To be totally honest, which I can because this is an anonymous forum... I feel a bit self-righteous as a GS-15 compared to my peers in the private sector making boatloads more money than me. I'm a lawyer so I don't know whether it's the same for other positions, but it's damn hard to get this gig. Lots of lawyers working at firms would give anything to have this job, but wouldn't make the cut.

OP, you sound a lot like my DH. For the first 5-7 years he was a fed, his sense of mission and work made him feel like it was fine that he was making less than his peers (he was in biglaw before and took a paycut to go into the fed gov). Then he moved up in his agency, and soured on the sense of mission as he saw how politics played into his work. Before that he definitely felt like he had great work life balance, good colleagues in the gov, and felt like he was doing good in the world and that his gov job was a great career opportunity.

Once DH lost the sense of mission in his gov job, he became more focused on the financial aspects of his job, and more keenly aware that his former biglaw colleagues were making more. Eventually this combination drove him back to private practice/biglaw, and (honestly) he is MUCH, MUCH happier than he was as a fed.

You don't directly talk about this, but has something changed in the way you feel about your work that might be making you more sensitive to you higher-paid non-fed friends? If it is about more than just the money, you might want to examine if you could have a more fulfilling career outside of the gov.

Anonymous wrote:so, I can't say I ever felt that way, exactly, and I've been a fed my whole career, but none of my friends are the sort to bash feds.

now, I do vividly remember going out with some of my law school buddies from NYU when I had been a fed for about a year, and they were discussing their salaries and bonuses. as a new GS-12 or whatever I was then, it was daunting to realize my classmates were making basically more than 3 times my salary already. which I knew would be the case; it was just somehow shocking anyway.

anyway, it no longer shocks or worries me when I hear these things, and I live comfortably as a GS-15. I get to do pretty darned amazing things, and see my family. I know what my friends gave up for their salaries, and 10 years down the road, many of them have since gotten out.

This is a great perspective!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
That's because you spend too much time on DCUM and are the victim of the Trump culture of bashing feds.

I have a spouse working at NIH. Some of these researchers work 80 hour weeks or MORE.
Many of them are much lower than GS-15.

The idea that all Federal workers are lazy and overpaid for what they do is insidious and unfair.

To be fair, there was a lot of fed bashing under Obama. Bush was the last one I thought who somewhat cared.

I think feds did fairly well under Bush due to pay parity and matching the raises the military received.

But didn't he have a long hiring freeze in many parts which just added to the workload of the existing Feds?

Op here. Didn't want this to get political. Appreciate some of the other comments. I also have to remember that I'm playing the long game. Good job, family balance, health coverage, pension, etc.

so, I can't say I ever felt that way, exactly, and I've been a fed my whole career, but none of my friends are the sort to bash feds.

now, I do vividly remember going out with some of my law school buddies from NYU when I had been a fed for about a year, and they were discussing their salaries and bonuses. as a new GS-12 or whatever I was then, it was daunting to realize my classmates were making basically more than 3 times my salary already. which I knew would be the case; it was just somehow shocking anyway.

anyway, it no longer shocks or worries me when I hear these things, and I live comfortably as a GS-15. I get to do pretty darned amazing things, and see my family. I know what my friends gave up for their salaries, and 10 years down the road, many of them have since gotten out.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
That's because you spend too much time on DCUM and are the victim of the Trump culture of bashing feds.

I have a spouse working at NIH. Some of these researchers work 80 hour weeks or MORE.
Many of them are much lower than GS-15.

The idea that all Federal workers are lazy and overpaid for what they do is insidious and unfair.

To be fair, there was a lot of fed bashing under Obama. Bush was the last one I thought who somewhat cared.

It felt different, and not as virulent. Here we have a President with a very violent way of communicating, and it makes people's inner demons come out, since they now think it's OK.

hold up now I'm confused as an actual hard working fed who cares don't you want to get rid of the lifers who don't do or contribute anything?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
That's because you spend too much time on DCUM and are the victim of the Trump culture of bashing feds.

I have a spouse working at NIH. Some of these researchers work 80 hour weeks or MORE.
Many of them are much lower than GS-15.

The idea that all Federal workers are lazy and overpaid for what they do is insidious and unfair.

To be fair, there was a lot of fed bashing under Obama. Bush was the last one I thought who somewhat cared.

It felt different, and not as virulent. Here we have a President with a very violent way of communicating, and it makes people's inner demons come out, since they now think it's OK.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
That's because you spend too much time on DCUM and are the victim of the Trump culture of bashing feds.

I have a spouse working at NIH. Some of these researchers work 80 hour weeks or MORE.
Many of them are much lower than GS-15.

The idea that all Federal workers are lazy and overpaid for what they do is insidious and unfair.

To be fair, there was a lot of fed bashing under Obama. Bush was the last one I thought who somewhat cared.

I think feds did fairly well under Bush due to pay parity and matching the raises the military received.

Another 15 here. To me it's lose of tech skills... All of my work is papers/emails/meetings. I've become a generalist over the years.

Anonymous wrote:
That's because you spend too much time on DCUM and are the victim of the Trump culture of bashing feds.

I have a spouse working at NIH. Some of these researchers work 80 hour weeks or MORE.
Many of them are much lower than GS-15.

The idea that all Federal workers are lazy and overpaid for what they do is insidious and unfair.

To be fair, there was a lot of fed bashing under Obama. Bush was the last one I thought who somewhat cared.

Anonymous wrote:I know this is probably more of a self-worth issue, but sometimes I feel less accomplished (almost inferior) to my friends who make more outside the government. I have a good job with decent work life balance, am respected, and believe in my agency's mission. I know that money should not be the value of someone's worth, but it's easy to lose perspective around here. Just needed an anonymous vent for a moment.

Eh grass is always greener and might want to stay off of DCUM for a while easy to lose perspective by coming here too much

That's because you spend too much time on DCUM and are the victim of the Trump culture of bashing feds.

I have a spouse working at NIH. Some of these researchers work 80 hour weeks or MORE.
Many of them are much lower than GS-15.

The idea that all Federal workers are lazy and overpaid for what they do is insidious and unfair.

Of course it's a self-worth issue.

There's plenty of GS-15s who don't feel inferior. Some of us left higher paying consulting gigs because we didn't want to keep selling the government overpriced services it didn't need and we wanted do our part to prevent millions of dollars of waste. We feel damn superior.

I know this is probably more of a self-worth issue, but sometimes I feel less accomplished (almost inferior) to my friends who make more outside the government. I have a good job with decent work life balance, am respected, and believe in my agency's mission. I know that money should not be the value of someone's worth, but it's easy to lose perspective around here. Just needed an anonymous vent for a moment.