Help me negotiate.
January 28, 2010 11:48 AM   Subscribe

I got a job offer. Help me negotiate the salary I need--or better yet, want.

It's a low-level federal position. The pay ranges from GS-5 to GS-7. I very much want GS-7 pay, and I qualified for the position at that level. Taking the job will require me to move to another state (big hassle, big expense).

How much can I push to start at GS-7? Do they have discretion, or are their hands tied? In general, I mean.

When we spoke, the guy said they had originally planned on starting the position at GS-5, and then bumping up a grade a year until reaching GS-7. How can I make that plan a new plan of hiring me at GS-7 from the beginning?

Since it is such a low-level position, I assume my leverage is small. The world will not explode if I don't get it, and I'm sure there are many other qualified candidates out there. This is a hugely serious moment for me. How can I push for this without them retracting the job offer, or creating ill-will in the office?

Also: if I can't get the higher grade, are there other compensations (moving expenses, a starting bank of PTO, etc.) that would be possible at this level?
posted by anonymous to Work & Money (12 answers total) 7 users marked this as a favorite
 
The world will not explode if I don't get it

Then push for the 7 or nothing. Really.

You might be able to get the Grade 5-Step 8, which is a few bucks under a 7-1. But if you are going to have to move, go for the 7.


Also: if I can't get the higher grade, are there other compensations (moving expenses, a starting bank of PTO, etc.) that would be possible at this level?

No.
posted by jgirl at 11:56 AM on January 28, 2010


In salary negotiations you always start high - if you're talking about money it means you have the job, so they won't offer it to someone else if you push for the upper limit.

Realistically, you may not get that higher limit of salary unless you say it's a deal-breaker. They may blink first and cave in, or you may be forced to backtrack if you really want the job.

The bottom line is, unless it's set in stone or a contract, you cannot bank on an employer substantially increasing your salary in the future, no matter what they promise in a job interview.

It's in your best interests to aim high right at the start (so long as there is a firm employment offer on the table).
posted by KokuRyu at 12:07 PM on January 28, 2010


Push for the highest possible salary you can get when you get hired. Because even though the plan may be to step it up after a year, unless you can get that commitment in writing (and even maybe not then), the plan means nothing. Incremental raises after hire are almost always small and it will take a long time to get to the pay range you really want after the fact.

The way you argue for it is by telling them that you're qualified at that level and listing again all the reasons why. They will not give it to you if you don't ask for it and stand by it. If the higher range is in the scale, that means that they can afford to pay you that much so focus on the higher amount and stand firm.

At my current job they offered, I counter-offered higher than I the amount that I would settle for and sited my experience and education, and we settled for the amount I was willing to take. I was nervous, but it worked like a charm--they expect this as part of the process.

Good luck!
posted by Kimberly at 12:10 PM on January 28, 2010


Q: Also: if I can't get the higher grade, are there other compensations (moving expenses, a starting bank of PTO, etc.) that would be possible at this level?

A: No.

Why not? I would definitely try to negotiate that part if the salary itself is inflexible. Signing bonus, moving allowance, etc. Often times a manager has more discretion over these expenses than headcount salary.
posted by randomstriker at 12:59 PM on January 28, 2010


My former boss left her files behind--including her hiring files and old resumes for my position. There were notes all over the place like "manager likes but salary too high". It wasn't too high. Companies are just cheap.

I was hired on a bait and switch. I applied and was told it was Sr. level. Upon hire and after paperwork was filled I saw it was mid level. I complained, I was the only person to do the job, they caved and bumped me up to the upper mid level. Good reviews = bigger raises = now I'm capping at the end of the salary range.

They always, always want to hire you below your deserving rate. Try for upper mid if you can deal or the max. Expect raises to be about $2k a year, can you wait that long no matter where you wind up? If not, reach high or don't reach at all.

Companies are jerks who want the best of the best for the least amount of money.
posted by stormpooper at 1:16 PM on January 28, 2010


if you're talking about money it means you have the job, so they won't offer it to someone else if you push for the upper limit.

This is not true. Having done interviews and asked about salary requirements even after mentally noting that candidate would not receive an offer. I did it to be polite and feel sorry for applicants who seem so eager and ready to please.
posted by anniecat at 2:06 PM on January 28, 2010


randomstriker - this is a federal job and hiring managers don't have the authority to offer these incentives at this tier job. anon - You may be able to get relocation but if authorized it should have been spelled out in the job announcement. Push for the higher grade level.
posted by white_devil at 2:31 PM on January 28, 2010


My motto is if you don't ask, you don't get. But that said, government jobs don't have a fraction of the flexibility corporate jobs do. I tried negotiating my salary and got I think a 13 cent increase (that is 13 pennies on the dollar, not percentage). I sincerely believe it was the best they could do. Often in these cases the pay range doesn't mean starting salary range, but the range of the entire job. I'd be sure to clarify that with the HR person.
posted by dawnoftheread at 3:41 PM on January 28, 2010


13 pennies on the dollar, not percentage

nitpick: "13 pennies on the dollar" is an expression that means 13 percent -- precisely not what you mean.
posted by randomstriker at 3:57 PM on January 28, 2010


Take with a grain of salt from a lowly GS-5:

If you were selected from the cert for the Grade 7, I would suggest you absolutely push for that grade. I don't know what the general practice is (I'm sure it varies) and I am not a hiring official myself, but I have never heard of any positions around my office being hired lower than the highest grade the candidate made the cert for. If, however, you did not actually qualify for the Grade 7 and just believe that your experience could be argued to be equivalent in the negotiation, I don't think that will pan out for you.

If this job series goes on to GS-8 in other positions, by taking the GS-5 you will be two additional years away from qualifying for GS-8 positions based on your federal experience, even if you could negotiate extra steps to earn more money in the meantime. Go for the grade!

If you are polite and reasonable about the request, I think your chances of getting yourself taken out of the running by asking are low.
posted by zizania at 4:27 PM on January 28, 2010


Q: Also: if I can't get the higher grade, are there other compensations (moving expenses, a starting bank of PTO, etc.) that would be possible at this level?

A: No.

Why not? I would definitely try to negotiate that part if the salary itself is inflexible. Signing bonus, moving allowance, etc. Often times a manager has more discretion over these expenses than headcount salary.


Why? Because it is the federal government, especially for a position that is GS-7, tops.
posted by jgirl at 6:22 PM on January 28, 2010


Concur with jgirl. Some things, the government won't negotiate on. GS-7 is not particularly high-ranking (or high-paying), and you don't really get to negotiate diddly-squat. Now is the time to negotiate GS-5 vs GS-6 vs GS-7, but that's all you get to argue.

Not to mention that some departments are going to pay-banding, which is an even more weird system.
posted by etoile at 6:15 PM on January 29, 2010


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