Should I take a big pay cut for a government job offer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you’re going to travel and have you live abroad, you will do it early and the government will pick up your expenses - housing, etc. After a few years your new salary will have moved up and if you are smart, you will have banked much of your earlier salary. It’s apples and oranges. I took a job like that and in my low earning years I lived on the government’s dime. Came home and had a downpayment saved.

OP here - yep, I'm very aware of the government benefits while living abroad. I do have those sorts of options in my current job as well but of course huge prestige difference in being a contractor vs. 'real' government employee.

Definitely struggling with this choice as this offer was a life-long dream of mine but the pay cut just feels insulting.

Well, right now I’m getting paid and our contractors are not if they don’t have a generous company, and most of them are not. Looks like they’re bringing you in at an 11 or 12. That’s normal for entry. You will get past that fairly quickly.

I know $135k sounds like a lot, but you will top,out in contractor land.

Yes, coming in at an 11 equivalent with automatic advancement to 12 after a year. Thus far, my contract is completely unaffected by the pandemic and the situation will likely create more opportunities in my field. Mulling it over, but leaning toward taking the offer. Just not really at the age where a pay cut makes sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Negotiate. This is an offer.

OP should try and she may get a bit more, but there isn’t usually a whole lot of room with government offers.

Exactly - I negotiated with references to the agency's own published guidance and they got back to me and said they had decided they weren't going to follow it anymore and everybody would get the same offer with no negotiation allowed.

[Anonymous]

Is there promotion potential. I came in as a 13, which was $87k or so at the time. But it was a 13/14 position so I bumped up to 14 after a year.

If not a ladder position, I would say no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there promotion potential. I came in as a 13, which was $87k or so at the time. But it was a 13/14 position so I bumped up to 14 after a year.

If not a ladder position, I would say no.

It's promotable up to 15 / SES but everything above 12 is via competitive board promotion. From starting at 11, I get the sense it would take 3-4 years to hit 13 equivalent. I'm old and overqualified so maybe it would go faster for me.

[Anonymous]

I had that choice and I pushed for a salary match from my agency and they were to do it but it took a while. My case could have been unique but I do see that for hard to fill positions.

FYI - if you have never been fed before then the contribution towards your pension has gone up since 2012. It's now 4.3% of your salary as compared to 0.8% prior to 2012. Their 401K, TSP is excellent though with very low fees. The difference would add up quickly if you ended up working there a decade or more.

In addition, it's always easier to become contractor but relatively tough to become a GovE. Good Luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you’re going to travel and have you live abroad, you will do it early and the government will pick up your expenses - housing, etc. After a few years your new salary will have moved up and if you are smart, you will have banked much of your earlier salary. It’s apples and oranges. I took a job like that and in my low earning years I lived on the government’s dime. Came home and had a downpayment saved.

OP here - yep, I'm very aware of the government benefits while living abroad. I do have those sorts of options in my current job as well but of course huge prestige difference in being a contractor vs. 'real' government employee.

Definitely struggling with this choice as this offer was a life-long dream of mine but the pay cut just feels insulting.

Is it just you? Do you have a significant other? Kids?

If it’s a lifelong dream, negotiate the offer. Build that bridge of what you need and what the employer needs. I wouldn’t get hung up on the numbers per se.

[Anonymous]

F&ck the foreign service. It is not a “dream job” unless you want to be humiliated and sexually harassed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you’re going to travel and have you live abroad, you will do it early and the government will pick up your expenses - housing, etc. After a few years your new salary will have moved up and if you are smart, you will have banked much of your earlier salary. It’s apples and oranges. I took a job like that and in my low earning years I lived on the government’s dime. Came home and had a downpayment saved.

OP here - yep, I'm very aware of the government benefits while living abroad. I do have those sorts of options in my current job as well but of course huge prestige difference in being a contractor vs. 'real' government employee.

Definitely struggling with this choice as this offer was a life-long dream of mine but the pay cut just feels insulting.

Is it just you? Do you have a significant other? Kids?

If it’s a lifelong dream, negotiate the offer. Build that bridge of what you need and what the employer needs. I wouldn’t get hung up on the numbers per se.

Just me and my partner but she has a very legit career and there is no way in hell I would ask her to be a "trailing spouse" and take some bullshit job abroad or permanently sacrifice her career. So would have to figure that one out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:F&ck the foreign service. It is not a “dream job” unless you want to be humiliated and sexually harassed.

Curious to hear more on this.

[Anonymous]

Nope. 35-45 is prime money making years after that hen yes a less competitive and stable job (if haven't risen to C suite).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:F&ck the foreign service. It is not a “dream job” unless you want to be humiliated and sexually harassed.

Curious to hear more on this.

Not the PP but can confirm it’s rampant. The “up or out” competitive promotion system means lower ranked people are terrified to say anything. I saw extreme abuse in the FS.

[Anonymous]

The issue in gov't contracting -- if you are not the key staff, you top out quickly.

Event the top staff top out.

Essentially, it is easy to get to 140K today, but very few get to 200K.

In Gov't contracting, you have no security -- even key staff are 100% dependent on the projects.

On the other hand, a 50K cut is huge.

(I did not make the jump about 10 years ago; I was making 150K, and offered a 13 step 5. It was the right decision for me).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:F&ck the foreign service. It is not a “dream job” unless you want to be humiliated and sexually harassed.

Curious to hear more on this.

Not the PP but can confirm it’s rampant. The “up or out” competitive promotion system means lower ranked people are terrified to say anything. I saw extreme abuse in the FS.

One of the countries would have foreign service Men give the incoming female FSOs a “score” based on smile, a$$, hair and the fourth criterion was scored after they sleep with you. Had a person ask me if my spouse would be alright with us sharing a bed on TDY. I reported it—even still have the emails—and nothing happened.


THEN HE WAS ON MY PROMOTION BOARD!

[Anonymous]

I went from $79k to $161k in 5 years in govt. I took a cut to get my foot in the door. It might be worth it!

[Anonymous]

Do your write proposals OP? Is your name in the proposals as key personnel?