How does military enlisted experience translate to GS positions?

Thinking about my future career path and am curious about how military experience transfers to GS equivalent positions. If I enlist, how could my experience be leveraged for government jobs later?

Military experience can indeed be quite valuable when transitioning to government service jobs, commonly known as General Schedule (GS) positions. In the Federal hiring process, veterans often have a competitive advantage due to certain preferential programs.

First off, for those not aware, GS positions are part of a pay scale used by the federal government. They range from GS-1, the lowest, to GS-15, the highest. Within each of these levels, there are 10 "steps", which essentially pay raises that come with increased experience or performance.

In terms of your military service, "time in grade" can be important. This means the length of time you have spent at a particular rank can play a role in the GS level you qualify for. It's essentially a measure of your experience. For example, a junior enlisted rank, such as E-1 through E-3, might align with a GS-3 or GS-4 position, while a Senior Non-Commissioned Officer, like an E-6 or E-7, could be competitive for GS-6 through GS-8 positions. Note that this varies widely, and many positions will take into account your specific job duties and responsibilities in the military, not just rank.

The Veterans' Preference program also allows veterans to have preference in hiring over many other applicants. Depending on their circumstances, veterans can earn a 5 or 10-point preference, which can be key in a competitive job market.

Moreover, the government has a special authority known as the Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA) where eligible veterans can be appointed to positions without competition.

Remember that these are not hard and fast rules. Eligibility for a specific GS level varies depending on job specifics, education, and experience beyond just military service. Also, GS positions can have increasing responsibility and managerial functions as the grade increases, so leadership experience in the military is often highly valued.

Essentially, expectation management is key. While military service can definitely provide a leg up in federal hiring, it's not a guarantee. It's important to tailor your military experiences to the qualifications and competencies listed in the job announcement and to keep building relevant experience and skills.