'Peace of mind > paycheck': Engineer's post on govt jobs vs private stress divides netizens

A post by software engineer Shreya on X has sparked a lively debate about job security and work-life balance. In her post, Shreya reflects on her father’s advice to pursue a career in civil services over engineering, expressing a longing for the stability and peace of mind that often come with government jobs. She writes, “Some days I really feel my dad was right when he told me to prepare for IAS or IFS instead of engineering... No layoffs. No ‘reorg’ mail at 11 PM. No fear of waking up jobless.”

Shreya goes on to suggest that while government jobs may not offer massive salaries, they provide peace of mind and a stable future. “Maybe peace of mind > paycheck after all,” she concludes, defending her stance by clarifying that she’s not condoning corruption. “Not every govt employee is corrupt,” she states, adding a nuanced perspective on the often-criticised sector.

The post resonated with many, sparking a wave of reactions, some in agreement, others providing counterpoints.

One commenter, with experience in government service, offered a stark contrast to Shreya’s idealised view. “...From the outside, government jobs look peaceful. From the inside, it’s controlled chaos in slow motion,” they wrote. The commenter went on to describe the frustrations of working in a system where honesty often isolates you and integrity is seen as a hindrance. “It’s not a peaceful life. It’s a silent war, fought every single day,” they added, acknowledging that this experience might not apply to every government official, but resonates with many who work with honesty and patriotism.

Another comment, from someone who had attempted the civil services exams multiple times, shared their own experience with the high-pressure path of government service. “In my 6 years of preparation... every time missed by a couple of marks,” they wrote, reflecting on the challenges and uncertainties of the journey.

In contrast, others defended the private sector, with one commenter offering a perspective from the tech industry. They emphasised the high demand for skilled developers, especially in the AI age, suggesting that those who lack technical skills but rely on AI-generated resumes are more likely to face layoffs. “Finding people who actually code instead of copying from AI is tough,” they said, pointing to the increasing challenges of job security in a rapidly changing field.