"If you love your job,....

[ZARA]

I actually love my job. I got very lucky and it kind of fell into my lap. After being out of the workforce for 3 yrs and going batchit crazy at home, it feels amazing to go to work again. Financially I don't have to work, I do it because I really enjoy it. I think I was meant to be where I am because after looking for work locally and failing miserably, (which pissed me off to no end because I have awesome references and more skills than I know what to do with- I'm not bragging, those are facts), I got insanely lucky and found something that fits what I need to be happy.

I stay insanely busy and have more to do than I have hours in a day, which for me is great. I honestly do not like being idle at work. I enjoy the camaraderie of the people I work with and even with the minor frustrations that do crop up, it does not take away from my enjoyment.

My Boss is a trip and I like having her as a friend. But I do have to give her a chance to take her coat off before I bombard her with things in the morning. lmao!

 

[Railroad]

With the current DoD atmosphere here locally, the tiresome task of continuing to seek employment looms again in 2014. Might be time to get serious about looking out-of-state.

 

[Railroad]

I am encouraged that such a large portion have a good view of their work/career.

Naturally I am curious if that satisfaction is partially due to the "Maryland Bubble" around DC. (job security & pay).

Would I be on target saying the benefits for most are being steadily cut?

How about retirement packages?

I appreciate the candor of this group.....

My benefits are intact, thanks to an excellent employer. The trick is to keep the company on contract. Things are drying up.

 

[bilbur]

I am encouraged that such a large portion have a good view of their work/career.

Naturally I am curious if that satisfaction is partially due to the "Maryland Bubble" around DC. (job security & pay).

Would I be on target saying the benefits for most are being steadily cut?

How about retirement packages?

I appreciate the candor of this group.....

I was happy at my job but over the past 4 years things seem to be going progressively down hill. I have been with this company for 16 years and, due to the government tightening their belt, I have not gotten a raise in those last 4 years. In fact because of raising health care costs and taxes my pay has gone down by about 3%. In the last 3 years I got my bachelors degree, a certification, and my boss left which increased my responsibility and work load. I do realize that I picked a bad time to get these accomplishments with what is going on with the government and contractors but my bills are increasing and my pay is not. I feel very under appreciated and if my company doesn't do something soon I will be looking for a new company come the first of next year. We only get one chance at life and I feel I may need to make a change to get as much out of this life that I can.

 

[ArkRescue]

Get rid of a few key people at my work and my opinion will change for the better.

I have outlasted most of the people who annoyed me over the years. And to think I almost quit to get away from 1 person. There is only 1 annoy-er left. Work is good for the paying job.

My unpaid FT job is the critter rescue. LOVE LOVE LOVE it - wish I got paid for it - oh well, I sort-a do with the critter love I get.

 

[GW8345]

I like my job, I just hate having to sit next to the most annoying person in the world and the incompetence of some of the so called managers.

 

[Hessian]

I like my job, I just hate having to sit next to the most annoying person in the world and the incompetence of some of the so called managers.

So, any chance you can move to the Utica branch of Dunder Mifflin?

 

[Caution]

With the current DoD atmosphere here locally, the tiresome task of continuing to seek employment looms again in 2014. Might be time to get serious about looking out-of-state.

I used to work for the DoD. Actually loved it. But I had a hands on job away from a desk.

But after 14 years a budget cut finally hit me and I never even tried getting a job back on base again. I never wanted to worry about whether or not some desk jockey sitting half way across the country who has never met me decides my job classification should be combined with another person thus saving them money. I loved working there but do not miss that part of it.

Now I work for myself except for a little side job I do for some friends who own a Marina. But my main moneymaker is detailing sailboats and yachts. The folks who can afford this are usually in good enough financial shape that they do not sweat the cost. I can take as long as I want generally but sometimes they do wanna sell there boat and I may need me to work to a deadline and maybe even hire some extra hands. But it's easy work once you figure out what to use where and I am outside, which I love.

But I don't have to advertise, word of mouth makes the phone ring. That would be the hard part of what I do if I had to do that.

 

[kom526]

I like doing what I do, I just hate 99% of the people I work with. They could choke on a bone and I would not lift a hand to help nor shed a tear. Merry Phucking Christmas azzholes.

 

[BernieP]

With the current DoD atmosphere here locally, the tiresome task of continuing to seek employment looms again in 2014. Might be time to get serious about looking out-of-state.

The picture is not good for either government of contract support workers.
I think that we are going to see people throw in the towel and walk away, at least the talented, top performers. On the contractor side there is some "trip wire" that is going to force senior level people either to take pay cuts or simply get knocked out of a job. On the government side, no COLA means salary scales have been frozen. Higher grade jobs are being cut, rolled back. Top performers are maxing out their pay bands and being told that bonuses are currently not being paid out. Do that for a couple of years and you watch your take home decrease each year. It's not a great motivator, not unless the motivation is to get good people to leave.

 

[molly_21]

I have seen a few people in my Dept. within the gov't already leave to get their GS-15's "up the road." It is a catch-22. While they are getting their 15's, they spend more time on the road either driving, taking the bus, or in the case of one SES I know, he got an apt. near the Pentagon and comes home on the weekend. To me it is worth commuting or getting an apt where it ends up costing you more money renting or commuting, never mind the extra 2-3 hrs a day if you are doing the commute?
While I understand they want that career change and the higher pay (since with the exception of one person it was a complete career change to get their 15 or they have worked a "same" job when they first started in their career), is it worth it for the noted reasons above?

 

[RareBreed]

The picture is not good for either government of contract support workers.
I think that we are going to see people throw in the towel and walk away, at least the talented, top performers. On the contractor side there is some "trip wire" that is going to force senior level people either to take pay cuts or simply get knocked out of a job. On the government side, no COLA means salary scales have been frozen. Higher grade jobs are being cut, rolled back. Top performers are maxing out their pay bands and being told that bonuses are currently not being paid out. Do that for a couple of years and you watch your take home decrease each year. It's not a great motivator, not unless the motivation is to get good people to leave.

The only thing holding us here in MD is my husband's job. Honestly, I don't think either one of us would be upset if he loses his job. We just have to hold on for another year until I can get my 20 yrs in at my work for my partial pension and then we can start living the way we want. House with 100 acres in Idaho and jobs we enjoy.

 

[Grumpy]

I have an odd job as compared to most. Set my own hours and set my own pay. Am asked to step in when the efforts of others don't get the job done. Most often I am under a deadline but the reward comes from meeting that deadline.

When I am finished with a job, the people that pay me appreciate what I did and call me again when the times comes. And it will come.

I don't think I will ever retire as I meet many great people, enjoy what I do, and have been able to network myself into some very good associations.

Hitman?

 

[BernieP]

I have seen a few people in my Dept. within the gov't already leave to get their GS-15's "up the road." It is a catch-22. While they are getting their 15's, they spend more time on the road either driving, taking the bus, or in the case of one SES I know, he got an apt. near the Pentagon and comes home on the weekend. To me it is worth commuting or getting an apt where it ends up costing you more money renting or commuting, never mind the extra 2-3 hrs a day if you are doing the commute?
While I understand they want that career change and the higher pay (since with the exception of one person it was a complete career change to get their 15 or they have worked a "same" job when they first started in their career), is it worth it for the noted reasons above?

High 3 , high 3. Not only will they make more now, they will have a larger pension when they retire. Particularly SES since they don't get locality pay (locality pay is not used to calculate your high 3).

So bust your but, and lose money or commute and get the raise?

 

[corollinout]

I love my job...I love my job...I love my job.... I repeat this every day.




Actually, I DO love my job.
Though as I get older, the words "retirement" sound enticing. Chances are good, though, after a few years off, I would probably start another business or go back to driving truck (eehaw!)

I say it every day hoping it may come true. Usually I am left in disappointment.

 

[corollinout]

Now that I am not on my phone replying I can get more into what I have to complain about. I don't normally complain about working, I have had some sort of income from working since I was 10.

I am currently an Interim Regional Field Services Manager. Have been with promises of getting the job for 4 months. The time I will get my offer letter gets extended every time I talk to the director. Right now there are techs I manage from Delaware to North Carolina and some of them make more than I do. My company is based in AZ and think it's ok to offer AZ money amounts for a job that is 24/7 for a very demanding client in DC. (Basically 50k in AZ is equal to 76k in DC)(The prior manager made 102K, and I was told by HR the offer would be around 52-57k)

I am currently a contractor waiting to be brought in house for the position, which they say is the hold up. Today I get told that I won't know my salary until after all the paperwork is completed, which to me tells me they are going to low ball it, and this is how they will force me in. I will either have to take it, or be unemployed. My start date went from Jan 2nd to the end of Jan, I am supposed to be released by my company to be able to take this position Dec 31st.(contractual agreements) I also feel like the fall guy in the situation. The client expects fast service, but since my old manager was released, everything has to go through supply chain. Example: Client needs parts for vehicles. Old way they would have been ordered right away and the client would reimburse. I sent in the request for the parts November 1st, and just received notification they were ordered last week. It's a 6-8 week delivery time.

To me the whole situation is like buying a used car without ever even seeing a picture of it.

Prior I was a supervisor for Comcast but was laid off.

On the other end of the spectrum though. I love the photography business I started

 

[mamatutu]

Now that I am not on my phone replying I can get more into what I have to complain about. I don't normally complain about working, I have had some sort of income from working since I was 10.

I am currently an Interim Regional Field Services Manager. Have been with promises of getting the job for 4 months. The time I will get my offer letter gets extended every time I talk to the director. Right now there are techs I manage from Delaware to North Carolina and some of them make more than I do. My company is based in AZ and think it's ok to offer AZ money amounts for a job that is 24/7 for a very demanding client in DC. (Basically 50k in AZ is equal to 76k in DC)(The prior manager made 102K, and I was told by HR the offer would be around 52-57k)

I am currently a contractor waiting to be brought in house for the position, which they say is the hold up. Today I get told that I won't know my salary until after all the paperwork is completed, which to me tells me they are going to low ball it, and this is how they will force me in. I will either have to take it, or be unemployed. My start date went from Jan 2nd to the end of Jan, I am supposed to be released by my company to be able to take this position Dec 31st.(contractual agreements) I also feel like the fall guy in the situation. The client expects fast service, but since my old manager was released, everything has to go through supply chain. Example: Client needs parts for vehicles. Old way they would have been ordered right away and the client would reimburse. I sent in the request for the parts November 1st, and just received notification they were ordered last week. It's a 6-8 week delivery time.

To me the whole situation is like buying a used car without ever even seeing a picture of it.

Prior I was a supervisor for Comcast but was laid off.

On the other end of the spectrum though. I love the photography business I started

First, your photography is wonderful, glad you love it, and hope you can make it your sole business some day. Second, why would you be laid off by Comcast? Every time I turn around, they are raising my bill because my promotion no longer exists, or some other crap. It is probably good that you don't work for them anymore. If I had other alternatives in the boon docks, I would change my provider. Post more pictures, please!!!

 

[molly_21]

High 3 , high 3. Not only will they make more now, they will have a larger pension when they retire. Particularly SES since they don't get locality pay (locality pay is not used to calculate your high 3).

So bust your but, and lose money or commute and get the raise?

I have done the commute from Calvert to Silver Spring (could not find a car pool, metro was not worth it for me, as it took too much time, so I drove).
I was losing money driving up there because of the 3/4 hrs a day on top of my work day was driving me nuts. It was pretty much get up, shower, drive to work, work, come home, eat dinner, go to bed, repeat. I was so happy to come back to Pax River where my commute went from 3/4 hrs a day as mentioned, to 45 mins round trip and actually have a life. For me it was not worth the extra money (I was not gov't at the time I was with a major defense contractor).

Good for them if they want the hassle for driving up the road for their high three for the next 5-10 years.

 

[BernieP]

I have done the commute from Calvert to Silver Spring (could not find a car pool, metro was not worth it for me, as it took too much time, so I drove).
I was losing money driving up there because of the 3/4 hrs a day on top of my work day was driving me nuts. It was pretty much get up, shower, drive to work, work, come home, eat dinner, go to bed, repeat. I was so happy to come back to Pax River where my commute went from 3/4 hrs a day as mentioned, to 45 mins round trip and actually have a life. For me it was not worth the extra money (I was not gov't at the time I was with a major defense contractor).

Good for them if they want the hassle for driving up the road for their high three for the next 5-10 years.

People with families tend to make a sacrifice (as does the family) when it comes to employment. Because of the particular career path I followed (early on) suitable employment (meaning both the employer and I agree I'm a fit) is not easy to find, particularly in a depressed economy. In the last 10 years I have moved slightly, but because my work experience, my expertise, is in a rather specialized field, I've always had to "commute". Before moving here I had a 30-35 mile drive. As congestion increased the time became longer and longer - while I hated the backups, that was also good news since it meant more businesses were employing more people. Which meant it was a sellers market.
We have been, for a number of years, in a buyers market. Particularly in the lower end of SoMD. This has allowed DoD to lower costs by lowering salaries without fear of losing to many people - since competition is limited.

Personally I am not looking for a job "up the road". In fact I wouldn't even reconsider relocating in Maryland as the higher taxes would not be offset by an increase in salary when you consider the cost of the move.

The dissatisfaction comes from the fact that DoD under this SecDef has decided to "save money" on the backs of it's civilian employees. This was made clear in a letter from the HASC chair to Haigle when he informed him that civilian furloughs were not necessary as their pay was covered under the same law as military. It's been reinforced with the announcement that DoD will not pay out "bonus" money (even though it's part of the pay for performance package) while other departments and agencies handed out on the spot awards to people under the GS schedule. That along with freezing pay scales for 5 years does not leave employees with the feeling they are "valued teammates". Words will not pay my increased tax bills, my increased medical insurance costs or any other bills that have increase due to government excise tax increases.

 

[BernieP]

The only thing holding us here in MD is my husband's job. Honestly, I don't think either one of us would be upset if he loses his job. We just have to hold on for another year until I can get my 20 yrs in at my work for my partial pension and then we can start living the way we want. House with 100 acres in Idaho and jobs we enjoy.

you are not the first person, family, that I have heard this from.
Most want out of MD because of taxes. They want to enjoy the fruits of their labor and not be forced by the government to "share".