yy Step: There are 10 steps, or smaller pay bands, within a grade under which an employee is paid. For example, you could be Step 2 of a GS-7 or Step 6 of a GS-11. In government, your salary changes by moving up (and down) the GS scale. Most white collar, entry-level positions will be in the GS 7-9 range ($40 - $55K per year), so that’s a fair place to set your initial expectations. It’s a safe bet that for a GS-7 position you’ll need a bachelor’s degree, for GS-9 you’ll need a master’s degree, and for a GS-11 or higher you’ll need a PhD without prior experience. Some jobs will hire only for a specific grade, but many will hire at different grades and that will be clearly indicated in the position description. We recommend that you apply throughout the chain to increase your chances of landing a job. 5. Position Information This is pretty easy to figure out and we covered “Excepted Service” in an earlier text box. If you have any questions about your eligibility, just pick up the phone and call the contact person listed on the job announcement to learn more. 6. Promotion Do you want to know what your career path will look like in a given job? “Promotion” is where you find out. If the position you’re looking at shows a range of GS levels, that’s one way to know that advancement is possible. Other announcements might limit you to that grade only - you start at GS-11 and stay in GS-11 unless you get a new job. You might also be wondering how quickly you can move up. Typically, your pay escalates by one step each year. It’s actually somewhat rare to jump a couple steps at a time. If you’re eager to get ahead faster, you’ll either want to look for positions with better promotion potential or you’ll need to apply for another opportunity down the road. Some jobs have the potential for noncompetitive promotion and others do not; it depends on how the position is structured. For jobs with promotion potential, promotions may occur after you have: yy Worked at the lower grade level for at least one year. yy Performed at an acceptable level of competence. yy Demonstrated your ability to perform work at the next higher grade level. For example, a position advertised at the GS-11 level with promotion potential to the GS-13 level means that you would be eligible for promotion to the GS-12 level at the end of your first year of employment. Once promoted to the GS-12 level, you would be eligible for promotion to the GS-13 level at the end of a year. It also depends on whether the job is a one-grade interval job or a two-grade interval job. A job that goes up to the 12 or 13 level is probably a two grade interval job - so the normal progression would appear in the job description like this: 5/7/9/11/12/13 and the promotion happens like this: yy 5 to 7 = one year (even though you are going up two grades). yy 7 to 9 = one year (even though you are going up two grades). yy 9 to 11 = one year. yy 11 to 12 = one year.
O
n average, new graduates should look for jobs at the GS-5 and GS-7 pay grades. Here’s how it breaks down, generally speaking: yy GS-5 = Entry- level, straight out of college yy GS-7 = Undergraduate with a grade point average above 3.0 OR with a bachelor’s degree and one year of relevant experience yy GS-9 = People with a master’s degree OR with a bachelor’s plus one year of relevant experience equivalent to a GS-7 yy GS-11 = Mid-career people who are ready to take the next step; they have their master’s or bachelor’s and five years experience; also people with a PhD fit here If you have a master’s degree, you’re qualified for GS-9 - BUT don’t say you won’t take a GS-7. Be willing to take the GS-7. Get your foot in the door and have more opportunities down the road. Sometimes those GS-7s have promotion potential to the GS-12 level. In three years, you could go from GS-7 to GS-12. Don’t disqualify yourself. Go for the lowest grade level you are willing to accept, not just the one you’re qualified for.” Doris Tirone Human Resources Specialist, NASA
yy 12 to 13 = one year. Again, this varies, but we’d encourage you to look for some of the two-hop opportunities. For those who like to get the official scoop, check out OPM’s website. A Guide for High Achievers
30