The good:
So, I work in the public service. My yearly is about 70k and most years I make 80-90k with overtime and premium pay. I have about 10 years pensionable time, and if I stay about another 20 till I'm 55 I would have an immediate pension with no penalty. My agency is chronically short staffed and I could easily make 10-20k more per year via overtime if I wanted to give up more time.
The bad:
So, I work in the public service. Because of my geographical location the only upward mobility I have available is going management, which is only a 10k per year raise. While it's still hourly and has overtime available, that has been rare in the past and will probably dry up in the future. You're also expected to live tethered to your blackberry and end up doing a lot of unpaid emailing and taking emergency calls because of it. There's not much opportunity to make more money. There are no bonuses at this level. Realistically, I would be unlikely to make it past entry level management. I don't socialize with the right people and I never will, and I'm very unlikely to relocate.
I am good at my job, not the best at everything but my skillset is well rounded and I'm the most knowledgable in the office on several topics. At this point I am not challenged professionally here at all. I have little possible growth left, and almost no incentive to do so. Being the public service there are really no carrots offered for good performance.
While I'm content enough right now, when I start thinking about doing this for 20+ more years I do get down about it. I have spoke to my reporting manager as we have a pretty good relationship, and he understands where I'm at. He went management about 5 years ago to "make changes and has realized that he's just another cog too and has similar thoughts to me. Of the people I work with who have been in for 20+ years all that keeps them going is job security and pension.
Having done the math on what my pension is worth I would have to make much, much more money in the private sector if I was to leave for it to be equitable financially. Short of going into business for myself and doing well I don't have the skills/credentials to make 120-150k a year.
Anyone in a similar situation? Cliff notes is current career is pretty solid financially but boring. What to do?
So, I work in the public service. My yearly is about 70k and most years I make 80-90k with overtime and premium pay. I have about 10 years pensionable time, and if I stay about another 20 till I'm 55 I would have an immediate pension with no penalty. My agency is chronically short staffed and I could easily make 10-20k more per year via overtime if I wanted to give up more time.
The bad:
So, I work in the public service. Because of my geographical location the only upward mobility I have available is going management, which is only a 10k per year raise. While it's still hourly and has overtime available, that has been rare in the past and will probably dry up in the future. You're also expected to live tethered to your blackberry and end up doing a lot of unpaid emailing and taking emergency calls because of it. There's not much opportunity to make more money. There are no bonuses at this level. Realistically, I would be unlikely to make it past entry level management. I don't socialize with the right people and I never will, and I'm very unlikely to relocate.
I am good at my job, not the best at everything but my skillset is well rounded and I'm the most knowledgable in the office on several topics. At this point I am not challenged professionally here at all. I have little possible growth left, and almost no incentive to do so. Being the public service there are really no carrots offered for good performance.
While I'm content enough right now, when I start thinking about doing this for 20+ more years I do get down about it. I have spoke to my reporting manager as we have a pretty good relationship, and he understands where I'm at. He went management about 5 years ago to "make changes and has realized that he's just another cog too and has similar thoughts to me. Of the people I work with who have been in for 20+ years all that keeps them going is job security and pension.
Having done the math on what my pension is worth I would have to make much, much more money in the private sector if I was to leave for it to be equitable financially. Short of going into business for myself and doing well I don't have the skills/credentials to make 120-150k a year.
Anyone in a similar situation? Cliff notes is current career is pretty solid financially but boring. What to do?