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I consider myself "other" - working for crumbs (odds jobs that pay $50 here, $100 there). I am unemployed, living off my savings. I have been looking for a job since March with no luck. My minimum salary is $15.00 an hour (seeing as I have 20+ years experience and a bachelor's degree), but that salary is too high in the rust belt (where I currently live). Seems from the responses to this thread, if you work for the government you are doing good. Something I have always said, the only people in my area that seem to be doing well are government workers. Wish I knew someone who could help me get a government job.
Getting a govt job, particularly a federal job which are the most secure, is brutally difficult. If you are fairly high level in the private sector you have to take quite a hair cut for that security (and you are probationary for 9 months so you could loose it all making the switch). If you are already low level in private sector it will be nearly impossible to get even a GS-5 position. The only exception might be if you are willing to get on a plane in a moments notice and move anywhere in the country for the rare job that you might get offered.
But in some circumstances it may be worth it, I still apply to about one federal job a month just to see but im not desperate enough to take too much of a pay cut for the security.
As far as state and muni jobs those are much more subject to local budget crisis issues and reductions in force. If you are making 15/hr with a degree you might be a good candidate for a GS-5 position.
I agree with this, and have had two different public agency jobs. It's the Unions and Comparable Worth programs that boost the lower paying and skilled labor jobs to above what the private sector gets, but in the professional jobs such as engineers, IT, lawyers, and even upper management pay is much less than the private sector, and raises are smaller, if any. Job security is also over-rated. In the recession the city of Seattle, for example laid off over 300 people in the recession.
State and local are not good bets but federal jobs are typically gold as far as job security.
I am definitely on the thriving side. Life has never been better in terms of finance. Very happy and things will most likely only get better from here. I am young, great career, and making great money. So thankful for where I'm at in my life.
The only thing you can do is to get a skillset that will enable you to get better jobs.
Not entirely true, investigate "other" (read: non-employment) ways to make money is something else that can be done at any time - and *should* be done by more people given the lack of opportunity/upward mobility in the economy.
Much "quicker" than years and years and years of college, and no student loans.
I think a lot of us get into trouble over this very reason - all our eggs are in one nest (employer's) and that same employer can literally "turn off" your income at any time with a layoff. In 2016 it seems more important than ever to investigate non-employment sources of income.
A lot of skills are a dime a dozen due to the glut of college degrees (in general) vs number of available good jobs. This will only get worse as more people "go back to school" as the knee-jerk reaction to the sluggish economy (adding to the oversupply of degrees).
Last edited by CuriousMiscer; 07-16-2016 at 01:23 AM..
Not entirely true, investigate "other" (read: non-employment) ways to make money is something else that can be done at any time - and *should* be done by more people given the lack of opportunity/upward mobility in the economy.
Much "quicker" than years and years and years of college, and no student loans.
I think a lot of us get into trouble over this very reason - all our eggs are in one nest (employer's) and that same employer can literally "turn off" your income at any time with a layoff. In 2016 it seems more important than ever to investigate non-employment sources of income.
A lot of skills are a dime a dozen due to the glut of college degrees (in general) vs number of available good jobs. This will only get worse as more people "go back to school" as the knee-jerk reaction to the sluggish economy (adding to the oversupply of degrees).
I have a BA with honors from a prestigious liberal arts college. It's helped me a lot; I have an interview for a grocery delivery job tomorrow!
Not entirely true, investigate "other" (read: non-employment) ways to make money is something else that can be done at any time - and *should* be done by more people given the lack of opportunity/upward mobility in the economy.
Much "quicker" than years and years and years of college, and no student loans.
I think a lot of us get into trouble over this very reason - all our eggs are in one nest (employer's) and that same employer can literally "turn off" your income at any time with a layoff. In 2016 it seems more important than ever to investigate non-employment sources of income.
A lot of skills are a dime a dozen due to the glut of college degrees (in general) vs number of available good jobs. This will only get worse as more people "go back to school" as the knee-jerk reaction to the sluggish economy (adding to the oversupply of degrees).
Sure but you still need skills that are in demand if you want to go the freelance route. If all someone seems to qualify for is low wage retail and fast food jobs is really a red flag.
At the lower end of the scale (i.e. more "blue collar" or entry level type jobs) then yes, government jobs pay better. Once you start talking jobs that require a bachelors degree and above, most people will be compensated more in the private sector, unless you are talking about a highly specific type of engineer who works on missile systems and works for the DOD or some such. The government takes out a large chunk of your take-home pay for pension, too, which is just fine if you work for a level of government or for a State/locale where you have no fears revolving around unfunded pension liabilities, etc. I will say the govt. benefits are usually better, though.
One negative about government jobs is opportunity for advancement or increased compensation is usually much lower. It's less merit based and very tough to get a raise anything above COLA or maybe one merit step. Promotions are pretty much based on slot opening and if your boss isn't planning on leaving anytime soon (often the case in government settings), then good luck. You could be waiting decades to make manager unless you are willing to relocate, if that's even possible for you in your career field. (Disclaimer: worked eleven years in public sector and past 5 years in private sector)
Just wanted to point out for the bolded above, that what Hemlock says below applies there too. Yes, those "comparable worth" or "Equal Pay for Equal Work" programs do result in low skill/non skill administrative jobs being overpaid compared to market, but they also result in high skill rocket scientist type jobs being grossly underpaid compared to market. Most professionals I've known who switched over from the private sector take a big pay cut and after a year have said "I had no idea how hard it is and how little you can move up." They figured Fed work was a cushy job and they'd get a big promotion. They just had no concept that they'd never get that pay cut back nor for all the unrecorded and unpaid OT they'd work.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hemlock140
I agree with this, and have had two different public agency jobs. It's the Unions and Comparable Worth programs that boost the lower paying and skilled labor jobs to above what the private sector gets, but in the professional jobs such as engineers, IT, lawyers, and even upper management pay is much less than the private sector, and raises are smaller, if any. Job security is also over-rated. In the recession the city of Seattle, for example laid off over 300 people in the recession.
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