Antivehicular posted:If it's any comfort, I'm not in AM and I still deal with this on the daily. Gleaning information from cryptic AMS history notes and IDRS transaction history is a wild ride every time, and I'd say helping new hires through it is about 60% of my OJI time. (The other 40% is, of course, telling them which buttons to push on Quick CC and other IAT tools. NO, NOT THAT ONE, THE ONE TO THE RIGHT) It is comforting because seeing that daily seems like it would be a bear. I'm sure there's a learnable process for it and IRM backup for common shorthand etc. but ugh.. I might end up missing AUR and ACS transfers before the end of the first day. I dunno if a uniform difficulty cliff or varied cases with a chance of 'takes 30 minutes to figure out with lead help' or "yeah your refund is coming DD in two days, call us in seven if you don't see it" is better. At least I'm good with the IAT tools, means wherever I go in the IRS next I'll have that much more time getting assistance with the cryptic stuff and the taxpayer claims that make no sense.
|
|
#
?
Jan 19, 2021 09:13
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 13, 2024 03:33 |
|
|
Have the IAT tools gotten better? Back in 2013 (the last time I used them) I found it easier to just run commands directly in IDRS. But I also ended up in IT, and you can't survive in gov't IT if you don't love ancient cryptic systems.
|
|
#
?
Jan 19, 2021 15:38
|
|
|
TheMadMilkman posted:Have the IAT tools gotten better? Back in 2013 (the last time I used them) I found it easier to just run commands directly in IDRS. Yes and No. We were trained exclusively to use IAT. When one of our guys transferred to a service center that still used IDRS directly, they thought he was a wizard with his strange and terrifying IAT skills. If you are gonna adjust accounts, doing it through IAT is really the way forward. If you're just doing research however, IDRS is fine.
|
|
#
?
Jan 19, 2021 16:23
|
|
|
sullat is right, IAT is quite a lot nicer for taking actions on the account. IDRS can be set up to be almost as fast as IAT for research, but for any account actions IAT can be set up to be much faster with saved scenarios among other things. Letters are a great example - with the right saved scenario, you just have to check the IRM pages to make sure things haven't changed, skim the saved version for any small changes to make to it, and send vs having to input all the little things and check for the right paragraph codes etc. every time. There's a lot of nice touches in the IAT tools that make them quite good.
|
|
|
#
?
Jan 19, 2021 20:13
|
|
|
Ah. I used it solely for research, which helps explain why I didn’t mind it that much. Also, I only used the very first release of IAT, and by the sounds of it, it has improved substantially since then.
|
|
#
?
Jan 20, 2021 03:52
|
|
|
Midjack posted:You know how you make fedgov pay competitive with private sector? Increase the numbers in the existing pay scale! (Original idea, do not steal.) Or quit being a chicken and fully implement the laws already on the books though that would instantly detonate everyone's budgets. Didn't they essentially do this on the GG pay scale to stay competitive? I think GG goes all the way to step 12.
|
|
#
?
Jan 20, 2021 16:07
|
|
Making workers compete for a finite pay pool disincentivizes teamwork and incentivizes sabotage, as well as opens the door for such classic crowd pleasing moves as as "pay pool controller awards the entire bonus pool to cronies" and "everyone files grievances over pay every year." But hey, if your goal is to trash fedgov because "it's corrupt and inefficient" then welding the gears together like this is a great plan!
|
 Man, someone on another forum who's a firefighter smokejumper posted this breakdown of what the Forest Service pays their people. I always heard that Forest Service pay was abusive, buy hooboy I guess didn't even really know the half of it.
|
|
#
?
Jan 21, 2021 04:35
|
|
|
Excuse me, we're Forestry/Range Technicians*. The term "Firefighter" is reserved for those who make mad bank spraying water on man made things that are on fire. For context, he's working slightly more than half the year. It does leave time for an offseason job, and you get unemployment when you get laid off. That being said, pay for wildland firefighters has never been very good on the fedside. Calfire folks make good wages though. But they're more of an all hazards force than the feds are. *I say this quite factiously since every hiring document refers to us as Forestry/Range Tech, and we're only called firefighters when we die.
|
|
#
?
Jan 21, 2021 05:54
|
|
|
sparkmaster posted:Excuse me, we're Forestry/Range Technicians*. The term "Firefighter" is reserved for those who make mad bank spraying water on man made things that are on fire. Is this kind of seasonal career sustainable for your entire working life? It could be pretty baller doing this work half the year and doing a chill job or screwing off the other half.
|
|
#
?
Jan 21, 2021 22:58
|
|
|
Howard Phillips posted:Is this kind of seasonal career sustainable for your entire working life? It could be pretty baller doing this work half the year and doing a chill job or screwing off the other half. Depends on the position. Generally (YMMV of course) the 13/13 and 18/8 gigs top out at GS-7. Beyond that you're usually looking at PFT. That being said you can make enough during the season to support yourself, plus unemployment and any other side work folks end up doing. It's all about how much OT you can grab. Some shot crews are getting upwards of 1200 in a season. I got about a thousand the past two years. Jumpers are definately a prestige position (just ask them), but they're not known to have a ton of OT these days. For me personally it's quite sustainable. And yes, I do screw off for half the year.
|
|
#
?
Jan 22, 2021 01:55
|
|
|
In an application questionaire one of the questions was "have you performed work at a GS-11 level for one year" It was a posting open to the public, I for for a state agency, but it's not like we use the same classification system. How can I assess if my work is equivalent to a particular federal grade?
|
|
#
?
Jan 22, 2021 05:59
|
|
|
Just pay and responsibilities for the most part, and creative writing for the rest!
|
|
#
?
Jan 22, 2021 06:17
|
|
|
Rakeris posted:Just pay and responsibilities for the most part, and creative writing for the rest! That brings up another question. How important are cover letters for federal jobs? I assume the initial review is via algorithm, then maybe an hr department and then the hiring manager?
|
|
#
?
Jan 22, 2021 06:23
|
|
|
https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1352764231687532545
|
|
#
?
Jan 23, 2021 03:50
|
|
|
Thanks, DOI, for a 70% rent increase for my govt housing. I'd love to see how the math works on this, especially since our local private market has been flat in nominal dollars for the past decade.
|
|
#
?
Jan 23, 2021 06:30
|
|
|
The Slack Lagoon posted:That brings up another question. How important are cover letters for federal jobs? I assume the initial review is via algorithm, then maybe an hr department and then the hiring manager? As a whole I don't honestly know, in anecdotal evidence I would say not very important, I have not personally met anyone use used or recommended them. Even my SES boss said she wouldn't bother. But yeah initial is just a keyword hit/miss on your application, second (at least in the doj component I am in) is peeps who probably know almost nothing about your job but compare your resume to the job position description, and then rank you BQ or not eligible based on grade etc. Then it goes to peeps who actually make decisions. So 75% is just getting past the BS filters and keywords.
|
|
#
?
Jan 23, 2021 06:58
|
|
|
How about a 3% raise in parity with uniformed DOD?
|
|
#
?
Jan 23, 2021 15:31
|
|
|
Not without an appropriation to cover that raise.
|
|
#
?
Jan 23, 2021 15:34
|
|
|
Howard Phillips posted:How about a 3% raise in parity with uniformed DOD? Hey man, if you're dreaming, you might as well dream big. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Employees_Pay_Comparability_Act_of_1990 quote:Although FEPCA provides for an automatic formula to determine the annual pay raise, this formula has been ignored due to the cost of implementation. The President has authority under FEPCA to submit an "alternative" pay plan with a lower raise than that called for by the FEPCA formula (or none at all) "if because of national emergency or serious economic conditions affecting the general welfare" The hilarious part of this that's unspoken in the wiki is that if the president and Congress would just...not intervene one year and allow FEPCA to execute as the law is written, it would instantly be like a 30+ percent pay raise for all federal employees. You know, based on the automatic technocratic formula they came up with measuring equity of wages with the private sector. Thirty years ago. As a law of the land that is on the books. Anyways, who's looking forward to the Biden admin increasing employee side obligation for FERS a bit more?
|
|
#
?
Jan 23, 2021 16:12
|
|
|
Justus posted:Anyways, who's looking forward to the Biden admin increasing employee side obligation for FERS a bit more? They keep on at this rate and they’ll hit the point at which fedgov retirement isn’t a good deal anymore by 2030.
|
|
#
?
Jan 23, 2021 19:17
|
|
|
Justus posted:
Pls pls do this and do it at a significant rate so I can be fully justified in leaving fed for good.
|
|
#
?
Jan 23, 2021 19:26
|
|
|
Howard Phillips posted:Pls pls do this and do it at a significant rate so I can be fully justified in leaving fed for good. It won’t change deal you already have, it affects new hires. Unless they go way out of their way to do it, which you can never entirely dismiss, and if they’re doing that they’ll take down the pension first.
|
|
#
?
Jan 23, 2021 19:37
|
|
|
So a month ago I signed a firm offer for a USAF Coppercap Contracting Specialist job. I am supposed to start on Feb 16. The normal pay track is 7-9-11-12. I had originally talked to the base reps who said they talked to career field team and they were going to use my civilian experience in lieu of masters so I could start at 9 instead of 7. I re-wrote my resume with more language from KPI’s and I signed a firm offer coming in at 9. Today (a Saturday!) the HR specialist who was on my offer, called me from his personal cell and said it is impossible to substitute experience for a masters because it was a training program. On the phone he was acting like a sleazy car salesman, trying to get me To say I would take the role at a GS-7 instead of a GS-9, saying it was still a good deal. He said if he didn’t see anything from local reps or career field team he was going to have to send me a revised firm offer first thing Monday. So I had to bother these local guys on a Saturday, who aren’t on any emails from the HR guy (me either). They said don’t sign anything and it shouldn’t be a problem. Just kind of stressful especially cuz I’m supposed to put in my two weeks on Friday.
|
|
#
?
Jan 24, 2021 05:15
|
|
|
I don't have any experience with Coppercap, but I did go through a similar program with the Air Force called Palace Acquire. I was surprised to hear they were initially willing to bring you in at a 9. I and a few others within my cadre had masters degrees when we came on board and everybody started off as a 7. When you mention subbing in prior civilian experience - is that with the federal government as a GS? If so, you should be able to get them to manipulate the step you come in as, even if it is a 7. I don't know your specific situation but my general advice would be to jump on programs like this. Palace Acquire literally changed the course of my life and I can directly link much of my success now to that program. The training, job exposure, certs, clearance, and networking are invaluable if you plan on making a career within your industry. And you'll be put on a guaranteed track to a 12. Sucks this last minute stress has come up, but you'll work it out. Feel free to PM me any questions.
|
|
#
?
Jan 24, 2021 15:11
|
|
|
menpoop posted:I don't have any experience with Coppercap, but I did go through a similar program with the Air Force called Palace Acquire. I was surprised to hear they were initially willing to bring you in at a 9. I and a few others within my cadre had masters degrees when we came on board and everybody started off as a 7. It was just a very insane call and if it wasn't the federal government it would seem like a 100% scam. Offering a firm letter then revoking and trying to get a lower salary. People from the base I would be working for (Hanscom AFB) are engaged with the Coppercap office currently.
|
|
#
?
Jan 25, 2021 16:03
|
|
|
Fritzler posted:Not government experience, it is 100% civilian experience for a financial firm. It would be a complete career change but seems like something I could be satisfied doing. It is a pay cut for me, but doable at 9. I'm just not sure it is doable at 7. It seems like a very good deal tho, and the guaranteed 12 is very nice.
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2021 18:30
|
|
|
Fritzler posted:OK, over the last few days the guy who sent me offer from Air Force Personnel Center has called me several times to say if I don't accept the lower offer there will be no pay and no job. He has only called me and seemed to not want any email/written traffic to me. My unit has just emailed me saying not to listen to him and don't sign anything. Today finally I got a third firm job offer, back at GS 9. So this looks like I am good. Was getting stressed cuz I am supposed to put in my two weeks at my current job on Friday. Thanks for reading my panic! Good, glad it worked out for you.
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2021 18:40
|
|
|
Great news. Good luck!
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2021 20:03
|
|
|
What incentive would an HR specialist have to attempt to screw up your offer at the last minute against the wishes of the hiring office? Power tripping and incompetence? I know the OP has bigger and better things to do, but shouldn’t there be consequences for that type of harassment (lol)?
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2021 20:09
|
|
|
Mush Mushi posted:What incentive would an HR specialist have to attempt to screw up your offer at the last minute against the wishes of the hiring office? Power tripping and incompetence? I know the OP has bigger and better things to do, but shouldn’t there be consequences for that type of harassment (lol)? Probably some poo poo about the number of people working there vs the number of personnel slots they have being out of whack and they’re trying to make the numbers line up. That happens a whole lot across the pentagon in the last twenty years and for a long time nobody cared since the forever war means infinite money for as long as there are weddings to blow up, but in the last 6-7 years (started before the Trump administration so you can’t entirely pin it on him) there was some pressure to rein it in on staffing numbers. A lot of it can be taken care of with spreadsheet jockeying current employees in the personnel systems and not replacing people who retire or leave, but it can present challenges with bringing new people on from time to time if what the hiring component advertises for doesn’t exactly correspond to the organizational model in the HR systems. It’s dumb as poo poo and it happens all over government frustratingly often.
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2021 20:27
|
|
|
Mush Mushi posted:What incentive would an HR specialist have to attempt to screw up your offer at the last minute against the wishes of the hiring office? Power tripping and incompetence? I know the OP has bigger and better things to do, but shouldn’t there be consequences for that type of harassment (lol)?
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2021 21:13
|
|
|
I'm glad you stuck to your guns and came in at GS-9. I have heard (not sure how true) but apparently some orgs are limited in their personnel budget? So there are actual incentives to bring in people at lower rates?
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2021 01:21
|
|
|
Howard Phillips posted:I'm glad you stuck to your guns and came in at GS-9. I have heard (not sure how true) but apparently some orgs are limited in their personnel budget? So there are actual incentives to bring in people at lower rates? Yup, many places have a budget for personal services which is where payroll comes from and it’s apparently really hard to pull from another bucket to cover it.
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2021 01:25
|
|
|
Fritzler posted:I really got the vibe he was missing paperwork to bring me in at 9, but was trying to get me to agree to be brought in at 7 so he wouldn't get in trouble. I'm not really sure 100% though. lmao this is very likely. It's CYA all the way down, like everywhere else
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2021 01:39
|
|
|
Howard Phillips posted:I'm glad you stuck to your guns and came in at GS-9. I have heard (not sure how true) but apparently some orgs are limited in their personnel budget? So there are actual incentives to bring in people at lower rates? Just to match my private sector salary which is above the payband midpoint, my offer had to get signed by 2 different asst. admins (the CFO and head of HR) in an agency where the administrator is the highest.
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2021 03:29
|
|
|
Hey OPM took down the stupid “open America up again” poo poo from the status page! 
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2021 04:10
|
|
|
I wonder how long before we see mass hiring drives at various agencies that are short staffed?
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2021 18:10
|
|
|
If that is going to happen, it cannot come soon enough USCIS did post the first jobs I have seen it list since it froze hiring last January (other than some lawyer positions for the dozens of lawsuits over Trump-era policies) so I am hopeful!
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2021 18:50
|
|
|
There are 115 announcements for SSA positions nationwide, and a dozen of those are just general submission keep-on-file poo poo for specific populations like vets or disabled. I don't think I've ever seen more than 25 openings in the Atlanta region ever, and that services 11 states. The agency's headcount is already at its lowest point this millenium. Good thing we're not facing a demographic tsunami of retirements, or a surge in disability filings in a frozen economy, huh?
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2021 19:15
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 13, 2024 03:33 |
|
|
Huh, I did not see any of those in my search. Though I guess I have GS-9 as my low end currently, which could be why?
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2021 20:12
|
|