Pros
-Almost impossible to lose your job if hired full-time (some people really abuse this)
-Excellent work-life balance, only have to work 37.5 hrs, lots of vacation & sick time, work stays in the office
-Lots of free time at work, low pressure
Cons
-Advancement is extremely rare, people don't want to leave and you have to take civil service exams that are hardly ever available, hiring process takes forever, NYHELPS hurts experienced staff, state gov is still obligated to post and interview even if they know they're hiring an internal candidate
-Can't survive on Tech 1 salary
-Super political, clique-y, so much gossip, judgment, negativity
-Lots of free time because it's spent gossiping or just sitting around
-Outdated technology and refusal to upgrade unless absolutely necessary
-Did I mention judgment and negativity
-The public is often unhappy to see you and tries to pick fights