I'm a US Federal employee, specifically an engineer working for the State Department as a Foreign Service Specialist, currently posted to the DC area. After eight years, I'm debating whether I should stay or go and could use some advice.
After about a year of passively poking around in USAJobs with mixed success (mostly rejections, only a handful of referrals), I finally got a call and was asked to interview for a new position at another Federal agency. After two DC tours and an overseas tour my wife and I are still on the fence on staying with State or bailing (I like my current job, and we both liked some aspects of being overseas, it's just the constant moving that we're not nuts about - that and the spousal employment situation), however the new position is starting to look like a more valid option so I might be forced into a decision soon.
I've listed some of the pro/cons below (sorry for the wall of text). My wife and I have discussed this repeatedly and she has been very supportive, indicating multiple times that she's fine with either option. If I do stay with State, she has stated she wants to stay in DC for at least the next 3-5 years at a minimum which I wholeheartedly support (closer to her family + more time to develop her career). Her line of work could possibly be done full-time remotely, although this isn't an option at the moment for various reasons.
Pros to current job:
- Pay: Currently I'm near the top of the FS-03/GS-13 pay range. Very likely to get promoted to the next grade (GS-14 equivalent) in the next 1-2 years, and could get step increases after.
- Retirement: I can get full pension + retiree medical benefits at 50. Could lock in a good retirement and still have plenty of time to do a second career. I currently have 8 years in (and am nearing 40), so I'm almost halfway to being retirement-eligible.
- Certainty: I know how the bureaucracy works at State and I've finally started to build a good professional network.
- Work: More hands-on work, and a huge variety of tasks (jack-of-all-trades) which keeps it interesting.
- Travel: My current position is ~30% travel. Great way to see the world and rack up miles/status, plus overtime pay.
Cons to current job:
- Bidding: The excitement or bane of every FSO/FS Specialist. HR rules basically say we can homestead in DC up to six years, but I'd have to go overseas eventually, likely in the next 2-3 years. 1-year unaccompanied tours are an option here to "reset the clock" potentially (they do suck and not our 1st choice. Most unaccompanied tours are not in garden spots either, they're unaccompanied for a reason - think Baghdad, Islamabad, etc. But it's only a year and my wife and I have been long-distance before).
- Commute: Currently ~45 mins door-to-door via Metro, when it's not delayed. Not great but not terrible. This could probably be shorter eventually - my last position was at an office a 10 min walk from my house.
- Travel: It's a mixed bag - being away from friends/family can get old sometimes. My current office is notorious for heavy travel; there would likely be less travel in future DC-based postings.
Pros to new job:
- Bidding: Just a regular GS position, no more bidding or moving.
- Competitive Status: I think I'd get competitive status, which could make it easier to transfer to other GS positions later.
- Team: I've only met them briefly, but future boss + staff seem friendly and hopefully not hard to work with.
Cons to new job:
- Pay: New position is capped at GS-13. Even if they match my current salary, I'm maxed out and stuck forever unless I can find a GS-14 position elsewhere (no guarantee, esp with the current hiring environment).
- Retirement: FERS - less generous (lower pension and have to wait till 62), although I know it's still a good benefit.
- Commute: Slightly worse (~60-70 mins door-to-door via Metro), unlikely to change. I'm not sure this position is telework-eligible either.
- Work: New job is in export regulatory compliance, not a field I'm very familiar with (actually a bit surprised I got the interview). Seems much more policy/standards-focused, which I could do but I worry I might not like it or get bored. Not sure what my perfect job is but ideally I think I'd prefer to do more hands-on work (project-management, design review, etc). |
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