5 answers
jeff
Student
Colorado City, Texas
1
Question
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is self employment beter than governament employment?
which career is best for someone who loves maths
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5 answers
Daniel Brennan
84
Answers
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Daniel’s Answer
One difference not everyone has touched on is that when you work for yourself, a lot of the times you are responsible for covering all your own benefits as well as paid time off. Especially newly self employed individuals often find it difficult to reason with the idea of taking unpaid time off and paying someone else to take over your duties. Whereas government employees get a ton of paid time off, every holiday you could ever think of as well as great benefits packages that include health care and many other perks.
Aasviben Patel
1
Answer
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Aasviben’s Answer
Choosing between self-employment and government employment depends on your personal preferences and circumstances. Self-employment offers autonomy, flexibility, and potentially higher earnings but comes with financial risks and instability. Government employment provides job stability, steady income, comprehensive benefits, and work-life balance but may involve bureaucratic processes and limited income growth. The better option depends on your risk tolerance, career goals, financial situation, and desired work-life balance.
Jennifer King
Talent Acquisition
30
Answers
Charlotte, North Carolina
Updated
Jennifer’s Answer
The concept of "better" is subjective and can greatly vary from person to person. Both career trajectories offer unique experiences, and it's crucial for you to identify which aligns best with your personal and professional goals. Keep in mind that as time passes, your chosen path may evolve.
In the early stages of my career, I had the privilege to serve as a government employee. This experience was incredibly rewarding, providing me with invaluable connections and a wealth of knowledge. I am immensely grateful for this opportunity that set a strong foundation for my career.
Subsequently, I transitioned into the industry sector, working with diverse companies across various fields before finally stepping into the world of consulting. Each of these transitions has been instrumental in shaping my professional growth and development.
Remember, every career move is a stepping stone towards your personal growth. Embrace the journey, and you'll be amazed at how much you can achieve.
In the early stages of my career, I had the privilege to serve as a government employee. This experience was incredibly rewarding, providing me with invaluable connections and a wealth of knowledge. I am immensely grateful for this opportunity that set a strong foundation for my career.
Subsequently, I transitioned into the industry sector, working with diverse companies across various fields before finally stepping into the world of consulting. Each of these transitions has been instrumental in shaping my professional growth and development.
Remember, every career move is a stepping stone towards your personal growth. Embrace the journey, and you'll be amazed at how much you can achieve.
Nikolaos Zormpas
Global Manager – Digital Services Offerings / Technology, Software & Services Offerings Marketing
88
Answers
Athens, Greece
Updated
Nikolaos’s Answer
Hi Jeff,
I honestly think that Aasviben’s advice says everything. So as you see there is no one answer to rule them all. It's more about if self employment can be better than government employment, for you.
For example if you're willing to face the risks that Aasviben is mentioning because you can't imagine yourself without the freedom to set your own hours, and because of the fact that your top priority is to build something from scratch, then self-employment might resonate with your entrepreneurial spirit more.
Mathematics is a field rich with opportunities that cater to both creative problem-solvers and analytical thinkers. I would tell you that you could try to find networking or mentoring opportunities with professionals that have experience on those 2 different paths and try to gather real life insights of the benefits and challenges. From there try to wear their shoes and evaluate which path makes you feel more inspired and satisfied.
Wishing you all the best!
Regards,
Nikolas
I honestly think that Aasviben’s advice says everything. So as you see there is no one answer to rule them all. It's more about if self employment can be better than government employment, for you.
For example if you're willing to face the risks that Aasviben is mentioning because you can't imagine yourself without the freedom to set your own hours, and because of the fact that your top priority is to build something from scratch, then self-employment might resonate with your entrepreneurial spirit more.
Mathematics is a field rich with opportunities that cater to both creative problem-solvers and analytical thinkers. I would tell you that you could try to find networking or mentoring opportunities with professionals that have experience on those 2 different paths and try to gather real life insights of the benefits and challenges. From there try to wear their shoes and evaluate which path makes you feel more inspired and satisfied.
Wishing you all the best!
Regards,
Nikolas
Joseph Neilson
Radiation Detection Physicist
218
Answers
Oxford, England, United Kingdom
Updated
Joseph’s Answer
As the others have answered, it depends on what works for you.
One thing I'd add, though, is sometimes the decision can be pretty much made for you by how the industry works. In my field, there's only a limited set of places you can do my kind of work, and that's largely for the government, or at least for large private companies working on government contracts. In situations like that, there's very little opportunity available to set up as an entrepreneur; at least, not in the early stages of your career. A one-person outfit just doesn't have the contract-winning power needed to get almost any work at all, so it's either government work or pick a new career. That does change a little as you get further into a career and can perhaps spin out a small company from another employer, or if you become a widely recognised expert that the larger companies know and want to call upon.
I'm guessing, however, that (based on the tags in your question) you're more interested in education and teaching mathematics, rather than wanting to work in some of the fields of mathematics that might have more limited scope. Education really is an area where there's plenty of opportunities to make choices for self employment or government work, so if that's the direction you're headed, you can balance what's more important to you.
One thing I'd add, though, is sometimes the decision can be pretty much made for you by how the industry works. In my field, there's only a limited set of places you can do my kind of work, and that's largely for the government, or at least for large private companies working on government contracts. In situations like that, there's very little opportunity available to set up as an entrepreneur; at least, not in the early stages of your career. A one-person outfit just doesn't have the contract-winning power needed to get almost any work at all, so it's either government work or pick a new career. That does change a little as you get further into a career and can perhaps spin out a small company from another employer, or if you become a widely recognised expert that the larger companies know and want to call upon.
I'm guessing, however, that (based on the tags in your question) you're more interested in education and teaching mathematics, rather than wanting to work in some of the fields of mathematics that might have more limited scope. Education really is an area where there's plenty of opportunities to make choices for self employment or government work, so if that's the direction you're headed, you can balance what's more important to you.