is my civil service pay progression fast/slow/normal?

i'm sorry about your plight.. a degree holder doing job scope no different from my estate bangla workers. biology is really one dead industry in sillypore. i appreciate your efforts to draw out your own pay progression. if pay is a main concern, try to get out of biology. you have to forgo either passion or renumeration.

my advice is:

1. transit horizontally within your workplace.
2. take up other positions in public health.
3. take up teaching career

my friend in biology now doing research admin in a local uni.... occassionally have to teach or become teacher's assistant. paywise not too sure, but the job scope gives lots of room for future improvement.

if you need the money, stay on your current high paying job. btw, imho masters will not add much value to your pay package. cheers.

Hi miwashi,

Its so surreal to hear your story. I have been in the same boat as you for a few years now. In a government job, secure, and earning a somewhat similar pay.

I had an offer last year that pays around the same as my last drawn, and is definitely a stepping stone back to the industry.

I rejected it because I chose stability over potential. I charted out my progression in my current job and compared it to what it could have been, the best case, the worst case and the average case. Then I ask myself if I want to take the gamble. The new job is unstable. I will be starting a new line of business. Challenging, but it might fail.

In the end, I chose to stay put. My reasons are as follow, and in no order of priority.

1. Family
2. An ability to forecast future salary. I didn't like the number I forecasted, but felt that it was enough for comfortable living.
3. An opportunity to buid my own investment portfolio for passive income. The fact is, out there in the industry, they want 100% of your time. You don't even have the time to think about anything apart from work.

Will I regret my decision? I don't know... but a decision is a decision. Make it, stick with it. Let us know what you chose eventually!

[lazyplane]

let me give u one point to think about...

why did u accept your current job
and how will you convince your interviewer you have skills that can used in your next role beyond your educational qualifications ?

and if they are not persuaded then the reality question is why should you be prefered over a fresh grad whom is willing to work at a lower rate...

bro,i am stating above not to put u down...but i will think these were the factors why your next role job offer is low....

final question r u willing to work like mad to succeed in the new role to achieve the things u r so desiring ?

i ask because i switch jobs a couple of times...and i ask myself the above as honest as i can because after all i been thorough, i can say honestly there is no free lunch to higher pay..... every job that got me a better pay was paid wih more time and effort and less play at work...

Maybe focus on finishing your master first, once finished, u either:

- Stay put at ur current job, but things must change, either u should be aggresively looking for promotion or persevere there, sooner or later you will get it.

- Jump ship to private companies, the issue is whether you can talk your way through the interview, in terms of salary should not be much of pay cut. Beautify your resume, train your speaking skills and dress well for interview, good luck

[miwashi]

Well, the reason why I took up my current job was because during the interview they cast it as a knowledge-based position using all kinds of fancy terms ('statistical analysis, policy making, event planning, etc'.).

On my first day of work they told me there was a reorg the previous week and I was being placed in a branch handling maintenance of neighbourhood playgrounds. Hence my job scope involving picking up rubbish and grasscutting now.

Looking back I should have quit on day 1 but at that time I was really scared of burning bridges. Now 5 years later I realize it's a really rubbish organization and I defnitely must leave, but the thing now is, go where? I am confident that my quality of work produced (i try to get involved with real work done by other branches whenever possible to add to my cv, eg. writing manuals, drafting articles, etc.) is worth more than the pay cut they offered, and even have writing samples. The company that offered me the cut agreed that the samples were good and relevant, but stil a $800 cut..

how do you know if you're not jumping from one rubbish org to another rubbish org? and with a pay cut to boot.

from my personal experience, most orgs are rubbish, but some are better because they pay more. for example, MNCs pay you a lot more to handle the rubbish, nonsense, risk of losing job, and office politics crap.

[lazyplane]

hi,
since u are ready to quit... then here is my killer move

1. go to talk to your ceo or someone with real power...and ask for a bigger role
2. explain you have done all you can and will really like to do more
including policy planning etc or even a transfer to another ministry
3. write in to feedback at ministry level

if really no change in your role after 3 months... then u know its crap orgn

sometimes boss try to be too nice in civil service and then think everyone is happy doing small role with stable income...

from the way i see it... u have nothing to lose doing above since u know u r worth more than your current pay grade... its good to rock the boat when u know u can swim or find another one to jump....

but do so soon and nicely.....noone like a rude and angry empolyee..and u never know how long this supposedly bull run economy can last...

I would definitely not advise someone with a biology degree to quit a $74,592 p.a. job. $74,592 p.a. salary is very high for a biology graduate. The only reason for studying biology is to get into medicine otherwise it has no value. There will be hundreds of biology graduates eyeing this job if it ever becomes vacant.

[miwashi]

Well, I turned down the offer. The pay cut was too great, plus I think it will look bad if a "manager", exaggerated as my title is, becomes a junior executive after working for 8 years.

I just hope I can get another job soon as I still plan to quit after the april bonus.

Originally Posted by miwashi

Well, I turned down the offer. The pay cut was too great, plus I think it will look bad if a "manager", exaggerated as my title is, becomes a junior executive after working for 8 years.

I just hope I can get another job soon as I still plan to quit after the april bonus.

Will you ever bite the bullet, quit without a job and then go out to hunt for a new career?

I ask because you are drawing a comfortable pay, and to get the same pay in the private sector, you need to have at least a few years of experience in what they are hiring you for. I was in the exact situation a few years ago and till date, still can't find anything that gives me the reason to move from my comfort zone.

I think for a case like this, enduring low salary for at least 2 years or so seems to be the way to go. I didn't dare to take the plunge...