Retiring/separating reserve officers who transitioned to GS

[link6]

I left active duty and was offered two GS positions in a non-DC locale: "Job A" at GS-11 and "Job B" at 12. Job A was well-aligned with my skills, more demanding, and vastly sexier than Job B, but I fell in love with the self-imposed goal of coming in at the highest grade possible. So I took Job B and was unhappy and underpromoted for the next decade. I have no doubt that I would have had a more fulfilling and productive career had I taken Job A. You'll rise through the ranks more quickly if you're doing challenging work that gives you purpose.

 

[SELRES_AMDO]

I left active duty and was offered two GS positions in a non-DC locale: "Job A" at GS-11 and "Job B" at 12. Job A was well-aligned with my skills, more demanding, and vastly sexier than Job B, but I fell in love with the self-imposed goal of coming in at the highest grade possible. So I took Job B and was unhappy and underpromoted for the next decade. I have no doubt that I would have had a more fulfilling and productive career had I taken Job A. You'll rise through the ranks more quickly if you're doing challenging work that gives you purpose.

I had a similar experience.

I had an excellent federal job at a Navy command. Only downside is due to bureaucracy and a pay band system it resulted in me being paid much less than my peers at other Navy commands. Took a promotion and PCS to a high grade position doing something similar at another Navy command and it was a terrible experience. The command climate was toxic and I was treated like an E-1 who needs to be micromanaged. If I didn't have a family to support I probably would have quit federal service. I woke up every day hating my life and could barely look myself in the mirror. Eventually I burned out and could barely motivate myself to do the bare minimum when I received numerous performance awards at my previous jobs. My bosses hated me and I hated them. The kick in the nuts is I probably would have been the same grade at my old job if I just stuck around for a few more years since my old boss left and told me I could have taken his job.

Don't get hung up on GS levels. Remember, the GS system is not the Navy promotion system. You're going to be at it for awhile before you can retire so don't be dumb and make yourself miserable like I did.

 

[link6]

I had a similar experience.

I had an excellent federal job at a Navy command. Only downside is due to bureaucracy and a pay band system it resulted in me being paid much less than my peers at other Navy commands. Took a promotion and PCS to a high grade position doing something similar at another Navy command and it was a terrible experience. The command climate was toxic and I was treated like an E-1 who needs to be micromanaged. If I didn't have a family to support I probably would have quit federal service. I woke up every day hating my life and could barely look myself in the mirror. Eventually I burned out and could barely motivate myself to do the bare minimum when I received numerous performance awards at my previous jobs. My bosses hated me and I hated them. The kick in the nuts is I probably would have been the same grade at my old job if I just stuck around for a few more years since my old boss left and told me I could have taken his job.

Don't get hung up on GS levels. Remember, the GS system is not the Navy promotion system. You're going to be at it for awhile before you can retire so don't be dumb and make yourself miserable like I did.

Damn, that sounds like a version of my experience, on steroids, with a nightmare organizational culture to boot. I hope your situation has improved lately.

 

[nodropinufaka]

I was a GS when I left active duty.

Left Active Duty as a LT and started the next week as a GS-13 but in a term position.

Then I got hired as a GS-12 step 8 in a permanent position.

What I can't deal with in the GS ranks is the micromanagement and how far behind they are from private sector.

I remember asking if I could telework during COVID and they said it is situational dependent and essentially I had to remain in the office to do the work that could be done at home. When we finally hit a certain tier they made me log into a VPN to track my work.

Ended up leaving.

 

[Pags]

I was a GS when I left active duty.

Left Active Duty as a LT and started the next week as a GS-13 but in a term position.

Then I got hired as a GS-12 step 8 in a permanent position.

What I can't deal with in the GS ranks is the micromanagement and how far behind they are from private sector.

I remember asking if I could telework during COVID and they said it is situational dependent and essentially I had to remain in the office to do the work that could be done at home. When we finally hit a certain tier they made me log into a VPN to track my work.

Ended up leaving.

Heavily agency dependent. When COVID hit Mrs Pags and I were working in the same office but for different services. My leadership told me to go work from home and don't even think about coming back. Mrs. Pags had a much harder road in convincing her leadership that TW was ok. But then she left that stupid service for another one but still in the same office. We both asked to work from a distance for 2 mo over xmas and no one batted an eye at it. I continue to be impressed at the amount of trust, empowerment, and flexibility I'm afforded.

 

[SELRES_AMDO]

Heavily agency dependent. When COVID hit Mrs Pags and I were working in the same office but for different services. My leadership told me to go work from home and don't even think about coming back. Mrs. Pags had a much harder road in convincing her leadership that TW was ok. But then she left that stupid service for another one but still in the same office. We both asked to work from a distance for 2 mo over xmas and no one batted an eye at it. I continue to be impressed at the amount of trust, empowerment, and flexibility I'm afforded.

Totally agree.

First GS job I had an awesome boss. I lived pretty far from the office and he let me telework Mon/Tues. It was awesome. And this was in 2016 time frame when telework was just gaining traction. Next job was no telework allowed. Everyone needed to be butt in seat everyday until Covid came along and a Flag officer made the bosses let people telework. But, soon as people were vaccinated they called them back in to the office. That same office tracked how long people walked out of the building for. I'll never forget a supervisor giving someone a talking to because they took longer than their allotted 30 minutes for lunch. That same boss would call people at 7 pm and ask work questions without thinking anything of it.

 

[P3 F0]

I took my current job not long after retiring over five years ago. I was very impressed at the people that interviewed me--one was a prior Navy O-5 Medical bubba. I definitely worried that the good impression would be quickly replaced by the opposite. I was also very concerned that the GS horror stories that I'd heard over years would become evident with both colleagues and other senior leadership in the place I was at.

Neither turned out to be true. The great bosses eventually went away and I got new bosses. They were also equally fantastic. Zero micromanaging and lots of trust and empowerment. The commute sucked--going from NoVa to Bethesda during rush hour, and after a year, I looked at our TW policy, which said it was there to mitigate adverse conditions such as traffic. So, on a lark, I submitted to come in every day at 0630 (citing the policy), leave at 1400, and TW for an hour. Got approved right away. All the sudden, zero gridlock.

We are also not pushing to come back any time soon, but will eventually have to follow our lead agency's path once things begin to resolve. But our TW policy will almost assuredly be altered to allow much greater flexibility. While I've always fantasized about getting back into the DoD and TS/SCI fold, I thorughly enjoy the freedom of being able to do 80% of my 100% unclass job from home.

 

[jmcquate]

The commute sucked--going from NoVa to Bethesda during rush hour, and after a year,

I feel your pain. Having commuted from Old Town to Chevy Chase for a couple of years was a nightmare. Couldn't imagine doing those couple of miles up Wisconsin Ave. Just no good options.

I've been out of the office since this crap started except for the handful of times for classified meetings, but I'm running out of work that I need to do on NIPR. My commute is long, (Arlington to Belvoir) but it's against traffic, so it's tolerable. I'm looking forward to going back into the office. I like having somewhere to go in the morning. It makes weekends and PTO that much more satisficing.

 

[nodropinufaka]

Heavily agency dependent. When COVID hit Mrs Pags and I were working in the same office but for different services. My leadership told me to go work from home and don't even think about coming back. Mrs. Pags had a much harder road in convincing her leadership that TW was ok. But then she left that stupid service for another one but still in the same office. We both asked to work from a distance for 2 mo over xmas and no one batted an eye at it. I continue to be impressed at the amount of trust, empowerment, and flexibility I'm afforded.

Figured it was agency dependent.

the good thing is I had a permanent appointment on my second job so I can return if I ever choose.

 

[nodropinufaka]

I took my current job not long after retiring over five years ago. I was very impressed at the people that interviewed me--one was a prior Navy O-5 Medical bubba. I definitely worried that the good impression would be quickly replaced by the opposite. I was also very concerned that the GS horror stories that I'd heard over years would become evident with both colleagues and other senior leadership in the place I was at.

Neither turned out to be true. The great bosses eventually went away and I got new bosses. They were also equally fantastic. Zero micromanaging and lots of trust and empowerment. The commute sucked--going from NoVa to Bethesda during rush hour, and after a year, I looked at our TW policy, which said it was there to mitigate adverse conditions such as traffic. So, on a lark, I submitted to come in every day at 0630 (citing the policy), leave at 1400, and TW for an hour. Got approved right away. All the sudden, zero gridlock.

We are also not pushing to come back any time soon, but will eventually have to follow our lead agency's path once things begin to resolve. But our TW policy will almost assuredly be altered to allow much greater flexibility. While I've always fantasized about getting back into the DoD and TS/SCI fold, I thorughly enjoy the freedom of being able to do 80% of my 100% unclass job from home.

I sometimes miss working in the IC and the interesting problem sets I would encounter.

but being 100 percent telework now and full unclass in my job makes it very unlikely I’ll ever go back to scif work.

 

[Flash]

Heavily agency dependent. When COVID hit Mrs Pags and I were working in the same office but for different services. My leadership told me to go work from home and don't even think about coming back. Mrs. Pags had a much harder road in convincing her leadership that TW was ok. But then she left that stupid service for another one but still in the same office. We both asked to work from a distance for 2 mo over xmas and no one batted an eye at it. I continue to be impressed at the amount of trust, empowerment, and flexibility I'm afforded.

I work for one place but physically work at another and the two have handled the fun this last year quite differently, so it is definitely very agency or even office dependent.

Neither turned out to be true. The great bosses eventually went away and I got new bosses. They were also equally fantastic. Zero micromanaging and lots of trust and empowerment. The commute sucked--going from NoVa to Bethesda during rush hour, and after a year, I looked at our TW policy, which said it was there to mitigate adverse conditions such as traffic. So, on a lark, I submitted to come in every day at 0630 (citing the policy), leave at 1400, and TW for an hour. Got approved right away. All the sudden, zero gridlock.

You need to get an alternate work schedule that allows you to come and go as you please, if your work allows it, the flexibility is great and would still allow you to acquit yourself well.

 

[nodropinufaka]

You need to get an alternate work schedule that allows you to come and go as you please, if your work allows it, the flexibility is great and would still allow you to acquit yourself well.

This

my new Job is like this.

don’t think I could ever go back to anything else

 

[ChuckMK23]

You need to get an alternate work schedule that allows you to come and go as you please, if your work allows it, the flexibility is great and would still allow you to acquit yourself well.

Maxiflex!!!!!

 

[ChuckMK23]

The biggest downside to GS employment is just how bloody awful the working tech is. The fixation with Microsoft Office tools over a secure/monitored network with limited remote access - not to mention a 20 year old device (laptop, phone/tablet) policy that is obsolete and does not address contemporary cultural norms. A good example is a strict prohibition on password management tools - look in any .gov office and you see post its plastered everywhere with passwords written down. Want to use Slack or something else to efficiently collaborate? Good luck.

 

[jmcquate]

I still can't get Teams to work as advertised. It's garbage.