Choosing GS15 instant leadership versus GS13 long-term path?

[Anonymous]

I'm confused by the idea of a prestigious GS13.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm confused by the idea of a prestigious GS13.

[Anonymous]

I’d keep the 13

[Anonymous]

Former GS-15 here, and I would 100% keep a job I liked a lot with family flexibility over moving up just for a higher grade, but more dysfunction. No question.

[Anonymous]

Are you ok with staying GS-13 for potentially a very long time? It's not that easy to jump grades and a GS-15 would be a long way off, if it is even an option for that position. I'd personally take the 15. Who's to say that the GS-13 job won't turn into a dumpster fire if your manager changes.

[Anonymous]

I'm a 14 who has avoided taking a 15 because supervising is miserable (I did it temporarily to cover someone's maternity leave).

[Anonymous]

I would take the GS-15, plan to stay there 2 years, then lateral to a different better GS-15 position - possibly in a different agency or department…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This GS 15 position sounds like a dumpster fire rather than an opportunity.

Yeah, OP, I think you know the answer already. Trust your gut - there may be other opportunities in your future but don’t leave a great situation now for a grade level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you ok with staying GS-13 for potentially a very long time? It's not that easy to jump grades and a GS-15 would be a long way off, if it is even an option for that position. I'd personally take the 15. Who's to say that the GS-13 job won't turn into a dumpster fire if your manager changes.

Dunno about that - I know several attorneys who jumped a couple of grades by switching to large agencies

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As the parent of a child in daycare, if you had the choice between a GS13 step 4 role that would stay GS13 for a decade+, but involved a lot of prestige (mostly involves work you 100% love, great but mostly busy colleagues dealing with lots of projects) versus a GS15 role ….

Advice either way? (Please be nice?)

Maybe I missed this OP — would one or both of these be supervisory? If so, that’s an issue. A poisonous environment where you’re a supervisor could be horrendous.

[Anonymous]

If you need money you can make it in a few years going private later. Don't take a terrible job for that.

[Anonymous]

Basically, GS13-4 is $130,000 versus GS15-1 at $164,000. Difference in pay is substantial ($34,000).

How much do you need the extra $2,833 gross pay per month ?

[Anonymous]

Keep the 13. Other opportunities will arise. If I kept my supervisory 14 instead of moving to a non-sup 14, I probably would have made a GS-15 within a year or two. But I had a daycare aged kid at the time and didn't want the demanding job. I love my current 14 and wouldn't risk taking a 15 for higher pay bc the job satisfaction (interesting work and awesome management) aren't worth giving up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Keep the 13. Other opportunities will arise. If I kept my supervisory 14 instead of moving to a non-sup 14, I probably would have made a GS-15 within a year or two. But I had a daycare aged kid at the time and didn't want the demanding job. I love my current 14 and wouldn't risk taking a 15 for higher pay bc the job satisfaction (interesting work and awesome management) aren't worth giving up.

Thanks, OP here--thinking exactly this (and thanks to all others who've weighed in)! Mainly, I wanted to ensure I was making an informed decision, etc. If I'd taken this job with all the red flags, it would've been ample chaos, and my spouse is already at that level in a supervisory role so...yup. There will be other opportunities, I hope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keep the 13. Other opportunities will arise. If I kept my supervisory 14 instead of moving to a non-sup 14, I probably would have made a GS-15 within a year or two. But I had a daycare aged kid at the time and didn't want the demanding job. I love my current 14 and wouldn't risk taking a 15 for higher pay bc the job satisfaction (interesting work and awesome management) aren't worth giving up.

Thanks, OP here--thinking exactly this (and thanks to all others who've weighed in)! Mainly, I wanted to ensure I was making an informed decision, etc. If I'd taken this job with all the red flags, it would've been ample chaos, and my spouse is already at that level in a supervisory role so...yup. There will be other opportunities, I hope.

It really sounds like you would have hated your life with the 15. And those jobs are never just 40 hours.