They’re in for a rude awakening.

WASHINGTON — Leah Phifer has long envisioned spending her life dedicated to public service. The 29-year-old Minnesota resident has been a civil servant for three years and is currently at the Department of Homeland Security. She’s starting a chapter of Young Government Leaders in her state and taking night classes to pursue a master’s degree in public policy.

But now, as she observes the squabbling and dysfunction in Congress, she’s thinking of pursuing another career path.

“I had never considered leaving federal service,” she told The Huffington Post. “But I have student loans to pay back. I want to buy a house. I want a life that doesn’t include biannual panic attacks over arbitrarily losing my job. So you asked if I’m considering leaving public service. In this climate, I ask you: How could I consider staying?”

Phifer should be exactly the type of person federal officials work to attract and retain. But lately, civil servants are more often castigated as overpaid bureaucrats. President Barack Obama sent a letter to federal workers on Tuesday lamenting that they have been treated as a “punching bag” and caught up in Congress’s disagreements.

Perhaps as a result, more and more dedicated civil servants are looking to leave government and find a job in the private sector.

“Most people I know are looking for new jobs,” said one Defense Department employee who requested anonymity to speak openly.