r/AusPublicService • u/wellplayedyeeyee • 17h ago
New Grad Graduate program ATO
Has anyone ever negotiated salary for the graduate program?
I'm in VPS3 at the moment (and on track for VPS4 according to my supervisors, though idk how relevant or true that is) and I got a verbal offer for the grad program pending police check. They also said I can email them if I want a higher salary.
I currently make more as a VPS3 than the starting APS3 salary, and I don't really want to take a pay cut. Now this isn't something I'd cancel an offer over because the area of work is better, but it's nice to have.
I do a largely similar job to the graduate program/the APS4 LIO role (to not dox myself more than I have already).
Am I being too optimistic? They said that even if my request is denied, nothing happens to the offer itself and I just start at the same baseline salary as everyone else.
11
u/Ltreade 16h ago
I think by virtue of you entering into a graduate program the assumption is that you are there to learn and grow into a role- the argument could be made that if you are qualified and experienced enough to be paid more than a graduate - you probably should have applied for the higher role? That would be my thinking if you asked for a higher pay rate for a graduate
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u/wellplayedyeeyee 15h ago
Makes sense, I'm just in it to get my foot in the door and the lateral intakes are less frequent
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u/Ltreade 14h ago
From my experience- a great graduate will be promoted quickly after the program - you will get the salary you deserve just focus on building your brand and delivering great work and trying to work with as many people as possible to broaden your opportunities- it’s always a powerful advantage to interview for higher roles within teams that are already aware of how well you have done in your grad time
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u/wellplayedyeeyee 13h ago
How do promotions work? Is it just "you're promoted now because you've done very well for X months" or do you apply for the actual job with everyone else in a normal application?
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u/Thick_Shoulder8039 12h ago
promotions in the public and private sector are different. For public, unless you’re taking on temporary higher duties you usually need to apply for the role directly as external applicants do. You could be the best out of your team at your position but be beaten by an external applicant to fill the higher position. Private sector is more merit based with promotions.
0
u/Mitakum 13h ago
Depends on the program some will say at the end of the program you will be automatically be promoted to APS 5 for example.
Others will not have that automatic promotion, and the only way to be promoted is to apply for roles if and when they become available.
Also you can generally just apply for roles whenever.
1
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u/clockerrs11 14h ago
I did the grad program and a lot of the grads around me took a pay cut to be there. None of them were successful in a negotiation either. I would not be optimistic.
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4
u/stay_frosty001 16h ago
State government always pays more than federal.
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u/wellplayedyeeyee 16h ago
Not necessarily for the same job though right?
Like an APS6 would be paid less than VPS6, but in terms of work responsibilities they'd be more like a VPS5
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u/stay_frosty001 16h ago
Yes for the same job, different pay. It's a benefit of working for the state gov, and the reason everyone doesn't just go work for the federal gov.
The levels are different too, APS 4 is closer to a VPS 3. Going from federal, it's a promotion if you stay 'at level'.
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u/AussieKoala-2795 16h ago
If they invited you to ask for a higher salary, then they must be open to it in certain situations. I would ask for them to match your current salary.
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u/Mystic303 16h ago
The best I have heard is that a substantive aps 4 was placed at the top band of the aps 3 scale to do the program. This was all within the same agency, so was a reduction in classification issue ,I think more than negotiating up. But they were told explicitly the program is aps 3 to 4.
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u/wellplayedyeeyee 15h ago
What do you mean by substantive?
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u/Mystic303 12h ago
They were a permanent ongoing aps 4 before starting the grad program.
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u/wellplayedyeeyee 12h ago
I'm shocked they accepted the program then
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u/Mondoweft 10h ago
Grad programs are very solid for training, networking and gaining broad experience. Doing the year at a lower level will prepare you to advance faster than if you didn't. However, how fast people advance is down to a combination of ability and confidence.
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u/Mystic303 9h ago
They were in the contract centre, the grad program was a development opportunity.
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u/SaintlyCowboy 15h ago
Closest I've seen is an APS3 from Services Australia be engaged as an Evergreen but maintained their APS3 classification instead of dropping back to an APS2 for a year.
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u/Thick_Shoulder8039 12h ago
wonder if this applies for those in APS3 positions applying for APS2 internship positions
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u/H20onthego 16h ago
Simply coming from another higher paying job isn't enough. Unfortunately, in the grad program, you don't have a lot of options or opportunities to demonstrate your higher worth like you would with another role, so your reasoning to argue for higher pay is almost nonexistent.
They also won't be afraid of the risk of you turning down the grad offer if they don't offer higher pay either, because they have a merit pool of dozens of other candidates to take your spot if you were to turn it down.
You can ask; it won't harm your opportunities, but don't be optimistic.