Take the job, look for other jobs, and if you find a better one take that offer to her current boss. He'll either match the offer or wish you well in your new job.
Wow! Quite a few responses...more than I expected. I think the "problem" my wife has with it only being $46K is the fact that she has a degree and I got an offer for $49K without a single credit hour to my name. Granted, our offers are from two different companies who obviously pay differently from one another.
Based on our own discussions and a few of your opinions, she has decided to accept the offer but continue to look. I think it's a good opportunity for her. Like Aceman said, at least she'll get her foot in the door and perhaps more opportunities will present themselves in time.
One more thing I've been wondering about though...can anybody really afford what they have? We have no debt and I don't feel that our combined incomes will be enough to own a house and all of the responsibilities that go with it. Then I look around and see people with houses, families, car payments, etc. Is everybody else living on the edge from paycheck to paycheck? Am I spoiled on being able to save/invest 50% of my Army pay and build a new computer every 6 months? Maybe I need a reality check...I haven't been a civilian for almost 6 years.
Dave
Based on our own discussions and a few of your opinions, she has decided to accept the offer but continue to look. I think it's a good opportunity for her. Like Aceman said, at least she'll get her foot in the door and perhaps more opportunities will present themselves in time.
One more thing I've been wondering about though...can anybody really afford what they have? We have no debt and I don't feel that our combined incomes will be enough to own a house and all of the responsibilities that go with it. Then I look around and see people with houses, families, car payments, etc. Is everybody else living on the edge from paycheck to paycheck? Am I spoiled on being able to save/invest 50% of my Army pay and build a new computer every 6 months? Maybe I need a reality check...I haven't been a civilian for almost 6 years.
Dave
Take the job. The HR people do a lot of research. It is highly unlikely that they are low-balling your wife. They base their offer on a lot of factors, not just a hunch. And even if they did low-ball your wife, then they halfway expect her to bail out when the first decent offer comes along. No hard feelings. This is almost expected in the first few months of employment. It is common for other companies to respond to a job application months after an applicant has accepted an offer. Get started in the civilian world. It is very different from the military world. Bounce jobs a year or two later.
I'm ex-USAF. Did the transition from military to civilian life too.
I'm ex-USAF. Did the transition from military to civilian life too.
DCFife,
I'm an E7 in the Army and I barely make it month to month on my pay for my family of 5. Now when my wife was working with only 1 child and me being an E6, we were living high off the hog and no money problems.
No doubt, like FoBoT said, it'll take awhile to get used to that "civilian pay" with all those taxes coming out.
I'm an E7 in the Army and I barely make it month to month on my pay for my family of 5. Now when my wife was working with only 1 child and me being an E6, we were living high off the hog and no money problems.
No doubt, like FoBoT said, it'll take awhile to get used to that "civilian pay" with all those taxes coming out.
I have been a civvie all my life...I will clear gross 85 this year, still do not own a house, and I live quite modestly. Yeah this will be my best year ever but you would think that a person could save more.
One of the things you have to remember, working in the private sector is a lot like being a week-to-week contract worker...you are only as good as your last paycheck, your company considers you only as good as the work you turned in last week, and loyalty don't mean sh!t.
If that is the best offer on the table, she should take it. And then jump ship when a better offer comes along. Because the company would not hesitate to dump her if they figured a way to do it cheaper than her salary.
DCFife,
I'm an E7 in the Army and I barely make it month to month on my pay for my family of 5. Now when my wife was working with only 1 child and me being an E6, we were living high off the hog and no money problems.
No doubt, like FoBoT said, it'll take awhile to get used to that "civilian pay" with all those taxes coming out.
Yikes! How do you do it??? My wife and I are both E5's and the double-dipping on BAH certainly helps out...I'm going to miss the tax-free benefits.
How much is her tuition? You might as well tack that right on to her salary. Depending on the school, that can be another $10k or more. Money saved is money made, my friend.
I don't think there are any ethical issues in switching jobs as long as you give your employer the opportunity to match their offer.
When I got my current job working as a programmer, I was 3 days away from working at Meijer as a stock boy in the women's department making $7.30/hour...that's how bad the job market is/was...you can bet your ass that when I was offered $17.50 at my current job (note, I'm 21 with no job experience, and no degree yet), I was more than happy to say bye bye to Meijer.
I don't think there are any ethical issues in switching jobs as long as you give your employer the opportunity to match their offer.
When I got my current job working as a programmer, I was 3 days away from working at Meijer as a stock boy in the women's department making $7.30/hour...that's how bad the job market is/was...you can bet your ass that when I was offered $17.50 at my current job (note, I'm 21 with no job experience, and no degree yet), I was more than happy to say bye bye to Meijer.
wait it out for a better job. or tell them you have a better job offer and see if they will match it.
Dude, what school did you go to to formulate that brilliant thread? As others have stated there are quite a few variables that must be considered:
1. IT market is horrible now
2. If you think that the companies' offer is too little then be prepared to lose the job to the 199 people standing behind you
3. Experience and Degree mean nothing when you consider
A. There are loads of people out of work with more experience and a better education than you
B. If you've got no other offers on the table you have no bargaining power "But look! I have a fancy degree and I know how to work!"
4. $46K is a heck of a lot more than $0 (unless of course you failed mathematics)
Now that I've got that off my chest, If she was the sole bread winner in the family then YES it's very little money for the DC area. However since between the two of you you would be pulling in nearly $100k with EXCELLENT benefits then you'll do fine (unless you don't know how to spend money, then there's no hope).
My brother-in-law works at the pentagon, so if she takes the job then she very well may be working for him.
I know how to spend money just fine!
Seriously though, we have no debt and on our Army pay we stash away over $2000 a month so I seriously doubt we'll have any problems even up in DC. When it comes to our offers I keep telling her she expects too much and she tells me I don't expect enough...then I remind her that she had to work 114 hours last week (no, the Army doesn't pay overtime) and she shuts up. DCFife...
I wasn't trying to imply that you specifically didn't know how to spend money. I was just trying to drive my point home. I figured that with both of you being in the military and with only her having a bachelors degree that there would be no way that you were insanely deep in debt (I'm assuming the Army paid for her education right?).
If I came off a little defensive it's just because I'm royally sick and tired of being on the job hunt. I get so pissed off when I see people griping about how they got a job offer but it only pays $40,000 and they used to be making $60,000. Boo Hoo, cry me a river.
Hope you didn't take any offense bud.
I wasn't trying to imply that you specifically didn't know how to spend money. I was just trying to drive my point home. I figured that with both of you being in the military and with only her having a bachelors degree that there would be no way that you were insanely deep in debt (I'm assuming the Army paid for her education right?).
If I came off a little defensive it's just because I'm royally sick and tired of being on the job hunt. I get so pissed off when I see people griping about how they got a job offer but it only pays $40,000 and they used to be making $60,000. Boo Hoo, cry me a river.
Hope you didn't take any offense bud.
Cougar,
Absolutely no offense taken. My wife actually paid for school herself and she got her degree four years before she joined the Army. I totally agree with you about the people boo-hooing...I really think my wife doesn't understand that the market is screwy right now. I figure that with her working over 100 hours a week it doesn't give her much time to keep up with those sorts of things.
Absolutely no offense taken. My wife actually paid for school herself and she got her degree four years before she joined the Army. I totally agree with you about the people boo-hooing...I really think my wife doesn't understand that the market is screwy right now. I figure that with her working over 100 hours a week it doesn't give her much time to keep up with those sorts of things.
How much is her tuition? You might as well tack that right on to her salary. Depending on the school, that can be another $10k or more. Money saved is money made, my friend.
A very good point! Especially when you consider that if she had to pay her tuition out of pocket it would be with after tax dollars. This would mean that if her tuition is say, $5000 a year, she would have to earn maybe $7000 (pre tax) dollars to pay her tuition. When you consider the effect of taxes, A penny saved is worth MORE than a penny earned!
it would be a lot here in Quebec. Finish high-school, do a 3-year career course in computer science, graduate, and get a job that pays you 13K $US a year. 4K $US more than our minimum wage (what you get paid if you work at mcdonalds, etc..)
However, I do concede the fact that even that low amount is enough to support yourself, pay a decent-sized apartment, pay electricity, food, etc, and still have $100 left over each week. You could even afford a cheap car. Can't forget about medicare either. However, it still sucks. I can get a job that pays that *NOW* if I go blue-collar, what the hell is the point of going thru this BS just to get paid peanuts again?
- Oct 30, 2000
- 42,589
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Originally posted by: DCFife
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
Ensure that neither of you will have conflicts with your existing gov positions. ie. can not currently have influence over the company that you are looking for.
Work exists here at Nellis - Especially with clearances. PM if interested
StageLeft
No Lifer
- Sep 29, 2000
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Your friend is right. I don't care if it's the gov't or a private employer. She is there to make money. The number one concern of your wife is herself; personally I'd have no problem with taking a job and then trying to look for a better one in the meantime. Lots of people do it because sometimes you have to.
Personally I'd recommend she take the job for the time being.. after a year if she finds a better offer, to take that instead. THe job market sucks right now. I'm just glad I don't have to go looking for one.
StageLeft
No Lifer
- Sep 29, 2000
- 70,150
- 5
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Understandable, Cougar! I don't know how old you are or how long you've been on the job hunt but you're starting to sound like I did last year. Being unemployed definitely brings a person new perspective that others cannot appreciate. I also have a four year degree, plus a post-university IT diploma and approaching 3 years experience, so I suppose I'm similar in job assets to DCFife's wife. I'm making a couple of percent more than she'll be making and I feel very lucky to have this job. I know that there are those like me making $60k/year and I know there are lots making less and lots making none. If somebody could tell me right now "You'll have job security for the next 5 years but only if you sign off on keeping your exact salary that you have now." I'd ask where the dotted line is and can I buy them a drink?
I hope that everybody here knows that there are lots of competent university grads with work experience who have been out of work for months. It doesn't take more than a few months before you're willing to work for a hell of a lot less than you "think you're worth".
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