|
That’s not an OPM rep unless you’re applying to an OPM position. That’s the person who created the JOA on USAJOBS or some entity they designated to handle inquiries.
|
#
?
Oct 30, 2020 05:12
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 2, 2024 05:25 |
|
|
Loucks posted:That’s not an OPM rep unless you’re applying to an OPM position. That’s the person who created the JOA on USAJOBS or some entity they designated to handle inquiries. Looking back over my notes, you are correct. While the e-mails were coming from OPM.gov, the person on mine was from OPE (Office of Personnel, from the hiring agency). They are still the best first-line contect.
|
|
#
?
Oct 30, 2020 05:29
|
|
|
Toshimo posted:They are still the best first-line contect. Definitely, until you run into the fun case where they’re tired of being yelled at and have convinced management to let them populate those fields with the contact information for a call center staffed with people who aren’t able to do more than forward your info, guaranteeing an unhelpful form email/letter in two to four weeks. Not that I fully blame them. I’ve heard enough applicants go into full rage mode over not being referred because they didn’t bother to complete the application before it closed or neglected to include a transcript or an SF-50 that the urge is understandable.
|
|
#
?
Oct 30, 2020 05:39
|
|
|
Wait hang on do jobs that require a driver's license... Do they want me to attach my driver's license in a photo? It doesn't ask for it in the required documents..
|
|
#
?
Oct 30, 2020 05:47
|
|
|
If they don’t ask for it you should be fine. Plenty of openings require specific things and don’t require proof up front. If they do they should say so.
|
|
#
?
Oct 30, 2020 05:48
|
|
|
Loucks posted:Definitely, until you run into the fun case where they’re tired of being yelled at and have convinced management to let them populate those fields with the contact information for a call center staffed with people who aren’t able to do more than forward your info, guaranteeing an unhelpful form email/letter in two to four weeks. I mean, yeah, it should be understood that Rule 0 is that you don't cop an attitude with someone you are asking for help from. If you can't get that part right, no amount of advice will save you.
|
|
#
?
Oct 30, 2020 07:29
|
|
|
Howard Phillips posted:1. If you qualify for both grades, they will bring you at the lower one. I shot myself in the foot two years ago when I interviewed for both the GS-12 and 13 level for the same position. I thought I was being a big brain negotiator when I told them that I will only consider a GS-13 offer but in hindsight that just probably just made me look like an arrogant rear end in a top hat. Completely unrelated - does anyone know about Fish and Wildlife Service jobs for someone out of college? My sister is graduating in June with a Conservation Science degree and my mom wanted me to help talk to her about jobs and suggest some stuff.
|
|
#
?
Nov 2, 2020 02:45
|
|
|
Fritzler posted:This is a while back but thanks for your help! I just got offered a job in Feb, they are taking me at the higher level but I had to re-write my resume. They just sent me a bunch of files, and it included a signing bonus I was not expecting. I am assuming this signing bonus is taxed, correct? It is a "Recruitment Incentive Service Agreement"?
|
|
#
?
Nov 3, 2020 21:36
|
|
|
Fritzler posted:Completely unrelated - does anyone know about Fish and Wildlife Service jobs for someone out of college? My sister is graduating in June with a Conservation Science degree and my mom wanted me to help talk to her about jobs and suggest some stuff. Fish and feathers (and the rest of DOI) is in the prime for hiring temps for next field season. Everything from bio to siviculture to fire. Its not ideal but a lot of folks start as temps and work their way into permanent positions. Worst comes to worst she can get a gig as a seasonal firefighter and network into a more applicable position for next season.
|
|
#
?
Nov 4, 2020 01:12
|
|
|
Just landed a PSE job at the USPS at probably the roughest time of year. Can't wait for my legs to dissolve.  Any other USPS goons?
|
|
#
?
Nov 5, 2020 01:12
|
|
|
These FEMA openings that only take 100 applications before closing are somewhat comforting to me, since a 1 in 100 shot isn’t terrible odds over a long enough time
|
|
#
?
Nov 6, 2020 04:18
|
|
|
I have certainly applied to dozens of those. And the 200 application ones, even more! They can join the ranks of the other 50+ perpetually "received" or "referred" applications sitting in my dashboard forever Considering FEMA is hiring like mad, it sure feels like I should be deployed instead of chillaxing
|
|
#
?
Nov 6, 2020 04:21
|
|
|
Duck Stab! posted:Just landed a PSE job at the USPS at probably the roughest time of year. Can't wait for my legs to dissolve. Me. I got my job as a PSE at the end of March and I've been a wreck ever since. It fuckin pays though. Did you interview for your position or were you just selected by HR in your district? I never interviewed and I'm curious if it's something affecting only my area office, my district, or if it's the entire service.
|
|
#
?
Nov 7, 2020 04:24
|
|
|
It is so nice to imagine that USCIS might actually be hiring again soon Finally, genuinely excited to be a fed again
|
|
#
?
Nov 8, 2020 00:30
|
|
|
2021 is going to be the mother of all federal hiring drives, so you'll have the pick of the litter on what you want to do out here.
|
|
#
?
Nov 8, 2020 01:48
|
|
|
It'll probably take a while though since usually there are hiring freezes initially. But I suspect the freeze won't be nearly as long as the one in 2017.
|
|
#
?
Nov 8, 2020 16:44
|
|
|
I just want some overtime back. Maybe a raise that doesn’t leave me losing money vs last year with the Fehb rate hikes
|
|
#
?
Nov 8, 2020 20:10
|
|
|
Beerdeer posted:I just want some overtime back. Even just a 3% would be nice.
|
|
#
?
Nov 9, 2020 01:22
|
|
|
lol
|
|
#
?
Nov 9, 2020 01:24
|
|
|
Howard Phillips posted:Even just a 3% would be nice. There hasn't been a 3% raise in the past decade https://www.federalpay.org/gs/raises
|
|
#
?
Nov 9, 2020 02:34
|
|
|
There was literally a 3% raise last year. That list doesn't count adjustments to locality pay. Also there is no possible way FEHB rate hikes cost you more than you made from the increase unless you are a GS-1 employee putting your entire paycheck towards your premium.
|
|
#
?
Nov 9, 2020 16:12
|
|
|
I'm of the opinion that the bare minimum change that needs to be made is adjusting up GS-1 to a $15 min wage and all other grades by the same percentage. That's the starter pack for getting competitive with private industry.
|
|
#
?
Nov 9, 2020 16:14
|
|
|
Aren't KSAs just cover letters with a fancier name? I guess it is more directed since you just talk about your expertise.
|
|
#
?
Nov 10, 2020 11:46
|
|
|
Remember back in the day when we used to get sweet sweet pay raises that kept up with cost of living? I don't.
|
|
#
?
Nov 11, 2020 06:24
|
|
|
Those were probably the same days when everyone was guaranteed to be a GS-12 in five years like they told us in training! And when every federal job in Vermont went to a Vermonter.
|
|
#
?
Nov 11, 2020 10:03
|
|
|
Oh hey I just interviewed for a dope federal job in Vermont. Hopefully going from a gs-5 term technician to a gs-7 permanent scientist! (I’m not from Vermont  )
|
|
#
?
Nov 11, 2020 14:37
|
|
|
Dr. Quarex posted:Those were probably the same days when everyone was guaranteed to be a GS-12 in five years like they told us in training! And when every federal job in Vermont went to a Vermonter. Hey, I managed it in 7 (by going back to school and lucking my way into a 5 - 12 ladder). No one I knew in my old position managed to get their 12 more quickly, despite most of us starting as 9s. And yes, we got fed a lot of bull about how quickly we’d move up. Instead we got hiring freezes, budget cuts, and the 2013 shutdown. I hate to even think about it... but you know the orange buffoon is going to refuse to sign a CR next month.
|
|
#
?
Nov 11, 2020 14:56
|
|
|
https://twitter.com/DuffelBlog/status/1326522804393570304?s=19 Thought y'all would appreciate it
|
|
#
?
Nov 11, 2020 19:36
|
|
|
Any tips for writing a good KSA?
|
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2020 01:46
|
|
|
Finally landed a great job at my dream agency, while switching series (2210). 7-12 Ladder with a competitive slot 13 at the end of the tunnel. 100% telework at least through sometime next year or longer depending on COVID updates. Relaxed supervisor and leads, total lack of micromanagement. This coming from my entry into the 203 series as a GS-6, then GS-7, then moving to the 201 series as a GS-7 on 7-12 ladder. Dealing with children every day. Issuing sick leave certs, multiple AWOLs, FMLA and RA abusers, suspensions, unrealistic grievances from the union, lazy/incompetent supervisors, oral replies, employees acting like total children EVEN 'professionals'. Title 38 employees will always have a special place of hatred in my heart. My mental health has greatly improved and I actually don't have to physically walk into work thinking "What kind of madness am I going to deal with today?"
|
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2020 11:13
|
|
|
Congrats, that sounds awesome.
|
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2020 13:15
|
|
|
Nice! I presume you’re on the 999B special rate table then?
|
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2020 14:33
|
|
|
TheMadMilkman posted:Nice! I presume you’re on the 999B special rate table then? 999C Special Rate table, but yes. No idea why it's like that but I'll take the pay bump!
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2020 05:17
|
|
|
It’s weird how they recognized that their entry level pay wasn’t good enough to recruit for IT, but then failed to recognize that their upper-level pay isn’t good enough to retain IT workers. Really hoping to secure a GS-14 spot this next year. I’ve got the skill set my division needs at that grade, and with a new administration, promotions will hopefully open again.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2020 06:52
|
|
|
It's funny how in DOD there are multiple initiatives to emulate private tech sector but I just know it's going to be fail because there are no incentives to hire extremely capable technical people. In silicon valley the tech leads make more, significantly more, than the managers. But in DOD there is a perverse incentive where you have to take management positions in order to make more money. We literally don't have the right incentive structures to do what the tech sector does. Tech sector is not perfect but their labor market rewards technical experts. Add in the fact that not even SES pay can match what tech leads and senior architects make in tech sector with their stock options and bonuses, DOD will never be able to do what tech does.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2020 15:34
|
|
|
I had a friend in DDS that really seemed to enjoy and when I visited felt a lot more faang/startupy but the pay for even a gs15 being so low compared to your average tech company equivalent position definitely doesn't do recruiting any favors.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2020 16:10
|
|
|
Howard Phillips posted:It's funny how in DOD there are multiple initiatives to emulate private tech sector but I just know it's going to be fail because there are no incentives to hire extremely capable technical people. In silicon valley the tech leads make more, significantly more, than the managers. But in DOD there is a perverse incentive where you have to take management positions in order to make more money. We literally don't have the right incentive structures to do what the tech sector does. Tech sector is not perfect but their labor market rewards technical experts. Add in the fact that not even SES pay can match what tech leads and senior architects make in tech sector with their stock options and bonuses, DOD will never be able to do what tech does. I mean the framework is already there with how the government compensates Doctors. They get their GS scale pay plus “market pay” which pushes their total compensation well into the 300k range. Of course that is still much less than some doctors can earn in certain fields but it should be more than enough to become very competitive with all but the most highly compensated tech workers. Like you said, The problem is that there isn’t a top down vision for how to restructure how IT is managed across the Federal government. An infinite pool of skilled tech contractors in the DC area probably means that the issue will almost certainly never be addressed.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2020 16:44
|
|
|
The high salaries of tech companies are real but there aren't actually that many companies that pay in that range. Outside of FAANG and a few others, the salaries and stock grants aren't that much higher than you can get elsewhere. And because the FAANG companies pay so well and everyone wants to work there, they can make their interview process as onerous as they want without losing too many candidates. The federal government probably isn't going to be competing with FAANG for people any time soon, but that still leaves a large candidate pool who don't want to deal with the FAANG interview lottery or just haven't been lucky so far. There are a lot of other tech companies out there for sure, but in a lot of cases it's really hard to say that the work they do matters. Whatever you think of the DOD, there's no denying that the work they do has real impact. I'm familiar with one of the DOD tech initiatives, and the people in charge are aware of the issue. All the new hires are on the NH scale, and they're trying to move everyone over there (if they haven't already). It's also kind of understood that most hires aren't long term, which is closer to the tech companies than anyone probably wants.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2020 17:03
|
|
|
My favorite side story about federal tech hiring is how they can never decide whether they want good candidates or want to preclude employment based on past drug use (though I seem to recall some anecdote about the intelligence agencies backing off past marijuana use as a dealbreaker?) Still, I wish I could go back and stop myself from transferring out of my computer science major; "the government is going to need computer touchers with clean backgrounds someday, Younger Me. Keep the faith"
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2020 17:24
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 2, 2024 05:25 |
|
|
I feel that. I was a CS major when I started college, then switched for terrible reasons. Got my AS in CS 15 years later, which got me this job. I do know a number of IT contractors that made the switch over to govt employment, but I don’t know a single one that came over for less than a GS-14 position. In talking to them, that seems to be the point where the pay is adequate. Every last one of them is happy to get away from working for the contractors. That whole system is a mess.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2020 17:34
|
|