We are still hiring new grads at my DoD contractor for about $80-90k. Citizens though.
Our smes top out around $190 unless you go management.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just got an interview for a job in program management for a federal contractor that required:
- 15+ years of experience in fed systems integration
- MBA
- PMP certification
- Active secret clearance
- SME knowledge in data centers

All hard and fast requirements.

This would be simultaneously managing 10+ data center equipment installations in the IC world.

Okay, so far so good. The salary they had budgeted? $115k.

Is anyone else seeing offered salaries ground down to 90s levels? Maybe due to the flood of ex-feds in the marketplace?

This is a very expensive place to live. High home prices, high rent, etc. New cars cost $50k. Child care can be $1,700+ a month. Kids activities cost a fortune. Food, electricity, mobile phone, student loans.

$115k for a mid career professional doesn't cut it. Not by a long shot.

Except it does not mean Mid Career. Someone laid of at 59 with a SAHM wife, kids in college still on family medical plan, still saving for retirement mayb have a paid off house paid off car, obvious no child care costs, no student loans. He might jump on a 115K job if a good medical plan and a good 401k match. If he finds better he leaves, if not he stays. with a small raise that is $120,000 which is 10K a month pay with medical and a 401k. Not working medical insurance can run up to $36,000 with dental and vision on a family plan and he lose out on that 10K a mont salary and he be pulling from 401k instead of putting in. Plus he have no short term or long term disability if not working.

My old job that paid low they put 7-15 years experience, MBA, maybe CPA and wanted you working BIG at Mgt level or higher and worked at big name brand companies, IBM, Apple, Microsoft, JP Morgan, Goldman, PwC etc and they get plenty of guys 55-64 willing to do it until they found better or just last rodeo.

But few mid career people with that level of experience 35-52 would do it. They had bills to pay and not yet at point of career age bias hits them.

AND DC is NOT an expensive place to live at all depending on age. I have plenty of neighbors married younger then me at 55 sitting in paid off house, paid off cars, kids already out of college more than happy to take a job with a pay cut if unemployed. They already earned their big money and their big bills are long gone.

it is like Manhattan people are always shocked how little average rent or monthly housing costs are for a lot of people. Anyone who bought their place or rented a rent stabalized apt in the 1970s to around end of 2001 and stayed it is pretty cheap to live. Like under $1,000 a month for many. People moving there in 2026 and buying at 2026 prices or renting at 2026 prices dont get double pay cause of sky high housing. Life is not fair. My school teacher relative has a Brownstone in Park Slope she bought in 1978 for peanuts and owns mortgage free. Since a SFH with no recent resales her property tax also low. Her new neighbors are all investment bankers, law partners, traders on wall street, tech millionaires. But that is life. BTW whe paid $40,000 in a tax lien sale in 1978.

Anonymous wrote:Sr Business Analyst with direct reports & I was laid off from a 160k position last spring. Finding these 100k+ jobs is very, very difficult. I can't find anything close to what I was making. The jobs in my range are all director+ level, which I would like to do, but my previous title holds me back. I apply and get ghosted. The only call backs I get are for BA positions that pay 70-90. It's so rough out there.

We hired senior business analysts for 80 to 90 k in 2019 and 2020.

And then h1bs for same for 70k to 85k

Where could you possibly get that much?

Probably some place like Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae that overpay business side

Anonymous wrote:Sr Business Analyst with direct reports & I was laid off from a 160k position last spring. Finding these 100k+ jobs is very, very difficult. I can't find anything close to what I was making. The jobs in my range are all director+ level, which I would like to do, but my previous title holds me back. I apply and get ghosted. The only call backs I get are for BA positions that pay 70-90. It's so rough out there.

If you are experienced with direct reports you are definitely a contender for Director positions.
As a hiring manager I didn't pay attention to titles- I knew they were BS! I wasn't impressed with a youngish person that was a VP or Director applying to a Manager position, because industry (Finance) was all over the place.

I hope you find a way to get through the filters because that's probably what's holding you back. A real person with a brain on the other end--no problem.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just got an interview for a job in program management for a federal contractor that required:
- 15+ years of experience in fed systems integration
- MBA
- PMP certification
- Active secret clearance
- SME knowledge in data centers

All hard and fast requirements.

This would be simultaneously managing 10+ data center equipment installations in the IC world.

Okay, so far so good. The salary they had budgeted? $115k.

Is anyone else seeing offered salaries ground down to 90s levels? Maybe due to the flood of ex-feds in the marketplace?

This is a very expensive place to live. High home prices, high rent, etc. New cars cost $50k. Child care can be $1,700+ a month. Kids activities cost a fortune. Food, electricity, mobile phone, student loans.

$115k for a mid career professional doesn't cut it. Not by a long shot.

That’s how deflation starts.

Many of the providers of the people who made $200,000 will have to cut their prices or shut down.

And we haven’t yet even felt much of the impact of the world hating us. Once that kicks in, many more jobs with $200,000 salaries will go away.

Anonymous wrote:I don't feel so bad making $110k at 50. It's peanut for many of you here, but in this economy some of you will be lucky to make this salary if you are laid off from $200k+ job.

Exactly. Those jobs are few and far between. Good luck 'yall.

Sr Business Analyst with direct reports & I was laid off from a 160k position last spring. Finding these 100k+ jobs is very, very difficult. I can't find anything close to what I was making. The jobs in my range are all director+ level, which I would like to do, but my previous title holds me back. I apply and get ghosted. The only call backs I get are for BA positions that pay 70-90. It's so rough out there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is not the company’s job to over pay you as you have high bills.

I worked at an amazing company once 830 am to 430 pm job, subsidized cafeteria, great 401k match, job security, amazing health insurance. The catch pay was 1/2 of other companies.

Our workforce was largely people under 30 lived at home, people over 55 laid off and needed steady income and health insurance till 65 and “semi” stay at home Moms 30-50 who wanted low areas job with great health insurance and most lived close to office.

We used to joke
what do you say to an employee quitting for higher pay at 30?
See you at 55.

I worked there when single loved it. Plenty time to date, go get MBA at night, hang out happy hours and when got engaged quit as needed more salary to afford buying a house, wedding having kids.


Guess what I had a high stress high pay job from 34-60. Now I am at a BS job semi non profit lower pay waiting till retirement date.

My current job the demographic is just my my job 30 years ago. We post VP level and SVP jobs around 100k less than market. And people 52-62 laid off facing age discrimination gladly take them. And our junior role kids out of JMU, Towson type college with B averages gladly take lower paid job, get experience and move on,

Ok, except in the current job market, the salary is low, most places aren't remote anymore and the benefits are terrible. Be grateful you're almost to retirement. We were on track to retire early-ish but not anymore.

The job market is not bad it, is the same. The Hard jobs, in person, long hours, with travel with lots of credentials required still pay a lot. Trouble is I will tell people go to Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or Capital One in DC area for higher pay they are like it is in person, they make you do a lot of work, very political, no job security, higher stress, longer hours or I tell them move to NYC go to Goldman, JP Morgan or join a FAANNG with RSUS and they are like oh no Nivida, Amazon, will make me work a ton of hours and have strick KPIs if I dont meet could lose job.

Well dude thats life. There is also problem they have mediocore resumes. Went to second tier college, worked at no name companies, have no certifications, weak networking skills and want high pay 9-5 jobs that are 3-4 days remote. Yea in 2021/2022 in red hot job market they existed for a brief period. It is 2026 if you want high pay it is in person, high stress and long hours.

It sounds like this pointing to leaving the coasts and HCOL areas.

While you might make a little less in a lower COL area, the housing cost alone will more than make up that difference.

The housings costs are in a way less when I was in NYC than DC. Because property taxes on large houses sky high by in NYC surburbs and first tier public schools home prices were sky high it was acceptable to live in a small split or cape in a second or third tier neighborhood here in DC that is not. In NYC in 2012 I had a paid off split level of 1,300 sf, two used cars, a small plot close to train and mowed my own lawn and with property taxes of $600 a month and a 300K salary was doing great. Moved to DC and that is not a thing. Dont know why. My neighors were CPAs, Lawyers, worked on Wall Street in my town mixed in blue collar people and older people. Job loss or getting less pay at work was as big an issue. I have neighbors now making 500k in DC but are stresed as have a one million mortgages, lease on two cars, day care, private school. It is a house of cards. And kids off two school here has to be Georgetown or T20 schools my old town in state college or live at home and go to college up the road. It seemed in NYC everyone scare to take on debt but here we love it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is not the company’s job to over pay you as you have high bills.

I worked at an amazing company once 830 am to 430 pm job, subsidized cafeteria, great 401k match, job security, amazing health insurance. The catch pay was 1/2 of other companies.

Our workforce was largely people under 30 lived at home, people over 55 laid off and needed steady income and health insurance till 65 and “semi” stay at home Moms 30-50 who wanted low areas job with great health insurance and most lived close to office.

We used to joke
what do you say to an employee quitting for higher pay at 30?
See you at 55.

I worked there when single loved it. Plenty time to date, go get MBA at night, hang out happy hours and when got engaged quit as needed more salary to afford buying a house, wedding having kids.


Guess what I had a high stress high pay job from 34-60. Now I am at a BS job semi non profit lower pay waiting till retirement date.

My current job the demographic is just my my job 30 years ago. We post VP level and SVP jobs around 100k less than market. And people 52-62 laid off facing age discrimination gladly take them. And our junior role kids out of JMU, Towson type college with B averages gladly take lower paid job, get experience and move on,

Ok, except in the current job market, the salary is low, most places aren't remote anymore and the benefits are terrible. Be grateful you're almost to retirement. We were on track to retire early-ish but not anymore.

The job market is not bad it, is the same. The Hard jobs, in person, long hours, with travel with lots of credentials required still pay a lot. Trouble is I will tell people go to Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or Capital One in DC area for higher pay they are like it is in person, they make you do a lot of work, very political, no job security, higher stress, longer hours or I tell them move to NYC go to Goldman, JP Morgan or join a FAANNG with RSUS and they are like oh no Nivida, Amazon, will make me work a ton of hours and have strick KPIs if I dont meet could lose job.

Well dude thats life. There is also problem they have mediocore resumes. Went to second tier college, worked at no name companies, have no certifications, weak networking skills and want high pay 9-5 jobs that are 3-4 days remote. Yea in 2021/2022 in red hot job market they existed for a brief period. It is 2026 if you want high pay it is in person, high stress and long hours.

It sounds like this pointing to leaving the coasts and HCOL areas.

While you might make a little less in a lower COL area, the housing cost alone will more than make up that difference.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is not the company’s job to over pay you as you have high bills.

I worked at an amazing company once 830 am to 430 pm job, subsidized cafeteria, great 401k match, job security, amazing health insurance. The catch pay was 1/2 of other companies.

Our workforce was largely people under 30 lived at home, people over 55 laid off and needed steady income and health insurance till 65 and “semi” stay at home Moms 30-50 who wanted low areas job with great health insurance and most lived close to office.

We used to joke
what do you say to an employee quitting for higher pay at 30?
See you at 55.

I worked there when single loved it. Plenty time to date, go get MBA at night, hang out happy hours and when got engaged quit as needed more salary to afford buying a house, wedding having kids.


Guess what I had a high stress high pay job from 34-60. Now I am at a BS job semi non profit lower pay waiting till retirement date.

My current job the demographic is just my my job 30 years ago. We post VP level and SVP jobs around 100k less than market. And people 52-62 laid off facing age discrimination gladly take them. And our junior role kids out of JMU, Towson type college with B averages gladly take lower paid job, get experience and move on,

Ok, except in the current job market, the salary is low, most places aren't remote anymore and the benefits are terrible. Be grateful you're almost to retirement. We were on track to retire early-ish but not anymore.

The job market is not bad it, is the same. The Hard jobs, in person, long hours, with travel with lots of credentials required still pay a lot. Trouble is I will tell people go to Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or Capital One in DC area for higher pay they are like it is in person, they make you do a lot of work, very political, no job security, higher stress, longer hours or I tell them move to NYC go to Goldman, JP Morgan or join a FAANNG with RSUS and they are like oh no Nivida, Amazon, will make me work a ton of hours and have strick KPIs if I dont meet could lose job.

Well dude thats life. There is also problem they have mediocore resumes. Went to second tier college, worked at no name companies, have no certifications, weak networking skills and want high pay 9-5 jobs that are 3-4 days remote. Yea in 2021/2022 in red hot job market they existed for a brief period. It is 2026 if you want high pay it is in person, high stress and long hours.

Anonymous wrote:It is not the company’s job to over pay you as you have high bills.

I worked at an amazing company once 830 am to 430 pm job, subsidized cafeteria, great 401k match, job security, amazing health insurance. The catch pay was 1/2 of other companies.

Our workforce was largely people under 30 lived at home, people over 55 laid off and needed steady income and health insurance till 65 and “semi” stay at home Moms 30-50 who wanted low areas job with great health insurance and most lived close to office.

We used to joke
what do you say to an employee quitting for higher pay at 30?
See you at 55.

I worked there when single loved it. Plenty time to date, go get MBA at night, hang out happy hours and when got engaged quit as needed more salary to afford buying a house, wedding having kids.


Guess what I had a high stress high pay job from 34-60. Now I am at a BS job semi non profit lower pay waiting till retirement date.

My current job the demographic is just my my job 30 years ago. We post VP level and SVP jobs around 100k less than market. And people 52-62 laid off facing age discrimination gladly take them. And our junior role kids out of JMU, Towson type college with B averages gladly take lower paid job, get experience and move on,

Ok, except in the current job market, the salary is low, most places aren't remote anymore and the benefits are terrible. Be grateful you're almost to retirement. We were on track to retire early-ish but not anymore.

It is not the company’s job to over pay you as you have high bills.

I worked at an amazing company once 830 am to 430 pm job, subsidized cafeteria, great 401k match, job security, amazing health insurance. The catch pay was 1/2 of other companies.

Our workforce was largely people under 30 lived at home, people over 55 laid off and needed steady income and health insurance till 65 and “semi” stay at home Moms 30-50 who wanted low areas job with great health insurance and most lived close to office.

We used to joke
what do you say to an employee quitting for higher pay at 30?
See you at 55.

I worked there when single loved it. Plenty time to date, go get MBA at night, hang out happy hours and when got engaged quit as needed more salary to afford buying a house, wedding having kids.

Guess what I had a high stress high pay job from 34-60. Now I am at a BS job semi non profit lower pay waiting till retirement date.

My current job the demographic is just my my job 30 years ago. We post VP level and SVP jobs around 100k less than market. And people 52-62 laid off facing age discrimination gladly take them. And our junior role kids out of JMU, Towson type college with B averages gladly take lower paid job, get experience and move on,

I left a job about two years ago because my company was going under and took a position making $60k less. I stayed there for a year, reoriented myself, and took another position at my previous higher salary.

To the extent that employers want people to stay for more than 5 minutes, they’ll offer a little more pay. If they’re content with the constant churn, they’ll keep pay low. I don’t see how that could be good for business but what do I know.

It's been some time but when I worked for a manufacturer in Cleveland we regularly had college grads from good colleges apply for forklift operator jobs. (In Cleveland it is called a tow motor.)

We were non union and low pay.

Anonymous wrote:Just got an interview for a job in program management for a federal contractor that required:
- 15+ years of experience in fed systems integration
- MBA
- PMP certification
- Active secret clearance
- SME knowledge in data centers

All hard and fast requirements.

This would be simultaneously managing 10+ data center equipment installations in the IC world.

Okay, so far so good. The salary they had budgeted? $115k.

Is anyone else seeing offered salaries ground down to 90s levels? Maybe due to the flood of ex-feds in the marketplace?

This is a very expensive place to live. High home prices, high rent, etc. New cars cost $50k. Child care can be $1,700+ a month. Kids activities cost a fortune. Food, electricity, mobile phone, student loans.

$115k for a mid career professional doesn't cut it. Not by a long shot.