Should I take the promotion?

[nathan]

Can you get me a job?

Yes, if you have a degree in or related to one of the following:
engineering (any kind)
computer science
physics
chemistry
biology (probably would need Ph.D)

 

[Brianellsworth]

what type of government job is this????

 

[RugbyMuffin]

12.5% more work
5.7% more pay
The overtime rate is the same, which is a factor since I could do the same amount of work (with and without the promotion) and get paid more at the lower level.

If I do take the promotion I'm one year from being able to work one day per week/OT at home and two years from being able to work FT at home.

I need to decide today.

I hope you did!!!!!!!!!!

You have the sweetest job I have ever heard of. I would take whatever they want to give you.

 

[Shane]

total of $39.23/hr

Your so GHETTO!

 

[nathan]

what type of government job is this????

Patent examiner

I hope you did!!!!!!!!!!

You have the sweetest job I have ever heard of. I would take whatever they want to give you.

For most people, the job is not as great as it sounds.

Companies define the scope of their inventions through claims. Suppose someone invented a new light bulb with a peanut butter filament. Their willfully ignorant attorney might initially first file a claim like this:
1) A method comprising: lighting a room with a light source.

When I first get a case I search for references to read on the claim. Sometimes one reference might have every element of their claim. Other times I have to combine multiple references. So I search and find a reference that demonstrates lighting a room with a light source and then write that up and send it to the applicant. Applicant can then amend if they agree that my reference reads on their claim. They might change their claim to lighting a room with a light bulb or to lighting a room with a light bulb with a peanut butter filament. After they amend I send out a new action answering arguments making a new rejection or allowing the case.

The PTO is basically quota based. Depending on your grade level you have to get a certain number of points in a given time frame (or you get cut loose). You get around half your points by working on a new case for the first time. You can also get points by 1) allowing the case, 2) the applicant not responding to your rejection, 3) applicant paying money for you to keep examining the case (the basic fee only entitles them to amend once), 4) they file an appeal brief if they think you're an idiot. You do not get any points outside of those listed. This is important because if you f up the first/second/etc. time you have to re-do it for 0 points.

Most inventions are 1000 times more complicated than light bulbs with peanut butter filaments. The PTO hires a lot of inexperienced new college graduates. Some of the new hires aren't all that smart to begin with and some get put into technologies they don't really have the background for. They end up having to repeat work multiple times for no credit. Combine that with supervisors that are lazy, incompetent and afraid to allow any case and you have a recipe for terrible retention. Basically supervisors can make or break your success. My supervisor is lazy and doesn't understand my technology that well, but I do get to allow cases. I've allowed 24 in 19 months here, while all of my friends are in single digits (including one that has allowed 0 cases).

Pluses
1) Base salaries significantly above typical government jobs (http://popa.org/txt/salary2008.txt)
2) Ability to work at home after two years (if you're grade GS-12)
3) Can basically come and go as you please (if you're meeting your quota
4) Laptop to work OT at home
5) Up to 50 hours/OT per week (for anywhere from $28.88 to $60 per hour)
6) Recruitment bonuses (e.g. I get $8650/yr for four years)


Minuses
1) Boring
2) Dead end job (hard to go back to science/eng after working here for a few years)
3) Supervisors can cause problems for you
4) Patent attorneys essentially do the same kind of work for more pay

You're so GHETTO!

I have a spreadsheet that calculates the exact numbers so I didn't actually put any real effort into that calculation.

 

[Shane]

I have a spreadsheet that calculates the exact numbers so I didn't actually put any real effort into that calculation.

That was a joke. I was making referance to the fact that you should be in the poor hous eon a salary like that. NOT!

 

[black]

nathan you are the ****. For real, make that money.

 

[thirty-two]

Well, I think you need to decide if you like the money more so than the chance to have a non-boring job + profession advancement.

 

[Mulli]

Yes, if you have a degree in or related to one of the following:
engineering (any kind)
computer science
physics
chemistry
biology (probably would need Ph.D)

elitist

 

[nathan]

elitist

You might be able to get a job as a trademark attorney. That would be mid low/mid six figures with little stress.

 

[Mulli]

You might be able to get a job as a trademark attorney. That would be mid low/mid six figures with little stress.

sweet!

 

[nathan]

Well, I think you need to decide if you like the money more so than the chance to have a non-boring job + profession advancement.

Being a patent attorney would probably be just as boring as being a patent examiner. This is really more of a money vs. quality of life issue.

If you take a look at what some of the big law firms pay (e.g. http://www.infirmation.com/shared/lss/one-payscale.tcl?employer_id=DC1025), it's awfully tempting to go for that big money. I've met a lot of attorneys from those firms and a good deal of them are average at best. To get that "Bentley" money I'd have to stay in DC.

 

[nathan]

I got promoted again last month. One of the benefits of pushing paper at a GS-13 level is that they had no choice but to give me a window office. I ended up on one of the sides of the buildings that's not facing the parking lot.

I can see the Beltway at about 2 o'clock

You must be registered for see images attach

and if I put my head up against the glass I can see the Capitol and Washington Monument (pretty cool IMO)

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Zeno]

Very nice Nathan. I love northern VA/DC, great area, expensive for sure but there is so much to there it makes up for it. Still struggling to convince my wife to allow me to take a position either in Herndon or in DC at the Reagan Building.

With Napolitano upping our journeyman level recently though all promotions seem to be on hold until OPM re-writes job descriptions...I was up for 2 positions, one in GA and one in VA and now I am told they are on indefinite hold.