I’ve also worked in both public and private sectors, and agree with kewp & lostcat. The public sector usually has higher “education and experience” requirements than an equivalent private sector job.
There is also much less room to goof-off, contrary to public opinion. In the public sector, there are very strict controls and ongoing evaluations built into the system.
As to the govt doing things that the market might not find valuable at the time (because it’s not immediately profitable), this is true. However, it doesn’t mean it’s not needed, or that it won’t be needed in the future, even if it’s not profitable.
For instance, the FDA and USDA and other regulatory institutions really do protect us from unscrupulous people who would gladly jeopardize our health or well-being for an immediate profit (just like the financial institutions…yes, they DID know what was going to happen, but the profits were too hard to resist).
Is it better for water to come from an agency that is regulated by the government whose only job is to ensure the safety and reliability of our supply (without having to be overly concerned about profitability), or from a corporation that would try to lower quality standards as much as possible, in order to make a higher profit?
For healthcare, is nobody else a little suspicious of an industry that only profits if we are sick, with chronic illnesses being a cash cow?
Say what you will, but I much prefer having the government in charge of our basic needs, rather than private industry, but that’s just me…
