Pros
Work life balance, time off, health benefits
Cons
Pay raises are rare and do not match inflation. Most people below director level get a 1-3% raise every 2 years. Directors are rewarded with larger pay raises. Use the Texas Chronicle’s government salary web page to see for yourself. There is no clear guidance on getting a pay raise. It’s definitely not merit and I suspect favoritism plays a huge role. You will be lied to on why you are not getting a raise. The only way to get a significant bump in pay is to move positions outside your division or district. I saw several people get promoted internally to a higher B level, and the initial offer had no pay raise. You will not do well if your job is only in one district or division. Saving money is not a priority. I saved a few hundred thousand and no one cared. Spend those government dollars. Processes and standard operating procedures are extremely complex. I think people do this to justify their jobs. Hard and effective work is rewarded with more work. Throttle down your work ethic to slightly above average. This is the way.
