Brenda Diederichs: Public Sector Versus Private Sector - What's the Sexier Career Option? Startups, Pay Attention!

Public sector VS private sector!  We put on the gloves in an epic showdown of today's episode, to settle the differences and find out the better career option. Let's see who will come out victorious!

The 3 rounds for the undisputed championship:

• Round 1: Brenda - bashes up the logic behind joining a startup
• Round 2: Rick - negatives of the public sector
• Round 3: Each counter the punches from their opponent

Round 1: Why do you think it is silly to work for a startup?

• No career security
• Lack of stability

Round 2: Cons of working for the public sector (federal, state, county, city)

• Slow moving
• Not entrepreneurial, Doesn’t attract the strongest people
• Clamored with politics and red tape
• Ability to innovate severely limited
• Mediocre Pay / No Stock Options
• Not sexy… at all (unless you are an officer or firefighter)

Round 3: Counter Punches! Closing argument Evidence 

• Pace
• Innovation
• Career Growth
• Challenging
• Compensation & Benefits
• Attractiveness- to attract talented people
• Engagement- the perception of each worker 
• Brenda’s Knock out Punch! *Interview Process -  You probably do NOT have an effective process! 

Brenda Diederichs has been serving as the Chief Human Resources Officer for the County of Orange since June 2016. Brenda began her HR career at San Bernardino County, while earning her BA in Political Science, from California State Polytechnic University Pomona. She next worked for the Southern California Rapid Transit District for 10 years in both HR and Labor Relations. While there she earned a law degree from Loyola Law School.

Brenda went on to practice labor and employment law providing and serve as the labor and employment law department chair for two major public law firms for 10 years, before returning to public service as the Executive Officer for Labor and Employment, Human Resources and Training for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. She opened her own law firm in 2007, which she operated until returning to public service in 2014 as the Human Resources Director for the City of Riverside.