# Joining Civil Service, Do u have to start on Lowest level of Pay Scale?



## boots1 (2 Oct 2006)

Just wondering if anyone can help me on this one....

I am about to be offered a Civil Service job and am wodering if I have to start on the lowest point on the pay scale or will my qualifications be taken into account to determine the point on the pay scale I go in at?


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## DrMoriarty (2 Oct 2006)

Qualifications and/or years of previous experience _may_ count for a few increments over the entry point, but it depends on the exact grade/post involved.


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## boots1 (2 Oct 2006)

Its for EO in the revenue commissioners


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## bleary (2 Oct 2006)

When you are sent your offer it should list the pay scale -All requests to start above the minimum increment need to be made before commencing employment.Defiinitely have seen people start above the minimum .You should send the HR in the revenue a letter stating what experience /qualifications you have that would be of use in the role and a copy of your CV as well and ask if they can review it to see if you can start higher on the scale.They will probably need to refer it on.
Dont worry about asking the public appointments office it is revenue you should be speaking to
best of luck


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## dereko1969 (2 Oct 2006)

work up your case for starting on a higher point - including current salary and qualifications etc. there is definitely scope for doing so most people only realise afterwards that they could have argued for more. best of luck.


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## RainyDay (8 Oct 2006)

Some useful info on this thread.


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## Petal (9 Oct 2006)

I'm in the public service and no matter how much experience you've got, you have to start at the bottom. We're operating to the standards of the civil service, so I'm afraid you'll have no joy negotiating your starting salary. I've seen people with 10 years industry experience and PhD etc starting at ridiculously low starting salaries, but that's just the way it is....


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## ANC (10 Oct 2006)

if a serving civil servant applies for & gets for a different civil service job they go it at the point on the scale equivalent to their existing salary (or the bottom of the scale of the new job if thats higher).

Does anyone know if Public Sector employees go in at the point on the scale equivalent to their existing Public Sector salary if they get a Civil Service job?


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## legend99 (10 Oct 2006)

Petal said:


> I'm in the public service and no matter how much experience you've got, you have to start at the bottom. We're operating to the standards of the civil service, so I'm afraid you'll have no joy negotiating your starting salary. I've seen people with 10 years industry experience and PhD etc starting at ridiculously low starting salaries, but that's just the way it is....



Not true for every single job in the civil service. Som technical posts allow you to start at a number of points up the scale.


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## dereko1969 (10 Oct 2006)

petal, i'm afraid you're wrong there. i'm a serving civil servant and i know a number of people who negotiated starting on higher than the entry point. unfortunately i'm not one of them . from my own experience it is AOs that tend to be able to avail of this more than others and if the OP has accounting or similar experience they should definitely use that to their advantage.


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## legend99 (10 Oct 2006)

dereko1969 said:


> petal, i'm afraid you're wrong there. i'm a serving civil servant and i know a number of people who negotiated starting on higher than the entry point. unfortunately i'm not one of them . from my own experience it is AOs that tend to be able to avail of this more than others and if the OP has accounting or similar experience they should definitely use that to their advantage.



AO's/AP's and equivilent technical grades I assume.


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## buzybee (10 Oct 2006)

What are AOs ?  What grade would this be equal to?   I am more familiar with the grade IV, V, and VIs


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## legend99 (11 Oct 2006)

AO = Administrative Officer - Same as a HEO but usually more policy orientated. The grade IV, V etc. is more local authority type of jobs no?


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## Petal (11 Oct 2006)

I know a few years back we could still negotiate here, too, and our jobs are scientific, but this has totally ceased and no-one, so no exceptions, here can negotiate, irrespective of what grade. I've heard rumours that some Deparments find ways around this, I guess it depends on where you go. 

And in answer to a previous post - public service and civil service - your experience/number of years and grade in the public sector should be taken into account. I know when we employ people, their previous history in any public service/civil service is taken into account and they go up in number of increments according to their years of previous service.


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## ANC (12 Oct 2006)

Hi Petal,

i asked about the public sector moving to civil service question that you answered.

Do you know if you just get credit for the amount of years service you had or would you get in on the scale at the equivalent of your current public sector salary?

ie. if i was on 40,000 (and had 3 years public sector experience) and went for a job in the civil service with a salary scale of 30,000 - 42,000 with about 10 increments. 
Would i get in at point 8 or whatever on the scale was nearest to 40,000 or would i only get in at the 4th point on the scale?


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## Petal (12 Oct 2006)

Hi ANC. I'm not in HR, so I'm not entirely sure but I've sat on interview boards where this would have been mentioned to potential candiates. But I think you'd probably have to start on point 4. I guess you have to weight the loss of income up against career progression options etc. I think in general public service is much smaller with less such options..


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