Career Progression for Federal Employees

Since most applicants focus on simply getting that all-important first job with the federal government, it should come as no surprise that a lot of people fail to learn about the career path that comes with a particular assignment.  The level of career progression can vary widely between jobs and agencies, so today I’d like to take a short look at some “typical” career paths for federal jobs.

For many entry-level positions, the USAJOBS posting might list vacancies at GS levels 5, 7, or 9.  These 5/7/9 postings are usually listed whenever there are a large number of jobs to be filled, or in cases where there has traditionally been a regular amount of turnover or upward mobility.  For these jobs, the final offer will be at one of these grades, which the Human Resources team determines by evaluating a candidate’s education and prior experience.  It’s also important to note that new hires for these jobs will almost always have the ability to move up in pay grade while working at the same position.  For example, a Police Officer hired at GS-5 should be eligible for an automatic promotion to GS-7 after a year or two of successful service.

Some other positions aren’t necessarily listed as straight 5/7/9 or 7/9/11, but will have a “Target” GS level attached to the job.  An HR Technician will still provide a final offer of employment with a GS level based upon the experience listed in the applicant’s resume, but there is some room for negotiation when it comes to the initial salary.   The “Target” GS level acts more like a pay ceiling for the position, and regular pay raises may not be automatically awarded based on the employee’s performance on the job.

With this type of leveling in mind, you should always make sure that all of your education and experience is documented within the body of your USAJOBS resume.  Write all of your training and skills out in full text so that a keyword search will pick up on them.  Taking the extra time to assemble a complete resume before applying will make it much more likely for you to be offered a job at a higher pay level.  Also, if you feel that you’re being low-balled on salary, don’t be shy about asking for a bump in pay!  The worst an agency can do is to tell you “No”, but if you ask professionally and are able to make an argument based on what you bring to the table, you might find yourself going up at least a step or two within the pay grade.

In closing, I’d just like to drop one more reminder that the best way to get promoted will always be if you promote yourself.  Once you’ve landed that first job, don’t rest on your laurels!   Always seek out additional responsibilities, and keep searching USAJOBS for more advancement opportunities.  With a year or two of federal experience under your belt, you’ll be even more competitive for jobs that will let you make the greatest possible contribution to your country!