job decision

[barkingspider]

I work for the state. I help my buddy get on board, they offered him a position. He is torn with the decision to come on board because of the pay and benefits. Your thoughts?

His private industry job: Good pay, usual benefits (med, dental, vision), 401K company match, company car (chevy malibu) includes gas card and insurance, work out of his home, stressful, works approx. 9-10 days mon-fri, 9 days paid holidays

State job: approx. $10K less than his current job, has to commute to office (1hr each way), desk job, low stress, good state pension, med, dental, vision, mon-fri, 14 days paid holidays

My buddy is age 40 with a wife (works part time) and a teenage daughter

 

[Quest]

You've pretty much nailed it RE: breaking down the pros and cons into somewhat generalised point forms.

All your buddy has to do is to go through this list himself and let him decide for himself.

afterall: it's his own career life, not yours. You already helped him in terms of providing him another option.

Q.

 

[EdwardC]

Obviously there are a lot of factors to weigh, but to me, based on just the information your provided, if that $10k difference isn't going to strain the family, it's an easy decision, I'd be taking the new job.

I would guess that with the 1hr commute, his work day ends up about the same as before, but you can't really put a price on reducing stress and additional days off to spend with the family.

 

[barkingspider]

Correction, he works approx. 9-10 hour days at his current job. The state job is 8 hours a day mon-fri

 

[dkryan]

Originally Posted By: barkingspider
Correction, he works approx. 9-10 hour days at his current job. The state job is 8 hours a day mon-fri


The state job is ten hours per day because of the commute. In his own ride, if I read your post correctly.

His state job will be $10,000 per year less and his fuel and maintenance expenses will increase.

If neither of those realities is a concern for him, more power to him. If that's what he believes is best for his career and his family.

 

[barkingspider]

You are correct. He has the option to take the metro train into work vs driving his own vehicle. That's what I do, I drive 5 miles to the train station and take the train into work and back so gas and maint is minimal.

Originally Posted By: dkryan
Originally Posted By: barkingspider
Correction, he works approx. 9-10 hour days at his current job. The state job is 8 hours a day mon-fri


The state job is ten hours per day because of the commute. In his own ride, if I read your post correctly.

His state job will be $10,000 per year less and his fuel and maintenance expenses will increase.

If neither of those realities is a concern for him, more power to him. If that's what he believes is best for his career and his family.

 

[The Critic]

His current job sounds like a much better deal to me.

Unless he's tired of it?

 

[IndyIan]

If this going from 110k to 100k, I might take the state job for the extra holidays(and bound to increase?)
$60k to $50k might be a different decision.
Zero commute is worth something too.
Also is lower stress, going to be lower satisfaction?

 

[Ed_Flecko]

The other thing you forgot to mention is that it's almost impossible to fire a California State Worker once he's passed his probationary period! (I know...I work for the State of California). Which means that he'll, possibly, be working for a Manager, etc., that are lazy and complete morons...because they can't be fired for being lazy or brain-dead! (I know...I work for just such a bunch). Nobody has an camaraderie nor are they willing to "make any waves" - they're all just counting the days off their calendar until they retire.

What you give up in the private sector is $$$ but what you gain is a job where you almost have to committ a major crime in order to be fired!

Does job security mean that much to him??? I think that's the decision.

Ed

 

[Mr Nice]

$10,000 less pay and 2 hour round trip ?

Job better have a great pension / benefits to take that job.

 

[eljefino]

Does his wife have any aspirations/ ambitions?

The killer app, IMO, is to have one of the couple do something like running a small business, with high satisfaction/ engagement, high risk, and potentially great rewards.

The other gets a steady job with great benefits and keeps the lights on.

However there's nothing wrong with two steady jobs either. It comes down to, what's she think?

In my mind I'd devalue the promised pension by about 1/2, BTW, and shoo a little into an IRA on the side.

 

[Nick1994]

I think he should keep his current job. That $10,000 per year extra plus company car and has more than pays for any extra benefits from the government job. Tell him to put the $10k per year aside extra for retirement.

 

[Ed_Flecko]

Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
$10,000 less pay and 2 hour round trip.

Job better have a great pension / benefits to take that job.


That's a VERY risky role of the dice. California is, are you ready for this... 198 BILLION in the hole with "Unfunded liability" due to the pinhead politicians that keep getting elected.

http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/11/1...es-in-a-decade/

"How is that possible" you ask? Easy...they keep promising gravy benefits so stupid people keep electing the same dipsticks. It's funny how we're "flush with cash" due to tax revenues being higher this year and they're giddy with excitement on how best to urinate the $$$ away!

California will be the next Detroit or Greece in the near future. It will collapse under the weight of our "Unfunded liabilities", i.e., "State worker pensions" like those of the Nurses Unions, State Correctional Officer Unions and..oh yes, lets not forget the Teachers Unions.

Ed

 

[Lolvoguy]

Originally Posted By: Ed_Flecko
The other thing you forgot to mention is that it's almost impossible to fire a California State Worker once he's passed his probationary period! (I know...I work for the State of California). Which means that he'll, possibly, be working for a Manager, etc., that are lazy and complete morons...because they can't be fired for being lazy or brain-dead! (I know...I work for just such a bunch). Nobody has an camaraderie nor are they willing to "make any waves" - they're all just counting the days off their calendar until they retire.

What you give up in the private sector is $$$ but what you gain is a job where you almost have to committ a major crime in order to be fired!

Ed


You guys hiring? I could use a job like that

 

[Ed_Flecko]

Originally Posted By: Lolvoguy
Originally Posted By: Ed_Flecko
The other thing you forgot to mention is that it's almost impossible to fire a California State Worker once he's passed his probationary period! (I know...I work for the State of California). Which means that he'll, possibly, be working for a Manager, etc., that are lazy and complete morons...because they can't be fired for being lazy or brain-dead! (I know...I work for just such a bunch). Nobody has an camaraderie nor are they willing to "make any waves" - they're all just counting the days off their calendar until they retire.

What you give up in the private sector is $$$ but what you gain is a job where you almost have to committ a major crime in order to be fired!

Ed


You guys hiring? I could use a job like that


Why do you think EVERYONE in California wants to be a State worker???

Ed

 

[supton]

Lots of good points here. I dont think the answer is clear cut, but rather determined by the personal whims after weighing the pro and cons.

I have a rural hour long commute each way, and I could not imagine what it would be like with stop and go traffic. If he is taking the train, could he get an iPad or similar with a dataplan and start the workday early? or at least do all his web stuff on the commute, that way when he is home he can unplug and be with family?

 

[totegoat]

How much is the car and gas benefit worth? Job satisfaction means quite a bit, but too much stress can kill. No fun to work with people who don't want to be there.

Let us know what he decides.

 

[GenesisGuy70]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
His current job sounds like a much better deal to me.

Unless he's tired of it?


Yea I agree. If it were me, I'd stay put. When the daughter is gone, he'll be happy to work more to be away from the wife. Plus, when the daughter is gone, what else will he have to do? Nothing.

 

[skyactiv]

Doesn't California give it's state employees one sick day a month?

 

[CKN]

If I didn't have to pay in to Social Security that would be a major point for me. I don't believe California state workers pay in to Social Security.