Leaving gov't for private industry....

[Anonymous]

I am so glad you posted this. I am in the EXACT same situation and just finished interviewing and have realized that I should just stay put. I have a flex schedule, the pay is decent, I can see my daughter at the end of the day and have been here eight years now. On the way back from the last interview I decided I shouldn't take it and your post helped to confirm. Perhaps job satisfaction is a journey and not a destination, in that you will find aspects of working anywhere that you love and some that you don't. If you keep looking for the perfect job, you may never find and would have given up what seems like a very comfortable situation. Good luck with whatever you do and congrats on being selected for an interview?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are also giving up your guaranteed pension-that is huge IMO. Plus really cheap and excellent benefits compared with what's average in the private sector. I think you'd be crazy to take the private job. GL with whatever you go.

PS-If you are really unhappy with your current responsibilities, you could always try to go with a different federal job.

Guaranteed pension?? That was our parents' generation. As a Fed we have the "Thrift Savings Plan'...like a 401k. Benefits, on the other hand, Fantastic!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are also giving up your guaranteed pension-that is huge IMO. Plus really cheap and excellent benefits compared with what's average in the private sector. I think you'd be crazy to take the private job. GL with whatever you go.

PS-If you are really unhappy with your current responsibilities, you could always try to go with a different federal job.

Guaranteed pension?? That was our parents' generation. As a Fed we have the "Thrift Savings Plan'...like a 401k. Benefits, on the other hand, Fantastic!

Psst.....you do have a pension. It's the FERS system. Google it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are also giving up your guaranteed pension-that is huge IMO. Plus really cheap and excellent benefits compared with what's average in the private sector. I think you'd be crazy to take the private job. GL with whatever you go.

PS-If you are really unhappy with your current responsibilities, you could always try to go with a different federal job.

Guaranteed pension?? That was our parents' generation. As a Fed we have the "Thrift Savings Plan'...like a 401k. Benefits, on the other hand, Fantastic!

Psst.....you do have a pension. It's the FERS system. Google it.

FERS is next to nothing for someone my age. Now my dad who is a retired fed employee after 37 years has a fantastic FERS pension (bascially his salary--but with increasing cost of health, etc benefits and no COL raises the last few years..it is being chipped away). Those of us born after 1970 do not get that cushy set-up.

[Anonymous]

I have done the opposite (like most people). I was in private practice and went to the Feds. I was always in small firms and there was no mentoring, no career training and if you didn't like the people you worked with tough luck. One firm went under and I lost my job at 3 months pregnant. Now I am in a big department, I have lots of training possibilities and I like my colleagues. Life-work balance is great. I would never take a job where I have to log back in after bringing the kids to bed. Good luck to you but I feel working for the government as a female is the best deal.

[Anonymous]

OP back

Thanks for the helpful replies. I've been in my current position 8 years, coming straight from school, and I think part of this is an itch for something new; I didnt expect to be here this long, and with no obvious opportunity here to change/move up it's daunting to think of another 22 years.

But the perspective about the kids still being young is useful. For the last 5 years I kept thinking, when DC gets to K....now I realize that it's just starting and the time constraints are probably going to get worse instead of better.

The private company said the right things about flexibility, but with the higher workload I'm probably looking for less work rather than more flexibility. So be it if that makes me lazy. The idea of losing my job is terrifying, and while the retirement beneftis doesn't bother me (I like FERS, but they have a match-program too), the threat of not being able to use accrud vacation is also worrisome.

I like being able to watch junk TiVo after they go to bed - pulling out my blackberry or laptop does not sound appealing. I guess i should cancel the interview rather than waste more of their time.



Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: the retirement beneftis doesn't bother me (I like FERS, but they have a match-program too)

OP - I meant that I like TSP, the 5% they match is better than nothing!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have done the opposite (like most people). I was in private practice and went to the Feds. I was always in small firms and there was no mentoring, no career training and if you didn't like the people you worked with tough luck. One firm went under and I lost my job at 3 months pregnant. Now I am in a big department, I have lots of training possibilities and I like my colleagues. Life-work balance is great. I would never take a job where I have to log back in after bringing the kids to bed. Good luck to you but I feel working for the government as a female is the best deal.

We had many women that left for private sector return to our agency after they had children. Due to intermittent hiring freezes it took longer for some of them to get back in.

[Anonymous]

We typically only hire from the government if needing contract connections because in reality their skills are lower and ares not used to long work hours