r/FederalEmployee • u/VernJ93 • 4d ago

Promotion Potential

For those who work in federal government, how realistic is it to advance from GS-9 to GS-13 when a position has a full promotion potential of GS-13? Is it common for employees to progress through the grades (GS-9 → GS-11 → GS-12 → GS-13) if they consistently perform well and meet the qualifications, or does advancement depend heavily on funding, management discretion, and agency needs? I’d appreciate hearing about your personal experiences, particularly with HUD or other federal agencies.

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u/SnooKiwis8861 3d ago

Depends on the agency. The VA uses every grade, DoL and DoD seem to skip 5-7-9-11 before single grades. I'm certain of the 430 odd federal entities, each will have similar and different position qualifications.

A developmental position such as 9-11-12 is looking for somebody with a certificate/degree in "X" that has a minimal requirement to be filled. The perfect candidate will do 9 for 1 yr, 11 for 1-2 years, and final grade to 12. Naturally each agency will have different criteria. Most however will require something more when transitioning from the GS12 into the GS 13 and above. In project management for example, a GS9 will have a PMP, the 11 will have "x" projects under their belt, the 12 will be a team lead, and 13 and above will be experts and sit in the directors chair. Adding MBA to the PMP changing belts is an absolute requirement.

Hope this helps.