It is difficult, very very difficult, to progress to the management level of SK15 or above. It is especially difficult if you are not a lawyer. An an MBA with 18+ years of experience I'm compensated well given the work life balance. However, it is frustrating that there is not more value placed on analytics and finance skills at the SEC and the primary focus is on legal expertise in the Division of Enforcement and elsewhere. There are also pockets of extreme inefficiency and pockets of staff who work like the (bad) stereotype of government workers -- as in barely competent and barely working - perhaps 25% or so. Salary increases are very small generally unless you are a Senior Officer (and there are less than 200 senior officers of the 5000 or so staff). If one is ambitious and wants to continue to move forward there is more likelihood of lateral moves than moving up. The upper most management doesn't make that much more than staff, unlike in the private sector. For example, many Senior Officer make $190-$230k (where $230k is the maximum). Many staff also make close to $200k. Therefore, some Senior Officers try to exert their power through things such as keeping junior staff out of projects they could well handle. It is an unnecessarily hierarchical structure in many Divisions and Offices. another con is that it is nearly impossible to get hired and through the black hole of usajobs.gov.
