Once You Get a Federal Job Offer

It’s a common misconception that you can’t negotiate salary after an agency makes an offer. Indeed, you can. Bring up your unique qualifications and needs, such as your educational background and work experience, or the fact that you have to relocate for the position.

Below is more information related to negotiating a federal job offer.

Under the government pay system, it can be difficult to negotiate a higher GS level—as the pay grades are called under the government’s General Schedule—than the one listed in the job description. But each grade has 10 steps that come with a higher salary and career advancement, and those step levels are more flexible. If you negotiate to change the starting step level, but the agency’s original offer remains firm, you can still accept it without consequences.

A “Career Ladder” position enables an employee to move quickly up the job ladder. If you are hired for such a position you may start at a lower GS level, but you could end up advancing in grade level faster than what is typical in noncareer ladder positions.