How Long Would You Stay in a Boring Government Job?

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CoastLawyer2030
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Re: How Long Would You Stay in a Boring Government Job?

Post by CoastLawyer2030 »

Ramjet wrote: Wed Apr 21, 2021 7:12 am Despite being boring, I would keep doing what you are doing and aim at retiring early. It doesn't sound like you will get much fulfillment out of the govt. job or the solo practice.
Early retirement has long been a consideration. But as someone else has pointed out, I am so unbelievably lazy that I think I’d prefer to go down to part time ASAP, hence me posting this thread.
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Re: How Long Would You Stay in a Boring Government Job?

Post by Ramjet »

CoastLawyer2030 wrote: Wed Apr 21, 2021 8:08 am
Ramjet wrote: Wed Apr 21, 2021 7:12 am Despite being boring, I would keep doing what you are doing and aim at retiring early. It doesn't sound like you will get much fulfillment out of the govt. job or the solo practice.
Early retirement has long been a consideration. But as someone else has pointed out, I am so unbelievably lazy that I think I’d prefer to go down to part time ASAP, hence me posting this thread.
Makes sense. I can empathize though. Boring govt. job here as well, also in Ohio
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Re: How Long Would You Stay in a Boring Government Job?

Post by LadyGeek »

I went down to part-time before I retired. My full-time work schedule was flexed, meaning I worked 9 hour days and got every other Friday off. It was very nice, as it allowed me to schedule all of my appointments and run errands on my "off" Fridays.

I then ramped down to take every Friday off with a corresponding 10% pay reduction. The pay hit wasn't all that significant.

Other former coworkers worked 3 days a week, taking Monday and Friday off. It's a nice deal if you can swing it.

Check with your manager (and HR). Where I worked, going below 30 hours / week changed status from "Full" to "Part" time. Benefits may be impacted, such as employer contribution levels to insurance and retirement plans.
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Re: How Long Would You Stay in a Boring Government Job?

Post by carolinaman »

I recommend staying with govt job until you are vested for retirement and then reevaluate.

I spent my last 22 years at large county as IT Director. I was never bored and found my job demanding and very rewarding. I worked closely with legal staff on numerous matters. The legal staff I worked with had what I perceived as interesting and challenging jobs and also made a lot more than $65K. You may get future opportunities at the City and being on staff already gives you an advantage.

You seem to want to cherry pick your work. That is great if you can do it but most jobs have a mix of the good/bad/ugly. Best wishes.
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Re: How Long Would You Stay in a Boring Government Job?

Post by JakeyLee »

Previous advice of “setting a date” can be a game changer. I suffer from paralysis through/from analysis. When I started my public sector job decades ago, I knew I wanted something else. I noticed after a year or so that I was doing a lot of thinking, but never did anything specific or actionable. I gave myself a hard date. I knew I wanted to expand my training and higher education. In the meantime, I was at least going to be vested pension.

For me, setting that date lifted a weight off my shoulders . I no longer lived in limbo. I had a new goal: working on my professional self and my future employment. When four more years came for me, I was now armed to do something I hadn’t seen coming... promotion, better pay, and better environment. Oddly enough, it was supervisor role in another public sector position (county). :oops: :oops:
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Re: How Long Would You Stay in a Boring Government Job?

Post by djpeteski »

CoastLawyer2030 wrote: Wed Apr 21, 2021 7:03 am
What do you mean 4x?
Basically I would want 4x the amount of work you book part time booked before I left the government job. I am not sure if that is possible, but I would like a nice "accounts receivable" column on the balance sheet.
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Re: How Long Would You Stay in a Boring Government Job?

Post by CoastLawyer2030 »

So I have re-read this entire thread and I appreciate all the contributions. After taking everything in, I think I’ve settled on the following:

(1) Set achievable financial benchmarks (pay off student loans, save $100k in a brokerage) before leaving.

(2) Set a date. Right now I’m thinking my wedding anniversary in either year four or five. Note that I started in February, so if I go to end of May, I get an extra year’s tax space (e.g., I can work maybe 4.25 years here, but get five years worth of deferred comp space).

I’ve set my anniversary in four years (employed) as a reevaluation date. By my math my pension will be 92% vested at that point.

(3) Focus primarily on family situation. If kids have some conditions then having a government job will be the biggest blessing I could have.

(4) Continue to grow side practice. When I took the City job I was hoping my side practice would still make $40k a year. In my first year at the City it made $56k. This year profits are already $32k through the first third of the year, so I am flying.

Perhaps this will organically get up to $100,000 per year again, at which point I can also re-evaluate.

Bottom line is that I do have concrete dates and benchmarks in mind now, which makes the day to day at my boring job a bit easier.
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Re: How Long Would You Stay in a Boring Government Job?

Post by RevFran »

Do I correctly understand that you're having a child in August? Predictable hours and work you don't have to think about once you leave the office for the day could be very attractive in that stage of life -- I'd value that if I had a child on the way. I'd also value the pension, depending on details (how much pension? cola'd? health care? how well-funded is your city pension?)
-- obviously banking on a pension you won't draw for 30 years is its own kind of risk, but if it's just 4 more years to get fully vested, and in that 4 years you'll have a baby or two...your future self will thank you for having a small pension stream as part of your retirement. So -- if it were me -- I'd weigh the pension and the value of an easy job when having an infant.
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Re: How Long Would You Stay in a Boring Government Job?

Post by WS1 »

SrGrumpy wrote: Tue Apr 20, 2021 11:11 am
CoastLawyer2030 wrote: Tue Apr 20, 2021 10:05 am
This might be semantics, but I only really hate the schedule. The job is boring but tolerable. I like the people here.

But again, ya, 8-4 is not my thing.
So basically your life is great but you can't be bothered getting out of bed early?
CoastLawyer2030 wrote: Tue Apr 20, 2021 10:59 am I mean, I generally don’t love work.
Life is tough.
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Re: How Long Would You Stay in a Boring Government Job?

Post by calwatch »

RevFran wrote: Thu Apr 22, 2021 9:28 am Do I correctly understand that you're having a child in August? Predictable hours and work you don't have to think about once you leave the office for the day could be very attractive in that stage of life -- I'd value that if I had a child on the way. I'd also value the pension, depending on details (how much pension? cola'd? health care? how well-funded is your city pension?)
-- obviously banking on a pension you won't draw for 30 years is its own kind of risk, but if it's just 4 more years to get fully vested, and in that 4 years you'll have a baby or two...your future self will thank you for having a small pension stream as part of your retirement. So -- if it were me -- I'd weigh the pension and the value of an easy job when having an infant.
OP already said that they have a defined contribution plan, not a traditional defined benefit pension.
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Re: How Long Would You Stay in a Boring Government Job?

Post by retire2022 »

Op

Here is a good article of younger people constantly looking for passionate job, you may not find one:

https://www.teenvogue.com/story/dream-j ... dinary-age

"Dream Jobs Are a Myth, and More Wisdom From ‘An Ordinary Age’"
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Re: How Long Would You Stay in a Boring Government Job?

Post by CoastLawyer2030 »

A little bit of an interesting update:

So two of the four attorneys on our civil side of the Law Department put in their notices within three days of each other. Both had been here for 15+ years and were by far the most experienced here. Both got higher paying jobs. That leaves just me and one other guy over here, and we collectively have three years of government experience, and we were already stretched.

I’m not experienced enough in government to know how all this shakes out. But my general inclination is that this is either (a) an opportunity to gun for these slightly higher paying positions or (b) get the hell out of here before [expletive removed by admin LadyGeek].

I guess the bottom line is that I am glad I save aggressively and kept my private practice going on the side.
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F150HD
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Re: How Long Would You Stay in a Boring Government Job?

Post by F150HD »

T4REngineer wrote: Tue Apr 20, 2021 10:21 am I would be hesitant to give up the 8-4 because the side gig will turn into the same thing
^^ my thought too. It becomes circular. Where I live courts/govt runs roughly 8-4 M-F.
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Re: How Long Would You Stay in a Boring Government Job?

Post by galawdawg »

It also looks like the boring government job gives you plenty of time to be on Bogleheads instead of working during that 8-4 workday! :o :wink:
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Re: How Long Would You Stay in a Boring Government Job?

Post by LilyFleur »

eye.surgeon wrote: Tue Apr 20, 2021 10:51 am
JoeRetire wrote: Tue Apr 20, 2021 9:58 am
CoastLawyer2030 wrote: Tue Apr 20, 2021 9:50 am I initially had a much longer post typed up, but basically it comes down to this. I have two jobs -- one that is meh but very easy (City government) and one that I love (my solo practice).

I guess I'm just looking for a benchmark. Any advice appreciated.
I don't understand why anyone would stay in a job they hate, rather than pouring all their energies into a job they love.

Find a way to enjoy every day in your life as much as you can.
To me it sounds like the reason he loves his private job is it's 10-15 hours/week. Scale that up and you have a 40 hr/week job which apparently he hates.

This idea that you have to love your job is a very younger generation, romantic and for most, unrealistic notion. Find a job that pays well and provides a non-toxic environment and saving the loving for your hobbies and life outside work. Love what the job provides for you. Love how it underwrites a fulfilling and rich life of experiences. I LIKE my job. I LOVE the experiences it allows me to provide myself and my family when I'm not at work.
This.
There's a reason work is a four-letter word.
I have never liked a fixed schedule job. I'm a spontaneous, artsy type of person. I worked ten years at a job where it was required I be at my desk at 7:30 a.m. Try doing that while showering and watching your baby in a playpen in the bathroom doorway every morning at the crack of dawn. Having your wife at home so you can get to work easily seems good to me. Your schedule just isn't that bad.
I look at the construction workers on the scaffolding on my patio every day and sit on my sofa working on my laptop and thank my lucky stars for a job is slightly boring with a very nice boss and a decent hourly wage.
Update: keep both jobs. Do the bathroom remodels.
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