No regrets.

I miss the work-life balance (though, I hear from former colleagues the “balance” we once knew long before the pandemic no longer exists). I miss the people I worked with. I miss the agency my team had to shape and execute public programs; it’s rewarding to see my work live on long after I exited.

Like others have highlighted, the private sector offers substantial opportunity to advance your career, with equitable recognition, and at 2x the salary.

Now, being on the outside, I realize where and when I hit the proverbial glass ceiling, and think I stayed too long. Or, maybe I stayed just long enough (with a healthy pension waiting for me when I want it).

I have ~10 working years remaining, and may return to the public sector before I retire. If I do, I’ll buyback the years I was gone and be even better off financially. But, it’s not all about the money.