A friend called me up to share the news on the vacancy announcement in Punatsangchu. I followed up on the notification and tried to fit into the slots. EE (Executive Engineer) post seemed to conform to my number of years of experience. But the basic salary of Nu. 26,350 was not alluring to what I have in the civil service until I rang him up. He told me to add 190% on that. “What?” I shouted. “190%” he confirmed.
190 or 130, I had to come to the conclusion. I opened up the spreadsheet and did the rough analysis based on the SWOT analyzing tool. Some of the striking points that still confuse me to come to the decisions:
190 or 130, I had to come to the conclusion. I opened up the spreadsheet and did the rough analysis based on the SWOT analyzing tool. Some of the striking points that still confuse me to come to the decisions:
Strengths in Civil Service:
1. Secured job although my mind says the heck about it. (Life is not secured by itself).
2. Quality time in Thimphu with family. (Back of my mind, Thimphu is an illusive city. Living cost is higher than the living standard).
3. Trainings abroad. (Not so much guaranteed though).
4. Off on public holidays. (Ah I like it).
Weaknesses in Civil Service:
1. Always remain broke.
2. Delusion of grandeur. (Many have called me Dasho several times. Want to die an honorable death (with a crystal clear conscience), can this happen?).
3. Mechanized human being. (Innovative ideas tend to die before the bosses; on off, off on, off off).
4. Retirement plan. (Financing is asking for a moon).
Opportunities in Civil Service:
1. Philanthropic job.
2. P3 to who knows EX1 (EX without shift key is ‘ex’. Shhhh).
3. Foreign tours (In America, it is like this. In Europe is like this. Bloody, why you are not implementing what you have seen?).
Threats in Civil Service:
1. 30 years is half of the life span. (Don’t want to step into others’ shoes and see what civil service is actually about?)
2. Unintended mistakes – scape goat (bear with it otherwise it will be any of the sanctions of the intended mistakes).
3. Intended mistakes – transfer/demotion/go home without benefits. (Prison is not that a faraway place).
4. Family pack. (It is a joke for many and serious for many).
Well, the points are not exhaustive. The list tends to go very long. I am gathering the information on the vacant post and will do the similar exercise. Right now, 190% if it is true seems to tackle many of the weaknesses of civil service. But money is not everything though it is many of the things. After getting extra information, the spreadsheet will poke me to the next crossroad of my career. Is lifespan a 200 years?
