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The problem with defined-benefit pensions is that they reward finishing-late, rather than necessarily starting-early. If Prickly Pear is 23, and he/she were to work in his/her public sector job for the next 25 years, then he/she would have spent longer in that job, than he/she's been thus far alive. Seems like an eternity, doesn't it? And yet, the then-48-year-old Prickly would still be far too young to draw a pension. By the time that older-Prickly reaches pension eligibility age, inflation will have reduced the pension considerably, and that's on top of the reduced payout owing to number of years and age.
The upshot is that pensions are a great boon to middle-aged people who take a public sector job, with intention of keeping it into old-age. They're not so great for young people, even for those who intend to spend decades in that job.
One of the principal advantages of a professional-level public sector job, vs. those in the private sector, is that one enjoys broad leeway in deciding what one's job is actually going to entail. Speaking from experience, much of the job is delegating actual "bench-level" tasks to contractors or junior staff. One does not perform those tasks oneself. As a public-sector professional, one is mainly concerned with strategy, with top-level issues, which are necessarily amorphous and have more to do with soft-skills, communication-skills and the like, rather than specifically technical acumen.
This is exactly contrary to the popular delusion, of government workers as being mindless robotic drones. Indeed, the great "stress" of the job, is figuring out what one's job actually ought to be - because no one else is going to define it. One is oneself responsible for defining it. And the route to promotion and higher responsibility is largely contingent on how well one does this defining, how well one articulates one's position, how well one crafts a persona of competence, verve and tenacity.
I'm 32. I have thirty-five years until I'm FRA.
Like you, I've seen plenty of friends and relatives wiped out by the loss of gainful manufacturing employment in my local area, and many of my peers who remained in this area have never gotten off the ground financially or professionally. I'm very fortunate to be doing as well as I am, considering the circumstances of my local area.
Long term, I also have to think about the benefits of living somewhere like Nashville - more professional opportunities, better dating options, more home equity down the line, etc. - vs. a struggling area.
The problem with defined-benefit pensions is that they reward finishing-late, rather than necessarily starting-early. If Prickly Pear is 23, and he/she were to work in his/her public sector job for the next 25 years, then he/she would have spent longer in that job, than he/she's been thus far alive. Seems like an eternity, doesn't it? And yet, the then-48-year-old Prickly would still be far too young to draw a pension. By the time that older-Prickly reaches pension eligibility age, inflation will have reduced the pension considerably, and that's on top of the reduced payout owing to number of years and age.
The upshot is that pensions are a great boon to middle-aged people who take a public sector job, with intention of keeping it into old-age. They're not so great for young people, even for those who intend to spend decades in that job.
One of the principal advantages of a professional-level public sector job, vs. those in the private sector, is that one enjoys broad leeway in deciding what one's job is actually going to entail. Speaking from experience, much of the job is delegating actual "bench-level" tasks to contractors or junior staff. One does not perform those tasks oneself. As a public-sector professional, one is mainly concerned with strategy, with top-level issues, which are necessarily amorphous and have more to do with soft-skills, communication-skills and the like, rather than specifically technical acumen.
This is exactly contrary to the popular delusion, of government workers as being mindless robotic drones. Indeed, the great "stress" of the job, is figuring out what one's job actually ought to be - because no one else is going to define it. One is oneself responsible for defining it. And the route to promotion and higher responsibility is largely contingent on how well one does this defining, how well one articulates one's position, how well one crafts a persona of competence, verve and tenacity.
Many states require 30 years before you can draw a pension in a non-hazardous job, so the OP would be in his 60s if he starts now. In my experience, a lot of people who start young actually do quite well. I have a few friends who started in their late 20s (or even early 20s) and they moved up quite quickly because they were actually able to do some basic tasks quickly like use technology, be responsive, etc., tasks that some of the older folks in their late 40s and 50s were not always able to do. You also have to be pretty agile and able to pick up many tasks quickly, which the younger folks are often (but not always) able to do more quickly.
In terms of the pension, most people these days don’t rely solely on the pension. They rely on supplemental retirement options like deferred compensation or with the feds, the thrift savings plan.
I dont think people believe they have an inherent right to a govt job they are just using what ever tools they have to get paid. Because our economic system puts so many people on the streets they feel the need to play dirty. I dont blame them, maybe if the federal govt expanded hiring and tax gouged select employers who are making heafty profits but conducting lay offs you would not see people taking such desperate measures as a law suit.
Dont put people in desperate situations and they wont do desperate things.
I'm curious. Why should the government expand hiring beyond that needed for the mission? Each job has to be paid for the by taxpayer and we have to be good stewards of those dollars.
I'm curious. Why should the government expand hiring beyond that needed for the mission? Each job has to be paid for the by taxpayer and we have to be good stewards of those dollars.
Because people are not commodities and we are a nation with political boarders. If we are going to have an economic system that is allowed, by law, to be ruthless and cut throat then taxes (heavy taxes to the sum of 90%) have to be paid by the big companies to support govt spending and projects that generate jobs.
I am frankly surprised it is taking so long for social break down to occur with such little money flowing back down.
I have not yet heard back on the Tennessee job. An HR manager for a VA government agency sent me a message today LinkedIn for a state job based in a small town in southwest Virginia, and that I'd be an excellent candidate. That job's min is $62k. You can rent a decent 2BR house for under $600 in this area, and the cost of living there is cheaper than Johnson City. It has the essentials - Sam's, Food Lion, and a ton of farm to table stuff I've seen on Facebook. Obviously, this would be a significant spending power upgrade over the job in Nashville. I also do not have to give up my mountains for outdoor rec.
For bigger stuff, it's 1h30min to the Triad in NC, and a bit shorter to Roanoke. That''s no farther than what I have to do now to get to a "city". Outdoors stuff in that part of Virginia is excellent. I'm going to apply for it over the weekend and send the government HR manager a message Monday morning. This job seems to also more directly align with my experience than the one in Nashville.
This job is about 75 miles from where I grew up. Close enough to get back ASAP for an emergency, but far enough away to prevent "drop-ins." While I want to go to a bigger city, a lateral pay move for VA state benefits in a very relaxed town when my own firm feels a bit shaky is enticing. Once I'm in the VA government, it would be much easier to transfer to Richmond or wherever.
I have not yet heard back on the Tennessee job. An HR manager for a VA government agency sent me a message today LinkedIn for a state job based in a small town in southwest Virginia, and that I'd be an excellent candidate. That job's min is $62k. You can rent a decent 2BR house for under $600 in this area, and the cost of living there is cheaper than Johnson City. It has the essentials - Sam's, Food Lion, and a ton of farm to table stuff I've seen on Facebook. Obviously, this would be a significant spending power upgrade over the job in Nashville. I also do not have to give up my mountains for outdoor rec.
For bigger stuff, it's 1h30min to the Triad in NC, and a bit shorter to Roanoke. That''s no farther than what I have to do now to get to a "city". Outdoors stuff in that part of Virginia is excellent. I'm going to apply for it over the weekend and send the government HR manager a message Monday morning. This job seems to also more directly align with my experience than the one in Nashville.
This job is about 75 miles from where I grew up. Close enough to get back ASAP for an emergency, but far enough away to prevent "drop-ins." While I want to go to a bigger city, a lateral pay move for VA state benefits in a very relaxed town when my own firm feels a bit shaky is enticing. Once I'm in the VA government, it would be much easier to transfer to Richmond or wherever.
SC do you really want to move to another tiny town? If you are looking for something better that isn’t Nashville, why don’t you look for something better. It is expensive to move, but I would not expect that it is always easy to move. I worked in state government and it took me about three years to move from HQ of my agency to another city that was of interest to me. You will probably be able to find something in a better city. I still think you should attempt to negotiate with Nashville if you do get an offer (government jobs can take months to give an offer, so I wouldn’t rule it out yet).
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