Who gives up a civil servant job in Spain? Cases and reasons
Civil servants who quit their posts? They do exist: forest rangers, doctors, police officers. Reasons: toxic environment, better earnings as self-employed, or plain burnout.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
The civil servants who flee the cushy deal: a minority that says enough
A forest ranger who quits after two years because "it wasn't for him." An Army sergeant with a law degree, burned out, who moves to the private sector. A specialist doctor fed up with the lack of resources. A police officer who leaves to focus on YouTube and open a pizzeria. Does that sound like an exception? It is, but it happens.
The official narrative paints civil servants as privileged people who would never give up their perks. But in the corners where people speak freely, stories emerge that break the mold. They are not many, but some voluntarily say goodbye to a permanent post.
Why would anyone give up a job for life?
The reasons repeat themselves: workplace toxicity, lack of stimulation, and above all, the bottom line. "One case in my family: earns more self-employed than as a civil servant," one testimony notes. Another knows someone who was "sick to death of the lack of resources and materials" in public healthcare. It's not that the pay is bad —2,500€ net a month is mentioned for "doing a few little things in the morning"— but there comes a point where the environment or the monotony weighs more.
Bureaucracy and toxic colleagues also drive people away. The pavor of working "with premenopausal gossiping women," busybodies and office climbers, is described. A highly capable worker doing the job of three decides to leave, request a transfer and end up at his uncle's company. His confession: "It demotivates you and kills your ambition, but after 35 you look for quality of life." A paradox: the very security the system sells ends up breeding weariness.
The myth of the civil servant who never leaves
"With how cushy it is in Spain compared to the private sector, and how hard the civil service exam is? Practically nobody," sums up the majority view. And the numbers back it up: cases of voluntary resignation are a statistical anecdote. What's common are the "tricks to get paid without working": permanent sick leave, frozen leave of absence. Like someone leaving a pretty girlfriend for an ugly one, whoever leaves is met with disbelief.
But there are exceptions that prove the rule. Doctors who focus on their private practice (gynecologists, dermatologists, pediatricians), university professors who discover that writing novels about Romans pays better, or police officer Boufit, who had to choose between his cooking channel and his post. Even Dr. Alexandre Costa Sabaté, an endocrinologist who left the public system to treat steroid users, though he was later investigated for alleged steroid trafficking.
The conclusion is uncomfortable for the dogma: most don't leave, but those who do usually have a better economic alternative or some mental health to repair. Being a civil servant isn't a prison, but leaving voluntarily remains a luxury very few can afford.
Related discussions in the forum
A forest ranger who quits after two years because "it wasn't for him." An Army sergeant with a law degree, burned out, who moves to the private sector. A specialist doctor fed up with the lack of resources. A police officer who leaves to focus on YouTube and open a pizzeria. Does that sound like an exception? It is, but it happens.
The official narrative paints civil servants as privileged people who would never give up their perks. But in the corners where people speak freely, stories emerge that break the mold. They are not many, but some voluntarily say goodbye to a permanent post.
Why would anyone give up a job for life?
The reasons repeat themselves: workplace toxicity, lack of stimulation, and above all, the bottom line. "One case in my family: earns more self-employed than as a civil servant," one testimony notes. Another knows someone who was "sick to death of the lack of resources and materials" in public healthcare. It's not that the pay is bad —2,500€ net a month is mentioned for "doing a few little things in the morning"— but there comes a point where the environment or the monotony weighs more.
Bureaucracy and toxic colleagues also drive people away. The pavor of working "with premenopausal gossiping women," busybodies and office climbers, is described. A highly capable worker doing the job of three decides to leave, request a transfer and end up at his uncle's company. His confession: "It demotivates you and kills your ambition, but after 35 you look for quality of life." A paradox: the very security the system sells ends up breeding weariness.
The myth of the civil servant who never leaves
"With how cushy it is in Spain compared to the private sector, and how hard the civil service exam is? Practically nobody," sums up the majority view. And the numbers back it up: cases of voluntary resignation are a statistical anecdote. What's common are the "tricks to get paid without working": permanent sick leave, frozen leave of absence. Like someone leaving a pretty girlfriend for an ugly one, whoever leaves is met with disbelief.
But there are exceptions that prove the rule. Doctors who focus on their private practice (gynecologists, dermatologists, pediatricians), university professors who discover that writing novels about Romans pays better, or police officer Boufit, who had to choose between his cooking channel and his post. Even Dr. Alexandre Costa Sabaté, an endocrinologist who left the public system to treat steroid users, though he was later investigated for alleged steroid trafficking.
The conclusion is uncomfortable for the dogma: most don't leave, but those who do usually have a better economic alternative or some mental health to repair. Being a civil servant isn't a prison, but leaving voluntarily remains a luxury very few can afford.
Related discussions in the forum
- ME HAN PUESTO EN EL IGNORE (Parte XI) · 76 replies
- ¿Hacemos quedada burbujera? · 21 replies
- Hilo oficial UCI World Tour 2026 · 1436 replies
- Hilo del real madrid 2025/26. año i después de modric y cesard. el advenimiento de franco. (Parte II) · 496 replies
Also available in: Deutsch
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (30 replies).
More summaries
-
Quitting Smoking: From Two Packs a Day to Zero Without Patches
Quitting smoking without patches or gum: cases range from 8 cigarettes daily to two packs. Vaping and relapses mark the outcome.
-
Prima Prix: 77% discounts clash with inflation
Takis at €0.35 and Donettes at €0.70 offer up to 77% savings, but the store bans customers for suspected theft.
-
Learning Longboarding at 50: A Practical Guide to Commuting in Valencia
Longboarding after 50 in Valencia: Expert advice on longboards, safety, and where to practice commuting without falling.
-
Crespo Family: Balancing Local Politics with Digital Business
The Crespo family combines local governance with digital entrepreneurship. We analyze the tension between rural life, subsidies, and their online content impact.
-
Brian Molko: from androgynous icon to counter clerk
Brian Molko's latest look, the Placebo singer, sparks comparisons with a counter clerk: is this the end of rock ambiguity or the rock legend who…
-
First meme-community film made with AI is now a reality
A hobbyist uses free Gemini AI to create the first short film of the Spanish 'burbujera' internet community. Tool limits and geographic blunders included.