The U.S. Federal Government Jobs Megathread: Next time... be more careful!

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Business, Finance, and Careers > The U.S. Federal Government Jobs Megathread: Next time... be more careful!

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Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

Hi. Total newbie here, and so I think some introduction is useful before I ask a blizzard of questions.

I'm a 30 y/o male, in New Jersey. I have a BS in Political Science from some small Jesuit university nobody's ever heard of (with a really crappy GPA, like 2.3 - but getting the degree is something, right? Right?), earned back in 2007. Then, a crappy market research job that crippled my confidence and didn't even last 9 months later, I got stuck unemployed (you'll see why next paragraph) for about 2 years. Then I went to my local community college from 2010 til this semester, and I've just finished an AAS in Paralegal studies. My paralegal GPA is amazing: 3.74 or something. I'm sure about the 3.7 at least, my eyes practically bugged out looking at my unofficial transcript, I was shocked I had done so well.

So I promised more in this paragraph? Well, here goes: I'm disabled as hell. I have cerebral palsy (but I can walk, barely); I'm blind in my right eye (but not in my left, even though the field of vision and visual acuity are horrible...so while the state of NJ calls me blind, I'm not blind to the feds (ie, to social security)...I have no idea either!); I'm deaf in my right ear; I have fine and gross motor issues. And to top it off, I have depression as a result of the physical crap, and I've had that diagnosed since I was 15, but probably actually had it since I was much younger. (In case you're wondering, I'm on SSI (plus get part of my dad's social security somehow, because I was disabled before age 22), and live with my parents still.) The 2.3 was because college was my first time away from home...And I had what, looking back, I know now to be severe anxiety issues because, frankly, my mental state was not good when I went to college. I learned my lesson though, and kicked rear end (as noted) with my paralegal stuff in part by *not* trying to juggle "away from home alone" with "going back to school", since I did it at my local community college.

Things I wonder though (here comes my blizzard of questions):

1. Who decides if I qualify under Schedule A? Me? Someone else?

1B. Does it look at the totality of the circumstances, or do I have to clear the bar on one issue by itself? Because with me...The issues one by one wouldn't be that disabling, I suppose. But they're not present on their own, they're present with the others, and the result is that I'm very much disabled.

2. Which GPA matters for federal job-hunting purposes? On the one hand, I have the BS which gets me to GS-5. On the other hand, my paralegal GPA is more relevant to the position, much *higher*, and more recent.

3. Is there *any* disadvantage to me, at all, if I decide to qualify for Schedule A via my psych issues? For example, will it make getting a security clearance or suitability determination harder later on if that's where my career leads me?

4. Why does every job seem to require a Driver's License? (I can't drive, for reasons which should be obvious.) Jobs which rationally seem like office jobs...want a DL. :sigh:

It kinda automatically screens out the disabled, tbh.

And a brief technical question:

5. For USAJobs...Trying to upload my unofficial undergrad transcript, and naturally the PDF that results from combining the scanned pages (which scanned in as JPGs) into one file is well beyond 3MB. How the heck do I reduce the file size to below 3MB so I can submit it? I do not have Acrobat or similar (just reader), and don't (see the SSI thing) really have money to burn.

Hoping nothing I'm saying is too unnecessary or clueless...

# ¿ May 20, 2014 20:42

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# ¿ May 5, 2024 15:43

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

I'll handle NintyFresh's reply afterwards:

Quarex posted:

If you were an immigrant I could better answer your questions as to how you would be qualified, ha. Normally I would bet the federal government not thinking you were disabled would be the end of it, but I am pretty sure any doctor can get you the documentation you would need to qualify; I would be utterly shocked if your situation was not seen as a straightforward physical disability issue.

My thought too, but the forms make me confused.

quote:

You are probably going to have to list your GPA for every college program you were in, at least if you use the USAJobs r�sum� builder; the good news is that your recent GPA is higher and that is always a good sign.

Oh, good.

quote:

I have no clue about the psychological issue qualifying, but I cannot imagine anxiety/depression are in the "potential traitor due to lack of impulse control" psychological issues. I mean, I barely know what I am talking about, but it really seems like money-related or trust-related issues are the ones of specific concern.

Whew!

quote:

I am confused that every job requires a driver's license. That may suggest that whatever jobs you are applying for are like "this job plus courier/errand runner" positions. Otherwise yes I cannot imagine that would not be discriminatory.

Not every, but seemingly every. Keep in mind where I'm writing from, Central NJ. Especially for entry-level jobs, everybody wanted a car until I got to NYC.

quote:

Finally, online PDF compression tools are awesome and are the only reason I could ever get my transcripts uploaded (degrees from three institutions and additional courses from another one = good luck uploading a single merged high-quality scan without running it through a compressor, given the size limitations).

Recommendations on said tools?

# ¿ May 21, 2014 13:21

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

NintyFresh posted:

My husband (Silent Nature here) is deaf and was hired into the government through Schedule A. He had his state Vocational Rehabilitation counselor write a letter which stated he had a disability qualifying under 5 CFR 213.3102 (u) for Schedule A hiring.

If you don't have vocational rehabilitation, I believe that a medical professional can also write the letter. When you have a letter, just attach it to your USAJobs profile so that it can be provides when applying to Status and Public postings. You can also try to contact the Special Placement Program Coordinator (SPPC) for agencies you are interested in, but we never saw much from them.

http://apps.opm.gov/sppc_directory/searchlist.cfm

I can't answer much about the jobs requiring drivers licenses; all of my positions so far haven't had that since I sit at a desk all day.

Ah. So what do the SPPCs do?

And yeah, I'm never sure if I do have voc rehab or not. The NJ Commission for the Blind is really hard to get a hold of.

# ¿ May 21, 2014 13:24

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

It worked, YAY! Weeks-long annoyance solved, yay!

# ¿ May 22, 2014 02:39

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

e_wraith:

Re GPA: Yay, thanks for that info. Takes a huge weight off my shoulders. I can *explain* it fine, usually, though we'll see if I flub it face to face in an interview. (My concern, honestly, is the points of the process *before* an interview. I'm scared people will see my undergrad GPA and send the application to the trash without giving me a chance to explain how it happened.)

Re clearances: I know. At the moment, the only jobs I'm looking for are Legal Assistant and Paralegal positions, so I'm hoping the requirements re clearances and the like are minimal.

So far as DLs: Eh, I get what you're saying. It makes sense, just...Gah. The problem is just as bad in the private sector (where I am, anyway), since paralegals often act as couriers for attorneys, getting documents delivered and such. Makes being too blind for a DL a major problem.

On that note...Anybody here in job fields 0950 (paralegal specialist) or 0986 (legal assistant) or know people who are?

Looking for insight as to what said jobs actually entail in the federal government, beyond the dry job descriptions.

# ¿ May 24, 2014 15:33

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

Whoa. OK...So the system only cares about your last go-round in the educational system?

Raises a question. How about the Superior Academic Achievement qual for GS7?

# ¿ May 24, 2014 19:09

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

Uh, what's AUO?

# ¿ Jun 2, 2014 03:25

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

Verdugo posted:

Spacewolf:

The main difference between schedule a [and vra] excepted appointment is that you start in the excepted service, not the career service. You don't get the benefits of a career employee until your two year trial period is over and your agency converts you over to the career service.

Realistically though it doesn't matter. You're a regular federal employee for all intents and purposes when it comes to benefits and the like. Your "probationary period" is longer [two years instead of one.]

The most important thing is it helps you get your foot in the door. And you can use your schedule a over and over up to a certain grade level [nine I think]. The only disadvantage is when you use your schedule a your trial period resets back to two years.

On the subject of clearances and the like: my wife and I are both disabled [mine is psychological] and we both have secret clearances. I wouldn't worry about it.

Specifics on schedule a: all you need is a letter from a medical professional like your family doctor on their letterhead saying you qualify for a schedule a appointment. The dept of labor has really good guidance on it. The most important thing is that your letter does not need to specify what your disability is [in fact it's not supposed to]. Your agency will ask you to fill out a Standard Form 256 when you are hired which is a self-identification of disability form. That's the first and last place it comes up unless you need your agency to provide some sort of reasonable accommodation for you.

The federal government is very very good for the disabled. Every agency I have worked at has had a very diverse group of employees spanning all disabilities.

My agency loves hiring non competitive candidates because it helps fill jobs faster. If we can just bring someone on and not have to deal with usajobs bullshit it's great.

A lot of words about schedule a but it's my specialty -- I work for Federal HR and excepted appointments are my thing.

Good to hear! I knew goons would be able to come through with info!

# ¿ Jun 2, 2014 13:08

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

I am, yes. Thanks, Quarex.

News like this is helpful, because I'll admit - I'm fairly certain I could not possibly compete for a competitive pick.

(Thing that weirded me out. I was applying for a GS-5 position with CBP as a paralegal specialist...And the occupational questionnaire asked me, four or five times, about high school. Whaaat? The position wants a college degree as minimum ed credential!)

# ¿ Jun 26, 2014 18:08

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

JohnnyHildo posted:

I recall some earlier discussion and questions about Schedule A hiring. If you are eligible for a Schedule A appointment I recommend you register to be included on OPM's Shared List of People with Disabilities. The contractor who collects the resumes claims they are accepting resumes for certain job categories, but that doesn't stop a hiring manager from calling an attractive candidate for a different job series. If you are in school or are in your first year out of school, make sure you register for the Workforce Recruitment Program. This is a program for Schedule A candidates jointly administered by the Departments of Labor and Defense.

I was recently given permission to hire one person with non-competitive eligibility. My state's Americorps coordinator didn't seem too interested in helping me get in touch with VISTA alumni who had appointment eligibility, so I quickly educated myself on Schedule A. As a hiring official I loved the flexibility. I also liked having the ability to identify the best candidate based on the reality of the job rather than having HR specialists rate and rank candidates based on how they interpret the job requirements. Based on the great experience I had, I'm going to suggest that all of the directors in my district at least check out the local Schedule A candidates anytime they have a posted announcement for a professional position. The candidate I chose has the best qualifications of anyone I've ever interviewed for this position and she never would have been referred to me if she applied to a public announcement because she doesn't have veteran's preference.

Thanks for the info! Now...WRP...How do I see if my school participates?

# ¿ Jul 18, 2014 20:29

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

It Depends. Have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?

# ¿ Jul 28, 2014 04:16

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

An update on my search, for those interested:

I have acquired (after patiently explaining what it was to the advanced practice nurse (AKA my primary care provider) at the clinic I go to at least 2 or 3 times, then showing her the sample letter so helpfully provided at the DOL website) a Schedule A certification letter.

I've applied for my first job with it. Not heard anything back yet - apparently, it's an "every 3 weeks we issue a referral list until the closing date sometime in 2015" kind of thing, so I suppose I wait a *minimum* of 3 weeks.

Annoying is when agencies will tell you how you scored on the Occupational Questionnaire (86 when I was applying for 0950 jobs with CBP), but (in every case so far) won't tell you where the cut-off was...Only that you weren't the best qualified. I'm literally thinking (but not wasting my breath asking) "Did I waste my time getting the paralegal degree? Can you give me a hint as to if I met the *minimum* qualifications?"

In short, I'm now in the depressed stage of the job search. Considering my private sector job search ain't going any better, I'm wondering if I'll *ever* get a job. :smithicide:

# ¿ Jul 29, 2014 15:13

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

Is there a service center (or a chance of one) in the NJ/NYC area? (If there isn't one already?)

Because you guys make USCIS sound awesome to work for in that environment, but (since I can't drive) I gotta stick to places with decentish mass transit.

# ¿ Aug 23, 2014 15:36

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

I'm otherwise hoping to be a paralegal, so, uh...other way around.

# ¿ Aug 23, 2014 22:07

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

Sure, why not? Them and the NOAA Commissioned Corps are my favorite examples of "Wait, no, why do you exist, again?", but there are many agencies like that in the Federal government...100 years ago there might have been a *reason* for semi-militarized (I have no idea whether it's accurate to call them civilians or not!) doctors, researchers, marine biologists, etc., namely the Geneva Conventions...But these days? Why do they exist still?

(Do they even get deployed within appreciable distance of a combat zone anymore, even?)

# ¿ Apr 29, 2015 15:51

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

So a while ago (the vacancy closed June 2, I applied a few days before that) I applied to a position with an agency in NYC. (Not saying which agency, for fear I'll somehow do something wrong.)

I got referred! It's for an 0303 sort of position, GS-5, but hey I'll take what I can get. 40 hours a week sounds plenty good to me! (My first referral, if you can't tell. After dozens of attempts.)

Now, I got referred because of my Schedule A letter, I sense. It said my referral type was "Non-traditional" anyway.

So: What happens next, should I expect to hear anything in under 6 months...? Basically, I'm clueless about federal hiring as it works these days, I'm wondering what my next steps should be. (Note that I'm not a vet. I know that means my chances of actually getting a job are slim, but hey.)

My timeline is that, because my current part time job doesn't want a suit or anything more than casual clothes, I'm not buying a suit for an interview until I hear that someone actually wants to interview me, on the hope that I'll have a week or so between when I hear they want to interview me and when the interview happens. Is that a good idea or a bad idea?

# ¿ Jul 21, 2015 16:15

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

prussian advisor posted:

I thought employee contributions were capped at 14%, and government matching capped at 4% (including the automatic 1% on top of that for a total of 5%?) Maybe I heard wrong, I'll swing over to tsp.gov to be sure. You wouldn't happen to be an attorney as well, would you?

BC/BS PPO was my state option and I loved it, there were times where I was literally shocked (in a good way) at the scope of things they were willing to cover and the extent of the coverage. Hopefully the federal equivalent is just as good.

I can comment here (I'm on my dad's FEHBP BC/BS): BC/BS under Federal is amazing. You do, however, pay a lot in premiums. Those premiums, however? All worth it.

# ¿ Sep 8, 2015 18:00

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

Ah, but how quick can the printers produce an engrossed bill and get it to the President?

# ¿ Oct 1, 2015 03:48

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

I'm doing the same thing re Schedule A, though not trying for the foreign service. I'd be interested in what you can dig up.

# ¿ Oct 1, 2015 16:48

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

Slaan posted:

Wow, Astronauts come in at GS-11? I thought it'd be far more given the danger of it.

That's for candidates. Actual qualified astronauts are a 14, if I read this right.

And the anthropometric requirements: It's not just no fatties, it's "no tall people" and "no super-short people", IIRC.

# ¿ Dec 20, 2015 14:12

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

Ponderance: So I'm currently doing LiveOps (from the Legit Online Moneymaking thread).

How the heck do I even put that down on a USAJobs resume?

# ¿ Feb 24, 2016 17:52

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

Ever hear of schedule A, Jacobin?

If not, look it up at OPM.gov. Psych issues like bipolar are what are known as "targeted disabilities" - folks with disabilities where the government doesn't have many of em and needs to recruit em for their own hiring requirements.

Of course, I would yield to those already in fed service if they say don't disclose, because I might be wrong.

# ¿ Mar 11, 2016 21:49

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

Sad, depressed question, so please keep that in mind as you answer - I can take honesty, but not false hope by this point.

Whenever I apply for jobs, granted they're around GS-5...I am always always always beaten by vets. Nothing I do, no matter how perfect I might look for the job, beats what I am quickly calling the "Green Wall".

Is it such that a non-vet should not bother applying to the government, or is there actually a hope in hell of someone with Schedule A but not vets preference being able to use Schedule A to get selected?

# ¿ Mar 17, 2016 11:40

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

I've never seen any postings specifically for Schedule A eligibles - USAJobs only lets you choose between "open to everybody" and "Federal employees only", basically...

Not saying they don't exist, but I have never ever seen them.

It could be that I'm failing at USAJobs's crappy interface.

# ¿ Mar 23, 2016 15:17

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

TheMadMilkman posted:

I don't believe that positions are ever listed as Schedule A only, rather you apply for a regular open position as a Schedule A applicant, which allows the agency to hire you without the usual competitive hiring rules. Each agency should have a coordinator that handles this.

Source: vague memories of discussions over lunch with a guy who was a Schedule A hire at the same time I was first hired.

Which is my memory too. How to use the Schedule A letter to not get beaten by a vet? That's where I get confused.

# ¿ Mar 23, 2016 17:47

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

Dr. Quarex posted:

Bonzi Buddy stop talking to yourself

I know there are a couple of people with Schedule A experience in this thread...though I grant Spacewolf that you might be one of the people I am thinking of, which would not do you much good.

I think I am, which is kind of the problem.

# ¿ Mar 24, 2016 01:19

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

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.

# ¿ May 3, 2016 15:43

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

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.

# ¿ May 4, 2016 23:50

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

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.

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.

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. :saddowns:

# ¿ May 6, 2016 16:44

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

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?

# ¿ May 7, 2016 18:21

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

Never, it feels like.

# ¿ May 20, 2016 21:04

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

May I do a dance of joy briefly?

I just got asked in an email: "Will you be interested in an interview at (location) Immigration Court on 7/12/16 or 7/13/16? Please respond to this email today, no later than 7/11/16." My first interview for a Federal job ever. I'm nervous and yet incredibly excited. Hoping beyond hope this goes well.

It's 7/8 today, so wow their timeline for a response is short, thank God my parents can drive me to the place instead of me taking the train or AccessLink to the interview. It's for a GS-5 legal assistant position (so 0986 job code thing) with the Executive Office for Immigration Review at DOJ.

Questions I can think of right now amidst tons I want to ask those on this thread:

1. I'm already reading up as much as I can about the agency, the position, etc., however there isn't much there to read. The vacancy announcements, as usual, didn't tell me much about what the job entails. Anybody with info, please help.
2. What should I expect they want to know about me? Keep in mind, I applied under Schedule A, so they know I'm disabled.
3. I know GS-5 is entry level. However, I don't even have internship experience under my belt as a paralegal. Is that to be expected with a GS-5, or am I doomed?
4. Is it a terrible thing that I don't know a word of any foreign languages? They never specified that it was required, and obviously they decided to interview me, but.

Obviously, anything anyone might have to offer would be great. Like, uh, tips on how to settle my nerves the day of the interview.

Not-edited to add: Interview set for 7/12/16 @ 9:30 AM. Here goes.

# ¿ Jul 8, 2016 21:02

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

For those curious, my interview went well - after a morning where everything that could go wrong did short of a car accident, so I went in wondering whose black cat I'd pissed off. Very structured, but I got some chance to brag about myself. Unfortunately, at the end of the week everything gets sent off to DC and DC makes the final decision whenever, so...No idea when, or if, I'll hear back. As this thread has taught me, I shall now put the matter out of my mind because I might never hear back on it.

# ¿ Jul 13, 2016 00:35

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

Abu Dave posted:

How the heck do you get a typing proficiency certificate that isn't from online?

I'm not sure that's even possible?

# ¿ Jul 30, 2016 15:58

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

El Mero Mero posted:

I also heard a rumor that the requirement to hire vets was incredibly onerous/exhaustive/counterproductive (where even vets who wouldn't fit a position would end up having to be hired) and that one of the few loopholes where you could get to hire someone you wanted/was more qualified was NCE - so Peace Corps volunteers are kinda unintended beneficiaries of a program intended to streamline vets into federal career positions.

So basically, Peace Corps volunteers win because vets preference is completely broken and (for lack of a better term) over-powered?

Makes sense.

In my dream world, vets pref wouldn't trump everything else - at the very most, it'd be equal to other NCE like Schedule A, like Peace Corps, etc. Because at present, it's basically "If you're a vet you have a guaranteed job; if not, sorry, no job for you". (This is an exaggeration but, at GS-5, feels close to reality.) I gotta wonder how many qualified folks with (for example) disabilities look at how vets pref works and figure they'll never have a chance in hell, so they never apply.

# ¿ Jul 30, 2016 16:03

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

I need to vent.

So, OK. A few months back, in July...I had an interview with an agency who shall go nameless for a GS-5 position in their Newark NJ office. It was pitched to me on short notice (literally, on a Friday at 3 PM the email arrives "Are you available for an interview Tuesday @ 1030 AM? I need your reply today." basically), but I go. The interview goes well for my first federal interview ever, and I settle in to wait because I know they're sending the packets to DC for decision by HQ. I send a thank you note after a day or two, but that's all.

This time? OK, the position is the same, but it's in Boston. Funnily enough, I had marked down Boston as a place I could do, but anybody with access to my resume and a spot of critical thinking would grasp that I do not live in the Boston area. Also the only time I had marked that down was on a different application months prior to the other one...from which I was not referred. However! That does not stop this agency from sending me, on Friday @ 3 PM, an email saying I'm on the hiring list (does that mean anything better than the time I was referred?) and they'd like to do an interview...On 1 November.

I flopped around very unsure if I could pull it off, but eventually decided to apologize and ask if they could either reschedule the interview so I could have time to work the logistics of getting from NJ to Boston (not a short notice thing - I did not add "especially when one is staying with their grandparents who are in their 80s while in the area" but that is a live factor), or if alternatively we could do an interview via Skype or phone. I pointed out in the email that while I am entirely willing to move to Boston if I get the job, traveling there on short notice is difficult otherwise - because, I carefully did not say, it would be pushing every one of my orientation and mobility skills to the *limit* to work the MBTA, Amtrak, etc for the first time on no notice, especially since I'm blind. I have not yet heard back, but don't expect to until Monday.

My questions for the esteemed fedgoons:

1. How much did I shoot myself in the head asking for a Skype or phone interview, or a reschedule?

2. What the hell do they mean by me being on a hiring list? Does that mean anything different from being on a referral list?

3. Do all federal agencies schedule their interviews on this short a timeframe? I can see no greater barrier to disabled hiring, to be honest - transport and logistics are not small things if you're blind or in a wheelchair. Once you get a job they're much easier to work out, but for interviews? Asking someone to go from NJ to Boston (for instance) on this short a timeframe is asking a lot if they can't drive.

This doesn't even account for the mass of forms they sent that I have no idea where to begin with...or where the heck I'm supposed to find 5 professional references when I've spent the last year as an independent contractor for a virtual customer service place.

# ¿ Oct 30, 2016 01:37

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

Dr. Quarex posted:

1. I doubt anyone in the world could answer this question other than the people involved in conducting your interview. Certainly there are people who would be like "oh, you will not come a few hours up the coast for a sure-fire interview?" just as there are people who would be like "oh, he is hours away, oops, we should not have asked."

2. I cannot help but assume this is related to Schedule A hiring, as it sounds like you are doing that. I have certainly never heard of a "hiring list" before, though it sounds similar to the way the Returning Peace Corps Volunteers I know at my office ended up getting their jobs, so it makes sense that it would be a special hiring authority.

3. Well, it does happen. I actually got an invitation on Friday afternoon to interview the following Monday morning, and I had both that Friday and Monday off. Only because I happened to check my work e-mail on a lark did I even find out I had an interview before it was over.

I am trying for Schedule A hiring, yes. So basically, they were telling me that if the interview goes well, I'm being hired? Am I reading you right there, if the analogy to Peace Corps fits? (Considering they included a bunch of PDF forms for me to print and fill out and bring with me, that conclusion seems...more possible, now that I think about it.)

....Why the hell not just say that in simpler language? :psyduck:

(I recognize the need for form letters, but...) It's a situation where I am afraid of looking like an idiot and losing the opportunity that way, as would any jobseeker I guess, so it really does behoove the HR folks to be clear in what they say. I don't think I, or anyone else, would feel confident enough to ask.

# ¿ Oct 31, 2016 14:36

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

Update re me: They never replied to my email sent Friday asking for a reschedule/change of format, and they never replied to my email confirming that email.

So I'm supposing that job has passed me by, all because folks don't read their email. :cry:

# ¿ Nov 1, 2016 14:47

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

I believe (don't quote me on this) the answer is what's known as a "desk audit".

# ¿ Jun 29, 2018 12:07

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# ¿ May 5, 2024 15:43

Spacewolf: May 19, 2014

I get what would go to Interior - all the domestic "Civil Works" stuff - but what would go to State? The international bits of USACE are pretty focused on military construction, aren't they?

# ¿ Aug 7, 2018 14:15

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Business, Finance, and Careers > The U.S. Federal Government Jobs Megathread: Next time... be more careful!

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