<prompt> Human: I got a job offer from a government agency whose offer already more than doubled my current salary with really solid benefits to boot. I got the job through a former employee who referred me and he told me to negotiate for a higher salary between 5 to 10 percent. I asked for exactly that, but the HR person came back to me saying the agency cannot do so. She told me because my position is a union position with salary tiers and that my demand was beyond my positional tier. After talking to the former employee again, he explained he told me to negotiate because he had a higher salary to start, but also acknowledged that he has a few years more experience in the field when he started than I do. So perhaps the former employee may not have been the most reliable expert on the salary structure. I scheduled to talk with the HR lady tomorrow and Im conflicted between whether to just accept the current offer or explore other wiggle rooms for negotiation, like whatever the upper limit salary for my positional tier may be or for more vacation time or something. But because the offered salary is already more than twice my current one, I dont feel I have much leverage and confidence, and I feel like I should just accept the offer sooner than later. I dont know if a few thousand dollars more is worth the small but possible risk of pissing off HR and getting the offer rescinded. What is the appropriate action here?  <response>: Id take the offer as is. Government jobs are notoriously rigid in terms of pay scales and flexibility for new hires. I think your contact is giving you advice not realizing that his situation is not your situation.Look at it this way--youre doubling your salary and getting great benefits and really solid job security. Thats amazing! Congratulations! 