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the popes toes posted:I'm State's Senior Recruiter for IMS and I've contacted most of the August class offering my services but there's a chance I've missed you. I can help if you've got questions regarding your move, orientation, training, your first assignment, etc. Just PM me if I can help in any way... We have been in contact by e mail ... and thanks again for you help! Look foward to hopefully meeting you in August.
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Jul 9, 2010 17:14
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the popes toes posted:I'm State's Senior Recruiter for IMS and I've contacted most of the August class offering my services but there's a chance I've missed you. I can help if you've got questions regarding your move, orientation, training, your first assignment, etc. Just PM me if I can help in any way... Hey, good to hear from you! (Still in the process! :P ) Miss Fats posted:I think one of the guys on the real world claims to be with DSS. Haha, what part of DSS? OR maybe he's the other DSS (defense). Which could be true. But either way people from DSS always have this dead-serious look on their face.
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Jul 9, 2010 19:04
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Skandiaavity posted:Hey, good to hear from you! (Still in the process! :P ) The State DSS guys I know certainly are not that way, nor were the 40 odd agents in my hire class any way near serious.
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Jul 9, 2010 20:05
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Consider it from an outsider's perspective? Literally, every DSS agent I meet usually has a serious expression on their face. They're probably chill off hours, though.
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Jul 9, 2010 20:17
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Do a-100 invites or any clearance stuff come by snail mail? I have a letter at my old landlord's place (I just moved, so she still gets some of my mail) from State department HR, SA-1. Any idea what it is?
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Jul 10, 2010 04:39
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SWATJester posted:Do a-100 invites or any clearance stuff come by snail mail? I have a letter at my old landlord's place (I just moved, so she still gets some of my mail) from State department HR, SA-1. Any idea what it is? The only two snail mail items I have received from HR were an invitation for OA (after I had already received an e mail version), and notification that I was placed on the register. These were for FSS vs FSO ... so your mileage may vary Hope its something good though 
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Jul 10, 2010 05:54
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I remember getting confirmation of my medical clearance via snail mail. I think A-100 invites usually come via email these days. But I would try to get a hold of that letter soonest, in case there has been a hiccup (so you can fix it).
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Jul 10, 2010 06:24
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So, I'm thinking about joining the military to get some life experiences, among other reasons. What military jobs would make me more desirable to the DoS? Branches I'm considering are the Navy first, and Army second.
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Jul 10, 2010 06:45
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Paytizzle posted:So, I'm thinking about joining the military to get some life experiences, among other reasons. What military jobs would make me more desirable to the DoS? Branches I'm considering are the Navy first, and Army second. If you can get the military to teach you a useful foreign language, that would be a definite plus (for prospective FSOs, at least).
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Jul 10, 2010 10:53
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Welp, I guess I'm through security clearance because that letter was notifying me that I'm into final suitability and they wanted some info.
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Jul 10, 2010 19:36
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SWATJester posted:Welp, I guess I'm through security clearance because that letter was notifying me that I'm into final suitability and they wanted some info. Cool!! Another step closer
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Jul 10, 2010 19:58
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It's just weird how you don't seem to get any real notification of where you are in any step. Actually given that it's a government job application, that's not really weird at all...
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Jul 10, 2010 20:07
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While waiting for a meeting to begin today, we told stories of people we knew who were forgotten by the promotion system at State. I mean, their files were not considered (and thus they weren't given the chance to be promoted), sometimes for years at a time. It was just a reminder to me that you really do have to be your own personnel officer in this racket.
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Jul 12, 2010 18:00
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PNQs are in! Now we wait some more! In the meantime, I can live vicariously through SWATJester. 
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Jul 14, 2010 04:39
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You don't want to be living vicariously through me right now.
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Jul 14, 2010 04:52
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SWATJester posted:You don't want to be living vicariously through me right now. You are a hero to more goons than you know. You are my hero.
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Jul 14, 2010 04:57
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Business of Ferrets posted:While waiting for a meeting to begin today, we told stories of people we knew who were forgotten by the promotion system at State. I mean, their files were not considered (and thus they weren't given the chance to be promoted), sometimes for years at a time. They didn't even check their eOPF to see what their ranking was? How do you let yourself get into that kind of situation?
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Jul 14, 2010 20:02
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Not FS, but was curious to the IMS/IMTS goons - What's different about civil service/IRM (Resource Management) position? I was at a job fair today and a cute girl was trying to steer me towards applying to that kind of position. Was wondering if it's like IMS, but civil?
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Jul 15, 2010 01:53
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Vilerat posted:They didn't even check their eOPF to see what their ranking was? These were mostly pre-eOPF, if I remember correctly.
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Jul 15, 2010 05:43
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Skandiaavity posted:Not FS, but was curious to the IMS/IMTS goons - What's different about civil service/IRM (Resource Management) position? I was at a job fair today and a cute girl was trying to steer me towards applying to that kind of position. Was wondering if it's like IMS, but civil? They don't get posted overseas. And they're in a different HR system. There are a bunch of different IRM jobs domestically so it's hard to say anything specific.
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Jul 15, 2010 08:11
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Skandiaavity posted:Not FS, but was curious to the IMS/IMTS goons - What's different about civil service/IRM (Resource Management) position? I was at a job fair today and a cute girl was trying to steer me towards applying to that kind of position. Was wondering if it's like IMS, but civil? I thought most of those positions were contractors. Almost all of our DC support end up being contractors.
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Jul 15, 2010 15:27
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Great! that gives me a reason to follow up with her.  (thanks!, but i'll take the IMS..)
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Jul 15, 2010 16:09
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Well, I'm off to take my SCNL test in Arabic. Wish me luck- despite practicing with my Egyptian friends as much as I can, I think that there's a lot more that I don't know than there is that I do. At least this won't hurt me if I fail, but I could use the .5 point boost. Good luck to anyone else who's taking a SCNL test! Edit: Oof, that was brutal. I felt prepared for it, but it's seriously hard to carry on a conversation over speaker phone without using the visual cues that you get with face-to-face interaction. Additionally, my lovely Egyptian landline kept causing pops and clicks that interfered with my ability to understand the guy, but fortunately, I feel like I hit the current events question out of the park as it was one that I spent a good deal of time researching and accumulating associated vocabulary with it. We'll see how I did in the week, but man. I'm still sweating buckets over here. pantslesswithwolves fucked around with this message at 17:01 on Jul 16, 2010 |
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Jul 16, 2010 14:38
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Unrelated to my SCNL woes, but... Are you an IT geek, or do you have experience with web design and website management? Do you speak Portuguese? Are you eligible for a SECRET security clearance? If so, shoot me a PM. I got forwarded an e-mail by a DoS insider regarding a webmaster position that requires some Portuguese language skills.
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Jul 16, 2010 19:45
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More jobs.quote:The Civil Service Career Development Division (HR/CSHRM/CD) will be accepting applications to the Career Entry Program for five days, beginning Tuesday, July 13, 2010 (12:00am Eastern Standard time) through Saturday, July 17, 2010 (11:59pm EST deadline). Please note that Passport Specialist positions are also included in the Career Entry Program.
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Jul 16, 2010 20:13
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I just submitted my Personal Narratives and am keeping my fingers crossed. Also, hello everyone! I haven't posted in this thread yet, but it has been very interesting reading it all.
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Jul 19, 2010 22:30
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I am of Pakistani ethnicity and spent a few years living in various countries, Japan, Istanbul, and soon to be living in vietnam for a year. I also speak fluent Hindi and Urdu which are urgent needed languages I heard. how are my prospects? I also have a B.S. in International Economics.
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Jul 19, 2010 23:27
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If you can get a security clearance, you'd probably be good. Actually, I'd imagine the IC would also want someone with your skillset even more than State.
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Jul 20, 2010 00:03
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suboptimal posted:If you can get a security clearance, you'd probably be good. Actually, I'd imagine the IC would also want someone with your skillset even more than State. IC? Do you mean Intelligence?
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Jul 20, 2010 01:06
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Yeah, intelligence community. Though, their clearance is going to probably be even stricter than State's. Hindi and Urdi are both critical needs languages. I believe Turkish is as well, if you speak that. You'll get a nice big (.4 I believe) bonus, which basically means even if you pass with the minimum score, you'll be quite competitive. You will be obligated to serve in a post requiring those languages, if you elect to get those bonus points. So yeah, your big issue will be passing the clearance (assuming you make it to the OA, that is).
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Jul 20, 2010 03:49
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I heard spending my time living in all these different countries would actually hurt my chances of getting a security clearance, or it could delay it by a few years or something of the sort? How would I even go about applying for a job in the intelligence community?
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Jul 20, 2010 04:09
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TangerineDream posted:I heard spending my time living in all these different countries would actually hurt my chances of getting a security clearance, or it could delay it by a few years or something of the sort? http://intelligence.gov/ Also check the Federal Jobs megathread. And the reason that it can hurt is that you have to list your foreign contacts on your SF-86 form applying for the security clearance. They will investigate all of these people. This can take a substantial amount of time, years in some cases. If you have family ties (or even if your contacts have family ties) to a foreign government, that can be a huge problem. If there are periods in which you cannot account for your whereabouts, that can be a problem as well. If a friend of a friend is related to Al-Qaeda in Pakistan, you're done. Etc.
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Jul 20, 2010 04:29
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Personal Narratives away! Now I wait for a couple months and then get told I haven't been selected for the orals.
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Jul 20, 2010 06:16
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SWATJester posted:http://intelligence.gov/ It's vague as hell what a "foreign contact" constitutes (investigator said as much too). Do I count one of my roommates in Australia in 2004 that I lived with for a semester and haven't had any contact with since? What about the one I'm friends with on FB but rarely interact with (although we were pretty chummy back in the day)? Or the British dude I backpacked through Cambodia with for a month (no contact details except for an old MSN address he never uses)? Old penpal from HS who I haven't written to in 5 years? 11 Chinese students I was teamed with in rural China for a university internship? I've got a feeling I'm gonna hate life if/when I ever go for a TS or above 
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Jul 20, 2010 13:11
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Pompous Rhombus posted:It's vague as hell what a "foreign contact" constitutes (investigator said as much too). Do I count one of my roommates in Australia in 2004 that I lived with for a semester and haven't had any contact with since? What about the one I'm friends with on FB but rarely interact with (although we were pretty chummy back in the day)? Or the British dude I backpacked through Cambodia with for a month (no contact details except for an old MSN address he never uses)? Old penpal from HS who I haven't written to in 5 years? 11 Chinese students I was teamed with in rural China for a university internship? I think the most important rubric to follow with these questions is: If you have to ask whether or not you should, you should. I would follow that rubric if only because it will save you time and hassle when the investigator says "I understand you're Facebook friends with Mohammed al Mohammed Bin Bazir but you didn't list him as a foreing contact. Why not?" I would almost bet more clearances are denied because people leave things out (and get caught) than put something in and get flat denied.
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Jul 20, 2010 16:27
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Kase Im Licht posted:Personal Narratives away! Now I wait for a couple months and then get told I haven't been selected for the orals. I'm really anxious about this, more than any of the other steps. I took the FSOT once before and went to the OA, but it was back in 2003 before they changed the format. This whole panel business is making me nervous because it seems like it's so much more arbitrary and nobody really knows why they pass or don't pass. Man, I should have gone consular instead of political. The test on the website had me about even for the two of them. I should have been more calculating instead of going for the one that sounds "more interesting", whatever I thought that meant when I decided.
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Jul 20, 2010 16:41
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Miss Fats posted:I think the most important rubric to follow with these questions is: If you have to ask whether or not you should, you should. Yeah, that's thing. I've got nothing to hide, but a ton of foreign people I know or would consider friends of varying levels of closeness (a number of whom I have no contact info for). That, and most of my foreign travel was solo, so I've got few if any people to corroborate my experience there. It's going to take forever to come up with all of the people I've known, and the investigation is probably going to take even longer. So even if I get a conditional job after that ridiculously long federal hiring process that we all know and love, I'll bet I'm probably looking at 6-12 months to get cleared before I can start working. I've heard some places will put you on lower-level stuff while a clearance is pending, but it's not something I'm really expecting. Thems the breaks, I guess. BaseballChica03 posted:I'm really anxious about this, more than any of the other steps. I took the FSOT once before and went to the OA, but it was back in 2003 before they changed the format. This whole panel business is making me nervous because it seems like it's so much more arbitrary and nobody really knows why they pass or don't pass. It's your goddamn career, you might as well pick what you're going to enjoy before you commit 20+ years to it.
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Jul 20, 2010 16:55
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Miss Fats posted:I think the most important rubric to follow with these questions is: If you have to ask whether or not you should, you should. It really depends on what question you are being asked. The SF86, for instance, is quite specific as to what type of contacts should be listed. quote:Do you or have you had close and/or continuing contact with foreign nationals within the last 7 years with whom you, your spouse, or your cohabitant are bound by affection, influence, or obligation? Include associates as well as relatives not already listed in section 18 (where you list your relatives). This question is not asking for the name of every foreigner you ever met in the last seven years, it is only asking for the people who could hold influence over you. That British guy you backpacked with has no place in your answer here. But if your wife was married to a foreigner? Well, that does belong here. There will be time later to go over your foreign contacts- the random foreigners who you know but who hold no influence over you, but you should take care to only answer the question that is being asked. I'm not saying don't be thorough, but too much information doesn't help either.
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Jul 20, 2010 17:48
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xanthig posted:It really depends on what question you are being asked. The SF86, for instance, is quite specific as to what type of contacts should be listed. My experience was ask the agent that is conducting the investigation during the initial visit. We talked about several people I had / have contact with who are or were foreign nationals. Some the agent wanted contact information on ... others he told me dont worry about. The key was being upfront about all of them, and allowing the agent to decide which ones he believed needed additional scrutiny. I listed the obvious ones on my e-qip, such as my brother's foreign born wife, but ended up discusing the the more obscure ones with investigating agent.
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Jul 20, 2010 18:32
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Pompous Rhombus posted:It's your goddamn career, you might as well pick what you're going to enjoy before you commit 20+ years to it. Well, yes, but if I would enjoy both, why not choose the one that I have a better chance of getting hired for? There's no need to get snpapy about it. Political sounds "more exciting" on paper, but both have their advantages. The one I decided on happens to have a higher bar. If I don't pass this time, I think I would try for Consular if I did it again, not solely because there is a smaller pool of applicants, but because I think I would also really like it. BaseballChica03 fucked around with this message at 18:39 on Jul 20, 2010 |
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Jul 20, 2010 18:34
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