Working for the Russian government may sound like being in a spy movie, but you’ll be surprised to find out that that's completely not the case. Six young professionals, who are still working or used to be employed in Russia’s public sector, share their stories and insight with Sputnik.

MOSCOW, December 17 (Sputnik), Anastasia Kuvaldina – Working for the Russian government may sound like being in a spy movie, where people wear uniforms and polish their bombs in the morning, but you’ll be surprised to find out that that's completely not the case. In fact, the public sector has long been considered one of the best employers in Russia, offering growth opportunities, challenging tasks and stability. Sputnik spoke to six young professionals who are still working or used to be employed in the public sector, about their experience.

So many young Russians want to work for the government, that competition is extremely high, according to a recent study conducted by the country’s leading online portal for job hunting and personnel hiring, HeadHunter (hh.ru). The hh.ru ratio shows that 9 resumes account for one vacancy. The ratio in the category "Public service, nongovernmental organizations", along with "Top management", is the highest on the website.

"Public service is perceived as an island of stability, a sphere, where jobs won’t be cut. For instance, in 2008 – 2009 during the crisis, the Presidential Administration of Russia was considered the best place to work. People said it was a reliable employer that offered high paying jobs," Ivan Tyutyundzhi, head of HeadHunter's press service, told Sputnik. Indeed, salaries in the Presidential Administration of Russia exceed $4300, according to RosBusinessConsulting, a Russian information agency.

Sputnik decided to ask several young people, who are still working or used to be employed in Russia’s public sector, about their experience.

For some, working for the government is a matter of prestige. "I went to work for the State Duma because of its high profile," said Kate, who worked in Russia’s State Duma as an intern. However, what was supposed to be an opportunity of a lifetime turned into a tedious experience. The 20-year-old was disappointed with the tasks she had to perform, and the attitude of her bosses. "The tasks were not interesting. They did not require thinking outside the box. Moreover, our bosses did not consider us as potential employees. They just wanted to get over with the mandatory undergraduate training. It is hardly surprising then that I had no desire to stay there."

For others, it is a dream come true. "Working for Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has always been my dream. It was never an issue of prestige or salary. I would call it a calling," a Russian diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Sputnik.

A former employee of Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the experience of working in the public sector "eye-opening." She chose to work as an official interpreter in Russia's embassy in a South-Asian country "to experience the work which our government is involved in abroad” and “to improve her set of language skills and to make important contacts for the future." Although she had to leave due to personal reasons, she said she felt a sense of pride for serving her country. "[Working in the] public sector means you are representing your country abroad and it was great being a part of that team as we all worked hard to improve the relations between the two countries," she added.

Ilya, a young man in his late 20-ies, cited similar reasons for working in the public sector. "I knew I had a rare opportunity to work with the brightest people [in Russia], learn from them and their experience," he said. Ilya enjoys working at a government agency, because "your efforts change the country and improve the lives of people, you see a result." He also named making contacts with decision-makers and prospects of a bright business future as another reason for working in the public sector. "That’s called lobbying. And that’s business all over the world," he said.

Valya, a graduate of the prestigious Higher School of Economics, did not really consider working in the public sector until her dissertation adviser convinced her to intern at Moscow’s Department of Culture. "My attitude toward the public sector changed dramatically. I was impressed with the management style of the new head of the Department of Culture. I worked along young professionals and invited experts to participate in innovative projects, from major exhibitions to development of mobile apps," she told Sputnik.

In June, Valya was offered a permanent position at the Department of Culture. Her job was supposed to start next fall. She was happy to accept it, but found out later that the department hired someone else without telling her. "I was very disappointed at first, but though it was for the better," she said.

Irina's experience working in the public sector is a mixed one. She interned at Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development for two months. “I was involved in a project aimed at developing a Russia-China investment platform. The tasks were interesting and challenging,” she said.

However, Irina did not want to stay. "They work long hours. My boss was supposed to work from 10:00 to 18:00. In reality, she would always come at 09:30 and sometimes leave at 19:00 or later. Nobody paid for working extra hours," she explained. Irina also pointed out that her boss had to tackle many tasks at once and supervise several working groups, but received a salary of around $600. The average salary of civil servants, employed by federal government agencies, is just under $2000, according to RosBusinessConsulting. Furthermore, relations among colleagues were chilly, Irina stated. "Co-workers rarely had lunch together," she said.

"For two months I observed a hardworking wonderful woman, who spends all her time at work for very little money. So I decided I would not work in the public sector. I guess, the same story is true for other government agencies," Irina said.