Pros
All employees' experiences are different based on department and division. However, in my experience, the State is a wonderful place to grow and mature in your profession. I have had wonderful, supportive managers who have helped propel my career. From a technology perspective, Tennessee is aiming to deliver the latest and greatest. In the last few years, there have been large efforts to make State employee pay competitive with private industry, and you can't beat the insurance premiums. Overall, I take pride in the opportunity to work for our citizens.
Cons
Working in the public sector, there won't be the financial incentives like bonuses or profit sharing. Although the State recently rolled out 6 weeks of paid parental leave, it's still not enough compared to the rest of the world and many other U.S. private companies. Like any very large organization, there are processes that need to be reevaluated and streamlined, and it can be difficult to find the right contacts.