I’m becoming a 15 at 48. Won’t max out for a few more years.

My agency is actively downgrading positions. Virtually impossible to get a non-supervisory 15, and what used to be 15s are becoming supervisory 14s. I’m managing a bunch of senior 13s who are great and probably going to leave soon because there is no advancement potential for them. It’s incredibly frustrating.

37

Started at 45 and made it by 60. There were not many promotion opportunities in my division.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:29, at OMB there is a career ladder from 9-15 for non-supervisory program examiners so if you start as a 9 at age 24 you can be a 15 when you’re 29. It’s absurd, a big reason that OMB is so highly graded even for non-supervisors.

We sure do 😄 but ask us what hours we work …with no overtime pay or any fun extras.

To answer OP, GS15 at 35.

Yes, exactly. It’s very hectic and no work life balance. So many young program examiners and then they leave once they want a family. I sure did! Much happier at another agency, but lots of very smart people at OMB.

45.
Started at age 40 as GS-12.

Anonymous wrote:Yuck, the idea of grade/step is so foreign to us in the private sector. But, it’s a simple low risk concept.

Then don’t effing work for the federal government. Problem solved. And I’d better not see usajobs.gov on your screen after you are inevitably laid off.

35. Federal attorney at an agency OGC (non-supervisory).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:34, when I became a supervisor. Though I’m a lawyer, most attys at my agency only get 15s as supervisors.

Interesting. At DOJ it was pretty much a given for me as a line attorney. GS-15 isn't supposed to be a given at DOJ, but in my Division I'd say 80% of folks who stayed long enough to get it got it.

I know a lot of line attorneys at DOJ who were hired directly in at GS15 (and most of their job postings explicitly allow for hiring at GS15).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yuck, the idea of grade/step is so foreign to us in the private sector. But, it’s a simple low risk concept.

Not so foreign: law firm associate pay is lockstep like that.

An important difference with GS scale is that pay correlates to the job not the person. So you have to change roles to move up, but if you're content you don't have to move "up or out" just because you got older.

Not every institution works that way. Some agencies (especially in the IC) are rank in person so you can get the job and not get the promotion. It takes longer to go all the way up.

Anonymous wrote:34, when I became a supervisor. Though I’m a lawyer, most attys at my agency only get 15s as supervisors.

Interesting. At DOJ it was pretty much a given for me as a line attorney. GS-15 isn't supposed to be a given at DOJ, but in my Division I'd say 80% of folks who stayed long enough to get it got it.

34, when I became a supervisor. Though I’m a lawyer, most attys at my agency only get 15s as supervisors.

Anonymous wrote:Yuck, the idea of grade/step is so foreign to us in the private sector. But, it’s a simple low risk concept.

Not so foreign: law firm associate pay is lockstep like that.

An important difference with GS scale is that pay correlates to the job not the person. So you have to change roles to move up, but if you're content you don't have to move "up or out" just because you got older.

Another lawyer. Made GS15 at 34 but didn't hit the max pay in that grade until 40 or 41. I moved to a finreg at 42.

Anonymous wrote:Yuck, the idea of grade/step is so foreign to us in the private sector. But, it’s a simple low risk concept.

I prefer it as a woman, I know they won’t be able to low-ball me (even though I guess we’re all paid too little).

Anonymous wrote:29, at OMB there is a career ladder from 9-15 for non-supervisory program examiners so if you start as a 9 at age 24 you can be a 15 when you’re 29. It’s absurd, a big reason that OMB is so highly graded even for non-supervisors.

We sure do 😄 but ask us what hours we work …with no overtime pay or any fun extras.

To answer OP, GS15 at 35.