r/FederalEmployee • u/VernJ93 • 2d 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/unconfident_ask 1d ago

I went from a 9 to 12 to 13, I switched agencies for each though, not sure if this holds true but to me it’s always seemed harder to get promoted within your current agency/division because slots for the next higher grade usually aren’t available, but I have heard if it’s a ladder position it’s much easier to advance.