Where to start for mid-50’s fed entering private sector for the first time?

[Anonymous]

Spouse has been a fed for 33 years. DOGE was devastating. He worked 60-70 hour weeks regularly. And while it’s been much better for his mental health to be away from the absolute chaos that his agency had become under this administration, it’s been financial devastating for us and he is in a black hole of paralysis. And we have bills to pay.

I work full time but we have a young child and a mortgage and planned for both of us to work another 8 years at least. He needs to start over. Do you have any tips for how he can even begin to work on his resume and get support for this transition?

I’m used to hustling through several career changes but DH was a very specialized person in his field and just rose through the ranks kind of organically to a GS-15 position. He was not ambitious; in fact, he requested a demotion in the year before DOGE to a non-supervisory position just to focus on his area of expertise and not have the stress of managing people. He thought he would just keep working his a** off in that role until retirement. And now…what?

Just as during COVID I realized I am a good mom but can’t be my kid’s best teacher, I know I can be a good wife but can’t be my DH’s career coach….he freezes and just puts his head in the sand and procrastinates. How can I help him even to begin to explore new options and get basic help on private sector searching?

[Anonymous]

What did he do and what agency? We can maybe help brainstorm with more info.

[Anonymous]

It depends entirely upon expertise and agency. I know this from experience at ED. You can’ t move into private sector.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What did he do and what agency? We can maybe help brainstorm with more info.

+1, need to know his field and expertise. Or something he enjoys but hasn't previously been paid for.

[Anonymous]

Since he had 33 years as a Fed and is 55, was he able to take retirement? Fed retirement isn’t as great as some say, but it’s decent. He gets a pension and health care- the latter being huge.

I know every situation is different, but I’m similar to your husband and took early fed retirement. I have almost given up on full-time work, which I am very OK with, and just doing some freelance/gig work. It’s all very part-time and doesn’t pay a ton, but it’s pretty liberating having a free schedule and being able to do what you want is so much better than being in an office full-time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Spouse has been a fed for 33 years. DOGE was devastating. He worked 60-70 hour weeks regularly. And while it’s been much better for his mental health to be away from the absolute chaos that his agency had become under this administration, it’s been financial devastating for us and he is in a black hole of paralysis. And we have bills to pay.

I work full time but we have a young child and a mortgage and planned for both of us to work another 8 years at least. He needs to start over. Do you have any tips for how he can even begin to work on his resume and get support for this transition?

I’m used to hustling through several career changes but DH was a very specialized person in his field and just rose through the ranks kind of organically to a GS-15 position. He was not ambitious; in fact, he requested a demotion in the year before DOGE to a non-supervisory position just to focus on his area of expertise and not have the stress of managing people. He thought he would just keep working his a** off in that role until retirement. And now…what?

Just as during COVID I realized I am a good mom but can’t be my kid’s best teacher, I know I can be a good wife but can’t be my DH’s career coach….he freezes and just puts his head in the sand and procrastinates. How can I help him even to begin to explore new options and get basic help on private sector searching?

You work full time. You husband worked 33 years and has a massive Pension and medical in retirement. Why does he need to work at all? Just cancel childcare, he does home repairs, mows lawn, makes dinner and you work.

[Anonymous]

I also wonder why he can't take his pension after 33 years.

However, if he has expertise, can't he start a consulting business. Reach out to contacts. Start small, make his services affordable compared to paying a big firm.

Are there firms that incorporate what he does? Can he reach out to any of those?

[Anonymous]

Also curious why OP’s spouse isn’t retired? If full retirement isn’t an option, maybe a low-stress part-time job, coupled with Fed pension and healthcare, would be the thing to do?

A 33-year Fed and being a GS15 is a pretty good gig. That said, depending on the field I’m not sure how well this transitions to the private sector? I’m a former Fed, so I don’t want to brow beat Feds, but 33 years with an employer and being 55 might be frowned on, especially if OP’s spouse is looking for similar pay- I thing 15s make almost 200k.

[Anonymous]

How do you have a young child at 55? Are you like 2 decades older?

Why was DOGE financially devastating? He wasnt fired. He just keeps working until RIF, then he gets full pension and medical, then can work at Starbucks or something and the combined earnings with pension will be close to a GS15

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do you have a young child at 55? Are you like 2 decades older?

Why was DOGE financially devastating? He wasnt fired. He just keeps working until RIF, then he gets full pension and medical, then can work at Starbucks or something and the combined earnings with pension will be close to a GS15

Starbucks is probably real work. Signed former Fed.