Federal Salary Negotiation?

What happens after you receive a federal job offer, do the same rules apply to salary negotiation that you learned about private sector offers? The short answer is no, but there is some hope. You know you want the job and get your foot in the door, even at a GS-04 or GS-05 level when you are qualified for the GS-07 or GS-09 level.

Federal salary guidelines for GS positions are strict. The vast majority of new federal hires come it at the step 1 of the grade they are hired at. Each GS grade has 10 steps (i.e. GS-07 step 01, GS-11 step 07). Each step involves a small pay increase and if you stay at the same grade, you will move up through the steps at set intervals. These are called WGIs (pronounced wigis).

For advancement to steps 2, 3, and 4 - - - 52 calendar weeks

For advancement to steps 5, 6, and 7 - - - 104 calendar weeks

For advancement to steps 8, 9, and 10 - - - 156 calendar weeks 

The number of weeks are an important piece to keep in mind when entering the work force and trying to get a higher salary offer. It is not salary negotiation, which is why you see awkward attempts to identify what it actually is, a superior qualifications hire. The following information was taken directly for the law:

Superior qualifications or special needs determination. An agency may set the payable rate of basic pay of a newly appointed 
employee above the minimum rate of the grade under this section if the candidate meets one of the following criteria:

1. The candidate has superior qualifications. An agency may determine that a candidate has superior qualifications based on the level, type, or quality of the candidate's skills or competencies demonstrated or obtained through experience and/or education, the quality of the candidate's accomplishments compared to others in the field, or other factors that support a superior qualifications determination. The candidate's skills, competencies, experience, education, and/or accomplishments must be relevant to the requirements of the position to be filled. These qualities must be significantly higher than that needed to be minimally required for the position and/or be of a more specialized quality compared to other candidates; or
2. The candidate fills a special agency need. An agency may determine that a candidate fills a special agency need if the type, level, or quality of skills and competencies or other qualities and experiences possessed by the candidate are relevant to the requirements of the position and are essential to accomplishing an important agency mission, goal, or program activity. A candidate also may meet the special needs criteria by meeting agency workforce needs, as documented in the agency's strategic human capital plan.

To set pay above a step one. An agency may consider one or more of the following factors, as applicable in the case at hand, to determine 
the step at which to set an employee's payable rate of basic pay using the superior qualifications and special needs pay-setting authority:

1. The level, type, or quality of the candidate's skills or competencies;
2. The candidate's existing salary, recent salary history, or salary documented in a competing job offer (taking into account the location where the salary was or would be earned and comparing the salary to payable rates of basic pay in the same location); 
3. Significant disparities between Federal and non-Federal salaries for the skills and competencies required in the position to be filled; 
4. Existing labor market conditions and employment trends, including the availability and quality of candidates for the same or similar positions;
5. The success of recent efforts to recruit candidates for the same or similar positions;
6. Recent turnover in the same or similar positions;
7. The importance/criticality of the position to be filled and the effect on the agency if it is not filled or if there is a delay in filling it;
8. The desirability of the geographic location, duties, and/or work environment associated with the position;
9. Agency workforce needs, as documented in the agency's strategic human capital plan; or
10. Other relevant factors.

Although it seems like you should be able to negotiate, it is very difficult to received a higher step when you first start your federal career. The few instances in which I have seen it happen is when someone has direct experience doing the work that they are hired to do. For example, if you have been an electrician for 10 years and you are hired as an electrician, you may be able to received a superior qualifications appointment. It isn't about potential or your other skills not directly related to the position.

If you believe you have directly related experience, feel free to outline that in an email to the hiring official who made the job offer. You will need to show that you have 52 weeks of experience that makes your more qualified than the step one.