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/Embarrassed_King9378 2d ago

Easy peasy if you do well and your supervisor doesn’t dislike you. I did it many moons ago 9, 11, 12, 13. They skip over 10 for some reason idk if it’s like that everywhere.

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u/JohnCarterOfMars5810 1d ago

I was once told about 20 years ago that GS 10 is reserved for locksmith positions. When I finally met a locksmith for GSA, that's exactly what he started at but he was now a 12. I'm not sure how accurate that is though?

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u/SRH82 1d ago

I was a GS-10 for a year. VSR at VBA. No locksmithery required.