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Is that a common move? I have the opportunity of taking a state government position and while I really enjoy the work and the people, I'd love to move up to the federal level at some point.

I noticed on usajobs that the listings for positions that require 2-5 years experience look for a certain grade level experience "or equivalent." Would a state gov position be satisfactory?

I can provide more info if needed, but I don't want to disclose too much. tia

My personal anecdote: I know someone who worked at a state regulatory agency for 1-2 years before transferring to a federal regulatory agency performing similar tasks, so it does happen. That individual had clerked for the federal agency during law school though, but the federal agency did not hire except for Honors program folks.

I think it mostly depends on which area you're targeting and how much budget the agency has, but the good thing is that, on the whole, there is a huge "graying" within several federal agencies (lots of upper-level employees) who are ready to retire in the next few years, so having valuable substantive experience on the state level could be helpful when this wave of positions need to be filled by younger employees.

And that state-level employment certainly should qualify as equivalent experience. It may not be as large, high-level, or complex, but if you're performing similar work functions, absolutely it counts.

OP here, thanks for that input. Do you think the connections that person made during law school helped significantly? I intend to try and expand my network to include some fed gov attorneys, but I'm not sure how much it matters for fed hiring.

Yes, while that individual did not end up in the same office/region, the familiarity with the agency, its mission, and type of work conducted based on what that person indicated made it easier to express why they were interested in working for the agency and why they'd be a good fit for the position.

I definitely recommend (effective) networking, just because you never know what doors could open up down the road. Definitely invite some gov't attorneys you know/meet to lunch/coffee to learn more about their agency and what type of work they do, and take opportunities (as they arise) to express interest in their work/agency. Then if there's an opening for a position, follow up with them for advice, indicate your interest in apply, etc.