Advice on whether to jump ship

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Career fed manager GS15 supervising 12 people. It’s policy work that has become extremely political (think climate change, immigration, reproductive rights in healthcare etc). My team is amazing, my supervisors are awesome, my salary is great especially since the raise, and I’m fully remote. I love my job, but I feel like all of these factors (being a supervisor in a policy role on a highly politicized issue) makes me vulnerable to a layoff in a Trump administration.

This is on everyone’s mind at work. All of my subordinates are concerned. My immediate supervisor let slip that she’s considering looking, if she hasn’t already.

I recently saw that my former mentor now runs a small (tiny) NGO and he’s hiring. The job is WFH. The salary is not reported but public filings show a director making 70k less than I do now, and a senior director making 30k less. (The job advertised is for a Director).

My old mentor is a very well respected person. I’m pretty sure the role is cushy. Maybe the decline in salary would be worth the (hopefully) better work life balance. (Though my busy days are very fulfilling maybe a change of pace would be better).

I’m a single parent to a special needs child. I have savings but I have a big mortgage too. I’d really like to keep a remote position.

I need to decide ASAP if I’m going to reach out to him on this. Do you think I should go for the new position?

TLR should I take a huge pay cut into a secure remote roll so I have some job security in the event Trump wins?

I feel for you and have been thinking about some of the same things. I am a career SES who pissed off some of the last Trump appointees by refusing to do some things that were legally questionable. I know I’m on some list of insufficiently loyal deep state people.

We have a year before they could come back, and they’re less than 50% likely to win so my plan is to sit tight and wait for now. It’s a scary time to be a fed though, I’m very sympathetic.

[Anonymous]

Trump isn't going to win, so stick with your current job

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Trump isn't going to win, so stick with your current job

This is what I thought in 2016. You might want to make some contingency plans.

[Anonymous]

Jump ship if you can't get junior management back you