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Has anyone here worked with the BLM? I just got a temporary gig out west, and I was wondering if anyone could enlighten me about what to expect, the corporate culture etc. This is my first FedGov position, so I really don't know what I'm getting into.
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May 19, 2015 23:02
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| # ¿ May 17, 2024 04:05 |
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So I have a temp seasonal gig with the BLM now, and I'm putting in my applications for other similar positions. About 24 hours after I put in an app for one of those continually open recruitment postings, I get an email saying my application lacks supporting documentation. The only thing they could be talking about (I think) is the SF-50. Do I have to provide an SF-50 even though I'm not applying for a merit job posting?
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Aug 28, 2015 03:23
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So I just got my first perm position for the Forest Service in Cali (2/2 in interviews woooo). Anyone know anything about the culture of region 5 FS and what I should do as a first time perm federal employee?
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Nov 12, 2015 01:34
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So wait, as part of the onboarding, I have to print out the IT policy test, circle the right answers, and physically mail it to my supervisor? Is this some sort of steampunk agency I'm stepping into? All I want to do is play with trees.
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Dec 10, 2015 06:02
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Deeters posted:My typical situation is: I had to do exactly this to get my assignment reimbursement and per diem at the BLM. I had hoped perm employees had a more efficient system than us temps. Hope is quickly fading.
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Dec 11, 2015 06:09
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My eRecruit status changed from referred to hired today 
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Dec 19, 2015 02:37
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I just completed my first day as a FedGov career-conditional employee. My supervisor told me that my official new employee orientation isn't going to be until April. What should I be doing/watch out for in the meantime so I don't get screwed because I was hired at an odd time?
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Jan 26, 2016 04:57
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I just got a GS-5 position with a 5-6-7 ladder, and I'm not a vet. However, what I did have were two very specific qualifications for my position. These two qualifications precluded everyone that didn't have at least some time in the job field. So it is possible. Don't lose hope! All it takes is one posting to not have vets apply.
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Mar 18, 2016 00:49
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Feds still do hire some without college degrees. It just really really depends on the position, the skills involved, and how desperate they are to fill the position. All other things being equal, I'm sure most hiring managers would take the graduate over the non, but there are some positions that are so critically understaffed that they'll take anyone with the minimum qualifications.
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May 3, 2016 04:31
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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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For those of you who switched agencies/departments, how long did it take for your leave to transfer?
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May 21, 2016 18:49
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So, realistically, how hard is it to get fired as a career federal employee? The reason I ask is because I found out last week there is some sort of conspiracy against my boss. People up and down the chain are gathering evidence and making statements. Along with this, how good are anti-retaliation regulations? My boss is terrible and is doing illegal things (forging timesheets, using timecodes inappropriately), and they've asked me to type a statement on a situation that happened. My worry is there won't be enough to terminate him, and any statement I make will be easily traced back to me (its a really small office). I'm a newbie still in my probationary period. I'd like to help get my boss terminated, but not at the expense of my career or quality of worklife.
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Jul 2, 2016 04:49
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Let me clarify the timesheet issue: my boss has been putting on his timesheets that he is in the office and working when he is not. Like, getting paid for a whole day of work when he's gone for a big chunk of it. Regularly being gone for 2+hrs almost every day. Pretty much everyone hates my boss. My boss pretty much hates everyone. But not me. I'm on his good side so far. I'm not too worried about getting canned. But even I can see he's terrible at his job and in turn that puts more work on me to do my job and his job. Hence why I'd like him gone and someone competent in his place. At the same time, I don't know of a timetable or even if this grand conspiracy is going to bear fruit. Also, there is no Union where I work. sparkmaster fucked around with this message at 16:43 on Jul 2, 2016 |
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Jul 2, 2016 16:41
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Odd question, but how hard would it be to jump into federal law enforcement with a land management agency having federal tenure, but having no background in it? Just thinking of perspective career moves in a few years.
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Aug 4, 2016 22:26
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That's odd, in my agency everyone shoots for 3/Average. The way the employee performance measures are written it's rare to get a 4 and getting a 5 pretty much means you saved a drowning baby.
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Oct 12, 2016 04:46
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Kibbles n Shits posted:Aw, well poo poo. I was hoping to get my foot in the door somewhere at the Bachelor level. Military is not an option for me unfortunately. Thanks for the reply. Depending on exactly what you want to do, there may be seasonal positions that lead to perms in a few years. Pretty occupation specific, though.
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Oct 29, 2016 03:58
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Hope and pray they're still on their probationary period and/or confessed to stealing an eraser a few years ago?
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Oct 31, 2016 02:25
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So how exactly does it work when your job gets eliminated and your bosses want you to move someplace else. What options are there?
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Nov 2, 2016 04:42
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Better than even money says it'll be the FERS annuity and/or FEHB they come after. Or we might get lucky and he just makes it easier to fire us!
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Nov 10, 2016 06:33
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I don't think pay slashing for GS levels is going to happen. It's smarter to go after FERS and FEHB first, "bringing them in line with the private sector".
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Nov 11, 2016 18:19
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Someone accidentally replied all to a job posting email. She attached her resume, her transcripts, and her last performance review. Now my entire agency knows her private sector salary and the fact she failed freshman level French class in 2002. Moral of the story: Never Reply All.
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Dec 2, 2016 01:36
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The very concept of a last minute, accelerated hiring spree is the funniest thing I've heard all day.
sparkmaster fucked around with this message at 06:03 on Dec 3, 2016 |
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Dec 3, 2016 00:16
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Emergency services is still a career possibility. Always a demand for those.
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Dec 13, 2016 00:46
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So do you guys have the same employment package and pay scales the rest of the federal government does or are you special in that way as well?
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Jan 2, 2017 20:52
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Discendo Vox posted:Christ, I need to get hired into government soon. Just in time for FERS, the MSPB, and step increases disbanded!
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Jan 12, 2017 05:33
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My agency falls into the average=good category. A 3/5 means you did your job well. With my specific EPAP it's practically impossible for me to get a 5/5. If we did go to a 4/5 evaluation to get a step increase, we would probably see a whole bunch of EPAP's being rewritten to make it easier to get a 4/5. Unless your boss is a giant dick.
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Jan 15, 2017 20:18
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Splish posted:Yesterday got a tentative offer from the BLM, they seem to think that if they get my paperwork through and get an EOD before Feb 22 I can start. Does not leave me a lot of time to decide if I actually want to move to the middle of nowhere and work for a land management agency under Trump... If you're in oil and gas, you'll probably do OK. Really anything natural resources. Anything wildlife/environmental may not be so kind. BLM isn't so bad, though. It's pretty much the only agency where both liberals and conservatives hate you for different reasons.
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Feb 2, 2017 06:45
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By chance were these positions fire or trails related?
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Feb 21, 2017 23:27
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Generally land management guys don't care a bit. That being said, temporary positions are the gateway to perm positions in those agencies. A good chunk of their perms spent at least a few seasons as a temp of some sort.
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Feb 23, 2017 05:05
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A White Guy posted:Apply for CCC, join, about to ship out. My email gets flooded with USFS/NPS interview offers from jobs I applied for. CCC as in California Conservation Corps?
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Feb 26, 2017 00:51
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Beerdeer posted:I'm not entirely convinced that the Secretary of Homeland Security knows what USCIS does Knowing what your department does isn't a requirement of the job. My new boss knows how to get elected and shoot brown people overseas.
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Mar 21, 2017 00:01
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My office is assuming the shutdown happens, and has identified who they want to keep on and who they'll let go. One of my coworkers is on a great detail that will be really good for his career, and they're saying he'll be called back after less than two weeks if the shutdown happens. As for me, I hope they don't declare me vital. I'm not important, and barely useful
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Apr 23, 2017 03:49
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I don't work NPS, but I do work with public lands. From what I've heard, federal LEO positions are swamped with vets most of the time. Other times they go to people that already have LE experience. For seasonal work, it depends on exactly what you want to do. I know that there are some seasonal LEO positions, but I'm not sure what their requirements are. Temp seasonal work falls under the exempted service, so they can follow an abbreviated hiring process. On the other hand, they still have to hire vets before you even for an exempted position. For this year, I think a lot of hiring has already been done (my district completed seasonal hiring about a month ago), but there still may be a position or two still waiting to be filled. Again, it really depends on what type of seasonal work you want to do, or are you open to anything and just want a fun gig? It also depends on your long term goals. Are you looking for seasonal work as a long term thing going forward, or are you just looking for a foot in the door?
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May 4, 2017 03:59
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As I understand it (and, again, I'm not NPS), there are a few types of rangers. Law Enforcement rangers are just a portion. I believe only certain positions need FLETC certifications. Some other rangers may have some regulatory duties, but they don't carry a gun or have arrest powers. Essentially some can write tickets for you camping off the trail or violating park regulations, but I do not believe they have to have FLETC certifications, nor are they counted as LEO's for pay and retirement purposes. If you want seasonal work, land management agencies are your best bet. It's also a lot easier to work yourself up if you were a seasonal beforehand. Be advised, though, that there are a lot of people with hard science degrees that want to be rangers and have outdoorsy jobs right now. It may be difficult to bag a full time position if you end up going this route. Also, the areas where non-LEO rangers tend to be will probably face the brunt of any budget cuts coming down. For that matter, programs like education, interpretation, and trails will probably have their budgets for seasonals trimmed first in the forthcoming cuts. Have you considered wildland fire? It's one of the only pure (kind of) meritocracies left in the federal government, where you can go from a GS-3 to a GS-14 with only a generic college degree. It takes decades to get there (and years before you can bag a job with retirement and health benefits), but everyone starts off the same there. It's also almost immune from budget cuts.
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May 4, 2017 05:56
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We got the hurricane thing a few weeks ago, and a helpful link to a google form where you can register your skills. I really wanted to go, but evidently im "important". Which is completely incorrect.
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Sep 22, 2017 18:25
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Good News: I got in contact with a supervisor flying an interesting position this winter. Bad News: I think I made her hate me by asking too many questions via email. 
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Oct 13, 2017 04:14
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Question about promotions: I'm a GS-6 on a 5-6-7 ladder right now. I'm taking a new within-agency job that is a 6-7 ladder (same position). I will have 365 days as a GS-6 and be promoted to a GS-7 before I take the new job. I took the new job as a GS-6 because, obviously, I didn't have my time in grade, and was selected as a GS-6. Is this going to be an issue?
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Dec 20, 2017 06:18
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Middle of nowhere, western state.
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Dec 21, 2017 03:30
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Wassup future DOI bro/brah  Temp positions in DOI and FS are exempted service, so hiring doesn't take nearly as long. It's fairly easy to get someone in and working. Odds are if they say they want to make a decision within 40 days and it's been 40 days, you should start looking elsewhere. That being said, it's still fairly early in the hiring period where we land management goons like to get our seasonals. Being still active in your applications means very little, as does being best qualified. You do not need a cover letter. Keep in mind that a lot of the NPS jobs are extremely competitive, even for temps. They're cool jobs that everyone wants. If you want a temp job, I would highly suggest you apply to every single posting you see. Even if you get stuck in a shithole for a season, you'll be far more competitive for good locations next year with a season of federal experience under your belt.
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Dec 30, 2017 04:22
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| # ¿ May 17, 2024 04:05 |
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I'd say a good 70% of temporary job postings in the land management agencies have some sort of government housing available. Isn't luxurious, but it's cheap and livable. Just having any temp experience, even if its not in a position you want to do long term, is going to help you. I think you can catch on someplace doing something. Good luck!
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Dec 30, 2017 05:23
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