I've been offered a job that would put me down a path to a decent, stress-free, stable life... but I think I want more.

Sounds to me that you've got it laid out. Your current company might not be there in a few years, and isn't quite what you want to do. The job opportunity you're thinking about is a foot in the door to an exclusive sector and you could probably climb the ranks there. However, your destination there is pretty meaningless. So, you start there and rise up to making that $150k, and then use that job experience to leave and start working somewhere that you find meaningful, making a fair bit of money in the process. Good deal.

Take the easy government money and do something meaningful during/after your work.

Wow! Good to know the Post Office is hiring again.

hard worker good worker wrote:

I'm also making a good amount of money for someone my age, and I see myself going further and working up the ladder even more. It's not really about money though, I genuinely want to feel like my work matters, and I genuinely want to do quality work.

If this is the truth about how you actually feel, then you already have your answer. Avoid the soul-sucking lazy work... especially if it's "not really about the money" for you. If you're truly an overachiever, you might even surpass that $150k eventual job you've got your eye on. You'll definiltely feel better about yourself.

Money isn't everything, and it certainly can't buy happiness. Go out and do something you love. If you do something you're passionate about, the money will come!

150K is peanuts in certain parts of the country, especially if you plan to raise a family.

Louie Napoleon wrote:

Wow! Good to know the Post Office is hiring again.

Got a relative in a government job. He said he sees this attitude everywhere there. Groups who actually take pride in how little work they do. Depressing, really.

It sounds like you have an amazing opportunity if you ask me. Take the government job and take advantage of your coworkers being lazy in order to move up positions rapidly. The work will be fulfilling if you see yourself constantly moving up the ladder. Once you reach the point where you're at the top, use the money you made to start a business. Elitist, driven people make great entrepreneurs especially when you have a government checking coming in regardless of if you're working or not!

In the government you will not make a big difference. You will also have others holding you back. "We never did that before." or similar statements. You may be motivated and a hard worker now but always swimming against that current can wear you down.

If you take the job, follow the advice of "Great Opportunities" who said to work it for a few years and then leave to work in the private sector either for a company or as an entrepreneur. About 155k is max you can make in the govt. but as a contractor especially with your own company the sky is the limit.

Either job will give you what you really want which is the chance to brag about how much better you are than everyone else is so it really doesn't matter. But if you really aren't as great as you think and your hypothetical private career goes up in flames you may regret not opting for security.

hard worker good worker wrote:

This goes 100% against everything I am and see myself as.

If the quoted is true, best case scenario is the government job eats you up inside. Most importantly, the promise of a job with opportunity is a promise backed by nothing. People promise, "you will rise quickly." every day regardless of whether it is true or not.

You are a professional now. Save money like crazy NOW so you can walk away from any job no matter how great it is right now, or how good things are going at your current employer.

You are confident your work is good. Assuming that is true, you can take that work quality and apply it anywhere. An environment that is 100% the opposite of everything you are is all you need to know to stay out of there.

1) High-achieving people don't take the safe route.

2) Your current company could go away, but Federal employees lose their jobs too. Definitely not a guarantee of a job for a lifetime.

3) High-achieving people don't worry about a job loss. They work hard at their job and then if they lose it, they are confident they will get another one.

4) $150,000 isn't that much depending on where you live, so don't let that figure sway you.

Do with the above what you will.

Same boat as you. Do what you want, you can get places by yourself. These apathetic people are horrible to be around, you'd end up hating going to your job.

Is $150K salary enough to satisfy you? It's not bad, but you're not going to be rich and will have to budget your money like the rest of the average Joes out there. It's not two chicks at one time kind of money.

Not only the PO wrote:

Louie Napoleon wrote:

Wow! Good to know the Post Office is hiring again.

Got a relative in a government job. He said he sees this attitude everywhere there. Groups who actually take pride in how little work they do. Depressing, really.

That's how about 1/3 to 1/2 of the people I work around are that work for the federal govt. They take pride in how little they do. Some even extend that to their home life too and happily boast about how all they do is watch movies and play xbox when at home. Makes me want to puke. Another 30% or so are people who might not take pride in how lazy they are, but are just very unmotivated people in general who appreciate having a cushy job where they don't have to do anything. Only 10-20% of people I see actually want to do much of anything.

I feel like I would not fit in. Moving up the ladder in the federal govt is almost 100% about two things: 1) Years experience, and 2) Connections on a personal level. Competency and skill mean absolutely nothing. I have a real problem with that.

2007F***BoiHustler wrote:

Money isn't everything, and it certainly can't buy happiness. Go out and do something you love. If you do something you're passionate about, the money will come!

Reallly? I always knew my love of farting would pay off.

I work for a Fed agency. Make just exactly what you claim, and have been there 11 years now. There are several in my office making a hell of a lot more than me, way more. Our retirement system is only 1% for every year, after you get your first 5 years done. So at 6 years you start, now at 6% of your highest 3 years salary so far. I'm only at 11%, and you can go any time now....but you don't start getting your retirement until you hit 65..or 66 whatever. So in short it is a dog carp retirement. You are right most don't do a thing, oh and you better be a minority. If you can believe this, they now have "Work at home status", so say an Attorney wants to work from home via our great technology...they can. So many do this and pursue some other endeavor at the same time from home. Its all total insanity and it is getting worse each year. Do become educated about the office your looking at and all aspects of the agency.

Take the job that will bring you back here complaining the most so we can all be entertained and learn more about how much better you are than your co-workers.

It's great that you're a hard worker, but to be effective in the workplace you also need to be able to adapt to your surroundings. Why don't you take the Federal government job and learn to take pride in how little you are doing?