giscard78 t1_j6zplsw wrote on February 3, 2023 at 12:54 AM

> GS5 ladder position

What’s the top of your ladder and what is your job series? (eg 1102 contract specialist (I have no idea if this series exists at this level)) if you can grin and bear it with roommates, cooking every meal at home, and doing a lot of free things then it might be worth it. If you can get up to a 7 or 9, you won’t be living like a king, but your breathing room will definitely go up. If you can get to those grades then transition to another ladder or series, it’ll take some years, but you can go up.

indecisivewandering OP t1_j6zqt44 wrote on February 3, 2023 at 1:03 AM

The role is in 0300 and is 5-7. The goal would be to put in a few years and jump to another ladder by the time I'm 30, or an entirely different series (if that's possible).. I'm aware I don't have nearly as much later movement with a 1302 but the ironic thing is despite 3 years in purchasing I've been denied at GS7 for every 1302 I've applied for.

Vortex2121 t1_j71ffxi wrote on February 3, 2023 at 11:33 AM

get in with the 0300. After you prove yourself for a few months let your supervisor know you have procurement experience and are willing to get COR training (if you have a COR level 1 get COR 2). I know a few people who started out as GS-5s and worked their way up (granted it took decades) to a GS-13 step 10.

indecisivewandering OP t1_j71wcie wrote on February 3, 2023 at 2:10 PM

How difficult would it be to get to a GS12, if I'm not on a ladder position? The ideal would be to get a contracting (!102, sorry) position and work my way up but that seems highly unlikely.. is it possible to get some type of FERS related certification as a civilian? Would that help me at all when applying to these jobs?

Gumburcules t1_j728eek wrote on February 3, 2023 at 3:33 PM

> How difficult would it be to get to a GS12, if I'm not on a ladder position?

If you've got a college degree and your 5-7 ladder is in the same field, you'd be on a great track.

I doubt you'd be able to jump straight from 7-12 since 12 requires a year of experience at the 11 level and it would be very hard to argue that your GS-7 job provided you with GS-11 equivalent experience, but I imagine you could probably get in on a 9-11 ladder pretty easily especially if your 5-7 job is competitive service.

From there you're just a good connection or desk audit away from 12.

Also, don't listen to the people saying you can't make it here on that salary, you absolutely can. As others have said you'll definitely need roommates, but thousands of people come here every year and find rooms in group houses. I know NPS Park Rangers start at GS-5 and there are a lot of them who work here and live together. I'm not sure how you'd connect with them (maybe there's a subreddit or message board somewhere?) but it might be a good place to look.

Vortex2121 t1_j725efz wrote on February 3, 2023 at 3:14 PM

Honestly I don't know. It really depends on your supervisor. Do you mean FAR? FERS is the retirement plan.

By the time you hit GS-7 you can transfer jobs with a different ladder. Also, I would look into Schedule-A disability hiring authority. Makes it easier for the employer to hire you.

Vortex2121 t1_j725o7y wrote on February 3, 2023 at 3:15 PM

But anyway, FAR certs are easy enough to get as a civilian if you meet the requirements and your supervisor wants you to have it. It takes a year after you get your COR I to get your COR II (at least for my agency)

indecisivewandering OP t1_j72bkea wrote on February 3, 2023 at 3:54 PM

FARS, yeah.. recognized that slip-up after posting.

Just so I sort of have this correct.. even if I'm in a 0300 role, when I hit GS7 I could potentially transfer over to a 7/9/11 1102 ladder on an internal announcement, simply because I'm already at that grade in any series (+3 yrs private sector work experience)?

I already do have a Schedule A letter.. seems like I'm either not using itt correctly, or it isn't pushing me in the direction I need to go.