Lining Up to Work for...the IRS

The two-blocks long line around Federal Plaza, with about 800 job seekers on it, was for that venerable institution, the Internal Revenue Service. The NY Times noticed quite a few "laid-off Wall Street types in charcoal-gray pinstripe suits and trenchcoats" as well as a "woman with a new accounting degree on her resume and a 14-month old baby in a stroller." One applicant, laid off from Lehman Brothers without a severance, said, "You could get a lucrative job in the financial market right now, but how long can you keep it? Everywhere I look, I see layoffs. If I take a $10,000 or $20,000 pay cut, in the long run, I’m ahead. The government is not in the trading business. It will be around.” But the competition for IRS positions is tight: Another told the Post, "You talk with recruiters, and they get anywhere between 200 and 500 résumés for one job."

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By Jen Chung in News on October 29, 2008 9:33 AM

Comments [rss]

tsol

Under President Obama the IRS will be plenty busy collecting all of the new taxes that Pelosi and Reid

cook up.

Felix Hoenikker

Ah, more pricks for the IRS ranks.

JacqueMehoff

and, some IRS agents get's to carry guns.

I'm guessing the competition is fierce for any job with the .gov. I had better luck with local gov agencies. even being a mail carrier is tough competition.

Papercutninja

my mom had the silly idea of going down to this thing and the stupid gorillas made her take off her vintage watch (that she got over 40 years ago for her 17th birthday). Guess what? Watch gone. Fucking idiots.

JacqueMehoff

civil service workers get per diem rates if they're in the field.

I could see wall streeters working in .gov, if they saved during the boom years and have a home paid for, that giant cut shouldn't matter much.

It's 9 to 5 and that includes lunch, holidays up the wazoo, pension plan if you want in and it's gotta be less stressful.

downside, no year end bonus.

Rocknrope

^ Comping meals and housing? I think you're thinking of the military.

hitlerbaby

not sure about all government agencies, but in general they comp employees for meals and housing, and the other benefits aren't that bad when one considers the job security.