HELP-Dept of Defence - Salary Negotiation

bcairns

I will try to make a VERY long story short...

Got a call from a recruiter a while ago about a job at the local federal center...the interviews went very well and they want to hire me.

The job would use both my programming and network skills - the job also requires two High Level Clearances.

My (soon to be) supervisor told me that are both very high level clearances, and that the FBI will be coming to talk to my family, people next door, old teachers...etc....if I understood her correctly, each clearance costs them close to $30,000.

Unfortunately I can not go into any more detail about the job requirements or other security items, but I can say I am excited...this is my dream job.

The recruiter originally told me the salary range was 60k to 69k which I thought was a bit low. After the first interview went so well I told them 70k minimum just to test the waters.

They have made an un-offical offer of 70k salary, full benefits, paid everything, full insurance, 401k, paid education, and government holidays.

Today I went in to turn in the last of my paperwork and get a second set of finger prints taken. After all of that my (soon to be) supervisor sat me down and told me that the salary negotiations are the next and last step.

And she encouraged me to ask for more then what they are currently offering. I got a feeling that 70k is low salary for that department.

She would not tell me what price range to shoot for but she did tell me to make sure I am happy with the salary before I sign anything. They do of course award raises for gaining certifications and yearly cost of living.

I can tell you the job requires CompTIA Security+ within six months of hire and must show progress toward an MCSE within the first year.

Also I will be programming a lot of VB script, ASP.NET, C# and some java, all of which I am used to working with...the only item I do not have is an MCSE but I am working on that

Also I must obtain and maintain both security clearances...my (soon to be) supervisor told me I was granted intrim clearance on one and they are waiting on the other one....the recruiter should be calling me with an "offical" offer early next week.

Looked at Dice.com and Salary.com...but I am at my witts end trying to come up with a number.....75k....85k....100k ...???

Ideas?

For the record I have about 11 years total experience in the IT field (the last 7 has been my current job), I am currently the lead programmer and head of IT for the small firm that I am currently working for.

I know my way around most servers and routers but I am much more comfortable with a solid compiler

Plantwiz

Congratulations!!

As far as Salary???

Possibly negotiate a progression up during your first year to something along the lines of a quarterly review the first year that if they feel you are on-track to bump you up $5K each quarter to reach that magic number...whatever it may be. (say you want $85K, you could offer a start pay rate and each quarter chip away until you get to $85K...or whatever you determine is acceptable).

I suppose consider the cost of living for the area you will be living. Otherwise, the range might fall slightly less then someone in a corporate position by pay, but the benefits will likely be better or more then most corporations can offer these days.

Best of luck! and Congrats again!!

bcairns

Plantwiz wrote:

Congratulations!!

As far as Salary???

Possibly negotiate a progression up during your first year to something along the lines of a quarterly review the first year that if they feel you are on-track to bump you up $5K each quarter to reach that magic number...whatever it may be. (say you want $85K, you could offer a start pay rate and each quarter chip away until you get to $85K...or whatever you determine is acceptable).

I suppose consider the cost of living for the area you will be living. Otherwise, the range might fall slightly less then someone in a corporate position by pay, but the benefits will likely be better or more then most corporations can offer these days.

Best of luck! and Congrats again!!

thanks!

I like the idea you outlined...I have been thinking of something similar but 5k for each security clearance and 5k for MCSE ramping up to 85k within a year.

Think at this point it might just be anyones guess.... salary.com says:

Network Admin V = 72k average in this area
Lan Tech III = 84k average in this area.

I am guessing the magic number is 80k, but I am sure the recruiter (or who ever negotiates salary) is probably going to stand firm on the 70k intro offer they made me.

Can hear it now "we offered you 70k and you agreed at the beginning of this process".

Worse case I am not going to fight over 10k.... after all the benefits alone are outstanding, and I can probably get 10k after getting an MCSE if not more....there is a lot to be said for paid education.

It is just really hard to put my thumb on the actual value of this position....but then again 70k is nothing to blow off.

The only thing that bothers me is the clearances....The investigations take 6 to 13 months, I would be working there with a ton of network restrictions until I got both clearances. If I fail one of them for any reason armed guards would show up at my desk and escort me out of the building...thats one hell of a way to lose a job.

But with the 30k they have to pay for each investigation I am sure they are 99% positive I will pass.

wildfire

Well done on getting so far,

With regards to the clearance I dont know what the rules are in the public sector but, as an Ex nato Airmen advertising what security clearance you have or will have in public was a big no no! especially the higher levels such as will be required for yourself! Its up to you of course, but Ive seen people loose clearence for such things in the past

I would change it to just security clearance rather than using specific marking levels

Salary wise if you think 70 is good then stay with that, dont worry about the recruiter if he doesnt get you the job he doesnt get his slice of the pie! I like to think of recruiters as blood sucking leaches who will do anything to get your signature on the dotted line!

As suggested make clear to them that on completion of MCSE you want a % rise (10% say)

drpower555

Good job man! I'm with wildfire on the clearance issue, hush is the word, least one becomes a mark. With a ts you are going to toe the line, what I mean is I dont know your habits, but be cool. One bad check or dui or anything negative could affect your clearance. Loose it, and you WILL be removed from that area. I've seen it happen.
Onto salary, the general rule of thumb if you already have a clearance is 20% more than you're non-clearance people. Since they are giving it to you I think 10-15% is more like it. Good luck!

bcairns

Thanks guys!

Edited it as suggested

Going to grab a calculator and run some numbers - hope the recruiter and I can see eye to eye on one of them.

garv221

bcairns wrote:

IAnd she encouraged me to ask for more then what they are currently offering. I got a feeling that 70k is low salary for that department.

There goes my tax dollars! I would hit them for 90K, they will pay it.

Nathan of GothTech

My wife and I are both Military TS/SCI is nothing but they will give you raises, with every cert you get after hire and pay for it

strauchr

I am not sure you will get more than what you were offerred, if the requirement is MCSE and your only working towards it then your not really fulfilling all the job requirements, thats the way I'd be looking at it as an employer.

Then again its government and even more so its US government. Government in Australia uses pay scales and you can't go any higher then the alloted pay scale even with raises unless you get promoted. So they usually start you at the bottom of the scale so you can stay in the same job long enough to build experience to move up. Not sure if its the same but you might need to be conservative.

11 years experience should be enough to pull in a high salary bordering on 100k but lack of MCSE might bring you down quite a bit. Still have a go at it but don't lose this job as it sound like a great fit for you.

filkenjitsu

how did it go?