, or rather start his own business.
If the job seeker is someone just recently graduated from college, and whose sense of nationalism and patriotism is still fresh, he most likely prefer to apply for positions in the government to serve his country and his fellowmen. Meanwhhile, if the job seeker is someone inclined in the corporate world and desires to be a corporate or business magnate in the future like Donald trump, he will most likely apply for positions in private institutions or agencies which will serve his training ground.
But what really are other factors that a job seeker must consider before applying for any position in the government?
Well, firtst of all, government institutions have more stringent requirements with regard to job applications. These requirements are often covered or mandated by law, and thus, all applicants are required to comply with these requirements. Accordingly, if you knowinglycommit acts which constitute fraud relative to your application papers and other requirements, you may be held liable and consequency be imprisoned. Likewise, the processing of job applications in the government takes long since a person's application has to be properly scrutinized and approved by the concerned heads of the agency.
If one accepts a position in the government, he must be aware of the burden that comes with it. His primary obligation would basically be to serve people. However, he also has the corollary obligation to the state. This means that, at all times, all his actions are answerable to the state. Government employees are usually covered by a code of conduct mandated by law and thus prone to sanctions from the state in cases of violations committed in connection to his position. For instance, a government employee is prone to complaints filed by disgruntled persons who are dissatisfied of his service.
However, much as government employees may be easily sanctioned by the state, they also seek refuge from the state for the protection of their rights. In some instances, they also enjoy special treatments or are given special priveleges for they are generally accorded with a higher degree of respect. In fact, in some countries, who physically or verbally assaults an employee of the government is considered as assaulting an officer of the state and is thus criminally penalized.
In terms of salary, the salary of government employees are not as competitive as that of those employed in private institutions. However, unlike those who work in private institutions which agencies are mostly profit oriented, those employed ikn the government are always secured that they will be paid on time. This is because the salaries of employees are included in the government agency's annual budget. In short, as long as the nation's tax revenues are stable, government employees are always assured of their salaries.
Lastly, the important factor that every job seeker must realize is the fact working in any government institution or agency is always affected by the country's politics. Political affiliations or political preferences affect a job seeker's application, either positively or negatively. Similar to those working in private agencies, those working in the government also experience instability brought by the country's present political condition.
So, is it really worth applying for position in the government? the answer to this question must be qualified. If a job seeker's concern is just to land a job without putting high regard on the salary of the position, then it does not really matter if he finds a job in the government or private entities. This is of course if his main concern is just a job and a reasonable salary to satisfy his basic necessities. Working in the government may prove beneficial to one, in the same way that working in private institution may prove beneficial to others. Lets accept the fact that life is a gamble. One may never know the advantages and disadvantages of one particular thing unless he has personally experienced it. Also, he must keep in mind that satisfaction has always been a relative concept.
