Job Advice Academia vs. FBI vs. Teaching (High School or Community College) vs. Others (Consulting)

[severen]

Hi everyone

I am a long time reader and first time poster!  Many thanks for your help in my current dilemma.  I am struggling with deciding what career path I'd like to move toward and have several "options" open to me at the moment, but I would like to gather some unbiased opinions on what I should do as far as my career prospects.  

A little about me may help to answer the question.  I am 28 year old man, recently (3 weeks!) engaged to a great woman hoping to start our lives together soon (once I have a career in mind).  I am a second year graduate student studying public policy, with a focus on mobile governance that is making steady progress toward completing my coursework (I will be done by this spring).  I have done well during this time releasing several book chapters and a publication, and am on track this year to release a few more.  My CV is building nicely and many of the professors I work with are "sure" I could get a job in academia.  I enjoy teaching very much, and I do enjoy research but I have a desire to do my own independent research sort of when I want to.  I'm good at getting papers out, but the stress that comes with it can be overbearing due to my type A personality.  I feel over the years I have had many life lessons that have helped me keep this in check, but the stress of always having to get out publications still affects me.  About five years ago, I was on track to be a Medical Doctor MD, but had a nervous breakdown realizing that this was entirely the wrong career for me at the time.  I returned to get my Master's , while working as a research and teaching assistant, did a short stint in the federal government, and am back to academia working again as a research assistant.  

I had largely given up on other prospects and thought my career would in a sense come from my PhD pursuits.  Now here comes the dilemma.   I think I can finish my dissertation by the end of my third year (approximately two years from now), but my department seems to like to keep their PhD students around...which doesn't sit well with me but that is another story.

Academia seems like the sure bet right? However, about 6 months before starting my PhD I receive an email from the FBI saying I was chosen as a finalist for an Intelligence Analyst position at the GS-9 level (About 60k a year with great benefits depending on where you are)...I go through all the tests and I pass all 3 tests and receive an offer.  At this rate I'm 4 months into my PhD and I call the FBI and they delay my application until January 2017 (a few months from now).  I tell them that I'd like to finish the coursework at least before I start,  The burden is now on me to contact them...perhaps they can delay it till I'm done my dissertation...perhaps not.  2 more years is a possible delay, but if my department pushes back on my quick completion of my PhD then 5 or 6 may be likely.  Ideally, finishing the dissertation then taking the job seems to be the wise choice, but I may not have that option and may have to write during work.  Many of my professor colleagues have largely condemned this course of action saying I "will never finish".  Bear in mind however that I applied to 100's of jobs on USAJOBS.COM and have pretty strong credentials, but even with my student status this is all that stuck.  Also, bear in mind that I had planned on devoting 3 solid years of study to my PhD.  My goal is to get it done and move on mainly due to the financial burdens...if I am forced to do a 5 or 6 year PhD think I would rather just write the dissertation while working after the 3rd year.

I find my main dilemma with the FBI is that I do not know what the job entails?  I often say I wish I could try a job for just a few days to know if I like it.  The position is that of an Intelligence Analyst, which seems like it could entail many things.  I held a federal job and absolutely hated it, following acquisition of my Master's degree.  However, the job in question was different from that of an intelligence analyst, and while I won't say what it is it required essentially performing the same task day by day with little chance.  I found it hard to concentrate, because I found the task so boring and uninteresting.  In addition, I did have some problems with the organization and bureaucracy.  This was due to my unique situation, but essentially despite desperately trying to keep my internship and be converted I was fired due to the fact they shouldn't have hired me being so close to finishing my Master's, which they attributed to bad performance.  However, the real case seemed to be someone made a mistake in the hiring process.  However, I don't want this experience to leave me ultimately jaded on the whole federal government experience.   

With the FBI it seems the job could be very rewarding/very interesting or very boring/monotonous.  The pay is good at a GS-9 and if I complete the dissertation I may be able to petition for a grade increase (GS-11) or a step increase at least to compensate for my time in the PhD.  I will likely lose the job as well (they won't wait forever right?) if I go into academia...and my experience with USAJOBS is that it may never come again.  Pension, Pay, Leave, 401k...these are important things to me and as I approach 30 with marriage and children looming I don't want to struggle financially anymore.  I grew up very poor and compulsively save just to avoid pitfalls that happened to me and my family.

In regard to academia, the main dilemma seems to be the lack of this security and the assured position in such a job (I in a sense have the FBI job if I want it).  In academia, the market seems to be EXTREMELY competitive, and it seems one has to constantly put out work to remain at the top of their game.  This has already had impacts on my relationship as I receive emails late into the night and have to alter my plans on a dime to deal with project X or faculty member Y, who needs my assistance right at that moment.  I don't mind working 60-70 hours a week, but working 70 hours a week the rest of my life sounds like exactly what I don't want.  Again I hear such mixed stories that I don;t know what to believe.  Some professors say they work 70 hours a week and its the worse job ever...others seem to be living the best life ever with summer and winters off and touting how great their jobs and lives are.  Many of my colleagues keep pressing on me how I could find a job, and steering me away from the FBI.  However, much of this assurance in a career is attributed less to my experience, and more to the network I've built, which in some ways I am not too keen on.  This is 

I also am certified to teach high school in Massachusetts, and have left that open as another option.  I enjoy teaching very much, but would like to do it on the college level due to the maturity of the students.  Perhaps community college could be an option? Perhaps a private high school or academy?

I've never worked as a consultant before, but consulting in m-governance seems like it could be a very interesting career track...but likely highly competitive as well?

Thank you for reading my post...wrapping up I suppose what I want in life is to "work to live", not "live to work".  I've excelled academically for many years, but have been unable to save much money during this time...and money always seems to spring up in regard to my relationship and life.  the 40 hour a week jobs I've worked I have found boring, because I am stuck doing the same thing day to day...no variety at all.  I get itchy feet and want to leave because I'm bored.  I don't feel this in academia, but the stress levels are high.  I'd like to work 40 hours a week, and doing that in any job setting is ideal.  I'm very much a 7-3 type person, who likes going to the gym after work and just relaxing or enjoying myself at night.  My fiance and I enjoy travelling and have many other hobbies I have been unable to pursue due to my business.

One last factor is that both careers seem to offer the chance to travel, but to unknown locations, which doesn't sit well with my fiance.  The FBI requires I move the first year to one of many duty locations across the U.S. and , while some are appealing to her many are not.  I'm sure we would have more flexibility after these 3 years, but we are unsure whether we want to move away from our families at this time.  She also worries about getting a job in her field or uprooting a current job due to uncertainty in liking where she lives.  Academia seems to be largely the same in a "you take what you get" sort of way.  I think personally I would love to travel (even for a few years), but I do enjoy "coming home".  

An extremely long post, but would love everyone's advice.  I've probably missed a lot about myself, but feel free to ask more about me if you have any advice!