I have been a federal government contractor (software engineering/I.T.) for 8 years...after doing 14 in the private sector. I have one of those high security clearances and the agency I contract for is that infamous federal agency in Fort Meade, MD.
I live less than 10 minutes from that agency which allows me to actually come home for lunch sometimes and SOMETIMES those lunches may last 2 hours (LOL). While I do work for "the man", I only work 40 hours a week (which may include those lunches I mentioned) and my salary is somewhere between $150K-$200K. Now if you get one of those "mission critical" projects, the work can be VERY INTERESTING but of course, that is all that I can say (and I might have already said too much, lol) and other times, it can be mundane. I do not mind it being mundane because as any software engineer will tell you, the key to longevity in this industry (govt or private sector) is learning new technology and the mundane times helps to get re-certified or pick up the next "big thing" like cloud computing. At my job, I am surrounded by some "sports heads" so we talk football, basketball and other sports all day.
As a contractor, you basically work when given work by your federal task lead. Since federal government workers get so much paid leave, you will work a lot of days with your task leader not even around.
While I do understand the whole "work for yourself" ambition, I always felt that unless I had a kick-ass business, I will continue to earn this "easy money" from the feds. I have friends who are trying one half-baked business idea after another half-baked business idea and they do not make the money I make. They have to network and missed damn-near every sporting event while I make almost double what they make and I barely work 40 hours a week.
Now there are some drawbacks. All-access travel is one issue. I have already inquired about going to Columbia and that infamous federal agency in Fort Meade has already said that "while we won't exactly say NO...we will put you through so much paperwork and interviews that you will cancel that thought anyway". Another drawback is that you cannot really get too too serious with a foreign girl because you don't want her on your mind when it is time to take that polygraph and you are being asked about your "foreign relationships".
Still, I am OK with "working for the man" because outside of this bogus sequestion...my job is pretty much guaranteed.
I live less than 10 minutes from that agency which allows me to actually come home for lunch sometimes and SOMETIMES those lunches may last 2 hours (LOL). While I do work for "the man", I only work 40 hours a week (which may include those lunches I mentioned) and my salary is somewhere between $150K-$200K. Now if you get one of those "mission critical" projects, the work can be VERY INTERESTING but of course, that is all that I can say (and I might have already said too much, lol) and other times, it can be mundane. I do not mind it being mundane because as any software engineer will tell you, the key to longevity in this industry (govt or private sector) is learning new technology and the mundane times helps to get re-certified or pick up the next "big thing" like cloud computing. At my job, I am surrounded by some "sports heads" so we talk football, basketball and other sports all day.
As a contractor, you basically work when given work by your federal task lead. Since federal government workers get so much paid leave, you will work a lot of days with your task leader not even around.
While I do understand the whole "work for yourself" ambition, I always felt that unless I had a kick-ass business, I will continue to earn this "easy money" from the feds. I have friends who are trying one half-baked business idea after another half-baked business idea and they do not make the money I make. They have to network and missed damn-near every sporting event while I make almost double what they make and I barely work 40 hours a week.
Now there are some drawbacks. All-access travel is one issue. I have already inquired about going to Columbia and that infamous federal agency in Fort Meade has already said that "while we won't exactly say NO...we will put you through so much paperwork and interviews that you will cancel that thought anyway". Another drawback is that you cannot really get too too serious with a foreign girl because you don't want her on your mind when it is time to take that polygraph and you are being asked about your "foreign relationships".
Still, I am OK with "working for the man" because outside of this bogus sequestion...my job is pretty much guaranteed.