Would you take a GS-14 supervisor role?

[Anonymous]

What are the pros/cons of supervising in government at the GS-14 level?

[Anonymous]

I don't really understand your question. The pros and cons of being a supervisor aren't necessarily dependent on the grade. There's too many variables. There's sup 14s who manage 200 people and sup 15s who manage 5 people. Not that volume of staff is the only driver of a pros and cons list but it's just an example that you can't tie it all to a grade per se.

[Anonymous]

If you like managing. If not, there are many non-supervisory GS14s. I would only manage as a GS15 or SES.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Especially if it's the only way up to a 15.

[Anonymous]

There are a lot of 14s supervisory, even 13 supervisory. In DC many Managers are 15s but that’s because of where we are located. I think if you like the job and want to be promoted, sure. It does help you get to a 15, since more if them have those duties.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you like managing. If not, there are many non-supervisory GS14s. I would only manage as a GS15 or SES.

Where are the non-supervisory GS14s? I want one of those. I do not enjoy managing at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you like managing. If not, there are many non-supervisory GS14s. I would only manage as a GS15 or SES.

Where are the non-supervisory GS14s? I want one of those. I do not enjoy managing at all.

State Department has a ton of non-supervisory 14s. Quite a few 15s as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you like managing. If not, there are many non-supervisory GS14s. I would only manage as a GS15 or SES.

Where are the non-supervisory GS14s? I want one of those. I do not enjoy managing at all.

Some agencies give a 14 to Project Managers working on specific types of projects. I’m a non-supervisory 14 IT PM. I don’t have direct reports, just a team of Contractors and I manage the work and do all things Government on the Project (which is really a Program as it’s several projects using the same set of resources).

[Anonymous]

Nnnoooo.

[Anonymous]

Being the first-line supervisor in the federal government is pretty awful. Some agencies have this set-up at 13 level and others at 14. (There are some case where 15s are the first-line supervisor, but this seems to be atypical.)

I, personally, would not take a 14 supervisor role if I had options to seek out a non-supervisory 14. If those non-sup 14s positions didn’t exist at my agency or agencies in my field, I guess I would consider a supervisory 14 as a last resort for upward mobility.

I work at a well-respected agency and the things I have seen supervisory 14s have to deal with, from both ends (staff and management), is not worth it.

[Anonymous]

No - the aggravation is not worth is for a GS-14.

[Anonymous]

I'm a non-supervisory 14/10 and ignore the emails for supervisory 15 positions.

[Anonymous]

I'm a GS-13 and have passed on GS-14 positions because I don't want to be a manager. Working for the government has a lot of perks. I think those perks are diminished if you're in management. Does not look fun.

[Anonymous]

On my worst day it's better than anything I endured as a manager at the Big 4. I work well with and respect my 15 and SES and vice versa...my staff the same. I had a rough patch 3 years ago with a non-performing 13 but when they left life was good again.

[Anonymous]

I'm a non-supervisory 14, and for me the answer is almost definitely no. If I were a 13, the answer would probably be yes.