[RandomName2020]

> (e.g. Federal government jobs and some companies) but these are frequently viewed as undesirable

Federal and government (city, state etc.) jobs (perhaps excluding IT) are some of the most desirable jobs in US, with long waiting lines. Got try get a city job in NYC....

[jandrewrogers]

Yes, they are highly desirable to people that are non-ambitious and strongly risk averse, which includes a non-trivial percentage of the population. For a certain kind of person, those jobs are perfect; the pay and opportunity isn't great but the risk and level of effort is also low. I've worked in these organizations before; the people that take these jobs don't want much out of life, just looking to coast.

But most Americans find government jobs to be unfulfilling and stifling for exactly the same reason -- it is a dead-end. I know it is different in other countries but "government job" has mixed connotations in the US.

[untog]

> the people that take these jobs don't want much out of life

I disagree - those people don't want much out of work, they still want plenty out of life. Most I've met have tremendously fulfilling family lives, or similar. Not to be discounted.

[RandomName2020]

NASA and Fermilab are also government jobs.

[TDL]

Are you going to back up any of your claims?

[RandomName2020]

Back up claims? It is common knowledge - bus drivers for example, working for Santa Clara county transit make $35/h, bus drivers for (contracted) Google and such make less than $20.

[TDL]

That's not common knowledge to me, especially since I don't live in California. You have asserted certain claims and offer no evidence. "Common knowledge" isn't evidence.

[antisthenes]

> "Common knowledge" isn't evidence.

But it is. The data for public salaries generally has very good availability in the Information age.

If you're trying to participate in a discussion in an informed way, you should at least conduct the minimum due diligence to do so.

[cloverich]

Common knowledge is by definition not evidence.

> The data for public salaries generally has very good availability in the Information age.

The salaries don't seem particularly high, and in some cases (construction workers and bus drivers, top quarter) seem particularly low. Of course a lot more goes into job satisfaction than Salary but I agree, this is not common knowledge.

http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/construction-worke...

http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/bus-driver/salary

[RandomName2020]

The point that BUS DRIVERS working for GOVERNMENT make better wages than BUS DRIVER working for PRIVATE sector. Not that bus drivers in general are rich people.

[RandomName2020]

I do not know how to even reply to that. Bus drivers, post delivery people, municipal construction workers etc. - all have better salaries and benefits than similar private workers. I am not sure how any adult living anywhere in US could manage to not know that.

[thedufer]

You're talking past one another, I think. You are correct for most blue collar jobs; GP's description is accurate for most white collar workers.

Your downvotes are probably for your unnecessarily inflammatory final sentence.