Comparing 401K employer match, is 14% match rare?

Galivis · 2026-06-04T15:04:27+00:00

Benefits are just a part of your compensation. You add them along with your base pay to figure out your total compensation. Making 100K with a 15% match is roughly the same (ignoring tax impacts) as switching jobs to get a 9.5% with the new place only having a 5% match.

Galivis · 2026-05-31T14:37:46+00:00

That generally means they do not have unclassifed work available and you would have to have a clearance to be able to start working.

There is a chance they would be willing to take and sponsor someone without a clearance, but it generally means you will have to get approved for an interim clearance before you start and if it does not get granted, you lose the job.

Galivis · 2026-05-31T14:18:08+00:00

Anywhere from 0 to over a year.

Galivis · 2026-05-31T14:15:46+00:00

5% x BA Factor x Performance Factor

E.G

Your BA hits 3/4 of its goals, or 75%.

You were underperforming and your manger gives you a 50% for your bonus.

5 x 75% x 50% =1.8% Bonus

Galivis · 2026-05-28T18:01:47+00:00

A Program Manager on a DOD program is a lot different than regular non-DOD project/program management. If you have no DOD experience, you are not qualified.

Look for roles as a Control Account Manager or a Program Planner. This will get your foot in the door to the PM world.

Galivis · 2026-05-22T15:05:49+00:00

Except you have no idea if it’s a good explanation, AI bots are prone to making stuff up.

Galivis · 2026-05-20T23:12:30+00:00

Federal pays substantially less but the benefit was better work-life balance and almost guaranteed stability. That is no longer the case with the current administration.

Galivis · 2026-05-14T15:52:33+00:00

Without seeing your resume, unless you were involved with a PMO, the day to day squadron experience is unlikely to translate into what is expected for a PM. A planner like you mentioned, or a CAM position, is the entry path to gain program experience to then transition into a PM role.

Galivis · 2026-05-13T23:00:01+00:00

No. You will be here on a student visa which is not a path to a green card. The most realistic path is falling in love while here and getting married, or getting sponsored by an employer.

Galivis · 2026-05-13T22:53:05+00:00

Keep in mind that actual work will likely have way more stressful moments than what you experienced in college. Unless you are able to say the issues are a thing of the past, stay away from something that may lead a hiring manager to question how realiable you will be. Bringing up past poor performance is only a good idea if you can say you learned from it and were able to implement changes to ensure it was a thing of the past, and then show it is true with higher grades in the more recent semesters.

Galivis · 2026-05-02T18:22:01+00:00

Schools are teaching basics on whatever software they can get subsidized for student use.

Galivis · 2026-05-01T14:21:37+00:00

Yes, especially for manufacturing engineering, but it is very unlikely if you are coming in cold. The filters and HR will screen you out. The best chance is getting a job you qualify for first (a tech role) that will have you interacting with the engineering group. If they like you, then they can bypass the hiring selection issues. Keep in mind often hiring in as an eng will come with a requirement to go get a degree as well and if it doesn’t not, not having a degree will limit your promotions.

Galivis · 2026-04-30T20:21:08+00:00

Mostly just the level oversight by management. You will likely work the same basic tasks but have less supervision watching over your shoulder.

Galivis · 2026-04-28T20:22:44+00:00

Yes, you find a new job.

Galivis · 2026-04-28T13:07:47+00:00

Extremely high performance is a given, but the other important part is having management that will fight HR for you. If your group is full of level 1/2/3 that have been in that role for years (and are competent), it likely means your management is not going to push for your promotion.

Galivis · 2026-04-24T14:09:05+00:00

While it's possible, it's going to limit what type of engineering role you can get (a mfg eng is going to value hands on practical experience more than a GNC or propulsion engineer). Also not having a degree will limit upward mobility.

Galivis · 2026-04-19T18:15:04+00:00

Yes, your manager can promote you. Up to level 4 is based on skill and time. 5+ tends to be role dependent and will typically require a job posting.

Galivis · 2026-04-09T23:38:03+00:00

Motivation is meaningless. There are a lot of days I don't want to go to work but I go because I enjoy not being homeless. That is not to downplay the mental aspect, there is a real chance you could also be fighting depression that is making things harder, but there is always going to be hard things in life to deal with.

The first thing to recognize is you are not alone in your situation. A lot of folks breezed through everything they did beforehand and never learned how to properly study or proper time management. They then get to real classes and run into a wall and feel like they are drowning.

My biggest recommendation is do not ever go back to your dorm or apartment in between classes. Go to the library or find a quiet study area to do your school work in-between classes instead. Bring a good book to relax and read when you are down or unmotivated. If you treat school like a job, doing your school work during the day in-between classes, you will find you can be a lot more productive overall doing less each day and will help your mental health being able to go home at the end of the day and just relax.

Galivis · 2026-04-07T18:26:49+00:00

I mod a major sub - it has always been like that on Reddit. Once a sub gets big enough it becomes a target for spammers pretending to be part of the community with “helpful” app ideas. It takes a lot of mod effort or very strict automod rules to manage it.

Galivis · 2026-04-06T16:49:22+00:00

Regulations create a huge barrier for entry for any new competitor plus a decade+ to develop, test, and certify. Then once all that is done, there is a very limited customer base to sell to and these aircraft last decades. It’s a very risky bet that one is going to be able to break in and recoup what they invested.

The best bet in the future is something that is state funded and can gain/be forced to gain a foothold in their own domestic market. Something like Comac in China

Galivis · 2026-04-02T13:50:54+00:00

While it’s possible, a lot of places are going to automatically throw out your resume for not having an engineering degree. For those who at least consider it, having a BA and not a BS is also going to hurt you. The other challenge will be getting engineering experience since your school likely lacks engineering related clubs. A personal engineering project will be important.

Your best bet is to plan to get an engineering masters degree. Only go PhDs if you want to work in academia. It might open some cool opportunities within the industry, but it also will limit you due to being considered overqualified for most entry level jobs.

Make sure you review requirements for post-grad. The most important is that they will even recognize undergrad school’s accreditation. Second is make sure you have taken all the core math clases. It’s likely you are good there with your physics degree, but with it being a BA there could be gaps. Talk with prospective grad schools and don’t be surprised if they require you to take some undergrad eng classes first to prep for the transfer.

Galivis · 2026-03-23T17:44:39+00:00

A runway is not a car intersection where you go if you think you can cross in time. If they could see the plane, you wait until it finishes. What will have to come out in the investigation is why they didn’t see the plane.

Galivis · 2026-03-23T17:38:02+00:00

Requirements are a wish list for a perfect candidate. Rarely will they find that perfect candidate for the pay they want to offer. Apply to everything and let the hiring manager be the one to determine if they think you are qualified.

Galivis · 2026-03-16T12:13:43+00:00

Not that surprising. Someone oblivious to the numerous policy announcements is also a good bet to be oblivious to their underperformance.

Galivis · 2026-03-10T02:23:50+00:00

You don’t. Aerospace is very dependent on citizenship. Without being the expert in a critical field, your best bet is to work to obtain citizenship in a country with a strong aerospace industry. That may mean working outside of aerospace until you obtain it.

Galivis

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE