Local Authority pay scale

[squirrelnut]

I have an interview in Jan for a job with the local authority. The advertisement gives a salary range of £21,963-£28,221. Does anyone know if you would have to start at the bottom of this range and work up or whether it’s dependent on experience, current salary etc?
I currently work in the private sector and earn £35,000 so going down to £21,963 is quite a jump. The job is much less stressful than my current role though so I am accepting of some drop.

I’ve never known anyone start above the bottom of the scale.

I have, people gave negotiated and got above the starting rate

It is possible. I've been started above the first point and I've just started someone in my team at mid point. Get the post offered first then see if there's room to negotiate.

I started someone at the top of the pay scale points for the role advertised this year, to reflect her experience. Nowhere for her to go apart from inflationary rises.

She made her expectations known at interview.

What is the job? How desperate are you?

Sorry I meant how desperate are they?

I have started and been started up the scale. Not actually at the top though.

I've mostly ever only appointed people at the lower end of the scale However, I cannot say I have ever appointed someone that I thought was outstanding- but I am "middle management" and the role I recruit for.... there are many applicants. If I was more senior management and therefore recruiting from a smaller pool, perhaps I would find more outstanding candidates?

It's probably a bad attitude but I have always thought I could find someone else if they won't take it, and equally in London Boroughs people move around more so there really are many people to choose from.

I do however always negotiate on my own scale.

I recently started a new job in a school, and am at the top of the scale. They offered me the job on that basis because I was in a slightly higher paid role at my last job (I had good reasons for wanting to move 😉) so it can happen. The downside is that I won’t get an increment next year.

It depends on the level of the job, the role, number and quality of applicants but as a rule, they normally appoint at the bottom especially recruiting from the private sector because however experienced you are on your field, learning about the LA culture, systems, issues etc...is a job of its own.

Also why are you assuming the job will be easier or less stressful? It might be for some roles but certainly not for others.

Hmm ok so I think I will have to take quite a jump by most accounts.

It’s a social care job but not management.

I am currently a registered manager which is a very, very stressful job with responsibility for the whole service so I envisage this job to be less stressful.

Social care is pretty stretched and I am a good candidate but I don’t know how desperate they are....

You can only ask, can't you.

Job I applied for recently in public sector was very specific in the advert about starting salaries - a new entrant would start on the minimum. Did it say anything about it in the ad? Even if it did I'd still ask!