The Student Room Group

Is it worthwhile to work in the public sector?

Poll

Is it worthwhile to work in the public sector?

(E.g. teaching, police, fire, social work, prison service and so on)

Do you think it's worthwhile working in these careers?

Yes or no? Why?

What do you find attractive? What puts you off working in these kinds of jobs?

:holmes:

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If pay is your main goal, then the Fast Stream seems to be the best to give you something comparable to good private sector jobs
no, unless a life of relative poverty sounds appealing
Original post by gr8wizard10
no, unless a life of relative poverty sounds appealing


What do you mean....?
Original post by Puddles the Monkey
What do you mean....?


**** pay
Original post by Puddles the Monkey
(E.g. teaching, police, fire, social work, prison service and so on)

Do you think it's worthwhile working in these careers?

Yes or no? Why?

What do you find attractive? What puts you off working in these kinds of jobs?

:holmes:


When I’m older, I want to become a teacher not because of pay or prestige or whatnot but because I want to feel like I’m actually having an impact on somebody:smile:
Original post by Exceptional
If pay is your main goal, then the Fast Stream seems to be the best to give you something comparable to good private sector jobs


What would you define as a good private sector job? :beard:
Original post by Puddles the Monkey
(E.g. teaching, police, fire, social work, prison service and so on)

Do you think it's worthwhile working in these careers?

Yes or no? Why?

What do you find attractive? What puts you off working in these kinds of jobs?

:holmes:


Yes. All of this crap that they don't earn enough is lies. Median salary does NOT equal to the average salary, so if you are average/above average you are NOT in the middle. As well as opportunities in London such as key workers accomodation that private sector people could only dream of having, now imagine adding up the pension, accomodation prices discounts, the granteed pay rises and high job security, is it better in private or pubic sector?
Reply 8
Original post by Exceptional
If pay is your main goal, then the Fast Stream seems to be the best to give you something comparable to good private sector jobs


Yet the salary is no better than a decade ago in absolute terms let alone relative, and the pension is worse.
Reply 9
Original post by ckfeister
Yes. All of this crap that they don't earn enough is lies. Median salary does NOT equal to the average salary, so if you are average/above average you are NOT in the middle. As well as opportunities in London such as key workers accomodation that private sector people could only dream of having, now imagine adding up the pension, accomodation prices discounts, the granteed pay rises and high job security, is it better in private or pubic sector?


So youd be a mug to go private sector?
Reply 10
Good pension.
Poor share options.
Original post by Puddles the Monkey
What would you define as a good private sector job? :beard:


Generally, whatever allows you to reach your full potential - the thing you pursue that you really want to after graduation. Many people compromise and pursue a career that they aren't necessarily passionate about.

From a salary perspective, something that allows you to live fairly well - maybe £45k+? I believe the Fast Stream pays that after some progression, so a good paying salary in this ball park in the private sector would be a good comparison.
Original post by Quady
So youd be a mug to go private sector?


No. Everyone different, the smart people would be known when they are mid-aged and see their wealth then compared to the median average of their generation, it is possible both ways.

Lets say accountancy, which I'm going to go into...

Public sector: £30,000 - £50,000
Private sector: £25,000 - £110,000

You could start in public sector and later on move to private sector as it maybe easier to progress up to ACA accountant. It's all evens out if you be smart.
Original post by gr8wizard10
no, unless a life of relative poverty sounds appealing


It depends how you define poverty. I am a first year teacher. I quit my £300 a day job and now earn £23k a year. But I will see your 20 days mandatory holiday a year and raise you 13 weeks! I also now have something called "job satisfaction".
Original post by ByEeek
It depends how you define poverty. I am a first year teacher. I quit my £300 a day job and now earn £23k a year. But I will see your 20 days mandatory holiday a year and raise you 13 weeks! I also now have something called "job satisfaction".


What Job is it you left by any chance?
Original post by junior.yk
What Job is it you left by any chance?


Software dev
Original post by junior.yk
What Job is it you left by any chance?


Software developer.
I don’t really get the ‘**** pay’ argument.

In the public sector I get: A very decent pension (albeit it’s recently been made more mediocre but still my employer is putting in double my contributions so combined £1200 a month)

I get 160/170 days off a year.

Hopefully job satisfaction but admittedly not been doing the job long enough to know. Imagine working 5 days a week hating and dreading your work. Been there... got that t-shirt.

And other nice tax perks.

Plus I have security. I will have full pay for 18 months if off ill or sick. Death in service (although already have private Life Insurance) plus I’ve got CIC too.

Far far more security than the private sector.

My pay is guaranteed to hit almost 40k within 10 years without a promotion (10k above the average and I don’t live in a big city so cost of living is low. 2/3 bed semi-detached is 150kish. 200k would get you somewhere pretty nice)
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by Puddles the Monkey
(E.g. teaching, police, fire, social work, prison service and so on)

Do you think it's worthwhile working in these careers?

Yes or no? Why?

What do you find attractive? What puts you off working in these kinds of jobs?

:holmes:


Depends what you want really. But pay is really bad in most public sector jobs and tends to be capped unless you have senior roles. If money is your main motive just work private.
Reply 19
Original post by Unistudent77

And other nice tax perks.


Pray tell...

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