Pros
Good benefits and decent pay - the federal Thrift Savings Plan is comsidered to be among the best 401k- type programs available. Pay is lower than comparable private sector jobs, but job security is better - a lot of people need SSA's services, and there's a lot of demand. Excellent camaraderie between employees - staff works together very well and they work together to provide top-caliber customer service. Good opportunity to advance if you're willing to work at it. Most managers and supervisors know their jobs well and try their best to create a positive work environment. Many employees committed enough to work for the long term, and this has mostly been encouraged.
Cons
Lack of staffing - never enough people available to handle all of the walk-in, call-in, and phone-in customer traffic. Too much emphasis on statistics and short-term numbers at the expense of good customer service. Too dependent on video-based teletraining. Changes in work rules due to legislation is a constant.