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Leon Sumbitches posted:Thanks for this; very helpful to remember it's not a criminal investigation but one to ensure there's no leverage over me. The main concern is a mental health misdiagnosis from way back when, and I have letters and doctors on standby to confirm.  Best of luck resolving that documentation issue! "Security clearance" is a big range, I'd say that getting TS clearance is a huge get if you're going into the intelligence community for job security and options, but I don't know that anything secret or lower is usually a big enough deal that people will actively choose "has clearance" over "has skills". I could be wrong though, I've just got lowly public trust.
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Aug 23, 2022 11:58
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Seems like I didn't get that Patent Officer role again. 
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Aug 23, 2022 22:43
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Xelkelvos posted:Seems like I didn't get that Patent Officer role again. I have a friend at USCIS who literally for two years now has texted me out of the blue ecstatic about her new promotion just about the time I realize I once again will never hear back from the most recent USCIS interview, haha. I have been saying since before the pandemic that I would happily trade any possibility of upward mobility at my job if I could just get a goddamn remote GS-9 position. I would probably take a 7. Though I should be careful what I wish for seeing the IRS Terror Chat these last few pages I suppose
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Aug 23, 2022 23:24
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Dr. Quarex posted:Though I should be careful what I wish for seeing the IRS Terror Chat these last few pages I suppose I felt like I was going to puke or start crying when I got up this morning. I was just dreading it. I had to finish some mandatory briefings before starting. The calls I took today went much more smoothly thatn they did on Friday. I had one that was difficult, but it was more the caller just being a mess than anything else. I was most of the way there with what to do to resolve these issues on the simpler ones. So it's really just a me thing and I panic and overthink and overworry about fuckin everything. But the day's over. Now I can hide under the desk where the centipede lives and eat ice cream and cry.
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Aug 23, 2022 23:34
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Xelkelvos posted:Seems like I didn't get that Patent Officer role again. Examiner, or something else?
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Aug 24, 2022 01:44
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Dr. Quarex posted:I have a friend at USCIS who literally for two years now has texted me out of the blue ecstatic about her new promotion just about the time I realize I once again will never hear back from the most recent USCIS interview, haha. I'm hoping that my experience with the USCIS is also gonna be a positive one! They've been great so far - the only thing I can complain about is that I haven't gotten the firm offer letter yet, but that's because I requested a later EOD and FEMA wants to work out a dual employment thing with me. It does make me feel wanted, which is nice.
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Aug 24, 2022 06:13
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Kalman posted:Examiner, or something else? I meant examiner
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Aug 24, 2022 11:21
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Applications are open for the Mansfield Fellowship Program for anyone with two years of federal experience. You will spend a year learning Japanese in the states, followed by a two-month homestay in Ishikawa prefecture, then 10 months in Tokyo working in their counterpart agency. One of my coworkers did this just before the pandemic and said it was a great experience, but Japanese work culture is very different (but I think most everyone here knows that).
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Aug 26, 2022 15:37
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Endless Mike posted:Applications are open for the Mansfield Fellowship Program for anyone with two years of federal experience. You will spend a year learning Japanese in the states, followed by a two-month homestay in Ishikawa prefecture, then 10 months in Tokyo working in their counterpart agency. I'd forgotten about that program. Very cool opportunity. Is there anything similar anywhere else in the world?
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Aug 26, 2022 16:00
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Farewell, Mother. I am off to join the IRS army!quote:My Dearest Mother, [...] quote:My Dearest Mother,
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Aug 26, 2022 23:11
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Today marks twenty years of federal service for me.
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Aug 26, 2022 23:18
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Hopefully you don't find your 20 year pin under your desk when you step on it 9 months after your SCD hits 2 decades like this guy.
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Aug 26, 2022 23:27
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Those rubber finger hats are legit
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Aug 26, 2022 23:34
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I'm not at all surprised by this, but taking calls for the IRS is just making me hate the system even more. also I was on a single call for over two hours because I have no idea what the gently caress I am even doing and should be thrown out the fuckin window.
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Aug 30, 2022 19:09
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Star Man posted:I'm not at all surprised by this, but taking calls for the IRS is just making me hate the system even more. I have been doing this for years and still have gone for over three hours on a call within the last few months. The people who should be thrown out the loving window are the ones who will skim the account and tell taxpayers the wrong info so they get off the phone in five minutes. You're right that the system is busted as gently caress but you are also fine. e: Like I'm dead loving serious, you care about getting people the right resolution and that is honest to god the thing I'd want the most if I were wishing for ways to fix the system; a workforce entirely composed of people who cared about getting people the right resolution, and as many of them as I could get, and then after that a system to maximize their ability to get the right resolution in place ASAP for as many people as possible. There's a lot of work to get the system as it is in the shape it needs to be for the latter but the former is also lacking and that's not something we can entirely fund our way out of (though increasing people's salaries would probably go a drat good way towards that). Ignatius M. Meen fucked around with this message at 19:39 on Aug 30, 2022 |
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Aug 30, 2022 19:18
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I suppose the good news in all this is that NTEU just got all seasonal IRS employees converted to full-time status and I made the cutoff. I know furloughs haven't been a thing for a while, but I signed the document to be converted and won't have to worry about it all.
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Aug 30, 2022 21:31
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Star Man posted:I suppose the good news in all this is that NTEU just got all seasonal IRS employees converted to full-time status and I made the cutoff. I know furloughs haven't been a thing for a while, but I signed the document to be converted and won't have to worry about it all. Awesome! I know you had been stymied at getting a full time gig at oldjob for a while and I'm glad this one came through for you so rapidly. 
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Aug 30, 2022 22:30
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Midjack posted:Today marks twenty years of federal service for me. Congrats
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Aug 30, 2022 22:41
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Star Man posted:I suppose the good news in all this is that NTEU just got all seasonal IRS employees converted to full-time status and I made the cutoff. I know furloughs haven't been a thing for a while, but I signed the document to be converted and won't have to worry about it all. And to you. Meanwhile my supervisor signed me up for another niche form issue so I'm apparently the SME for 5 or 6 different issues now as a GS-12. I should ask for a WGI.
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Aug 30, 2022 22:44
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Star Man posted:I suppose the good news in all this is that NTEU just got all seasonal IRS employees converted to full-time status and I made the cutoff. I know furloughs haven't been a thing for a while, but I signed the document to be converted and won't have to worry about it all. Congrats!
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Aug 30, 2022 22:59
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Congrats! I've been perm for a while (the advantage of being a TE in a tiny department), so I didn't know NTEU was doing that, but that's a huge victory.
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Aug 31, 2022 00:20
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Ignatius M. Meen posted:I have been doing this for years and still have gone for over three hours on a call within the last few months. The people who should be thrown out the loving window are the ones who will skim the account and tell taxpayers the wrong info so they get off the phone in five minutes. You're right that the system is busted as gently caress but you are also fine. Speaking as somebody on the other end of those IRS phone calls (tax preparer), I second having someone who cares on the other end being the most important thing. Honestly, most of my questions aren't even super detailed, they tend to boil down to "did you get the thing we sent you?" more than anything, so if you can check that sort of status stuff out you've got the majority of situations I deal with covered. Taking a while doesn't bother me either because I already had to sit on hold forever (with threat of sudden random disconnect) anyway, having someone actively working on my problem is much easier to be patient for. I think there's a little of the same element I find with my clients too; if it takes a while, it just reinforces to me this is a difficult situation instead of the automatic assumption being "wow, they suck" (which I only get when I have someone ignore what I'm saying, to be blunt).
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Aug 31, 2022 00:33
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Star Man posted:I suppose the good news in all this is that NTEU just got all seasonal IRS employees converted to full-time status and I made the cutoff. I know furloughs haven't been a thing for a while, but I signed the document to be converted and won't have to worry about it all. Speaking as a former seasonal IRS employee, that is amazing! Seriously, congratulations, that is wonderful news.
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Aug 31, 2022 01:18
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That's huge Star Man, congratulations! I'm jealous!
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Aug 31, 2022 05:29
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I might be misattributing credit for how this really went down. I barely pay attention to my emails that my steward sends me. But today I had some downtime and read the last one she forwarded, and in like thirty minutes my manager was trying to catch me before the end of the day to ask if I wanted to sign on as full-time or remain seasonal. I didn't ask if that comes with a grade increase or anything. I'll have to monitor my SP-50 or whatever. I'm still a fuckin dumbass that fell upwards.
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Aug 31, 2022 06:28
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Most frustrations from customer service come from dealing with employee after employee that is trying to get you off the phone or give you the quickest possible answer, until you reach an employee that wants to solve that problem and make this the last phone call you need to make. Your job is to be that employee. If it takes three hours, it takes three hours. Or as my dad used to put it, "if you don't get chewed out occasionally you're not doing your job the right way"
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Aug 31, 2022 11:22
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Grats on falling up Star Man! But anyone interested in a non-supervisory GS15? https://www.usajobs.gov/job/668651200 You know I am! Here I thought I was going to stop applying once I got a non supervisory 12, thanks DOE for making me do more USAJOBS stuff...
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Aug 31, 2022 14:15
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Rakeris posted:Grats on falling up Star Man! I wouldn't take that as evidence of GS-15 non-supervisory. I wouldn't be shocked if that exists somewhere but I've only heard of that up to GS-14 and then only in job categories where the Feds have noted issues with hiring and uncompetitive wages(like nursing or IT). That posting is a pool posting not for any specific position so the grade range is generic and not indicative of much. A GS-9-15 ladder position would be quite a thing though.
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Aug 31, 2022 16:59
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Been sick as hell for a few weeks with a drat blood clot out here but finally getting an interview with USCIS this friday. The field office asked for my supervisor's info upfront prior to the interview. Kinda odd to ask for the supervisor's info before the interview. Usually they ask for it afterwards. What am I getting into working as an ISO in a field office? I see how the service center works from the posters that work there but never seen posts on a field office.
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Aug 31, 2022 17:47
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Elem7 posted:I wouldn't take that as evidence of GS-15 non-supervisory. I wouldn't be shocked if that exists somewhere but I've only heard of that up to GS-14 and then only in job categories where the Feds have noted issues with hiring and uncompetitive wages(like nursing or IT). FWIW I just applied for a GS-15 non-supervisory, so they do exist. Many asterisks on it though, to be fair. * 800-series engineering ** DC locality *** technically DB-4, which is a GS-14 to 15 payband, but no control point **** internal hire only ***** the experience and qualifications required (which I DO have, amazingly), are absurdly specific and extensive ****** even with the other asterisks they are still exceedingly rare, and I suspect I still won't get it because it's probably tailor made for someone specific they need to retain who is threatening to take advantage of the current labor market to go private sector. But you miss 100% of the shots you don't take after all, so wish me luck on achieving the dream of being a GS-15 union employee. Ya never know!
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Aug 31, 2022 17:51
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Some agencies have attorney positions (0905s) that are non-supervisory GS-15s.
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Aug 31, 2022 18:01
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Delorence Fickle posted:What am I getting into working as an ISO in a field office? I see how the service center works from the posters that work there but never seen posts on a field office.
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Aug 31, 2022 18:33
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Elem7 posted:I wouldn't take that as evidence of GS-15 non-supervisory. I wouldn't be shocked if that exists somewhere but I've only heard of that up to GS-14 and then only in job categories where the Feds have noted issues with hiring and uncompetitive wages(like nursing or IT). SSA has a fair number of 2200-series non-supervisory IT 14s, and a handful (typically 2-5 total agency wide) non-supervisory 15s.
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Aug 31, 2022 19:42
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How does the ZP payscale work, especially compared to the GS? And, what are alternative search I should be using besides the 2210 series for IT jobs?
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Aug 31, 2022 19:48
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I'm currently a non-supervisory 13. someone asked me to consider a move to a position that would have 9 direct reports, and approximately 150 total subordinates. I'd be responsible for timesheets, disciplinary things, leave approvals, reviews, a loving boatload of personnel related paperwork things, on-site field visits, scheduling, covering field shifts when the area is short staffed (the area is currently understaffed by about 20 people), etc. the new position is also a 13, it would be a lateral move. my duty station would also technically move, from my current 28% locality zone to a "rest of the US" zone 
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Aug 31, 2022 19:49
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ixo posted:I'm currently a non-supervisory 13. someone asked me to consider a move to a position that would have 9 direct reports, and approximately 150 total subordinates. I'd be responsible for timesheets, disciplinary things, leave approvals, reviews, a loving boatload of personnel related paperwork things, on-site field visits, scheduling, covering field shifts when the area is short staffed (the area is currently understaffed by about 20 people), etc. They can gently caress right off with that noise.
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Aug 31, 2022 19:54
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Don't forget that they gently caress up your OT if you go supervisor, too.
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Aug 31, 2022 19:57
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ixo posted:I'm currently a non-supervisory 13. someone asked me to consider a move to a position that would have 9 direct reports, and approximately 150 total subordinates. I'd be responsible for timesheets, disciplinary things, leave approvals, reviews, a loving boatload of personnel related paperwork things, on-site field visits, scheduling, covering field shifts when the area is short staffed (the area is currently understaffed by about 20 people), etc. Yes but think of opportunities such as
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Aug 31, 2022 20:07
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Yeah, in my office I'm 1 of 3 non-supervisor 13s, and we lost 2 out of 3 supervisor 13s during hiring freezes. Now, we are hiring up and the agency is authorizing a ton of OT to clear backlogs. All 3 of us have been asked multiple times by our District Director why we weren't applying for the two supervisor openings. We have all had a nice long laugh about it. "What did YOU tell him? Because was like, 'Where do you want to start? Money? Time? Stress?'"
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Aug 31, 2022 20:16
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Delorence Fickle posted:Been sick as hell for a few weeks with a drat blood clot out here but finally getting an interview with USCIS this friday. The field office asked for my supervisor's info upfront prior to the interview. Kinda odd to ask for the supervisor's info before the interview. Usually they ask for it afterwards. I believe that USCIS as a whole has a significant problem in how they treat field ISOs vs Service Center ISOs. I've been an ISO at the NBC and currently in the field. They are night and day difference. (It is magnified because I went to a relatively small field office, but the overall issues apply everywhere.) In the NBC, you have very steady, predictable work and expectations. If I woke up and a buddy wanted to go see the Royals play a day game, I could call in and take a leave day, and it doesn't affect anyone. The files will still be there on my desk when I get there the next day. I was doing very easy form types, so I got bored very quickly, and was on autopilot listening to podcasts. You do one form type, one product, every day. You come to understand it inside and out. Took a promotion to the field. Very quickly (too quickly, in my opinion) I am interviewing people on adjustment of status, naturalization, removal of conditions, everything. And I travel to do ceremonies. If you come across fraud, it's often happening in-the-moment, as a person across a desk is lying to your face. It is far more rewarding, interesting, stressful, and difficult. Interviews are scheduled several weeks in advance, obviously, so if you call in sick on a day you are supposed to interview, you are dumping your case load onto a coworker to pick up the slack. (This is not your fault, if you are sick, you should take your leave and not feel guilty. But just taking leave on a whim in this context is a dick move. I do not usually make plans 2 months out, so it was a difficult transition.) Recent issues with COVID and process changes have pushed more duties onto the field officer. In my opinion, USCIS as a whole has allowed lots of things to slide downhill, and the field officer making the final decision is at the bottom of that hill. I have not seen evidence that they fully appreciate the effect of that. If you take one task that would normally be done at the service center before the file comes to the field, and you say, well that only takes a minute or two, no big deal, we can just have the field ISOs do it, it feels like efficiency to them. But you do that for multiple things, now you have an officer who SHOULD be focusing on asking good questions and determining credibility being distracted by trying to do 5-10 minutes of extra data entry and clerical work. Per interview. So over 10 interviews a day, that's like an extra hour of work. Then management will always, always, always ask for continued (unfinished) case numbers to go down, without accepting that a big cause is that the ISO is doing this extra stuff. Field ISO is great and I love it and you change lives directly. You catch fraud nobody else will. I want to do this type of thing for the rest of my career. Every time someone tries to push me to move into a SISO role, I explain how neither of us will enjoy that, because meetings will just be me, repeating the rant above, over and over until they mute my phone.
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Aug 31, 2022 20:40
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