WV - Anyone work for the state?

[chrisser]

I've had it with my current job. Happy to have one, but its time to start looking.

Even though we're really not "ready" to sell our house, we want to move to WV.

Anyhow, a few weeks ago, I noticed the state was hiring. Couple of IT jobs I'm qualified for. I polished up the old resume, filled out the app and sent them in electronically today. I have to follow up with some competency tests, but we plan on visiting the state in a few weeks for some much-needed vacation, so I can hit the testing centers while I'm down there.


So, just curious if anyone here works for the state or knows someone who works for the State of WV? Just wondering how radical a change it would be from private sector to public? (Actually, I now work for a not-for-profit company, but all previous employers were private sector).


We're pretty open to where we'd go. I drew a line between Jackson and Randolph counties. Pretty much everything South we'd consider, except Mingo, Logan , Boone and Lincoln - where most of the mountaintop mining is happening. Although, that said, the more rural and more mountainous the better.

We'd love to move to Pocohontas, but finding affordable property there looks to be pretty hard. We'll most likely end up within about an hours commute of Beckley or Charleston.

[CapeCMom]

I would imagine any State job right now would be prime. I work for the gov. in Mass and it is not a bad job despite the politics-you will probably be forced to join a Union though-I don't know what your feelings are on that.

[tufhelp]

Another concern might be the typical "civil servant" mentality and attitude you will inevitably run into. The prevailing "The state owes me a living - do they expect me to actually work for it?" is sometimes hard to swallow, especially if you're a competent self-starter type. But in spite of all those politics, unions, and grossly incompetent people and political appointment bosses - it is a living and usually has reasonable perks. They also pay typically lower wages than the private sector. The unions are typically figure-head only, you get to pay dues, but you can't usually strike, so no usual union perks or real bargaining power.

Lindawoman just retired from a New Mexico state IT job, it was OK, and sheltered us from the current economy (any job better than no job) but it had its aggravations, just like any job...

[chrisser]

Thanks for the advice.

I did apply last week. Now it's 4-6 weeks wait for me to be "scored" and put on some list.

Yeah, the unions and the politics were what worried me the most.

I suppose the upsides and the downsides are a wash. If it lets us move down there and get some property, then I'll be pretty happy.

There's always the private sector too. Right now, winter's coming and selling our house anytime before about March will be near impossible. I'll get on that list right about Thanksgiving, and I don't expect much to happen at the state for the rest of the year.

Early next year, if nothing develops, I'll start hitting the private firms too.

[ktm rider]

I work in WV for the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Might not be what you are looking for but the B.O.P. is opening a spanking new medium security Prison in McDowell county which is a very rural are. ALso, I believe there is an IT job opening up here also. ( PM me if you are interested)

FYI-- The selection of jobs in Wv is very, very slim and the pay in the private sector is most likely alot lower than where you currently live. Wv. state jobs don't pay that well either. That is why I now work with 3 former WV state troopers.

[Pokeberry Mary]

I worked for a county, not state and not WV. I can tell you some things I noticed about the corporate culture that were different.

Where I worked the bottom line was image more than money.

My job was very similar to a retail job--yet paid more--actually was physically easier though it required more expertise. Retail in my area pays between min. wage and 8.50, I was making 11+.

In every retail job I have had efficiency, loss prevention and cutting costs has been of paramount importance.

In my similar library job-- most of the cost cutting measures didn't really seem to make sense. I'm just being honest. I got the impression that folks were simply submitting ideas to promote their careers rather than really save $ and often the folks who made decisions about the department I worked in had no experience with the actual daily work. They were very interested in creating training opportunities--which generally were not really worthwhile and taking up green type initiatives, image changes, etc.. It was as if the place were a private company that was trying to improve its image--but it was on the public's dime--and the public had never asked for the changes--yet they kept pushing to change for the sake of change.

In retail there are no changes unless management is sure it will save or earn profit.

I enjoyed my job and would work there again--but I and most of my co-workers often felt that there was a great deal of waste going on that higher ups were not truly serious about because it wasn't 'their money' but the taxpayers.

To be fair though, I did hear that if a gov. agency doesn't use all its budget the next time around they may lose some of it--when they actually need it. So there are problems with figuring out how to use taxpayers money that are inherent in the system.

It would drive me crazy though to see the waste that I knew as a taxpayer was coming out of my own pocket.

[Investigator]

I work as an Investigator for the State of West Virginia. I'll try to answer any questions you might have.

My office is in Charleston, which is really not that bad, as small cities go.
I live northeast of Charleston in Clendenin,WV.

As for the transition from public sector to government employment, I'm afraid I won't be much help. Before I came to work for West Virginia I was US Navy for 20 years and them US Customs for 10 years (took an early retirement just to leave Orlando, FL).
Steve