Is it possible to enter as a GS15?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just got hired as a Fed (GS-12, and I call myself lucky) and have been wondering: do folks other than my manager know my grade?

Yes

How?

[Anonymous]

GS-12 pp here: to clarify, my position was advertised as an 11/12, so I know they know I'm one of those, but don't know how they'd know which one.

[Anonymous]

I forget the website but you could type in a name and it would list all the diff fed positions, what agency, pay grade and salary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I forget the website but you could type in a name and it would list all the diff fed positions, what agency, pay grade and salary.

A person's name, or a job title?

[Anonymous]

http://php.app.com/fed_employees10/search.php

[Anonymous]

My husband entered as a GS-15 manager this year. Top step. He is maxed out on salary unless he moves into an SES position. Attorney with almost 15 years directly relevant experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just starting to look at going from the private sector to Fed. govt. Is it possible to come in as a GS 15?

Yes, came in as GS-10 last year at HHS. Took a pay cut. Seems to have caused some resentment among peers (nothing overt, just heard this through the grapevine--before I assumed people were just generally not that friendly.)

Do you mean 15? What type of position? Just wondering if only attorneys can come in at a 15.

Sorry, yes, Grade 15 step 10

[Anonymous]

Sure, you can come right in as a 15, but it's easiest in fields where there's a directly analogous private sector career field. (So, I've met engineer types as well as all the aforementioned attorneys who've done it). And certainly people who retire as, say, a colonel often go looking for GS15 jobs. I think you see some of it less in some agencies because the only way to get the experience requisite for a 15 is working within that agency. State's kind of notorious for that but, on the other hand, there aren't that many business types with substantive experience and technical knowledge of, say, negotiating nuclear disarmament agreements or whatever, so their available talent pool basically already works at State.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the replies.

I am not an attorney. I am in the IT field.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the replies.

I am not an attorney. I am in the IT field.

PP here. That should be no problem. You either have the skills or you don't. You may, however, face resentment internally if someone was looking to work his or her way up into the position. Just be prepared for that.