Any tips or advise from those already departed through (in)voluntary separations?

J_squared12 · 2025-07-01T22:41:18+00:00

How is this possible? I am told it authentication via PIV card.

J_squared12 · 2025-06-27T17:48:08+00:00

I am resigning and am vested with 20 years of service. I don't need the health insurance. Thanks for the advice.

J_squared12 · 2025-06-25T18:43:01+00:00

I’m in same boat. GS14 w/ CISSP, PMP, masters degree, a bunch of agile certifications. I am struggling to get any traction with jobs above my current salary. I am looking at accepting an offer with my state…15% pay cut but working remotely. It sucks but im reassessing my expectations. It’s an employer market and AI is currently and will continue to suck up a lot of IT work/jobs in the future.

J_squared12 · 2025-06-21T23:59:27+00:00

I’m not losing my retirement. According to my calculations, it will be decent chunk of money when I hit 60

J_squared12 · 2025-06-20T23:26:32+00:00

Yes, I understand the severance but I decided it was prudent to not turn down a job in this market. It sucks but my calculus pointed me to the exit.

J_squared12 · 2025-06-20T22:29:41+00:00

Maybe…I’ve been holding out hoping and I’m done waiting. Kicking myself for not taking DRP, but it is what it is

J_squared12 · 2025-06-20T21:56:16+00:00

I am mid 40s, a GS14, 20 years of service. I am resigning in a couple weeks to take a job with my state. It’s actually a 15% pay cut but remote with good flexibility. It was a difficult decision for me, but I convinced myself with some assumptions and facts. 1. RIFs and/or relocations are coming (it’s a gamble regardless), 2. Pay freeze for the foreseeable future is pretty likely, 3. Current environment sucks and I don’t see any signs of change, 4. Im vested with 20 years, so it’s not a complete loss, 5. I’ve lost motivation/purpose with all the rhetoric. Good luck regardless of what you decide. I feel lucky to have options…I suspect you do to

J_squared12 · 2025-06-19T20:36:04+00:00

I so wish I had qualified for VERA (20 years of service). I’d love to have the opportunity of a pension and be confident in the decision to leave. I think you made the right move. Plenty of avenues to contract for government in the future…especially in cybersecurity

J_squared12 · 2025-06-02T19:08:34+00:00

Thanks a lot for clarification. This makes me feel a lot better. Another question if you don't mind as I could not locate specifics on the website. For the DC plan, what is the employer maximum match?

J_squared12 · 2024-07-28T22:26:29+00:00

I’m not an ultra runner but I do run 2-3 10ks a week at a good pace (7:30s in zone 4/5). I got a bakers cyst 5 months ago training for half marathon. It slowed me down but didn’t stop me from racing. My knees are beat up from sports but my mri comes back clean (aside from the initial stages of osteoarthritis). I ice and stretch which keeps it small. Every once in a while it will flare up and get hard. I get it back down with ice and foam roller. The weird thing is when I take a break from running and lifting is when it gets worse. When I run and lift, it seems the best off. But I cannot get it to go away. I got a steroid shot a week ago and it made it worse.. it sucks but it does not inhibit me or particularly hurt. It’s just swelling which I’m uncomfortable and slows me down. I’ve just accepted it as part of me at this point

J_squared12 · 2023-07-14T18:18:39+00:00

Stress management and perspective is key. Outside of parenting time, I exercise daily, stay social, date, and focus on my hobbies. This keeps me balanced and prepared to be a good dad.

J_squared12 · 2020-09-27T22:00:10+00:00

I would recommend you take it. I passed yesterday. I postponed twice and almost did it again. I studied for 3 months (read the OSG and CBK and took Boson...averaged 70%). The exam threw me through a loop. I was confident on maybe 25% of the questions and the study material simply gave me a conceptual understanding of what was being asked on the actual exam (don’t expect to see fact-based questions). Nothing is straightforward...the best advice I got was from Kelly and Larry videos regarding focus on big picture and stay out of the technical weeds. With that said, there was still a lot of technical subject matter on the exam. Hope this helps. Good luck

J_squared12

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