Tell Your Story: GS-15s Considering Quiting their Federal Government Jobs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I left because I topped out, and with 15 years left to work, it didn't make sense with what I could earn in the private sector to continue to sit and never make any more money aside from COLA. I wasn't interested in SES life.

This is exactly my story. Very glad I made the move.

That's surprising, you must be an attorney and got your GS15 in your 30s? Most GS15 are well into their 40s or 50s (though I guess you left when you were 45?). With ageism what jobs can you lateral to AND make more money at? I've tried to go private for almost a decade, but after 40 and a decade in the gov, the options have been limited and not worth changing (lateral pay for more demanding jobs and zero career progression discussed)

DP but same here - I am in my 30s. I was a fed atty, non-supervisory 15. I left in part bc it seemed easier at this age/stage than waiting another 5-10 yrs. I knew I didn't want to stay for my whole career, mostly due to specific issues with my office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I left because I topped out, and with 15 years left to work, it didn't make sense with what I could earn in the private sector to continue to sit and never make any more money aside from COLA. I wasn't interested in SES life.

This is exactly my story. Very glad I made the move.

That's surprising, you must be an attorney and got your GS15 in your 30s? Most GS15 are well into their 40s or 50s (though I guess you left when you were 45?). With ageism what jobs can you lateral to AND make more money at? I've tried to go private for almost a decade, but after 40 and a decade in the gov, the options have been limited and not worth changing (lateral pay for more demanding jobs and zero career progression discussed)

Niche scientific area. Made the move at 42.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was a GS-15/10 with cyberpay. $220k is certainly good money, but it was far from my earning potential. I might have been okay to continue at that earning level indefinitely except for:

1) A pretty painful work environment with a lot of focus on empire building rather than mission.
2) A high concentration of low EQ and/or low skill coworkers who we can't get rid of.
3) Inflation cutting into my pay and an increasing delta between my comp and earning potential.
4) No real upward mobility.

At a certain point, it all became too much and I bailed to industry. More than doubled my pay, reduced my stress, improved my career opportunities, and gained all the flexibility and accountability of a well-funded private sector firm. I'm very glad I made the move, but many govies wouldn't be successful in the transition.

Why wouldn't they be successful in transitioning?

It's a culture shift and not everybody can be successful in both domains. At an IC level it's less of an issue, but at a leadership level, most government leaders aren't well suited for the private sector. The skills/approaches/etc needed to be successful in each are different and don't always overlap.

[Anonymous]

I’ll offer a guardedly positive perspective. The pandemic allowed us to hire a few more people (we were office space-limited before, and during remote work could expand headcount). The CRs have always been a problem and looks like always will be. The hybrid environment works great since (in addition to hiring) we have people who live across the country, where it’s best for them. I’d say morale has done well the last few years.

But. We’re basically all non-sup GS15s and lots of us are at the top of the pay scale. There’s almost no mobility or advancement. Maybe one in ten or twenty might be able to get an SES position before retiring. All I can say is that it’s a good thing we’re doing noble fulfilling work or else more of us would leave.

[Anonymous]

this is easy. no one feels sorry for capped GS-15s, but the pay has fallen so extremely far below what is available in the private sector. if your family HHI is only 1 GS-15 salary, it doesnt go very far and is at times pretty challenging in this high COL area

[Anonymous]

If someone wanted to better manage government this is a good place to start. I’m self motivated but it’s hard to imagine exceling the same job for 20 more years with only COLAs.

[Anonymous]

I can't imagine leaving a high paying fed job later in ones career, just because of the pension. It's a non-linear payoff (greater) for each additional year because of how the salary moves the high 3. That is unless you came in very high, but I know I didn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If someone wanted to better manage government this is a good place to start. I’m self motivated but it’s hard to imagine exceling the same job for 20 more years with only COLAs.

This is me too. What’s the point of working harder and faster? There’s no payoff.

[Anonymous]

Yeah I’m in this mix. Not sure yet what I’ll do. I am early 40s and want to work part time as my spouse has a big job and our kids are young. I don’t even care what the job is at this point. I have an excellent reputation and will happily do lower level work if it means I can stay. But Usg makes part time practically impossible to find. Especially for people who are actually very experienced and have a lot to offer. It’s like if they can’t have me 10 hrs a day they don’t want me. I’m trying to figure out what to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:this is easy. no one feels sorry for capped GS-15s, but the pay has fallen so extremely far below what is available in the private sector. if your family HHI is only 1 GS-15 salary, it doesnt go very far and is at times pretty challenging in this high COL area

Yes, my DH is a GS-15, and when he first got the job 15 years ago it seemed like a good salary. Now with inflation it seems too low for being at director level in this HCOL area, even with the step level increases. It’s hard to believe that the top pay level is barely enough to support a family in this area. He’s focused on the job stability, though, so he will never leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:this is easy. no one feels sorry for capped GS-15s, but the pay has fallen so extremely far below what is available in the private sector. if your family HHI is only 1 GS-15 salary, it doesnt go very far and is at times pretty challenging in this high COL area

Yes, my DH is a GS-15, and when he first got the job 15 years ago it seemed like a good salary. Now with inflation it seems too low for being at director level in this HCOL area, even with the step level increases. It’s hard to believe that the top pay level is barely enough to support a family in this area. He’s focused on the job stability, though, so he will never leave.

Can’t you work?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If someone wanted to better manage government this is a good place to start. I’m self motivated but it’s hard to imagine exceling the same job for 20 more years with only COLAs.

Then youre not really SELF-motivated, you are money-motivated. Just be honest about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah I’m in this mix. Not sure yet what I’ll do. I am early 40s and want to work part time as my spouse has a big job and our kids are young. I don’t even care what the job is at this point. I have an excellent reputation and will happily do lower level work if it means I can stay. But Usg makes part time practically impossible to find. Especially for people who are actually very experienced and have a lot to offer. It’s like if they can’t have me 10 hrs a day they don’t want me. I’m trying to figure out what to do.

Go private part-time and then back to gvt later, if that is what yiu want

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:this is easy. no one feels sorry for capped GS-15s, but the pay has fallen so extremely far below what is available in the private sector. if your family HHI is only 1 GS-15 salary, it doesnt go very far and is at times pretty challenging in this high COL area

Yes, my DH is a GS-15, and when he first got the job 15 years ago it seemed like a good salary. Now with inflation it seems too low for being at director level in this HCOL area, even with the step level increases. It’s hard to believe that the top pay level is barely enough to support a family in this area. He’s focused on the job stability, though, so he will never leave.

Can’t you work?

PP here. I do work. I wish I didn’t have to! I’m just pointing out that the value of the compensation has decreased over time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If someone wanted to better manage government this is a good place to start. I’m self motivated but it’s hard to imagine exceling the same job for 20 more years with only COLAs.

Then youre not really SELF-motivated, you are money-motivated. Just be honest about it.

If I was money motivated I made horribly bad career choices! I meant more mission motivated. And maybe that’s enough for 20 more years. But it’s still hard to fathom.