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Topic: Working for the USPTO (Read 452960 times) |
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Re: Working for the USPTO
« Reply #350 on: May 26th, 2006, 4:05pm » |
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Yes, Isaac was exactly right in his earlier post. When i said in a different light i did not necessarily mean miserable. Some people enjoy the job, but it is a minority i can assure you of that.
But there are some things that many view as positive. For example you know exactly what you need to do to keep your job. Nothing is hidden in that regard, although there are things that can make it difficult. Another positive is that the promotions are not competitive up to GS14. But there are quite a few people who don't want the promotions because your production requirements and responsibilities go way up. Its a lot of pressure, and if you fall behind for a couple of quarters you are gone.
OTOH, if you are coming here because it is a cushy government job then look elsewhere. I work with a lot of people who came here from other government agencies and i think many regret their decision. I came from the private sector and this job is much harder and far less creative or motivating than anything i've ever done, period. High biweekly production quotas monitored very very closely. In fact everything is monitored and the work is boring and there is a lot of it. There are so many people who leave this job its really shocking. I don't understand management at all with thier policies. But what can you do?
Advice: if you don't like the job i suggest that you quickly move on to something else before your degree starts to lose its marketability, as most tech degrees do very quickly. Don't get stuck in a career you don't want and let other opportunities slip by. Think about what you want to do, and is it this? Just my opinion, but maybe keep it in mind.
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Real Examiner
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Re: Working for the USPTO
« Reply #351 on: May 26th, 2006, 4:20pm » |
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The previous poster has hit the nail on the head in every respect. It is not your typical government job. You are worked HARD -- it is a production environment and if you can't do the production, you get cut.
The previous poster also made the point that if you don't like the job, move on to something else quickly. When I started here many years ago, I was told to beware the "Golden Handcuffs." This is the cute term for what happens to you once you've stayed here more than 4 years or so. Leaving gets more and more difficult. After a certain amount of time, you're making good money and you'd probably take a pay cut to go somewhere else. Moreover, your engineering/technical degree becomes more and more irrelevant because, let's face it -- you're not doing the job of an engineer at the PTO. After a while, you realize, you CAN"T leave. The Golden Handcuffs. It's true. I missed the boat and now I'm stuck here until I retire.
I don't mean to sound like gloom and doom -- I just want all of you who are thinking of coming to the PTO to know that it's no bed of roses. And I was serious when I said in my previous post that it is going to get worse. Management has proposed many changes to examination practice that will make it even more difficult to achieve your production in the hours given. Think hard before you accept your offer.
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Re: Working for the USPTO
« Reply #352 on: May 26th, 2006, 4:25pm » |
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Let me amend/explain the post i just made above: when i said harder i wasn't referring do difficulty but to the volume of work and trying to stay motivated. The job itself isn't really that difficult if you figure out how to search effectively and know your technology.
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Re: Working for the USPTO
« Reply #353 on: May 26th, 2006, 5:47pm » |
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 Just out of curiosity , what sort of mechanisms is PTO using for a job assignment? An application can come with less than 20 claims to god knows how many. I assume it counts the same amount of work when it is done, isnt it? Any chance that this is done unfairly to junior guys?
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OhTheDrama
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Re: Working for the USPTO
« Reply #354 on: May 26th, 2006, 6:00pm » |
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Thanks for all the valuable inputs, which I wish I could've inquired before I accepted the offer and quitted my current job. My friend's been working there for a couple of years and that's how I got wind of them hiring. She seems to like her job and she did mention to me the quota system, which I didn't think much of at that time. I don't know if different art units are going to make much difference, but I am indeed troubled by others' experience with working at PTO. Nevertheless, it'll be a new start for me and I certainly look forward to it. Hopefully it'll bring other opprtunities and I'll definitely keep my eye open not to miss the boat.
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