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Old 08-22-2013, 06:04 PM
 
11 posts, read 43,715 times
Reputation: 16

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Hi,
im currently employed as a Distribution assistant in a software company for 5 yrs now and i feel that it's the end of the road for me. But recently i applied for the VTA Bus operator. i passed the exam and scheduled for interview. do you think it make more sense for me to take the county job? i need your opinion since this will make or break for me.

thanks.
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Old 08-22-2013, 06:10 PM
 
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government job = winning the lottery.

It is not part of the county, it is it's own governmental organization.
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Old 08-22-2013, 06:15 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zombocom View Post
government job = winning the lottery.
repped!!!!
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Old 08-22-2013, 06:42 PM
 
243 posts, read 467,247 times
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30$/h after 4 years of serrvice. Think yourself...
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Old 08-22-2013, 07:06 PM
 
11 posts, read 43,715 times
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Oh really? i started at 18/hr 5 yrs ago and now im only 20?hr after 5 yrs . so its a no brainer then.....
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Old 08-22-2013, 09:17 PM
 
243 posts, read 467,247 times
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Keep in mind you are going to start low though, 15/h AFAIR.
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Old 08-22-2013, 10:20 PM
 
30,893 posts, read 36,937,375 times
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Originally Posted by scintillan View Post
Oh really? i started at 18/hr 5 yrs ago and now im only 20?hr after 5 yrs . so its a no brainer then.....
Another thing to keep in mind is how much they take out of your check for the pension contribution. While it's true public sector pensions are unheard of in the private sector (good if you can get it), the % of pay that goes toward the pension has gone up a lot and will very likely continue to do so for some time. I would also expect the pension benefits to be cut back in one form or another (if they haven't been already) and don't drink the kool-aid from anyone who tells you otherwise.

I work for the City of San Jose. Back in the late 1990s, our pension contribution was less than 5%. Now it's 13.98%, scheduled to go up to 14.73% in January. A lot of the old timers back in the 1990s told me this sort of thing could never happen. They were clearly wrong. I'm glad I didn't believe them. Make sure you save a significant part of your pay (at least 10%, preferably more) in the deferred compensation or 403b plan. While the City of San Jose is not the same as the VTA, all government agencies are facing the same issues in regard to pensions. The details with regard to this stuff will be different, but the big picture will remain the same (pay more, get less).
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Old 08-23-2013, 01:45 AM
 
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San Jose is way worse than anywhere else. Also, if you are paying into a 401k, you should be putting in 20% of your paycheck (and the return on that is still going to be inferior to most pensions).
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Old 08-23-2013, 09:42 AM
 
Location: Colorado
2,483 posts, read 4,370,434 times
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Originally Posted by scintillan View Post
recently i applied for the VTA Bus operator.
I'm not sure about bus driving, but Trolley Fighter Pilot is where all the action is at!
Top Trolley
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Old 08-23-2013, 10:17 AM
 
11 posts, read 43,715 times
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on the application ,they say starting is 18/hr so i guess its not that bad. currntly im working 7 days a week with a second job at a gas stsion during weekends from 2pm -12am so i guess i will just do OT during my day off driving instead of the gas station which only poays 11/hr straight pay w/o OT. do you think it make sense?

thanks
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