Were lots of DC-area professionals overpaid?

[Anonymous]

There's a story in the NY Times about the dramatic decline in fortunes of some workers following the collapse of USAID. This is not to be harsh, but if you were making $272,000 a year at a nonprofit, and now you're interviewing for $19-an-hour retail jobs, isn't that a clear indication from the broader job market that you were overpaid?

[Anonymous]

yes thats an insane amount to be paid for usaid

[Anonymous]

As soon as I saw the subject line, I knew it was about this article.

[Anonymous]

Yes. But also non profits have higher salaries at the top level specifically because they are non profits. Other businesses distribute profits as bonuses or are publically traded so those profits are dividends.

[Anonymous]

A nonprofit? Wasn't USAID an agency? What am I missing?

[Anonymous]

That is crazy. From a pay capped GS 15 attorney with 20 years

[Anonymous]

The job market is, and always has been, tough for 57 year old senior VPs.

[Anonymous]

No.

It's "a clear indication" that the market changes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As soon as I saw the subject line, I knew it was about this article.

+1

That article was not a good look - I was also surprised how few job applications people submitted. I was laid off last year and had to apply to 300 jobs before I got an offer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A nonprofit? Wasn't USAID an agency? What am I missing?

The nonprofit was funded by USAID. Without that funding, it collapsed.

[Anonymous]

It’s a clickbait article, especially with that headline. Sure, some people were overpaid as they are in many sectors of the economy.

But lots of federal jobs are necessary and beneficial to our country without a private sector equivalent. That’s why former feds are struggling to translate their work experience to other jobs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A nonprofit? Wasn't USAID an agency? What am I missing?

Read the article. Even the headline makes it clear that this person did not work for USAID proper.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s a clickbait article, especially with that headline. Sure, some people were overpaid as they are in many sectors of the economy.

But lots of federal jobs are necessary and beneficial to our country without a private sector equivalent. That’s why former feds are struggling to translate their work experience to other jobs.

This woman is an outlier with her high pay.

[Anonymous]

A 57 year old not finding a new equivalent job after a layoff is not a new thing.

[Anonymous]

Get back to us when your whole industry goes away, OP.