Assume you have a choice between two jobs…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NIH is far saner than HHS or FDA.

OP. Yes I agree. But agency 2 is not HHS or FDA. I’d be switching Departments completely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Remote remote remote with the possibility for advancement and staying in the competitive service.

(Unless position 2 is at some really cool agency like the smithsonian, in which case I would 100% live out my indiana jones dreams and be a baby panda researcher or whatever.)

Ha! There are some that would say position 2 is at a really cool agency. I’ve just never dreamed of working there or anything (it’s not the Smithsonian). This is OP and I appreciate the input.

So it is NASA. Cool, very cool, except I agree I might feel a little odd to be the only person in office who did not grow up with the dream to be an astronaut.

[Anonymous]

I’m also considering two jobs, 1 excepted service and the other competitive.Is there a big difference / cons to excepted? I’m aware of the definitional differences but I’m more curious about how it plays out in practice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m also considering two jobs, 1 excepted service and the other competitive.Is there a big difference / cons to excepted? I’m aware of the definitional differences but I’m more curious about how it plays out in practice.

OP. The cons to excepted that I am worried about are: 1) harder to get promoted (at least that’s what I read about the position I am considering) and 2) hard to return to the competitive service if you want to in future. Although I would be eligible for reinstatement.

There is a general sense that it is easier for you to be let go if you are excepted. But I don’t know any cases of that actually happening among people I know who are excepted service

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Remote remote remote with the possibility for advancement and staying in the competitive service.

(Unless position 2 is at some really cool agency like the smithsonian, in which case I would 100% live out my indiana jones dreams and be a baby panda researcher or whatever.)

Ha! There are some that would say position 2 is at a really cool agency. I’ve just never dreamed of working there or anything (it’s not the Smithsonian). This is OP and I appreciate the input.

So it is NASA. Cool, very cool, except I agree I might feel a little odd to be the only person in office who did not grow up with the dream to be an astronaut.

I’m at NASA and didn’t dream to be an astronaut and it’s not weird at all. Great place to work. I’m also in a GS15 non-sup and was promoted here at a similar life stage as you, OP. If I hadn’t had the opportunity to be promoted from a 14 I’d have left by now. Being stuck in one place for more than a decade feels intolerable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Remote remote remote with the possibility for advancement and staying in the competitive service.

(Unless position 2 is at some really cool agency like the smithsonian, in which case I would 100% live out my indiana jones dreams and be a baby panda researcher or whatever.)

Ha! There are some that would say position 2 is at a really cool agency. I’ve just never dreamed of working there or anything (it’s not the Smithsonian). This is OP and I appreciate the input.

So it is NASA. Cool, very cool, except I agree I might feel a little odd to be the only person in office who did not grow up with the dream to be an astronaut.

I’m at NASA and didn’t dream to be an astronaut and it’s not weird at all. Great place to work. I’m also in a GS15 non-sup and was promoted here at a similar life stage as you, OP. If I hadn’t had the opportunity to be promoted from a 14 I’d have left by now. Being stuck in one place for more than a decade feels intolerable.

OP. NIH (where I've been for a decade) is the place where I have the promotion potential to GS-15. Also, while I've been at the agency for a decade, I have not been in the same job or even the same Institute within NIH for a decade. The reason I'm considering leaving is because the other job would be much closer to home in the event we get called back into the office. Also, the position may be easier since it is non-supervisory, but not sure about that.

I am worried about never getting promoted again though. Also, the second position is not at NASA. I'm struggling because overall I have been happy at NIH and not sure if leaving would be a good move. Worried that if I leave and hate it, I couldn't get back in because of the change from competitve to excepted service.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The first one because that sounds like it will make you happiest, you believe in the mission and it has growth potential. Your kids are only little for a minute - I think it’s a bad idea to make a whole life decision around that if you don’t have to.

BS, kids are "little" for a minute, but they are pretty hands on until they can drive themselves (at 16 if your kid is capable, later if they typical Gen Z).

It actually gets worse as they get older, they have more activities, more homework, summer programs or camps, maybe jobs you need to drive them to. Then there's applying to program, summer camps, and eventually college.

Daycare was a dream compared to that, except for the cost.

As OP is a Fed, I'm assuming a driving nanny would break the bank.

Stick with option 1. 4 day Telework is worth supervising, and it sounds like the small pay bump in GS15 might be worth it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The first one because that sounds like it will make you happiest, you believe in the mission and it has growth potential. Your kids are only little for a minute - I think it’s a bad idea to make a whole life decision around that if you don’t have to.

BS, kids are "little" for a minute, but they are pretty hands on until they can drive themselves (at 16 if your kid is capable, later if they typical Gen Z).

It actually gets worse as they get older, they have more activities, more homework, summer programs or camps, maybe jobs you need to drive them to. Then there's applying to program, summer camps, and eventually college.

Daycare was a dream compared to that, except for the cost.

As OP is a Fed, I'm assuming a driving nanny would break the bank.

Stick with option 1. 4 day Telework is worth supervising, and it sounds like the small pay bump in GS15 might be worth it.

This is OP. Thanks for your thoughts. I can already tell things will get harder as they get older. In less than 2 weeks, soccer starts up again, and kids have practices (between the two of them) three days a week and then games on Saturdays. It's a lot!