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TwoSheds posted:Do you have any examples of those critically understaffed positions? I have a degree, but haven't been able to get any traction in my search because I'm a non-vet seeking an administrative assistant or similar role to get a foot in the door. Same here. I'm sure they exist, but I've never seen them. All I want is a GS-5 where I won't get bumped by veterans and my Schedule A means a drat.
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May 3, 2016 15:43
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TwoSheds posted:Do you have any examples of those critically understaffed positions? I have a degree, but haven't been able to get any traction in my search because I'm a non-vet seeking an administrative assistant or similar role to get a foot in the door. Probably about anything in the BOP, they always seem to need people. CBP hires a ton as well.
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May 4, 2016 01:45
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Spacewolf posted:Same here. I'm sure they exist, but I've never seen them. All I want is a GS-5 where I won't get bumped by veterans and my Schedule A means a drat. Where in the country do you live? IRS hires lots of seasonal employees, look out for jobs opening up at their big processing centers.
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May 4, 2016 04:03
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sullat posted:Where in the country do you live? IRS hires lots of seasonal employees, look out for jobs opening up at their big processing centers. Plus you're considered a federal employee while you're furloughed, making it easier to apply to other positions. I feel for anyone in submission processing, though. I walked through that section today (during an hour-long hunt for a diet Mountain Dew--I failed) and it is stuffed full with rack after rack of returns waiting to be entered.
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May 4, 2016 04:18
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TwoSheds posted:Do you have any examples of those critically understaffed positions? I have a degree, but haven't been able to get any traction in my search because I'm a non-vet seeking an administrative assistant or similar role to get a foot in the door. TSA is always hiring because their attrition rates are insanely high. If you can survive TSA for 2 years, then you can survive any nonsense other agencies throw at you once you leave. Working at TSA and leaving for greener pastures drat sure gave me a good perspective as to how good office employees have it...
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May 4, 2016 05:23
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e_wraith posted:There is also the question of what investigation was done. Military and contractors usually get a NACLC done. Federal Employees need to have an ANACI or SSBI done. So even if you have a clearance, you will likely need a new investigation to become a Fed. (Maybe this has changed? They are consolidating the investigating agencies, but I still think the investigation types are separate. I mean we still put in for different investigations for contractors and feds at least, that I am sure of!) I had an SSBI in the military but that was a a while ago. It was more a suggestion to keep his options open anyway.
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May 4, 2016 09:16
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Delorence Fickle posted:TSA is always hiring because their attrition rates are insanely high. If you can survive TSA for 2 years, then you can survive any nonsense other agencies throw at you once you leave.
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May 4, 2016 19:41
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I just had a silly idea. Every so often I see a job posting that says it will be closed on 11:59 on the day that XX candidates have applied. Well, if I had XX friends submit their "resumes"... 
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May 4, 2016 23:47
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sullat posted:Where in the country do you live? IRS hires lots of seasonal employees, look out for jobs opening up at their big processing centers. New Jersey.
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May 4, 2016 23:50
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TwoSheds posted:I just had a silly idea. Every so often I see a job posting that says it will be closed on 11:59 on the day that XX candidates have applied.
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May 5, 2016 13:25
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Spacewolf posted:New Jersey. There's a center on Long Island and in Philadelphia. Smaller ones, but you could check them out. Dunno much about east coast geography, though. Your states are like our counties, right? So maybe not too far? One thing about federal employment is that being willing to relocate gives you a lot more opportunities. I want to stay in my podunk town, so there aren't a ton of opportunities, but if you can relocate, you can find more opportunities.
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May 6, 2016 02:34
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sullat posted:There's a center on Long Island and in Philadelphia. Smaller ones, but you could check them out. Dunno much about east coast geography, though. Your states are like our counties, right? So maybe not too far? One thing about federal employment is that being willing to relocate gives you a lot more opportunities. I want to stay in my podunk town, so there aren't a ton of opportunities, but if you can relocate, you can find more opportunities. Depending on where in Jersey he lives, it could be an hour or so by train (like around the Newark area), or up to three hours by car (pretty much anywhere south of that) to get to Long Island. Relocation to LI is definitely not cheap, though, especially for a seasonal opportunity, but if it's temp-to-hire, you may be able to swing it for the long haul. I would definitely look into getting roommates if opportunity strikes. Alternatively, be good at finding a deal on an apartment. A lot of people have under-the-radar makeshift studio apartments that can go as low as $800/month if you're willing to forego a bit of luxury and a lot of space. Don't ask me how to find them, though. TwoSheds fucked around with this message at 03:12 on May 6, 2016 |
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May 6, 2016 03:09
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TwoSheds posted:Do you have any examples of those critically understaffed positions? I have a degree, but haven't been able to get any traction in my search because I'm a non-vet seeking an administrative assistant or similar role to get a foot in the door. There are some positions that require a certain set of certifications, skills, or experiences. Essentially, it creates a little bit of a hill that makes the positions not able to be flooded by vets, but still low enough that you could get the entry level position in the first place. Exempted service positions (seasonal, temp, term) are a great way to get those skills and experiences.
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May 6, 2016 03:56
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TwoSheds posted:Depending on where in Jersey he lives, it could be an hour or so by train (like around the Newark area), or up to three hours by car (pretty much anywhere south of that) to get to Long Island. Relocation to LI is definitely not cheap, though, especially for a seasonal opportunity, but if it's temp-to-hire, you may be able to swing it for the long haul. I would definitely look into getting roommates if opportunity strikes. For the record, I live in Monmouth County, along the shore - LI is 2-3 hours by train if not more, and Philadelphia is...Oh God, I don't even remember how long by train. And since moving is not yet an option for a bunch of reasons...No fed jobs for me, I guess. 
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May 6, 2016 16:44
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Spacewolf posted:For the record, I live in Monmouth County, along the shore - LI is 2-3 hours by train if not more, and Philadelphia is...Oh God, I don't even remember how long by train. Earle nws?
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May 7, 2016 03:20
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Quite nearby, but has basically no non-uniformed positions to my knowledge. Certainly I never ever see them on USAJobs.Evil SpongeBob posted:Earle nws?
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May 7, 2016 18:21
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Spacewolf posted:For the record, I live in Monmouth County, along the shore - LI is 2-3 hours by train if not more, and Philadelphia is...Oh God, I don't even remember how long by train. You're pretty close to Lakehurst/McGuire/Ft. Dix. Air bases are frequently looking for low level laborers to wash aircraft. It sucks for a couple of years but then you have status for any internal positions. I know a lot of office types and mechanics that used it to get their foot in the door; I even know a GS-14 that started out that way. Leviathan Song fucked around with this message at 13:10 on May 9, 2016 |
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May 9, 2016 13:04
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Why would a position only be open for one day on USAJobs? Also, how do I fill out the questionnaire? Print it out, answer questions, then scan it back? There was only a link to a page but very little room to write answers?
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May 10, 2016 01:33
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liz posted:Why would a position only be open for one day on USAJobs? Also, how do I fill out the questionnaire? Print it out, answer questions, then scan it back? There was only a link to a page but very little room to write answers? From what I hear, it could be any combination of things. Maybe they don't want a lot of applicants, or maybe they already have an internal candidate that they want in the role, but are obligated to list it publicly anyway as a token gesture. What questionnaire? Most positions on USAJobs will send you to an application form that you fill out online. There should be no physical media involved.
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May 10, 2016 01:36
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TwoSheds posted:From what I hear, it could be any combination of things. Maybe they don't want a lot of applicants, or maybe they already have an internal candidate that they want in the role, but are obligated to list it publicly anyway as a token gesture. Its called "Occupational Questionnaire" but there's no area to fill out anything or type?
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May 10, 2016 01:48
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It'll show up during the application process online after you upload your resume.
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May 10, 2016 01:49
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liz posted:Its called "Occupational Questionnaire" but there's no area to fill out anything or type? Never mind, apparently it was only the preview and I had to download it from somewhere else on the site!
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May 10, 2016 01:56
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Well, Im back applying for some more jobs, and at least now I have gotten the hang of it enough to be able to tick all the boxes. That means a lot of documents... Schedule A Disability Letter SIL Letter from the Selective Service System + several pages of indexed evidence explaining my reason for never registering with the SSS NACES Member report of foreign education ... To me it seems like this would turn someone off, but maybe actually ticking everything with such officiousness will help in the federal service.
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May 10, 2016 03:02
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Well this is a first, getting a "you do not meet the selective placement factors" response to a new posting for a job I previously interviewed for unsuccessfully. I guess they only hire winners 
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May 13, 2016 15:07
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Dr. Quarex posted:Well this is a first, getting a "you do not meet the selective placement factors" response to a new posting for a job I previously interviewed for unsuccessfully. I guess they only hire winners That's what you get for answering honestly, and not rating yourself 5 for everything. I've actually been rejected by the auto filter when applying to a job I previously held.
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May 13, 2016 15:16
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Hackan Slash posted:That's what you get for answering honestly, and not rating yourself 5 for everything. I asked HROC whether they could tell me any more information about the insta-rejection but I am not actually expecting a response. Kind of scares me about putting real effort into applying for anything other than "direct promotion for your current job" though. And of course even that apparently could go wrong. Sigh. USAJobs everybody! Wooo! The "rate yourself all 5s" thing bothers me to no end. I have heard so many people say it does not matter, but one (only one, admittedly) of my co-workers said he got an angry e-mail accompanying his denial to some application for pretending he qualified for a job he did not. Then again, that might not have been "rating yourself 5," it might have been something else in the application. I just feel like if I answer the question "I have performed extensive interviews about immigration benefits" with anything but an "uh, not really" that I will be arrested
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May 13, 2016 15:20
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Dr. Quarex posted:Hahaha! Slick. Now I feel ... better? Well, "part of the club" anyway. I've talked about this a few times before in this thread but the biggest thing to keep in mind is that the questionnaires are an electronic job interview, not an sat question. You should be answering with the highest number that you can possibly justify with your work experience if you were asked that question in an interview. The questions are typically written by HR people who probably have a much worse understanding of the job duties than the applicants. In the above example what does extensive mean; a lot, 2 long ones, detailed ones? What exactly is an interview? Does helping some neighbors with benefit paperwork count? What if it took a month worth of back and forth? There's nothing wrong with using their vagueness to tout your real experience rather than reading the question literally and disadvantageously. As long as you can give a solid example of why you answered 5 no one will arrest you. I don't know if it's possible to have worse consequences for repeat offenses but outright lying is mostly just going to lead to someone tossing your resume in the trash, wasting their time and yours.
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May 13, 2016 16:02
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That is a very prescient response, as evidently it was precisely that they could not tell that I had experience "eliciting information in one-on-one interactions to ascertain eligibility for benefits or to create a legal record." I mean...no, I do not. But how could anyone ever move from a non-interview to an interview-based job at the same agency if that were a yes/no eligibility factor? Sigh. I felt like I pushed everything in my background to its breaking point in putting together my résumé already, I think I would have to go a step beyond my comfort level to do anything more. Like claiming that practicing a promo for an independent wrestling federation counted as creating a legal record. I remember actually going so far as to Google "legal record" in a desperate plea to figure out if I had done that, but I really do not think I have. Who casually creates legal records in their spare time?
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May 13, 2016 22:19
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Dr. Quarex posted:That is a very prescient response, as evidently it was precisely that they could not tell that I had experience "eliciting information in one-on-one interactions to ascertain eligibility for benefits or to create a legal record." I mean...no, I do not. But how could anyone ever move from a non-interview to an interview-based job at the same agency if that were a yes/no eligibility factor? Sigh. I felt like I pushed everything in my background to its breaking point in putting together my résumé already, I think I would have to go a step beyond my comfort level to do anything more. Like claiming that practicing a promo for an independent wrestling federation counted as creating a legal record. People who are being promoted internally.
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May 13, 2016 22:49
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In our internal "how to apply for federal employment" training the HR people said directly to say yes/mark 5 for everything whether you have experience or not. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
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May 13, 2016 22:53
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Discendo Vox posted:People who are being promoted internally. The specificity of the questions, along with the amount of time the posting is for, gives you a pretty good clue if they already have someone they want to hire or you actually have a shot. I think tailoring postings to people annoys me more than just filling these positions without opening them up. Spirit of the law and what not.
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May 13, 2016 22:59
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Kolodny posted:In our internal "how to apply for federal employment" training the HR people said directly to say yes/mark 5 for everything whether you have experience or not. Lmao. This poo poo is so broken. FYI the IRS has several hundred external entry level positions starting at the GS 5/7/9 levels, announcements close next week
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May 13, 2016 23:38
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Dislike button posted:Lmao. This poo poo is so broken. If anyone is applying to the tax compliance officer one, feel free to PM me. I started as one at the IRS before moving into IT.
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May 14, 2016 04:45
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Discendo Vox posted:People who are being promoted internally. That said...there is now a "U.S. Citizens" posting for the same job that also requires the same legal interviewing experience so maybe they just decided they had too many applicants in the past? You know, crappy people like me I did figure out with the assistance of "looking at every job I have ever had, even the ones I removed from my USAJobs record" that I totally did conducting interviews following legal guidelines, which, well, SURELY must count as creating a legal record, even if nobody in their right mind would probably call the results a legal record! Edit: Ahaha. And the public posting also still requires you to have already done official work of the exact type of the job. Who are these people who performed these almost exclusively federal duties outside of a federal occupation? I mean, I already know the answer, "lawyers," but still. Dr. Quarex fucked around with this message at 01:30 on May 16, 2016 |
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May 16, 2016 01:25
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Dr. Quarex posted:I would say this was an entry-ish position for this agency, but now that I think about it they may well have assistants who do preparatory work and this is how they promote them. Don't you work for ICE or something else immigration-related? Dr. Quarex posted:"eliciting information in one-on-one interactions to ascertain eligibility for benefits." Was this not part of that job? The "or" clause at the end gives you a little bit of leeway, or so you could argue in an interview.
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May 16, 2016 01:30
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TwoSheds posted:Don't you work for ICE or something else immigration-related?  well when not in the office anyway.But I was trying to follow the lead of dozens of my co-workers before me who moved to be Asylum Officers. Unfortunately for me, between the last posting and this one they apparently decided to no longer consider hiring people who have not already been doing immigration interviews. A half-dozen of the questions are specifically "when conducting interviews for immigration benefits, blah blah blah" to guarantee there is no way to use any other miscellaneous interviewing experience you have. Not that I imagine that stops other people.
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May 16, 2016 01:43
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Dr. Quarex posted:CIS, yes. But no. I am not one of the Interviewer Sort. I adjudicate like a boss, alone in my living room Have you tried asking your former colleagues what they did/said to get in? Maybe you could ask your supervisor for some cross-training as an interviewer during your next performance evaluation, or earlier if it's not crazy busy where you are? I don't know if that's how it works in the fed, but that's how I'd approach the issue in the private sector.
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May 16, 2016 01:50
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TwoSheds posted:Have you tried asking your former colleagues what they did/said to get in? Maybe you could ask your supervisor for some cross-training as an interviewer during your next performance evaluation, or earlier if it's not crazy busy where you are? I don't know if that's how it works in the fed, but that's how I'd approach the issue in the private sector. I of course suspect the former and that people outside the interviewing corps are now shut out because even though I am a super-optimist I also somehow assume the worst has occurred much of the time. Not sure how that works. The public is literally not allowed into our building though, so my best bet at doing interviewing would be getting a detail assignment at a Field Office where it is instead all interviews all the time. But those are always for people at a higher pay grade, leading me back to my post from ages ago about how it seems like you are sort of dead in the water at this job until you get promoted to be a second-tier officer, so I guess I better get back to working on that. Thanks for your perspective TwoSheds, I am only slightly terrified of your avatar now.
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May 16, 2016 01:56
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Dr. Quarex posted:
Heh. No reason to be scared, it's some kind of confection made of spun sugar. Somebody ages ago posted in GBS asking for details on it (I think it was a favorite snack from his childhood maybe?), so I did some quick research, got the name of it back to him, and he gave me plats, with a picture of the candy as my avatar. So I put in a few more apps this weekend, this time for Technical Writer-Editor positions, with the rationale that since it's for a higher grade level, MAYBE there might be less vets and competition in general, but I feel like with roles that don't require specific hard science skills or advanced degrees, I'm going to get shut out every time without vet preference, even though I have seven years of work experience as an editor and writer. I don't know if there's a question to add to that, but it's just frustrating. Do you guys think I'm wasting my time filling these out? The private sector isn't much easier to find work in, but at least with the Fed I don't have to weed through to pick out the scams and lovely door-to-door sales jobs disguised as legitimate positions. BTW, not complaining about veteran preference. I totally respect the sacrifice you guys and gals made for the country and think it should come with perks like this, but it's still disappointing to work so hard finding positions you might like and tailoring a resume, knowing you have a very, very slim chance of even being referred.
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May 16, 2016 02:09
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Dr. Quarex posted:SC stuff Which SC are you at?
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