Pros
Very good work life balance. Low stress for the most part. Stable employment if you have a pulse and aren’t a complete fool. Benefits are somewhat overrated. I had much better and cheaper health insurance as a consultant. I also only had 7 holidays and 10 days of PTO. At the State I earn 8hours of sick leave each month, along with 13 hours of vacation, and we have approximately 20 holidays that are recognized. I have plenty of time and energy to pursue my hobbies. Some of my coworkers are great individuals and it feels like a family. Plenty of opportunity for training.
Cons
Low pay compared to industry. If you are a motivated and industrious individual, this place will break your spirit. Something that should take at most a day to handle will be done in two weeks and that’s just the way it is. Fighting the bureaucracy is futile. In order to advance your career you either have to be willing to move to the far corners of the State, or wait for someone above you to die or retire. In a section comprised of 10 people, 3 individuals do 96% of the work. I have coworkers who constantly fall asleep and refuse to do work. It is easier for management to ignore them rather than go through the process of creating a corrective action plan and hold them accountable. Lack of opportunity for career advancement.