Civil Service Minimum / Maximum Salary bands

toobel

Hi,

I have an interview next week with a civil service department. The level is EO/HEO. This is is the first time I have been involved with any CS recruitment. I have a question about the minimum salary benchmark. My understanding is that the salaries are not raised incrementally. And additionally that there is a salary freeze for some CS employees at the moment.

Given this, I wondered how the starting salary is decided upon. Is this negotiated at interview? I would only accept the job at midway point between the minimum and maximum salary. Is it acceptable for me to be so direct with such a statement in a CS interview? I have only ever worked in the private sector and so any feedback would be great.

Thanks!

Toobel

csmw

toobel wrote: »

Hi,

I have an interview next week with a civil service department. The level is EO/HEO. This is is the first time I have been involved with any CS recruitment. I have a question about the minimum salary benchmark. My understanding is that the salaries are not raised incrementally. And additionally that there is a salary freeze for some CS employees at the moment.

Given this, I wondered how the starting salary is decided upon. Is this negotiated at interview? I would only accept the job at midway point between the minimum and maximum salary. Is it acceptable for me to be so direct with such a statement in a CS interview? I have only ever worked in the private sector and so any feedback would be great.

Thanks!

Toobel

You would start st the base of the salary there is no negotiation like in the private sector.

Also EO and HEO are 2 different grades so you may want to check on that

antonic

Which Department are you joining as they all have different pay rates ?

If you are succesful, as CSMW has said you may well start at the bottom of the payscale.

Also if you earn more than £21,000 pa (which you will if you are succesful) you will have a 2 year pay freeze imposed and you can opt to join the Nuvos/Premium or Partnership Penaion Schemes - see attached link for info

http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/pensions/scheme-guides

Also as CSMW has said EO and HEO are two different grades, with EO being the lower of the two grades.

Good luck !

toobel wrote: »

Hi,

I have an interview next week with a civil service department. The level is EO/HEO. This is is the first time I have been involved with any CS recruitment. I have a question about the minimum salary benchmark. My understanding is that the salaries are not raised incrementally. And additionally that there is a salary freeze for some CS employees at the moment.

Given this, I wondered how the starting salary is decided upon. Is this negotiated at interview? I would only accept the job at midway point between the minimum and maximum salary. Is it acceptable for me to be so direct with such a statement in a CS interview? I have only ever worked in the private sector and so any feedback would be great.

Thanks!

Toobel

cardiffgrad1

I was just about to say everything the previous poster said.

I'm a civil servant and have had various jobs in the cs. In my experience, salary isn't negotiated. Your salary has already been 'decided upon' - its the minimum for the grade. I can tell your mindset is very private sector, nothing wrong with that, but this is a different world.

Also, as previously said, jobs are never EO/HEO - they are either one or the other and they have different pay ranges.

I'd be very surprised in the current climate if you were able to join with a salary mid-way for the grade, unless you have particularly special experience.

Ash1982

I'm a CS and the pay freeze doesn't include pay progression in my department (i.e. you work your way up the salary points) but there is no inflation adjustment so in effect a pay freeze once you are top of the pay scale (i.e. the majority of people).

One of my colleagues tried to negioatate their salary (we are surveyors) and she didn't get anywhere. You start on the minimum, take it or leave it!

You need to not just think core salary, you need to add the monetary value of extra annual leave, flexi time, pension etc. Its not just a straight comparison with the private sector.

themull1

toobel wrote: »

Hi,

I have an interview next week with a civil service department. The level is EO/HEO. This is is the first time I have been involved with any CS recruitment. I have a question about the minimum salary benchmark. My understanding is that the salaries are not raised incrementally. And additionally that there is a salary freeze for some CS employees at the moment.

Given this, I wondered how the starting salary is decided upon. Is this negotiated at interview? I would only accept the job at midway point between the minimum and maximum salary. Is it acceptable for me to be so direct with such a statement in a CS interview? I have only ever worked in the private sector and so any feedback would be great.

Thanks!

Toobel

With an attitude like that, you won't last five minutes in the interview!! you can't negotiate anything in the Civil Service, especially pay, you get what you're given, and you might want to actually find out what grade you're applying for!!

anamenottaken

toobel wrote: »

Hi,
I would only accept the job at midway point between the minimum and maximum salary. Is it acceptable for me to be so direct with such a statement in a CS interview?

I would suggest that it is never a good idea to raise salary during a first interview for any job - unless the job is in sales. Wait till they have decided that you are the best candidate and make you an offer.

Ash1982

ps. I wouldn't mention salary expectation at your interview, I would wait until you get offered the job then question the salary, the beaurocacy involved in re-running the recuritment compaign if you are the only successfully candidate may give you a negioating position.

Ash1982

One final thought, there are some specific jobs in the CS that fall between the traditional grading boundaries i.e. EO/HEO, the OP might be applying for one such job.

Out of interest, what departement/role are you applying for?

Shiloe

toobel wrote: »

I would only accept the job at midway point between the minimum and maximum salary

Im sorry but this actually made me burst out laughing :rotfl: ... you will start at the bottom along with everyone else its the public sector not the private sector

And as a previous poster stated EO/HEO are different grades

Ash1982

Shiloe wrote: »

Im sorry but this actually made me burst out laughing :rotfl: ... you will start at the bottom along with everyone else its the public sector not the private sector

And as a previous poster stated EO/HEO are different grades

That said, we need more people with the OPs attitude in the CS, to be encouraged!