--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Right now, if you're a talented developer…" description: "\"Right now, if you're a talented developer or designer, government is what you go into if you can't get a better job.\" — Jennifer Pahlka" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23b/jennifer-pahlka-19149_better_right-now-if-you-re-a-talented-developer_1986071.jpg" --- # Right now, if you're a talented developer or designer… ![“Right now, if you're a talented developer or designer, government is what you go into if you can't get a better job.” quote by Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23b/jennifer-pahlka-19149_better_right-now-if-you-re-a-talented-developer_1986071.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23b/jennifer-pahlka-19149_better_right-now-if-you-re-a-talented-developer_1986071.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23b/jennifer-pahlka-19149_better_right-now-if-you-re-a-talented-developer_1986071.jpg) > “Right now, if you're a talented developer or designer, government is what you go into if you can't get a better job.” [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Talented creators often turn to public sector when private options fall short. **In simple terms:** Talent may lead to government work. Key Takeaway Consider public impact roles. Themes career public service talent employment Mood pragmatic critical Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - tech jobs - design - policy making - career planning Key Concepts government as alternative skill utilization Questions to Reflect On - Is public work fulfilling for you? - What are trade‑offs? A Different Perspective Government may limit creative freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better/) [Better job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-job/) [Designer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/designer/) [Designer Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/designer-government-3418025/) [Developer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/developer/) [Get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get/) [Go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/go/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-better-443964/) [Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job/) [Now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/now/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) [Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right/) [Right now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-now/) [Talented](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talented/) [Talented Developer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talented-developer-3418026/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [People who espouse Intelligent Design believe nature is so complex as to require an intelligent designer-God. 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Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [The less government we have the better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-less-government-we-have-the-better/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [There is no part of government which cannot better suffer derangement than the ballot. If you strike the ballot with disease, it is heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/there-is-no-part-of-government-which-cannot-better-suffer-derangement/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Republicans should save the clip of Jonathan Gruber and run it over and over again in the run-up to the 2016 election. This attitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/republicans-should-save-the-clip-of-jonathan-gruber-and-run-it-over/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) > [On housing, education and skills, health and social care, transport and economic development, local government is better placed to make decisions in the interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-streeting/on-housing-education-and-skills-health-and-social-care-transport-and/) [Wes Streeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-streeting/) > [My philosophy is not a bean-counting, accounting 'look at this.' It is a philosophy that smaller government is better government, and government that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bolton/my-philosophy-is-not-a-bean-counting-accounting-look-at-this-it-is-a/) [John Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bolton/) > [The Obama presidency, and liberalism in general, are based on not trusting the American people - a belief that big government is better for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-jindal/the-obama-presidency-and-liberalism-in-general-are-based-on-not/) [Bobby Jindal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-jindal/) > [Big-government proponents embrace both the power of the federal government and the idea that millions of Americans ought to be dependent on its largesse.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/big-government-proponents-embrace-both-the-power-of-the-federal/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) ## More by Jennifer Pahlka > [We're not going to fix government until we fix citizenship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/we-re-not-going-to-fix-government-until-we-fix-citizenship/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) > [So few people vote these days, and I think it's partly because they don't feel like the institution really means anything to them. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/so-few-people-vote-these-days-and-i-think-it-s-partly-because-they/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) > [If you don't tolerate any risk, you can never innovate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/if-you-don-t-tolerate-any-risk-you-can-never-innovate/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) > [Are we just going to be a crowd of voices, or are we going to be a crowd of hands?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/are-we-just-going-to-be-a-crowd-of-voices-or-are-we-going-to-be-a/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) > [Cities perform most functions in a very Industrial Age model.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/cities-perform-most-functions-in-a-very-industrial-age-model/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) > [Government is like a vast ocean and politics is the six-inch layer on top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/government-is-like-a-vast-ocean-and-politics-is-the-six-inch-layer-on/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) > [We can't do without government, but we do need it to be more effective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/we-can-t-do-without-government-but-we-do-need-it-to-be-more-effective/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) > [Our ability to do great things with data will make a real difference in every aspect of our lives,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/our-ability-to-do-great-things-with-data-will-make-a-real-difference/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) > [I think there is a big disjuncture between what we are served up as consumers and what we are served up as citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/i-think-there-is-a-big-disjuncture-between-what-we-are-served-up-as/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) > [If you dont tolerate any risk, you can never innovate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/if-you-dont-tolerate-any-risk-you-can-never-innovate/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) > [In high school, I was sort of friends with the geeks and friends with the socials and everything else and not solidly in one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/in-high-school-i-was-sort-of-friends-with-the-geeks-and-friends-with/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) > [If you are really interested in making government work, you should have the experience of working in government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/if-you-are-really-interested-in-making-government-work-you-should/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) > [When there are more males in the industry to begin with, it just has a more male feel, and that pushes the girls away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/when-there-are-more-males-in-the-industry-to-begin-with-it-just-has-a/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) > [Everything that works on the Internet depends on a lot of people collaborating, but there's also these rules that you see across all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/everything-that-works-on-the-internet-depends-on-a-lot-of-people/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) > [There is certainly a strong game development community in Texas, centered around Austin, with a significant additional contingency coming over from Dallas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/there-is-certainly-a-strong-game-development-community-in-texas/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) [Explore all 33 Jennifer Pahlka quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) ## More Better quotes > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [Everybody has their cliques, and I was very shy. 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The Better it Gets !!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-stanyer/the-little-you-give-the-better-it-gets/) [Mario Stanyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-stanyer/) > [A strong, durable Puerto Rican economy will leave the island better prepared to handle future natural disasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/a-strong-durable-puerto-rican-economy-will-leave-the-island-better/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [In my first 100 days as Ontario's Minister of Transportation, I found a willing municipal partner in the City of Toronto that shares our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-mulroney/in-my-first-100-days-as-ontario-s-minister-of-transportation-i-found/) [Caroline Mulroney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-mulroney/) > [It hasn't been a conscious thing, like, 'I don't want to listen to a bunch of dudes,' but I genuinely like music by women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soccer-mommy/it-hasn-t-been-a-conscious-thing-like-i-don-t-want-to-listen-to-a/) [Soccer Mommy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soccer-mommy/) > [Life is going to hit you some line drives, and sometimes you'll have to think fast. 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