Which one is Better? A Government Job or a Private Job

A very common question among those students who are on the verge of completing their studies and are about to begin a new career is whether they go for a government job or a private job. 

Every government job vacancy declared publicly and will have a written test, post which a candidate’s job eligibility will be decided and he/she will be called for an interview. However, when it comes to the private sector or private jobs, candidates need to go to the respective offices of the companies with vacancies to attend the interview, which has a series of interview-rounds to pass to get their hands on the job.

In this article, we are going to discuss the differences in government jobs and private jobs to help the youth of the country to decide on a start to their career path.

Major differences between a government job and private job:

The tug of war between the government jobs and private jobs in a young mind is something that cannot be won due to numerous differences in both the sectors. But today, the latest government jobs offered have seen a better response from the public due to the unsecured job style of the private sectors.

Before we talk about the major differences, there are a few things that students or aspirants need to keep in mind, while they are on the verge of starting a new career.

• Should keep a broader perspective - more opportunities that way

• Should not fixate on one sector – they may miss out an excellent opportunity on the other

• And lastly, they should not be afraid to take the risk – they are still young and have plenty of time to experiment a little before they decide on where they wish to work.

Also Read: Government Jobs: The Secure Employment

Now, let’s talk about the major differences between the two job sectors.

• Recruitment

There is a common misconception among the students in India, which is fed by their parents to be precise that - government vacancies are a rare occurrence and private jobs are better. Every government job, both State and Central government are announced publicly on their websites and in newspapers to make sure that a maximum number of candidates apply for the job throughout the year. But, this is not applicable to the private sector since there are many consultancies that hire candidates for companies clearing initial rounds of the recruitment process.

• Salary

Salary is one of the significant reasons for students to dream about private jobs since they see a large sum of money being paid instead of the benefits that they can get over a longer period of time. The government sector may offer less salary compared to the private sector, but they provide better benefits. Increments in the private sector jobs are pretty much annual or in some companies half-yearly too whereas increments in government jobs are standardized.

• Login Time

There is a flexible working hour in the private sector, which is actually more of a curse than a boon. Fixed working hours in the government sector can help us to plan our day accordingly, while in the private sector we may have to fill in more hours to get the work done. And the employers expect us to get the work done at any cost.

• Job Security

The common question arises in everyone’s mind that- how secure is his/her job? It is a frightening question to face when we are in the private sector since job security is zero. Government jobs offer unprecedented job security. Government employees are hardly fired on the basis of their performance.

• Growth

In government jobs, as per the norms, the age of retirement of the employees is 58-60 years. And the growth that the government employees could expect there is less and over a longer period of time. However, there is high growth in the private sector since growth is based on the employee’s talent and work alone.

• Holidays and leaves

There are limited leaves in the private sector. However, employees in the government sector do not work on government holidays and spend more quality time with their families.

The government sector is better when it comes to leaves and holidays due to a huge flexibility difference.

• Benefits

The government sector offers numerous benefits like pensions, concessions for using government entities like getting loans, medical facilities, and more. The private sector provides benefits in a little different way. The private jobs give reimbursements for employee’s expenses like mobile expenses or travel expenses. Both sectors have their own benefits and perks.

• Competition

The number of vacancies and the number of candidates who apply for the posts determine the competition for both the sectors. When it comes to government jobs, candidates with eligibility can apply for that vacant position.

But in private sectors, it is a little different. You will be either referred by a consultancy or a friend. The only drawback for government jobs is the caste-based reservation system that demotivates people from even applying for any job vacancies. And this is not applicable when it comes to the private sector.

• Work pressure

There is another misconception about government jobs is that there is no work pressure. This may be a thing of the past since both private and government sectors face an equal amount of work pressure. However, we could find subtle differences here. The workload is evenly distributed in government offices, whereas in the private sector, the workload is distributed based on an employee’s previous contribution, which can be both good and bad based on his/her current situation.

Also Read: A Guide For Government Job Selection

So, these are some of the necessary information for all those who are starting a new career, necessary to pursue their goals and dreams in life. Students themselves are responsible to set their own career paths. By knowing the key points and gaining proper knowledge in both the sectors, one will be able to make the smart choice based on his/her comfort and preference.

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