vicarz: (Default)
vicarz ([personal profile] vicarz) wrote2010-06-14 10:41 am

May I never wear pants again

Reminder - I'm not getting emails to my yahoo acct during work hours until further notice. I do get them, only when I am at home or a friend's laptop

I've all but decided I'm not interested in the PTO's' General Attorney position.

The position technically would be a promotion. It would put me in a higher grade, but I am making between a 5 and 6 step for the grade equivalent of my current salary, and step 6 of the current grade is pennies from the step 1 of grade of the new position. Because we get substantial raises and after D&D I’m probably looking at another good performance rating this year, I would probably make more money working for USDA for years. The cool thing would be placing me in the 905 series as an attorney instead of my current 201 where I happen to be an attorney, but on some papers show up as a HR Spec.

My sources have mixed information on the atmosphere politically, from "dysfunctional" to "many recent changes."

The very positive side was that they don’t have _any_ arbitration hearings scheduled at the present time. They seem to lack major conflict in Labor, with the focus being more on providing clients with advisory opinions. However, I enjoy MSPB and EEO more than labor at present. I also talked to the only other labor attorney in OGC and didn’t feel a magical connection with him in our brief talk.

I’m waiting to see if I hear back, but looking at their style of dress, hearing their version of alternate work schedules, and noting their flexiplace policy was chorused with a strong focus on being in the office to provide face-to-face client availability - it sounds like I’m favoring the freedoms I have in FSIS above the more sterile environment in PTO. Note that they scheduled a 3pm job interview on a friday, and their dress for casual friday consisted of button-down shirts "without ties."

I also note where I am might be ... easier. I deal with HS educated and foreign born pro-se litigants, while they deal with attorneys and doctorate level educated technicians. I have an easy time "winning" my cases when the other side is half-illiterate. I have no problem playing on a lopsided playing field. Do I enjoy challenge more? Not when I want to nap.

It’s probably a better legal career move to go to PTO, but right now despite the fact both groups may have potential dysfunction in mgt, I make more money and have far more flexibility and freedom in FSIS than I would in PTO.

I work at home, whenever I want.
I work or don't work whenever I want.
I wear just about whatever I want, including skull wingtips and leopard print creepers with my non-collared polos / henleys (a t-shirt by any other name...).
I make more money at a lower grade-equivalent under the pay-for-performance system than if I was in the higher grade.
I have a free cell phone/bb which I am allowed to use for personal calls (that must save me what - $50 monthly?)
Although my job is in Beltsville, it will move to downtown DC in about a year, so the location benefit of PTO is greatly diminished. Also, my division is talking more and more about full location independence based on electronic document storage/access and communications.

[identity profile] eolh.livejournal.com 2010-06-14 03:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Given that you seem to (quite sensibly, imho) value quality of life more than career advancement (and for that matter, based on your description it sounds dubious whether this would really be all that much of an advancement anyway), it sounds like a no-brainer to stay where you're at for now. Other, better, more suited to you opportunities will come along in the future. Look at it this way -- if that better opportunity shows up next week, you'll be in a much better position to jump if you're in a job that you've been in for a while than if you've just started a new one recently. And if it shows up a year or two down the road, well, you'll probably have made more money and been happier in the meantime.

[identity profile] cobwellac.livejournal.com 2010-06-14 04:18 pm (UTC)(link)
This: "I also note where I am might be ... easier. I deal with HS educated and foreign born pro-se litigants, while they deal with attorneys and doctorate level educated technicians. I have an easy time "winning" my cases when the other side is half-illiterate. I have no problem playing on a lopsided playing field. Do I enjoy challenge more? Not when I want to nap." is too awesome for words!

[identity profile] novaya-zemlya.livejournal.com 2010-06-14 08:09 pm (UTC)(link)
You had me at the not wearing pants to work part. But then I'm really naked under my clothes, which amuses me to no end.

[identity profile] vicar.livejournal.com 2010-06-14 10:20 pm (UTC)(link)
I want to be a loofa...

[identity profile] fitfool.livejournal.com 2010-06-15 12:53 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh wow...I hadn't realized you had so much flexibility in your current job. Nice going!

[identity profile] panthergirl.livejournal.com 2010-06-16 03:33 pm (UTC)(link)
"Not when I want to nap". Snarf.