Ethical dilemma with a job offer...

[DCFife]

Here's the deal: my wife and I get out of the Army at the end of August. When we get out we would like to work at the Pentagon in the telecomm field. A friend of mine who is currently working at the Pentagon got my wife a point of contact in the department that my wife has her job experience. She contacted this person who asked her to send a resume. She sent the resume and two weeks later she had a job offer for $46K without so much as a phone call or an interview.

Now my wife is concerned about taking the job. She has recently got more information about the work environment and benefits and it sounds great, but she feels that she is being low-balled at $46K. She attempted to negotiate the amount but the HR department was completely unwaivering. She's tempted to accept the job but is worried about what other deals she may come across over the next few months. On one hand it's nice to know that she has a decent job waiting for her, but on the other hand we feel she could possibly do better. My friend said that she should just accept the job and if she gets a better offer elsewhere she can just tell the first company that she changed her mind...after all, the position she would be filling doesn't even exist yet and is going to be created just for her.

Any opinions out there on this situation? Should my wife accept the offer and continue to search for a better paying job? Should she only accept it if she absolutely wants it and no other?

Dave

 

[Shaftatplanetquake]

$46,000 is more money than she needs.

If she thinks she will be happy, she should take it.

 

[bsobel]

> $46,000 is more money than she needs.

WTF?

> My friend said that she should just accept the job and if she gets a better offer elsewhere she can just tell the first company that she changed her mind.

Unless she is agreeing (in writing) to a certain minmum duration at the job (not likely), take it and continue to shop. You'll find out rather quickly if she should indeed be paid more based on your other offers. If they are signifigant enough for you to 'switch' you should.

Bill

 

[vi edit]

Is this a gubment job? If so the benefits you receive can nearly double the *actual* value of the salary. Government jobs offer VERY inticing bennies. Something that can't be made up for by a *somewhat* higher paying job.

 

[Danman]

Originally posted by: Shaftatplanetquake
$46,000 is more money than she needs.

If she thinks she will be happy, she should take it.

YEA RIGHT!

 

[Stiler]

hell, i wish i could say 46k a year was lowballing to me......

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: DCFife
Should my wife accept the offer and continue to search for a better paying job?

Dave

yes

its an adjustment when you are getting out of the service, but you'll get used to it

a few years ago (about 2 1/2 years after i got out of the navy) i had a new job all lined up with BellSouth, the friday (noon) before i was supposed to start, the company i work for now called and offered me a job (~= pay, but > benefits, my wife was pregnant and with BellSouth i wouldn't get insurance for 6 months, this other offer i would get insurance starting the next month)

i didn't like doing it, but i took the other job, i couldn't get a hold of the BellSouth guy until the following morning, the morning i was supposed to show up to start

its how the "real world" works (employment wise) , good luck!

 

[Czar]

how old is she? and how much work experience does she have?

 

[DCFife]

Unless she is agreeing (in writing) to a certain minmum duration at the job (not likely), take it and continue to shop. You'll find out rather quickly if she should indeed be paid more based on your other offers. If they are signifigant enough for you to 'switch' you should.

Bill

It is a contract job...the only thing she has to sign is a form so they can verify that she has a top secret clearance. Not that she would mind me making more money than her (she has a degree, I don't), but my offer is for $49K working for another contractor doing a similar (but not identical) job.

Dave

 

[Linflas]

If she is currently stationed in the Pentagon or has contacts with contractors there I suspect she will not have any problem finding a job. Contractors love to hire ex military especially if they are coming from the same spot they will be working in as a civilian. In any case I don't think she should be under any pressure at this point to accept or decline and even if she does initially indicate that she is considering working there she can still entertain other and potentially more lucrative offers.

 

[DCFife]

Okay, more details:

She has been doing her job in the Army for 5 years. She has a bachelors degree in political science. She is currently working on her masters in IS technology. The job has a $1500 signing bonus if you stay on for a year. The main benefit she desires (besides health/dental insurance) is the 100% tuition re-imbursement so she can complete her masters.

Dave

 

[Czar]

Originally posted by: DCFife
Okay, more details:

She has been doing her job in the Army for 5 years. She has a bachelors degree in political science. She is currently working on her masters in IS technology. The job has a $1500 signing bonus if you stay on for a year. The main benefit she desires (besides health/dental insurance) is the 100% tuition re-imbursement so she can complete her masters.

Dave

take the job, money is something she should not be focusing on at the moment and because of the benefits and work experience she gets out of this job she will just make more money in the future

 

[Kadarin]

$46K is NOT a whole lot of money, although it really depends upon the cost of rent in your area. However, it's sounding like the difference here between lowballing and getting decent pay for the job (from your description so far) is $3K/year, or $250/month before taxes.

What's the job?

 

[Mister T]

I would recommend she take the job and if she thinks she can do better, to keep looking.
If in at some point in the future, be it 2, 3, 4, 6 months or whatever, she gets a comparable job offer making 60K+ or whatever, then you have negotiating power. You don't have any negotiating power with 1 job offer, all you have is continued unemployment as the alternative.

 

[Mister T]

Oh, and for those knuckle heads that think 46K is alot for someone who has a 4-yr degeee and 5 years of work experience, then you guys need to wake up.

 

[Linflas]

Originally posted by: DCFife
Okay, more details:

She has been doing her job in the Army for 5 years. She has a bachelors degree in political science. She is currently working on her masters in IS technology. The job has a $1500 signing bonus if you stay on for a year. The main benefit she desires (besides health/dental insurance) is the 100% tuition re-imbursement so she can complete her masters.

Dave

So she forfeits the $1500.00 if she leaves before a year is completed or is it paid after a years employment? Is her Army job IS related? If she has 5 years in IS under her belt already in the Army and is close to a masters in the field then I think the salary is low for the DC area. I worked in LAN support on a Pentagon contract 7 years ago that paid in that ballpark. Worst cast scenario as I see it is that she ends up with the job and finds something better before a year is up. If I was her I would not hesitate to move to something better and not worry about the job hopping aspect since she is just re entering the job market after a military stint. If another company wants her badly enough they may be willing to pay the $1500.00 for her.

 

[DCFife]

Originally posted by: Astaroth33
$46K is NOT a whole lot of money, although it really depends upon the cost of rent in your area. However, it's sounding like the difference here between lowballing and getting decent pay for the job (from your description so far) is $3K/year, or $250/month before taxes.

What's the job?[/i]

Well, it looks like we will be living about 25 miles from work just so we can pay a LOW $1000 a month for an apartment...that's an awful lot compared to the $540 I pay right now. Since we're in the military we pay taxes based on our home of record...hers is Texas and mine is Nevada, both of which don't even have state taxes. Right now we take home about $4800 a month. In the D.C. area, if she takes her $46K job and I take my $49K job, we will bank about $5800 a month. The rent is almost doubled, insurance will be higher and food will cost more. In order for us to afford a house we will need to move out to Stafford, VA...that adds another 20 miles to the commute.

Now that I just read what I typed, I think I'll just move back to Las Vegas and become a professional gambler.

Dave

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: Mister T
Oh, and for those knuckle heads that think 46K is alot for someone who has a 4-yr degeee and 5 years of work experience, then you guys need to wake up.

Depending on the field then it's not really that far out of line. Right now the IT field is so full of layoffs an employer can lowball an applicant pretty bad, because there's another 50 people right behind him that are just as, if not more desperate for a job and any offer is better than unemployment.

Plus like I said, government jobs subsidize their pay with excellent benefits. Huge vacations, very impressive health and dental, unparalelled tuition reimbursement(as mentioned) and a pension plan to die for. You have to look at the overall picture.

 

[kranky]

I have also heard that government benefits are really good, but you said it's a contract job. Any chance she could be brought on permanently if she starts as a contract person?

And I have read a number of articles over the last few months in computer trade magazines talking about the impending major shortage of IT workers in the government. IIRC, about a third of all government IT workers are 55 or over! As these people retire, there will be massive opportunities for moving up. And with the job security of a government position, that could be a great combination.

Just something to think about.

 

[datalink7]

Originally posted by: Stiler
hell, i wish i could say 46k a year was lowballing to me......

No sh!t

My mom just got a raise from 34k to 38k and she thinks she is doing pretty good. Both my parents work full time, and wouldn't know what to do with all the money if one of them made 46K.

All about perspective

 

[incallisto]

Originally posted by: vi_edit

Originally posted by: Mister T
Oh, and for those knuckle heads that think 46K is alot for someone who has a 4-yr degeee and 5 years of work experience, then you guys need to wake up.

Depending on the field then it's not really that far out of line. Right now the IT field is so full of layoffs an employer can lowball an applicant pretty bad, because there's another 50 people right behind him that are just as, if not more desperate for a job and any offer is better than unemployment.

Plus like I said, government jobs subsidize their pay with excellent benefits. Huge vacations, very impressive health and dental, unparalelled tuition reimbursement(as mentioned) and a pension plan to die for. You have to look at the overall picture.

That makes a LOT of sense. A friend of mine used to tell me something along these lines: "Working for the government is like having unlimited job security. Because if the government fails, so does everyone under it's jursidiction." And I think there is a substantial amount of truth in that.

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: Mister T
Oh, and for those knuckle heads that think 46K is alot for someone who has a 4-yr degeee and 5 years of work experience, then you guys need to wake up.

rofl..my dad has a Master's degree, and 16 years experience in counseling....he wasn't paid much at all, and changed career fields.

It doesn't always work out the way you might think

 

[Fulcrum]

There is NOTHING wrong with her taking that job and then leaving for a better offer if it comes along. If they really want (or need) to keep her when a better offer comes along they will match or beat it to keep her. If not, they lose her. I know she may feel guilty when the time comes to leave, but that's just the way it works. Employers make decisions based what's best for the business and employees must likewise make their decisions based on what's best for themselves and their families.

 

[Aceman]

The contracting job is a nice foot in the door. It may lead to a couple contracting jobs in a lower cost living area. I know out here in the Twin Cities that our computer/network contractors are making between $50K-$75K. If they were civil service they might make $50K after years of service. Benefits are great........Pay sucks as a Civil servant!

 

Originally posted by: Aceman
The contracting job is a nice foot in the door. It may lead to a couple contracting jobs in a lower cost living area. I know out here in the Twin Cities that our computer/network contractors are making between $50K-$75K. If they were civil service they might make $50K after years of service. Benefits are great........Pay sucks as a Civil servant!

Whats with all this "money is everything" stuff i keep reading? Sure, pay not be as high as some computer tech job, but if you love what you are doing, and make a decent living according to your standards, why does pay matter?