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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grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

Odelle posted:

CAT scan technologist here, looking at some of the job openings for the VAs.

I know you start out with about 2 weeks' vacation, but do people ever take sabbaticals/ leaves of absence if I wanted to go away for a month or two? I like to travel, and two weeks isn't really enough to go somewhere like SE Asia. Is the government more flexible than the private sector?

It depends on the job and your supervisor, but generally speaking, no, you cannot take 2 months off and expect to still have a job when you get back. As a an entry-level salaried federal worker, you will get 13 days of paid vacation time annually, plus 13 sick days and 10 holidays. Anything above this is leave without pay, which you don't get paid for, but your supervisor can still authorize.

However, if you pick your job well, you'll not only get your month or two (or 12) of travel in SE asia, but get the government to pay for your airfare and all your living expenses. This job will probably will not be in the CAT scan technologies field, though you may find other jobs you're qualified enough for on paper to get hired into.

grover fucked around with this message at 04:08 on Jul 11, 2010

# ¿ Jul 11, 2010 04:05

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# ¿ Apr 25, 2024 04:48

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

Gravel Gravy posted:

Here's a related question. How often will private contractors front the funds for security clearances for employees? I imagine not often, if ever.

Employees are extremely expensive, as is recruiting employees. If the contractor needs cleared employees and can't get enough good applicants, they can and will pay for the clearance.

Government positions generally (but not always) only require that you be eligible to get a clearance; it's rare they require you to already hold one. Losing your clearance is one of the few easy ways to get yourself fired, too.

Carlton Banks posted:

I am interest in a career with the IRS (or any other federal accounting job) after finishing my masters next May. Is it worth registering at USAJobs and posting my resume this far in advance in order to get my name in the system as a potential candidate ahead of time, or is it best to wait until after graduation when everything is finalized (GPA, etc)?

Just wondering because I was told a while back that agencies such as the IRS only take resumes every so often so it is best to apply during your last year before graduating, but I don't know how accurate that is.

It certainly can't hurt to apply! You can update your resume after each semester.

# ¿ Jul 11, 2010 14:45

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

Crossbar posted:

How well do clearances transfer between agencies? If I have a clearance from State but a job wants a DOD clearance am I out of luck?

I'm pretty sure it's seamless to you. There's some work on the back-end, but you shouldn't have to redo the investigation.

# ¿ Jul 11, 2010 16:25

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

Pompous Rhombus posted:

I could have sworn a couple people (on SA) have said they did have to get them redone, although it's easier with the SF-86 all filled out already. It doesn't make sense to me, but then again, the government.

If you need a higher level clearance, you may have to start over again. I could be wrong, though. If you do need to resubmit an SF-86, it's a pain in the rear end, but only a minor inconvenience in the whole scheme of things. And one you have to do at regular intervals anyhow, even if you don't change jobs.

# ¿ Jul 11, 2010 18:18

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

Pompous Rhombus posted:

Some job postings offer GS-7 (I think) for "superior academic performance" and let that substitute for some of the experience/grad school.

A BS is only technically GS-5, but there are so many ways to qualify for GS-7 that most grads with a good academic standing will qualify for something and start as a GS-7.

Also, GS-13s are rather rare outside of DC, lest anyone get their homes up too high. GS-11/12 are typical journeyman positions for professional fields.

# ¿ Jul 14, 2010 21:44

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

Pompous Rhombus posted:

Yeah, it was the CIA who seemed most interested in me when I was at a job fair there a few years ago

Oh, the CIA is interested in everyone. No, they don't necessarily want to give you a job, they just want to hear all about you!

# ¿ Jul 15, 2010 03:15

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

Athazagoraphobia posted:

Just finished my interview for Secret clearance. After being lectured about my prior drug use, the interviewer would not make eye contact with me for the remaining duration of our conversation. I was informed that they did not interview anyone from my sf-86 and do not intend to. Apparently, honesty is for suckers.

Interviews are expensive; someone apparently decided you're not risky enough to bother, and that money can be better spent offsetting some other risk elsewhere, like putting up barbed wire fences or security cameras or banning thumb drives or something. I'm not sure the criteria, but your contacts will still likely at least get letters in the mail asking questions about you.

Also, when they ask about mp3/video piracy, they only care about mp3/video piracy done on government computers, and NOT what you do from home. They're pretty clear about this in the written stuff, but sometimes gloss this over during oral interviews.

grover fucked around with this message at 17:39 on Jul 16, 2010

# ¿ Jul 16, 2010 17:34

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

Pompous Rhombus posted:

Is there mandatory retirement for fed jobs? From what I've read, a lot of boomers are clinging to their jobs, either out of financial necessity (getting wiped out when the economy tanked) or just not wanting to retire.

No, but the old retirement plan (CSRS) is so damned good, they have next to no incentive to stay at work.

Edit: ah, forgot about select law enforcement positions.

grover fucked around with this message at 15:59 on Jul 18, 2010

# ¿ Jul 18, 2010 03:57

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

Pompous Rhombus posted:

The way it's been explained to me, a federal employer can create a position for you without having to advertise it to the general public, and you don't count towards their hiring quota. I know that you can use it for applying for those internal jobs as well, but it seems outside applicants (without relevant experience in the private sector, I guess) wouldn't generally be qualified for those jobs anyways :-\

Some positions are considered merit promotions, and are only advertised within an agency/department. Sometimes, they can even directly name select people if certain qualifications are met. Other positions- including virtually all entry level- are advertised to the general public.

# ¿ Jul 18, 2010 19:33

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

Synnr posted:

I fully aware that I am disqualified from law enforcement for the most part. I brought that up as something that I came across at some point, just sort of as a reference. What I'm interested in isn't exactly top secret, but working with the military as non-enlisted would probably require some clearance. I just wasn't sure as to what extreme clearance and the like would be necessary. Working in an overseas military hospital for instance. I'm a Type 1 rapid cycling Bipolar, though obviously extremes like Schizophrenia would be deemed unfit.

Partially I'm curious whether I would even hear anything back telling me it was because of that.

Not every job in the government or military requires a clearance. You'd only need a clearance if you need to deal with classified information.

The criteria for a clearance doesn't change when you go up to higher security levels, only how deep the anal probe goes. The same things that would disqualify you from a Top Secret clearance would disqualify you from Secret or Confidential as well.

# ¿ Jul 18, 2010 22:28

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

Gawain The Blind posted:

On a completely unrelated note, the IRS is apparently doing away with their internal hiring database and everything will be going to USAJOBS sometime (supposedly) in September. The only difference between internal postings and external postings at that point I guess will be the single check mark for "non competitive." None of us believe it will really happen when they say it will. Generally it takes them a LOONG time to actually implement a big change like that. They still have some stuff posted on Career Connector, and that was supposed to be phased out like two years ago.

I'm sure they'll word the experience requirements so that they still exclude anyone who's not already in the IRS.

# ¿ Jul 18, 2010 22:52

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

CherryCola posted:

I finally got a phone call from this government agency today, not sure if I should say which, it's not like the CIA or FBI or anything like that. He said he wants to talk to me about my resume (which I submitted like a month and a half ago, hurr). That's gotta be a good sign, right? Oh I should add that I missed the call and I think the office was closed by the time I called back.

Yes, that's generally a very good sign. They don't call you if they're not interested in you

Grr8 posted:

My PSI investigator emailed me from a personal email address, and it had numerous spelling/grammar mistakes. Is that normal, or is someone pulling a fast one on me here...

If he's really psi, he should be contacting your telepathically, not via poorly written personal email. I'd be a bit wary; he shouldn't be using personal email either. Not that it's never done, but it's very unprofessional. As to the email itself... some people are better at the english language than others. That said, it's rare to see actual horribly written emails from white-collar employees.

grover fucked around with this message at 10:44 on Jul 29, 2010

# ¿ Jul 29, 2010 10:40

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

CherryCola posted:

Wooo! I have a skype interview on the 14th! Any advice for skyping with the government?

Be patient as they work through the inevitable technical difficulties on their end, and wait for them to call you. After 5 minutes have passed (because they lost your phone number), call them.

# ¿ Jul 29, 2010 22:19

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

robertdx posted:

Woah, just found this thread because DustingDuvet linked it in his Resume thread, awesome! I'm graduating from a Ph.D. program in about a year and starting a barrage of applications.

Does anybody have any insight into the DR-scale of pay grades? I haven't seen anyone mention them here and I think it is just something odd that the AFRL uses: http://jobview.usajobs.gov/GetJob.aspx?JobID=89012896

The job description is so abstract I'm not exactly sure what to claim as far as experience goes. The questionnaire explicitly asks you what is the minimum DR grade you'd work for, and I'm not sure if saying DR-2 is a bad or a good idea.

DR is a pay band for those positions, but is unfortunately rather broad and very hard to say what, exactly, your starting salary would be. The hiring officials have some flexibility in setting salaries, but I'd imagine your salary would probably be $59k+ locality pay to start, with the potential for your salary to increase in small increments each year until you're making a maximum of $93k. Depending on circumstances and what you negotiate, they may start you higher within the band. Locality pay varies from area to area, but will probably add somewhere between $10-20k to your salary.

Basic Pay Range DR-02: $59,481-$93,400

Basic Pay Range DR-03: $82,094-$116,013

Basic Pay Range DR-04: $104,707-$129,517

Each position has a specific pay band attached to it. If you interview for a DR-02 position, you'll get DR-02 pay. Likewise for DR-03 or DR-03 positions. DR-03 and DR-04 are more senior level positions. DR-02 is *probably* the only one you'd be qualified for without any work experience, but you'd really have to call the POC on the listing and ask them about it. They can answer all the specific questions.

# ¿ Aug 20, 2010 21:19

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

Pram posted:

What exactly happens after I get an email like this?

Is there an interview or something, this email isn't very helpful.

It's rather meaningless, assuming you already knew you were qualified for the position.

# ¿ Sep 4, 2010 01:38

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

I got a call yesterday from a colleague at another command wanting to hire me for a job I hadn't even applied for. Not the first time this has happened, either. All ya'll really have to do is just be awesome at what you do and opportunities will just roll on in!

# ¿ Sep 24, 2010 02:22

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

Sundae posted:

I got a voice-mail this afternoon from the USPTO inviting me down for an interview this Wednesday.

I have no freakin' clue how I'm going to get from eastern CT to Alexandria VA for a Wednesday interview. I can't afford the airfare, hotel, or train fare, and it's a 7 hour drive. Woohoo on the interview, but drat that's inconveniently timed.

Anyone have any clue if they reimburse interview expenses? It's a loooong trip from Connecticut.

Ask the HR person, but I believe you're entitled to full reimbursement, plus per diem (about $100/day). NRL flew me down to DC for an interview once when I lived in State College, PA; they paid all the expenses. I'd just ask for a phone interview, though.

# ¿ Oct 2, 2010 16:21

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

Sundae posted:

I sent an e-mail to the HR rep asking whether the agency reimbursed interview travel expenses, and received back both a 'no' and an interview cancellation.

I guess they don't much care for applicants asking questions.

Wow, that sucks! I can't help but think the interview cancellation was a coincidence; they cancel interviews for a number of reasons, most of which have nothing to do with anything you did. The HR agent might simply not have yet informed you about the cancellation and figured replying to your question was a good time to do it. If you reply and ask why, they might tell you.

Could be something as simple as a mistake on position announcement and having to readvertise the position for legal reasons.

# ¿ Oct 6, 2010 00:58

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

chuchumeister posted:

This might seem an incredibly naive question, and I've tried to find the answer myself by looking up the pay grades and such, but I can't figure it out.

When a job announcement lists a salary, is that before taxes, Social Security, etc. or after? Basically, I'm wondering if the announcement says I'll get $30k a year, do I get $30k or something way below that?

I'm waiting to hear back from a legal assistant position... the announcement closed on the 17th last month, so I know I've still got a bit to wait but still, money's getting tight and if I get that job, it might be the difference between getting to stay in my apartment or having to sublease.

The announcements will list a pay range. If they're GS scale, you can find the pay grades on OPM's website. There is base pay that's the same nationwide for each grade, plus locality pay that varies by area. If you don't see your area, use the "Rest of US" table. There are different "steps" to each GS scale, which allow a progression of raises across your career. You will get a step increase every year to Steps 2-4, every two years from steps 5-7 and every three years from steps 8-10. These are automatic. If your job listing is for a single GS scale, you'd start out as "Step 1". If it lists a range of GSs (like some generic listings do), then you'd have to contact the HR person to find out which GS grade your position is.

There are also "pay bands" at some agencies - these are very flexible and there's no set salary, just a big range. They'll often parallel the GS scale for comparable positions, but not necessarily.

In all these cases, this is your annual salary. Taxes, retirement, social security, health insurance, etc, is all taken out of this. You'll probably get somewhere about 2/3 of it as take-home pay after taxes and all come out, but it's hard to say until you get that first paycheck as taxes vary depending on income and deductions, costs of insurance plans vary considerably as well, and how much retirement you're taking out.

For example: If your job was a GS-5 and you lived in Virginia Beach, you'd start as a GS-5 step one making $31,315 annually. Your typical paycheck (every other Friday) would be $1204, with about $800-900 or so take home pay after deductions. This time next year, you'd get a raise to GS-5 step 2, making $32,359.

grover fucked around with this message at 12:16 on Oct 9, 2010

# ¿ Oct 9, 2010 12:08

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

A quick tip on retirement for federal employees: Put 5% into TSP!! TSP is the federal equivalent of a 401k mutual fund, with a number of different mutual funds. C-fund tracks the S&P500, S-fund is small caps and I-fund is the international fund. G & F funds are for bonds and poo poo and have low risk but low returns- you'll use them when you're 60, but use C, S and I now.

No matter what funds you select, the government will put in 1% of your base pay automatically into TSP as part of your retirement. If you put in more, they will match you $1 for $1 up to 3%, and $.50 for $1 up to 5%. So:

code:

You put in:  Gov matches:  Total:
    0%            1%          1%       
    1%            2%          3%
    2%            3%          5%
    3%            4%          7%
    4%           4.5%        8.5%
    5%            5%          10%

As you can see, it's a very good return on your investment, regardless of what your debt situation or other investments look like. With compound interest, $500 now will be matched by $500 by the gov, and be worth $15,000 in 40 years when you retire. [note: this is at 7% a year average return. C-fund has averaged 9.3% since inception in 1988.] You'll need this, as the pension under FERS (Federal Employee Retirement System - aka) sucks rear end. FERS gives you 1% of your averaged top 3 years of pay for every year of service. Work 25 years, get 25% of your pay as your pension. You'll get a pittance from social security on top of that. At most of our ages here, early retirement is possible at 55, but full retirement benefits won't come until 67. And congress is talking about pushing that even older. If you want to retire at a reasonable age, you need to plan for it now. I have, I've even timed my mortgage payments to end just before retirement as a sort of supplement, and I'm on track to retire at 55 at close to my full salary.

# ¿ Oct 9, 2010 12:30

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

McCoy Pauley posted:

If a job potentially pays several different grades, and you hit Step 10, do you at some point (in some automatic way) move up to the next grade (e.g., go from, say, GS 12 Step 10 to GS 13 Step 1)? Or is moving up a grade not something automatic based on time?

No, once you hit step 10, you stop getting raises. To go between GS levels requires a promotion or a special job program with built-in raises. Like, entry level engineers will go GS-7, 9, 11 over an 18 month period. But most are simply that grade.

BTW, congress usually votes small cost of living adjustments most years after new years. They're small, rarely more than 3%, and are supposed to keep the wages in-line with inflation. You'll get these whether you get a step increase or not.

# ¿ Oct 9, 2010 19:55

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

CherryCola posted:

So I've done my vision screening, drug screening and preliminary background investigation interview. Apparently someone already called my ex-roommate too. Considering I turned in my paperwork at the beginning of October, does this mean the process is going somewhat quickly? This temp job is possibly the worst working environment I've ever encountered, oh god I hope my clearance goes fast.

Yes, those are all good signs it will be finished very quickly instead of dragging on 2 years like what happened to a couple hundred thousand people back a few years ago when the FBI laid off about half their investigators and then upgraded their computer system and broke it for a month.

# ¿ Oct 29, 2010 12:51

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

CherryCola posted:

I guess my lady is actually a contractor with the DIA, so maybe that's a good thing? I was really pleasantly surprised because she was incredibly friendly and made me really at ease during the whole interview. I was afraid it was going to be some serious-business, scary dude in a suite and sunglasses.

They want you to be relaxed and casual because it's easier to get you to fess up to all sorts of poo poo that may cost you a clearance. If they're too intimidating and formal, you're less likely to come clean on stuff.

# ¿ Oct 29, 2010 20:00

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

Wartime Consigliere posted:

I'm a little lost on the USAJOBS site. What is GS-#, and which of those are entry level type of positions?

GS- is the pay grade for salaried government positions, from GS-1 to GS-15. GS-5 to 7 are typical entry level jobs for college grads; exactly what depends on the job. With experience, GS-11 and GS-12 jobs are fairly common journeyman level for professionals. Each GS has 10 steps; you typically start out as a step 1 when first hired, and get a step increase each yet to step 4, then every other year after that, and then every 3 years from step 7 on.

http://www.opm.gov/oca/10tables/indexGS.asp

WG are wage grades for hourly positions.

# ¿ Nov 5, 2010 19:44

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

jerman999 posted:

What is the maximum grade I can come in as with a Master's degree (from a govt school) and a year or so of half-time experience in a field?

What job field?

# ¿ Nov 6, 2010 03:22

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

jerman999 posted:

My work involves defense planning, so I would be working at OSD or PA&E.

I'm not too familiar with those so I'm just stabbing here, but like Evil Spongebob said, Masters will usually get you a GS-9 (equivalent to a BS + 1 year of experience), and a year of experience will get that up to, probably, a GS-11. Gov likes GS-14s and 15s to have Masters, so it will help you more in 20 years than it will now.

# ¿ Nov 6, 2010 13:36

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

CherryCola posted:

Any insight?

They already gave you the polygraph, you just didn't realize it. That's part of the test. :ninja:

# ¿ Nov 11, 2010 15:25

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

Happydayz posted:

it's also worth pointing out that we are under continuing resolution authority until Congress passes a budget, which under this climate might push well into March. In other words - most of the federal government won't be able to make any offers and on-board new hires for several months.

Vacant positions in existing billets can be filled, though, just new billets can't be created? That was my understanding, at least; CRA basically just extends FY10 spending levels so anything that was funded in FY10 is funded under CRA, command just run the risk of FY11 budget cuts from FY10 levels really loving with their resourcing.

# ¿ Nov 26, 2010 17:52

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

Obama just announced a 2-year federal civilian employee pay freeze

My real-world income has decreased every year since 2006, which really sucks; my salary has increased tiny amount each year, but taxes and insurance have gone up much faster; my allotments are smaller and smaller every year. "Deflation" my rear end!

# ¿ Nov 29, 2010 17:41

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

Pompous Rhombus posted:

Just to be certain, this doesn't include stuff like automatic promotions to the next GS grade, right?

I don't think it impacts step increases or promotions, but the 2010 GS table will also be the 2011 and 2012 GS table. They may give small locality pay adjustments in some areas. Hard to say until it gets through congress.

This needs to be approved by congress before it becomes law, but congress will have a hard time politically if they push back on this

# ¿ Nov 29, 2010 18:47

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

dvgrhl posted:

Yeah, it only applies to cost of living increases. Step increases and promotions wouldn't be affected. I think this is stupid, because it either needs to be across the board Federal freeze or none at all. The argument loses it's justification when it's only applied to a portion of the Federal government. To be fair, I wouldn't have a problem with it if it was applied to everyone in the Federal government.

There are other ramifications to lower pay as well. Recruitment and retention, for example; it's hard to attract and retain good people with poo poo pay. Government pay is already below market rate in many fields; every % it drops lower with respect to commercial pay and inflation is a % of people we lose.

We don't want every federal organization to end up with pissed off incompetents like always seem to be working at the DMV when I have to go there.

# ¿ Nov 30, 2010 11:29

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

USA Today is reporting about how federal workers make twice as much as regular americans, completely ignoring how most federal positions are professional and high-level managerial, and that almost all the wage-level jobs are contracted out. Sadly, though, a lot of voting Americans believe the bullshit.

On the other hand, Newsweek tells it like it really is:

http://www.newsweek.com/blogs/the-gaggle/2010/11/29/why-does-barack-obama-want-to-cut-the-salaries-of-federal-employees.html

Newsweek posted:

The other reason many liberals are opposed to cutting pay for federal employees is that the argument for such a cut is based on the suspect premise that federal civil servants are highly paid. Many federal employees do indeed make more than the average American, but that's because of the type of work they do and their qualifications. Cabinet departments and law enforcement agencies are filled with lawyers, holders of advanced degrees, and other experts. Compared to the economy as a whole there are relatively few high school drop outs doing low-paid menial work for the federal government. So, in fact, it turns out that federal employees actually make less than private sector employees with comparable jobs. A report by the U.S. Office of Personnel Office for Fiscal Year 2011 found that federal employees' average 22.13 percent less (the disparity is bigger or smaller depending on where in the country). "In the context of the overall deficit problem Obama will get chump change from this policy and will only enlarge the degree to which Federal pay lags behind that of the private sector," says Lawrence Mishel, president of the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute.

# ¿ Dec 1, 2010 11:39

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

dvgrhl posted:

Also, keep in mind that everyone in the Federal government is going to have to cut back on their budget. Right now there is still no budget passed, and RIFs aren't out of the question. From everything I have seen, programs are trying like crazy to hire right now before the assumed hiring freeze to come in January. Those people are just going to be the first to get let go if things keep going the way that they are though. That doesn't apply universally, but job security isn't a given for new hires right now.

Budget cuts are nothing new; more par for the course and not really a game changer. Even the salary freeze sucks and all, but it's a 1.4% difference. Government service remains far more stable the private industry as far as job security goes. Even if your position is RIFed during a budget action, it generally takes an act of congress and you get several years warning, and when it does go, the government will give you priority hiring for other government jobs you're remotely qualified for. Beats the gently caress out of a friday afternoon pink slip.

You can make more money in private industry, though, you've got that right. Nobody gets rich working for the government.

# ¿ Dec 13, 2010 11:54

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

Pompous Rhombus posted:

That's basically the beauty of the system, there's no real imperative to help find a job if not finding one means awardees have to pay back the money the government invested; it's either a win or at least no loss for them. From the literature they make it sound like federal employers are beating down the doors to hire Boren awardees (they aren't, at least if you didn't study Arabic or something SW Asian), and that NSEP's job placement activities are effective, but in reality it's a token amount; they advertise maybe 1-2 positions a month, which are either GS-11 poo poo I couldn't even think of applying for, or the occasional entry level thing I do apply for, but gets mobbed by the hundreds of other highly-qualified Boren Scholars/Fellows/FLAS awardees.

What's wrong with GS-11? GS-5/7 is standard entry level for a college graduate with a BS in a professional field; even a PhD will only net you a GS-9 out of school. GS-11 is pretty damned good for an entry-level salary.

# ¿ Jan 21, 2011 07:48

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

Pompous Rhombus posted:

Yeah, pretty much. I do qualify for the GS-7 positions since I had good grades in school, and I noticed that DSS was even going to give me equivalent points to having a Master's for my second BA.

Sorry, I misunderstood what you were saying. I think what it boils down to is that there are a number of positions where there is no entry level work, only work that requires an experienced person, regardless of how well educated th entry level applicant might be. It's the ages old catch-22. There ARE entry level positions out there, but it may take a lot of time to find them.

# ¿ Jan 22, 2011 13:23

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

A 1 year job is still a job for a year. Also, experience++ never hurts.

# ¿ Jan 30, 2011 15:58

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

amethystbliss posted:

I got the research job! The listing had a salary range, but when I asked what the pay would be, they said it was set at GS7 step 1, which is the lowest of the range given on the job description. Is there any room for negotiation? It's a VA hospital if that matters.

That salary range generally represents promotion potential, not starting salary. Under GS, you're guaranteed a raise every year for the first three years (step 2-4), then every 2 years after that (5-7) and 3 years (8-10). If you were getting a promotion from a GS-5 position, you'd come in at one step higher than whatever GS-7 equivalent to the GS-5 step you were (rounded up).

I've heard of some commands bringing people in at higher step levels, so I know it's possible, but pretty sure it's not common. Wouldn't hurt to ask your HR rep if the hiring official has that authority.

# ¿ Feb 12, 2011 14:31

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

problematique posted:

Just what the hell exactly does "Eligible � Application Not Referred to Selecting Official" mean? I'm pretty fed up and disenfranchised with the whole applying for federal job. I've gotten about 30-40 of these. I don't even want an interview. I'm just curious why I'm eligible for jobs and not being referred. USAJOBS.gov is a big joke. Does anyone actually get hired from it outside of vets/ex-dod?

I just don't understand how people keep at it.

Hey, first hit in google for a copy/paste of that phrase: https://my.usajobs.gov/help/help.aspx?k=/account/applyhistory.aspx

"Candidate meets minimum qualification requirements, but is not determined to be among the best qualified and so is not referred for selection consideration." The jobs are still out there, it's just that someone else out there is getting the interviews. Maybe you need to bump up your resume a bit? Throw as many keywords on there as humanly possible.

# ¿ Feb 13, 2011 00:06

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# ¿ Apr 25, 2024 04:48

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

psydude posted:

It means you didn't score highly enough on the screening questionnaire.

General rule of thumb when asked if you're experienced/qualified for something:

Answer "Yes" and your adventure continues. Answer "No" and you will wake up the next morning still unemployed.

# ¿ Feb 13, 2011 00:46

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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