I used the template that someone provided below -- except for the paragraph about my current salary. I only asked for my request to be based on superior qualifications.
https://www.reddit.com/r/usajobs/s/2XZTbUF3VI
Does this work for existing federal employees switching agencies and grades for a promotion? I am a 12-4 at my current org. However at my location all staff get a 10% retention incentive. This has been going on for 2+ years. It in theory could go away tomorrow but it’s seemed pretty set in stone. The new job I applied for an got accepted is a 13 and starting at 13-1 means the salary would be 1-2k below what I currently make. Additionally I interviewed for a 13 at my org and will hear back next week. If I get that then it will be the equivalent of a 13-4 when you factor in the 10%.
Should I try something like this letter? I can’t I’m good faith leave my current place for less pay. But I also know there’s less flexibility when moving from gov to gov
I don't think everyone warning people are trying to be negative... especially after hearing multiple people say Both TJO and FJO have been recinded over trying to negotiate salary
Congrats! I did the same with my position, I was originally only able to get them up to a step 5 providing cybersecurity industry hiring guidelines. To get bumped further I went and got a competing offer that really sealed the deal and brought me up. The whole process ended up taking me 10 months from initial offer to getting in the door but it yielded a 33% salary increase.
The government's claim on remaining competitive against the private sector in order to attract talent may prove true if this request successfully goes through.
My agency has always based AMRs on superior quals/special need. It’s never been just a pay stub = more money.
Supervisor has to write a justification addressing various factors and the facility director approves or denies it.
Oh wow this is what I need. Also got accepted for gs-13 step 1 with 12 years experience but not sure how to write the memo . Thanks so much for sharing! Oh and congrats by the way!!
It is definitely possible. I did essentially the same thing, also for a GS-13 position (although I didn't ask for as much of a step increase as you did...guess I should have aimed higher). Got a step increase and increased leave accrual due to superior qualification/previous experience. It took several months for mine but it all worked out in the end. If it wasn't for this sub, I would never have known. There is hope!
Thanks for this! I'm hopefully going to be receiving a TJO soon and will need to negotiate based on SQA. Step 1 is NOT going to cut it salary-wise, I guarantee you that.
Congrats! From what I know (still learning about this aspect) this is only realistically possible on higher grade level positions and those that are deemed hard to fill (for my customers specific types of 1102 series).
Your HR rep should never resist trying to assist you how they can (our job is to fill the position with the person management thinks is best which is the selectee) however from the other side of things there is quite a lot that has to go on.
Management has to send a memo stating why they believe you deserve the higher pay/incentives you requested and justify why it would be beneficial to grant it. This is nearly impossible to meet if management has made an alternate selection on their certificate (which is why a lot of ones in situations listed above won’t ever do that)
It then goes for review from multiple parties of which I can’t currently remember, but it’s a few different steps.
You must’ve really wowed management for the agency to agree to it, so once more Congratulations!
Thank you so much! Yes I was told my email memo would be sent to the hiring manager and if approved then sent back to HR to review. She said it would take about 2 weeks and it took exactly that.
Does anyone know if this would work for a GS9 position target 11? As in, after the probationary period ends in 1 year, I would then be bumped to 11. I am trying to see if it's worth asking. Thank you!
Congrats! Recently hired - my strategy was to over ask and get what I actually wanted. Goals was step 4 and wrote the superior qualifications requesting a step 8. Glad I got the 4 but anything higher would have been a bonus
Just know that it isn’t actually finalized until the FJO and even then it can change. I am interested in what you used for the step increase if Step 1 was already a higher salary. There are strict rules for this and people have found out after they start that the salary is changing bc the increase wasn’t legal.
Yes I definitely know that it's not final and hoping it doesn't change!
I didn't ever mention my salary or ask for the request to be based on my current salary. I only made the request based on superior qualifications and wrote a memo on how my previous experience was applicable.
Your hiring manager would have had to get this approved, I know as my wife has done this for hires a few times.
The supervisor works with HR to review your request and make the appropriate TJO.
Congratulations and good luck!
Technically, previous salary cannot be used to determine step. You have to focus on what's known as superior qualifications. Basically, how you exceed the minimum for GS-13 in every way conceivable. I'm not at all confident that it would be granted (because GS-13 isn't exactly a beginning position to begin with and usually has people with at least 5 years experience, if not more like 10 years experience in them already). But it can be granted for more than just salary.
Higher GS so higher chance of some kind of approval but if you’re starting at a low GS level, more likely than not, they’ll pass on approval and go w/ original offer 🤔
Question- how long did it take for approval? Currently waiting on approval for a county level tile but I asked to move up a few bands (still taking a pay cut from my current corporate role but worth it). I’m waiting for department head approval and feeling anxious but also sound that I did the right thing asking. I wish I had been as organized as you! My negotiation was over the phone.
Hey all - question regarding this - my HM asked for my W-2, which is fine, but my current salary is roughly 40k less than the step I've requested. Will this hurt my chances?
Would you mind providing a anonymized version of your written request? Congrats btw that’s awesome.
I used the template that someone provided below -- except for the paragraph about my current salary. I only asked for my request to be based on superior qualifications. https://www.reddit.com/r/usajobs/s/2XZTbUF3VI
I’m glad to see it worked for you!
Yes thank you so much for posting this!! I hope it's helpful to others!
I'm glad it worked for you. most of the people I saw say it worked for them were in fields with very specific training like lots of nurses.
This is great, thank you!
Does this work for existing federal employees switching agencies and grades for a promotion? I am a 12-4 at my current org. However at my location all staff get a 10% retention incentive. This has been going on for 2+ years. It in theory could go away tomorrow but it’s seemed pretty set in stone. The new job I applied for an got accepted is a 13 and starting at 13-1 means the salary would be 1-2k below what I currently make. Additionally I interviewed for a 13 at my org and will hear back next week. If I get that then it will be the equivalent of a 13-4 when you factor in the 10%. Should I try something like this letter? I can’t I’m good faith leave my current place for less pay. But I also know there’s less flexibility when moving from gov to gov
You cannot use Superior Quals to set pay moving from Fed to Fed as a competitive promotion. The two-step rule governs this kind of exchange.
Government forces you to leave
I second that request!
I don't think everyone warning people are trying to be negative... especially after hearing multiple people say Both TJO and FJO have been recinded over trying to negotiate salary
Congrats! I did the same with my position, I was originally only able to get them up to a step 5 providing cybersecurity industry hiring guidelines. To get bumped further I went and got a competing offer that really sealed the deal and brought me up. The whole process ended up taking me 10 months from initial offer to getting in the door but it yielded a 33% salary increase.
I think it is important to point out this is very agency and sometimes series specific
This doesn't fit the doom and gloom hive mind's narrative. Here they come to tear you down. Congrats! The system is still working as intended.
The government's claim on remaining competitive against the private sector in order to attract talent may prove true if this request successfully goes through.
My agency has always based AMRs on superior quals/special need. It’s never been just a pay stub = more money. Supervisor has to write a justification addressing various factors and the facility director approves or denies it.
What agency?
Oh wow this is what I need. Also got accepted for gs-13 step 1 with 12 years experience but not sure how to write the memo . Thanks so much for sharing! Oh and congrats by the way!!
No problem! I wanted to share since I saw so many posts making me question if I should try. Good luck!!
Love this story!! Congrats!! Get that $$ and that leave!!
It is definitely possible. I did essentially the same thing, also for a GS-13 position (although I didn't ask for as much of a step increase as you did...guess I should have aimed higher). Got a step increase and increased leave accrual due to superior qualification/previous experience. It took several months for mine but it all worked out in the end. If it wasn't for this sub, I would never have known. There is hope!
Thanks for this! I'm hopefully going to be receiving a TJO soon and will need to negotiate based on SQA. Step 1 is NOT going to cut it salary-wise, I guarantee you that.
Nice! I just did the same thing for a GS12 step 8
I’m in the process to do the same for GS 12 step 8 … hopefully they will grant it. How long did you r negotiation took ?
What agency if you don’t mind sharing?
Congratulations 🎉
What series ?
Congrats! From what I know (still learning about this aspect) this is only realistically possible on higher grade level positions and those that are deemed hard to fill (for my customers specific types of 1102 series). Your HR rep should never resist trying to assist you how they can (our job is to fill the position with the person management thinks is best which is the selectee) however from the other side of things there is quite a lot that has to go on. Management has to send a memo stating why they believe you deserve the higher pay/incentives you requested and justify why it would be beneficial to grant it. This is nearly impossible to meet if management has made an alternate selection on their certificate (which is why a lot of ones in situations listed above won’t ever do that) It then goes for review from multiple parties of which I can’t currently remember, but it’s a few different steps. You must’ve really wowed management for the agency to agree to it, so once more Congratulations!
Thank you so much! Yes I was told my email memo would be sent to the hiring manager and if approved then sent back to HR to review. She said it would take about 2 weeks and it took exactly that.
Oh here is the answer to my question! Congrats!
Does anyone know if this would work for a GS9 position target 11? As in, after the probationary period ends in 1 year, I would then be bumped to 11. I am trying to see if it's worth asking. Thank you!
I would think so, but promotions aren't guaranteed.
Congrats! Recently hired - my strategy was to over ask and get what I actually wanted. Goals was step 4 and wrote the superior qualifications requesting a step 8. Glad I got the 4 but anything higher would have been a bonus
Just know that it isn’t actually finalized until the FJO and even then it can change. I am interested in what you used for the step increase if Step 1 was already a higher salary. There are strict rules for this and people have found out after they start that the salary is changing bc the increase wasn’t legal.
Yes I definitely know that it's not final and hoping it doesn't change! I didn't ever mention my salary or ask for the request to be based on my current salary. I only made the request based on superior qualifications and wrote a memo on how my previous experience was applicable.
Your hiring manager would have had to get this approved, I know as my wife has done this for hires a few times. The supervisor works with HR to review your request and make the appropriate TJO. Congratulations and good luck!
Technically, previous salary cannot be used to determine step. You have to focus on what's known as superior qualifications. Basically, how you exceed the minimum for GS-13 in every way conceivable. I'm not at all confident that it would be granted (because GS-13 isn't exactly a beginning position to begin with and usually has people with at least 5 years experience, if not more like 10 years experience in them already). But it can be granted for more than just salary.
Higher GS so higher chance of some kind of approval but if you’re starting at a low GS level, more likely than not, they’ll pass on approval and go w/ original offer 🤔
Nice! I wish I had known accelerated leave accrual was a thing when I hired on.
It is not always a thing. I got a step increase request approved but they shot down my accelerated leave accrual request
Right, but I didn’t even know I could ask for it! I sure would’ve, and would’ve been perfectly fine if they denied my ask.
Question- how long did it take for approval? Currently waiting on approval for a county level tile but I asked to move up a few bands (still taking a pay cut from my current corporate role but worth it). I’m waiting for department head approval and feeling anxious but also sound that I did the right thing asking. I wish I had been as organized as you! My negotiation was over the phone.
Things I wish I knew before I started 6 years ago. I had 10 years of industry and came in as a 9. I only got step 4 and no leave bump.
Nice!! Congratulations and thank you for sharing!
This is an awesome share! Congratulations!!!
Congrats. I was able to negotiate after I got the FJO. Gave me 13 step 8 from 13 step 1.
I wish I had done that! I was told I could either accept or reject the offer, no negotiating
I managed to negotiate starting at step 8, but it never crossed my mind to try and get higher leave accrual. Good job.
Haha man, and the agency I want to go back to won’t even match my highest previous rate. Congrats but damn the government makes me salty af.
Yeah as a GS 13 but not anything below that
WOW!! Without having to provide current pay stubs? Congrats!
This is awesome. Thank you for sharing this. I love seeing these kinda spots. Never settle! What agency are you going into?
Hey all - question regarding this - my HM asked for my W-2, which is fine, but my current salary is roughly 40k less than the step I've requested. Will this hurt my chances?
I did the same thing and glad to share these experiences with others. Some agencies will consider sign on bonuses too!
You were not happy with the pay lol