Welcome to the Salary Negotiations workshop. What you'll need to do is ask for salary negotion when you receive your tentative offer and you will be basing that on superior qualifications.2. My salary requirements are open or negotiable. 3. Know the bottom line salary and benefits you would accept before you start negotiating. Be ready for their counter-offer. But you may be able to negotiate a salary above the low end of the range. Start with your Leave and Earnings Statement (LES). Many people don't know this, but YES—you can negotiate your federal salary and get a higher step before getting hired. I got a job offer and submitted a counteroffer for salary negotiation. How long should I wait to follow up with HR?