Would you change jobs?

[simpsongal]

PDQ: Would you change jobs? What should I consider, what tips the scales? I'm a fed attorney.  I have a 2 & 5 yr old, DH has a pretty steady job but less flexibility than me. 5-10 yr plan is to be happy in my work but have flexibility to watch kids' soccer games and make dinner, maybe go part time.  Moneywise we're fine, of course more would be nice but we don't need it.

Job A (current job): Fed job, 11 years invested here, no promotion potential, 2% performance bonuses + 40 hrs extra vacation, telework 2/days per week (might be 3-4 days in the future...), hour-long commute, 8 hr day (which includes lunch).  

 

- It's a small pond, I have a good reputation and am familiar w/a lot of the issues and history.  I'm well respected by higher ups and people across the agency.  I'm a manager w/a title, 5-6 reports.  Lots of autonomy but also responsibility for managing, reviewing training, and also handling high-level work.  It's been a rough go w/lots of turnover and personnel actions, I've spent a lot of time righting the ship and perhaps I'm finally reaching the light at the end of the tunnel.  There are generally a lot of politics, attitudes, and emotions here.  Workload is manageable but I'm always busy given my roll/title.  I could probably make a lot of asks and have thought of doing so in a few years when I need even more flexibility.  I like managing, but obviously it has its downsides...I have some friends here too.

Job B: Fed job w/ much higher pay scale, larger organization, no title or managerial duties (line attorney).  Double 401K matching, much higher promotion and salary potential (~30%), subsidized insurance and other perks, 35 minute commute, less telework (maybe once/week), 8 hour + 30 minute lunch.  The work is exactly in my wheelhouse, though obviously starting from scratch learning their issues, clients, etc.  I'm not sure if part time schedules are common here.  I have a good friend who works here in a diff dept - we could grab coffee and he'd give me intel on things.

Thoughts?  What else would you want to know/ask?  I feel like this decision is pretty balanced and I hate for my decision to be driven by fear of the unknown or just more $$.....the fear of losing flexibility as my son heads to kindergarten is also weighing heavily on my decision.

[Deleted]

Given that you really want to be able to be there for your kids, job A would concern me because it's still 3 days a week with a one-hour commute. That would really hard to work around on the days when you really want to attend a school/sports event.

If the part-time piece is the most important to you down the line, it seems like your current role is the one that would be the most likely to accommodate that but five years is a long way away.

[Velar Fricative]

I like the sound of Job B unless you truly have no desire to seek promotions in the future, since money does not appear to be a huge concern here. But if you get intel from Job B that makes you think it probably won't be flexible (like, it'll be frowned upon if you have to leave early to go to your kid's big event at school or something), then I'd probably change my mind.

[sarahsays]

I would at least interview for job B and try to negotiate more remote work time (if that kind of thing is negotiable for Fed jobs)

[ESF]

Given how this country has been run over the last two years, here are three things I'd think about:

1. Are the jobs any different in terms of what would happen during a government shut down?

2. Are either of the roles particularly sensitive to changes in the administration or leadership of the department? Same question for the promotion potential of job b.

3. Which job would best set you up for private opportunities if you had to or wanted to leave the federal government? I.e. is one of them in a role where you would be more marketable to firms or businesses? Will one of them provide you a skill set that you could do on a part time basis for a private entity?

[ECB]

I would try to talk to the friend to find out more about the reality of working for Company B.  Especially on the flexibility front.  While closer, it's all less WFH time too.  

As both are Fed jobs, I assume you won't lose your vacation time, etc.  

[simpsongal]

All good considerations ESF, they're generally a-political agencies, and neither shuts down. Job B might be more marketable since it's larger plus it would probably be good to have some varied work experience. But Job A has the title and bigger responsibilities, the mission may expand too...so there's that. I don't see myself going private, not before hitting my 30 years.

ECB, I'll definitely try to get more intel from my friend. He is in a different group though.

Another thing to note, several people have left my current agency and regretted it, some have even come back. My former boss regrets leaving b/c she misses the flexibility. If I did leave, I'd probably try to leave the door open to return. I might even talk to my bosses about this opportunity. Unfortunately, I don't think they can offer a retention bonus for moves to another agency. But I have been promised a QSI. Leaving would be pretty devastating for my current agency - given the turnover, I'm one of the few people w/any institutional memory.

I should also note that my friend at Job B was my former colleague at Job A, we worked together ~8 years. So he knows me, my work, and my current agency well.

One more thing.... (ala Columbo) - this is probably the only fed job I would consider taking over my current job. So a decision not to take this basically feels like I'm signing up for another 5-10 (or maybe my full 30yrs)) at my current agency. I know that seems like a long time to project, but the last 11 years flew by. And again, that's not necessarily a bad thing.

[ECB]

Mar 28, 2019 7:23:19 GMT -5 simpsongal said:

 My former boss regrets leaving b/c she misses the flexibility. If I did leave, I'd probably try to leave the door open to return.  

Did your boss move to another job within the Fed or left all together?  I ask only because going private is absolutely going to affect flexibility.  If she stayed in the Fed though and lost flexibility, then yes - that's something to really look into with Job B.  I work for the state and I always call my flexibility the "golden handcuffs" of my job.  I'd LOVE to find another job but I know I will lose a LOT on the flexibility side and I'm just not willing to do that at this point in my life.  

[simpsongal]

ECB, she stayed fed, went to an agency similar to Job B (more money, shorter commute, little telework).

I have a feeling I won't change jobs.... e.g., I want to take DS to kindergarten orientation and I'm just going telework 3 days that week. I don't even have to ask....

I'll keep an open mind though.

[farmvillelover]

"I have a 2 & 5 yr old, DH has a pretty steady job but less flexibility than me. 5-10 yr plan is to be happy in my work but have flexibility to watch kids' soccer games and make dinner, maybe go part time."

I'm similar to you as far as where we are in life and our kids ages, as well as our jobs.  Flexibility and happiness reigns supreme for me.  I think it's a luxury to be able to say you'll take/keep the lower paying job in exchange for the time with kids and flexibility.  At some point, the extra and more money is nice but it wouldn't make a huge difference in your quality of life, right?  It just impacts how much you save.  I *think that's the point that you're at.

What I've seen is that as the kids grow older, their needs increase. Homework, activities, school functions. I love being able to participate in ALL of that without being nervous about getting to work or wondering if my boss will be pissed off.  It's so priceless.  I think you know that in your case, I wouldn't change jobs.

[minzy]

Job B kind of sounds like my old one.  Do you want to PM me details in case it is and I can offer more info?

[gt7301b]

I'd at least get the intel on job B from your friend and I would probably apply and see where things go.

[lolalolalola]

Based on what you wrote, I would change jobs in. Heartbeat. Sounds like you have a lot to gain and little to lose.

[k3am]

Regarding job flexibility... at my old job, I thought I had *great* flexibility that couldn't be surpassed. I'd been there 8 years. DD had epilepsy and we were trying to discover the root cause (if there was one) and she needed a lot of tests, and I always, always, always got the time I needed for her appointments. I thought I had it great and wouldn't have that flexibility elsewhere because I wouldn't have had the longevity.

And then I found out my boss was telling people that I shouldn't be taking time off because my husband could handle those appointments. (She obviously had never had to sleep deprive a toddler and then ensure that they don't fall asleep in the car for even a minute on the way to an appointment).

And then we found out that her epilepsy "had no cause" and it was just a case of "find the right medication." So I made a job switch.

And then after just a handful of months, I found out... nope, it was more than that. And it was hospital stays, and time off work, and surgery, and even more time work.

And when I asked for a laptop so I could work remotely, even our IT department was asking me... BUT WHY? "Your job is to be with your kid. We're secondary." (Honest to God words that were said to me. I cried when I heard them.) And this sentiment was echoed over and over over - from our CEO to my boss, to every person in our company.

And I realized I'd held off on switching jobs for YEARS because I thought I had great flexibility. The moral of the story? A LOT of companies have great flexibility. I know there are a lot of companies that can't/don't have flexibility, but don't stay where you are because you "think" you have flexibility, especially when you have a source at the prospect company you can discuss it with.

[waverly]

I have school age kids and from that perspective you don’t need a ton of flexibility for school events. I typically have orientation and curriculum night is in the evening. I do a party for DD and one for DS and read to the class for each. I sometimes do an observation or field day but not every year. I have decided not to do PTO. All other school stuff is in the evening. It sounds like a lot but I can do half days at work and take vacation time. So it’s really only 4 half days for 2 children- 2 half days for 1 child. It’s less flexibility, and more vacation time and being able to use it. Aftercare covers other days but unless in daycare we have no coverage between Christmas and NY- which DH covers and 2 days in summer where camp has ended and school hasn’t started.

After school activities are more of an issue with some starting as early as 4:15-5pm. I typically only say yes to 5:30 and later activities and had to pay more money to do dance at a studio which would accommodate a Sat morning dance class. The one 5 pm activity was Fri night so it was doable. I think the start and end times have more to do with flexibility. I can flex mine to get kids on the bus and then leave at 4:30.

Otherwise the money and commute sound great with the second job. I would love to work from home 3 days a week though. That saves me 3 hours for that week to do stuff around the house.

Stuff like medical stuff is covered under FMLA which is required for an employer to give you. I’ve used tons and my boss never questioned it.

[orangeblossom]

I would take job B. It’s hard to come across a fed job that you like, are qualified for and get the pay increase. The shorter commute is a bonus. Teleworking May be negotiable once you’ve been there awhile. It’s normal to be scared of a change, but I think one is worth investigating. Good luck!

[ribollita]

B. I would not want to feel so stagnant in my late 30s (which I am and I think you are). I also would almost always choose a shorter commute with more pay even if the rest of B didn’t also sound better than A!

[wildrice]

Mar 29, 2019 15:56:10 GMT -5 k3am said:

And I realized I'd held off on switching jobs for YEARS because I thought I had great flexibility. The moral of the story? A LOT of companies have great flexibility. I know there are a lot of companies that can't/don't have flexibility, but don't stay where you are because you "think" you have flexibility, especially when you have a source at the prospect company you can discuss it with.

I think this is a really good point. I am on my 5th organization that I've worked for (yikes) and I have yet to have a job that wasn't flexible. I left my last job in part because I only had 10 vacation days, but it was also totally fine to make up time missed for appointments, work from home when I had an appointment during the workday, call in sick (I did have 12 sick days), etc. So I would say it was flexible on a day to day basis.

As a professional I actually don't assume I won't have flexibility in any new job - any workplace worth their salt will realize that if you are getting your work done, you should be able to take care of family, health, etc without issue. Obviously there are limits and when you're new you probably have to be a little more conservative about using it.

Unless you know this new place isn't like that, I'd go for job B. It sounds otherwise great!

[humpforfree]

All I have to contribute is that after going from a 1hour+ dc commute, 35-40 minutes was LIFE CHANGING.