Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I look on USAJOBS there is often a range say 12/13/14 for hiring and then “promotion potential” is usually the top of that range. But sometimes I do see a listing where there isn’t a range and the “promotion potential” is a higher grade (say listed at 12 but potential to 14).

I’ve always assumed that means the career ladder is 12/13/14 but you will be hired at 12 and it will take at least a year to move up to 13 etc. Is that not right?

a 12/13/14 position means you can come in either 12 or 13 or 14. If you hired as 12/13, you can move up to 14 at some point.

if not range (a 12), that means they will bring you in as a 12.

But some posters are suggesting they can give any grade of the ladder, even if it’s higher than the grade of the posting.

Some agencies will bring you in at any of the ladder grades, but they may make it very difficult to prove your non-fed experience qualifies you for the higher grade right off the bat. You have to watch out for agencies that will only start you at Step 1 of any given pay grade.

I might concentrate more on getting a higher step within the assigned grade, which could put you into the pay range for the next grade. That would have a cascading effect on your salary for years. A GS-13 Step 10 earns the same as a GS-14 Step 4. So after a year in a ladder position, you'd be at a GS-14 Step 5 at least.

Over qualification doesn’t qualify you for a job.

Positions are usually graded for the work and level of responsibility. So, if I want a 12, there is a reason for that. If the full promotion potential is a 15, I’m usually looking for a 13 to train. If I get a 15 in right away, they are more likely to be less trainable. I am not going to hire them as a 15 because that’s not the position I am looking to fill. Does this make sense?

I currently have a Contractor who is way overqualified and he’s great. He just doesn’t want higher level work and he’s getting so much lower level work done that he’s basically filling the job of 1.5 people. That happens. It’s not expected, though. Often people take the lower position hoping to be promoted and then get angry if they are not and it is a whole huge problem. If it’s a Government position it’s more difficult to deal with than a Contractor, who will just leave and you’ll get another one soon enough.

Apply for whatever you want. Do not expect to be given a higher grade based on what you think you can do. They want what they requested.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I look on USAJOBS there is often a range say 12/13/14 for hiring and then “promotion potential” is usually the top of that range. But sometimes I do see a listing where there isn’t a range and the “promotion potential” is a higher grade (say listed at 12 but potential to 14).

I’ve always assumed that means the career ladder is 12/13/14 but you will be hired at 12 and it will take at least a year to move up to 13 etc. Is that not right?

a 12/13/14 position means you can come in either 12 or 13 or 14. If you hired as 12/13, you can move up to 14 at some point.

if not range (a 12), that means they will bring you in as a 12.

But some posters are suggesting they can give any grade of the ladder, even if it’s higher than the grade of the posting.