<p>A) Federal research job . The group wants him, but an external review must take place, and he has been told it will take about two months for the final decision. This would be his first federal job, and equivalent to a promotion from his last position in the private sector. It is a job that was his “dream job” for many years. We would need to move. Initial salary offered approx. $95k plus some money for relocation. Even if he receives the job offer, salary could drop based on recommendation of review committee. Cost of living in new location is less than where we are now. </p>
<p>B) Job with a non-profit organization 55 miles away. They would like him to start before the end of the month. The commute would be at least a 1 hour 15 min drive each way at rush hour. The only way to get there from here is by car. There is the probability that some of the work will be able to be completed at an office that is very close to our home, but no clear read yet on how often that would be. This would be a lateral move into a career that he has developed an interest in over the past couple of years. Taking the position would close off any future option of returning to his original career track. Salary is $75k (final offer). If we were to eventually move closer, the cost of living is the same as where we are now. </p>
<p>Both of these involve major changes in work responsibility from his last position, so in either case there will be a steep learning curve. He has now been out of work for 13 months. To get two interviews, then two offers back-to-back has made for a couple wild weeks.</p>
<p>Any advice on the external federal review process? Grab B and don’t look back? Take B and wait and see (and how badly will the people at B hate him if he skips out after a couple of months)? Drop B and cross the fingers for A?</p>
<p>Take my career out of the equation - I work part-time. I’ve done the math. My current income would basically pay for his commuting costs for B. I wouldn’t need to work at all for A to still come out ahead financially even with a lower salary than the initial offer.</p>
<p>At this point in his career, I would go for the job itself. Happy kid is just about done with college, right? So your “BIG money” years are behind you. Honestly I would think job satisfaction should be the driving force. </p>
<p>The only downside I see to B is that commute. It’s a long one. My husband commutes about 50 minutes in each direction and even that isn’t a cakewalk. </p>
<p>Compare benefits.
Federal process can be slow, just be sure the project has been funded and it will be worth the wait.
He won’t want to pass up B if A hasn’t gotten funded yet.</p>
<p>Background check could take a while, but a federal job is worth it.
I don’t understand how the pay could go down with recommendations though?
Was it advertised as a certain grade range and your DH is wanting an adjustment to the steps?
Congrats!
Note: I am biased, because I am a federal employee.</p>
<p>A dream job vs commuting 12-15 hours per week. That commute can get emotionally and physically tiring. Is there some doubt that the Federal job won’t come through? Is the external review just a check on his qualifications? It may take longer than they say, or shorter. He could ask for more details on the review and their history and experience with it. If there is doubt, is there really any repercussion for starting the one and taking the other if he review goes through? Any professional crossover? IT happens from time to time that people do not stay after starting. </p>
<p>My only experience is that I live in the DC area and the last few jobs I’ve hired had almost all been people who were downsized out of the government or that contracts were not renewed. The government is shedding employees and contractors like a furry dog come spring. Do you know that govt job is stable?</p>
<p>My S’s fed job background check took over a year for a fed security clearance, so times can really vary, just FYI. Would be SURE funding is secure–some S applied for weren’t and they were scrambling for funding for his position when he went to on site interview! Others have had shorter vetting periods–highly variable. Fortunately, S had no pressing bills while he waited. </p>
<p>S’s fed job was as a project manager, not researcher. </p>
<p>Congrats to him and good luck making a choice!</p>
<p>The money is there. No worries at all about that. Whew!! We’ve been informed that the review process used to be a rubber stamp, but that in recent years the reviewers have rejected candidates occasionally. He also was told that the reviewers might agree to him, but want to put him a couple steps lower than where the group wants to place him - still within the same grade I take it though. He’s been given pep talks by people outside the project but who know about it, and has been told to hang tight.</p>
<p>Yes, he could take B and then leave provided A is finalized. He just feels really, really weird about doing that. Yes some professional crossover, but probably all would be forgiven because of the relative stature of A. He would almost certainly lose hope of ever working for Organization B - or at least for a very long time. Then again, I don’t think he’d end up there every after pursuing A. Other than “you would have a paycheck while you wait for A”, is there anything else to say? I’m flat out of ideas.</p>
<p>I’m a bit confused about the external review. It sounds like more than a background check; instead, some kind of qualifications analysis since it could result in a change in the offer. It would be a shame to give up his dream job, with federal benefits that are still very good, but the more immediate offer sounds very tempting.</p>
<p>Is the federal job in the DC area? The cost of living is pretty high here.</p>
<p>It sounds like the only problem with going for A is the chance that he might not pass the outside review and actually be offered the job. Do you take a chance for the dream, or go for the sure thing that is less desirable?
If job A were not to come through, what is the likelihood that job B might still be available? Does he have other irons in the fire that might come through in the future?
At our age, I’d probably hope my Dh took the risk and held on for job A. But it is a risk, and you’d both need to be ok with it not working out, both financially and emotionally. </p>
<p>I would most definitely take B and hope A comes though. If he doesn’t, and A falls through, that would be really bad. Meanwhile, he’d have a couple of months of a pay check and seeing just how bad the commute is and if moving would be necessary if he stays at B. I see nothing wrong with leaving B if A comes through. You have to think about your family.</p>
<p>Well, in the DC area, a 55 mile commute is not uncommon, and 1:15 during rush hour isn’t bad. Here are a few questions I would have:
Can he alter his workday by a few hours to avoid the worst of the rush hour? Start and end an hour or more early? Or late?</p>
<p>Is the commute direction an easy one or hard one? Would he be driving against or with the major flow? (55 miles driving from Silver Spring out towards Frederick every morning is a more pleasant commute than trying to drive IN towards DC 55 miles every morning.)</p>
<p>Can he find an affordable apartment or apartment share closer to work during the work week? We know people who choose to do this and only come “home” on weekends. </p>
<p>I’d lean towards trying out B while the A review process continues.</p>
<p>Yes, he should take B and wait for A to come through. A bird in the hand and all that. If and when A comes through, he will be able to resign from B with class. </p>
<p>Thanks VeryHappy! That’s what his advisors are encouraging him to do. He’s just trying to wrap his mind around the how-to-resign-with-class bit if/when it comes to that.</p>
<p>I know everyone here is thinking of happydad. As an employer I hate it when employees do that to me. It takes a lot of money, time and effort to hire and train someone - to have them leave for greener pastures within a few months always stinks. I have no control over that, but it will leave a bad taste in company b’s mouth. </p>
<p>eyemamom, I completely understand. But I truly believe this is what he has to do. He has no guarantee that job A is going to come through, so he might wind up staying at job B. There are no guarantees in anything these days.</p>