Oh?

13 Replies to “Oh?”

1. ROTFLMFAO. The “snivel service” has skillz?? Real marketable skillz??

2. I know someone who does a high skill job (PhD in Chemistry) that is an industry aligned with the public sector. She says occasionally someone decides they want to make some real money and leave the public sector to work with them, and they have a 100% fail rate. They all go crawling back to their public sector job within a year.

   It’s not the skillset, it’s the work ethic, more specifically the actual expectation that stuff gets done. They think people in the private sector are sitting around in unionized office environments making tic-toc videos and making twice the money. Only one of those things is true.

3. Aren’t most civil servants ( i.e. those who work from home) already working in the private sector?

4. The civil servants I know would be roadkill in the private sector in weeks if not days.

5. Oh come on, Buckpassing, BS and CYA are skills widely deployed in all aspects of life.

6. I once had a job with local government. I was there on a 1 year contract covering someone’s paternity leave. It was a technical job. I was the only one on the team who had worked in the private sector, the rest had been there since graduating college.

   I would spend 2 hours a day just farting around on the internet, and I was considered the hardest working person on the team. And when a problem popped up, I’d fix it, shocking my coworkers, who, when a problem came up, would bring in a specialist to do some minor job.

   And many jobs that should have been done by my department were offloaded to other departments less qualified workers (although they were in the same boat, they were usually playing cards when I visited their office).

   The job paid well, had great benefits, and was ridiculously easy, and the department way overstaffed. I kind of wish I was still there, although I’d probably die of boredom.
   Government work:

   1. When I was in college, I took a summer job that extended into a year long assignment at the National Park Service, at the newly purchased Golden Gate National Rec. Area. My immediate boss was a Landscape Architect, who held some ungodly GS-16 or the highest salary designation in Civil Service. His “job” consisted of strolling in at 9:30am … attending a morning meeting … eating lunch … working on some private moonlighting jobs in the afternoon, and leaving at 4:00p to beat traffic. That was his day … day-in and day-out. It was a joke.

      Me? I designed a hang-gliding take-off platform and public observation deck and supervised construction on the cliffs overlooking Fort Funston … designed restrooms at Muir Beach and Baker Beach … and wrote painting and repair bid specifications for Historic buildings – including the Cliff House at Ocean Beach. Among many other tasks.

      1. I might or might not have spent a summer interning at National Public Radio writing 30 second and 60 second commercial spots for programming and events. When I came in the first day the room had six such writers. I don’t know what the hell they did all day, because after the first week, the only new spots getting air were written by me (and credited to my mentor…who was a new mom and taking a lot of time off). I did that for just over 3 months for college credit I didn’t receive a dime in compensation, and had to pay for my own parking on the public street.

         The next summer I worked for a subcontractor that did railroad track demolition and disposal for Conrail. That included stacking fifty pound RR ties on a fork lift for removal, 120 degree heat, creosote burns, and the all too prevalent snake hiding under the ties. However, I got paid well enough to put myself through undergrad with a little left over for adult libations.

         The difference in work atmosphere, expectations and even teamwork was like two different worlds. I made a number of good friends in the latter, including some prison work release guys who were brought in from Philadelphia sporadically.

         1. I’ve always admired the old time (not the current Salvadoran) drywall crews … hoisting and nailing off 5/8”x10’-0” sheets by themselves. I believe they all had rap sheets. No, I didn’t ask them about it … hahaha ha

7. A friend of mine worked for the goberment, he didn’t last a year, he said it was an unspoken rule that they not process more than one piece a paper a day or it would set a precedent. I have no idea if it was true, but it sounds about right?

8. The really laughable take from this, is that after numerous paragraphs that reveal how unnecessary their job is (attending meetings and sending emails – what skill set does that take?), the author comes to the conclusion that their job is important. LOLOL.

9. After listening to podcast today and hearing what is expected of doctors, especially GP’s, it seems mostly checkbox computer work and referral to a specialist. The specialist, if not a surgeon, just writes the ‘appropriate’ prescription and off you go. And most don’t seem to like questions. Grim.

10. “SKILLS” What pray might they be…?

    Only skill I seem to hear is they’re all Arrogant Fooks..?
    That is of course if you are even ABLE to get in contact with anyone (CRA..??)

    Should we in Alberta be Blessed with our very own REPUBLIC, the third Amendment following 1A – 2A – would be 3: All PUBLIC SERVICE UNIONS are herby forthwith BANNED – Forever.

    Make my day…