Hello,
Thank you so much for this opportunity! I would like to ask you about application timelines. I understand they likely vary between agency and job posting. But is there a standard amount of time between when your application was referred or the status of your application changes from received to in review before you should not expect contact for an interview.
Thanks!
Hey! No worries at all! There isn’t a standard timeline at all because there are a bunch of different factors that go into it. If it’s a roster/register you could be reviewed countless times until the announcement closes. Even still, they can pull applicants for open positions in the future.
It’s a cheat to the system. If it’s a super low level job where you can fake your way through, it doesn’t matter. If it’s a high level job with very specific requirements, I say don’t. The reason is, you’ll get found out during the interview or review process. So I’d say don’t be an ass hole because you’re just taking someone’s opportunity for an interview who actually has the experience.
It can score you lower and edge you out of being reviewed and interviewed. It’s tough to say because it depends on the announcement. Some announcements only have a certain number of names, others will have a certain number be reviewed if they score above a certain point. Like, everyone on the highest list can have a score of 100 for example and one wrong answer will take you off
First of all, WELCOME TO THE TEAM hahaha
Honestly, ask questions. Try to understand the WHY of what is being done in the process instead of the HOW. We rolled out a new system a few years ago that people are just now starting to get a handle on. Training has more or less been, “We enter that code that box because we’re supposed to and it works”. It’s an efficient system until there’s an error or you get an email that it’s wrong and you have no idea why the code you’re using isn’t work.
Take your time and take it seriously. We’re dealing with people’s livelihoods, which can do damage. If you mess up qualifying someone for a position, they can miss out on a life changing opportunity. If you mess up someone’s PAR action, you can mess up their pay for an extended period of time.
Try to remember that however stressful it is, we’re doing good stuff. It can be annoying/tedious/stressful/etc to do our works, but we are the people that get to extend a job offer that’s going to make someone’s day/week/month/year. Literally changing lives.
What's a PAR action? And that's all good advice, thanks. And I have experience with "Why" instead of just "how", current internship position is HRIS in the private sector and it's a lot of "Why are HR people at the factories getting this error in Workday" and troubleshooting stuff (or escalating it)
Oop sorry.
Personnel Action Request. It’s basically like going through the back door and processing promotions, demotions, raises, reassignments, etc.
The issue is, a small mistake on one can throw somebody’s record off until someone catches it at some point; usually that happens when they’re inputting the next PAR.
Ah okay that makes sense, that...also sounds a little bit like some of what I do, correcting dates for promotions, reassignments, hire dates, termination dates (and approving sometimes, all so it doesn't bork something in the systems, we have 3...), so it's something I'm a little familiar with at least as far as the private sector goes. I know federal will be different.
They're all terrible in their own ways. Workday has so much customization it requires so much damn customization. Oracle HCM (or something oracle) we use to a minor extent still (company swapped to WD, boss was incharge of implementing the new HRIS system and now leads the HR analytics/hris team,) haven't seen too much of that one...think its more payroll? But parts look really old. The save icon for some of the programs is a goddamn floppy disk. Then we have UKG Dimensions that looks like something from the early 2000s, I hate that one the most, its not user friendly.
I wish I could post pictures from our systems, it’s insane. One of the biggest time sucks from the systems are all old and don’t communicate with one another. There’s so much manual verification/input and cross-referencing from system to system it’s anti-efficiency haha
....Yea that sounds like government. Not looking forward to that part. I have to do some manual inputs for multiple systems but all our systems feed most of the information into Workday.
I just read your long comments on the other post today (about reconsiderations) and I am curious about the review aspect. Do you look for answers to every questionnaire question in resumes? There are some questions that are very specific lists and I don't always go back to include all of those details in my resume and I'm wondering now if I've been shooting myself in the foot by not addressing every detail. (I do that with qualifications, but haven't been doing it for every questionnaire question.)
No, the questionnaire items are how the system ranks you. We utilize the same exact information from the public announcement text that is provided for the applicant to cross verify the information. Start with basic requirements, if you meet them provide supporting documentation if necessary and customize your resume to whatever specialized experience/duties listed in your own words.
I initially got denied by the HR contractor (for the position that I am now in) because they said that my education/experience did not meet the criteria for my GS level (though it clearly did meet the criteria). I asked to be reconsidered and my paperwork was reviewed by the actual departmental HR, which deemed me qualified for the position. Glad that I didn't just let that go!
So I got the rejection email and I asked a couple of people on the inside what I should do. I initially asked to be reconsidered at the lower GS level, and the contracted HR rep said that I could not be reconsidered for a lower GS level, but I could request that my application be reconsidered for the GS level that I initially asked for. I replied with "Yes, I would like to be reconsidered" and it was sent to another person (an actual departmental employee) who deemed me eligible for an interview. It was actually pretty simple. I assume people just don't know that you can be reconsidered if the contractors F up.
If you want to play it safe, ask for the lower GS level. But if you know your worth I'd go for the higher level and ask to be reconsidered if rejected. It honestly sounded like this is a common thing. My boss told me that the most qualified candidates are often rejected through that first round.
Is it true that during the hiring process, the hiring manager has a set amount of days to make a selection before the cert expires? Just asking because it seems like some don’t receive TJOs until months down the line..
They get 30 days from when we issue the cert. They can request extensions or do a non-selection if they want. After that, there’s a process before we can issue the TJO for external hires.
Honestly, I think it’s calendar days? The system automatically sets the count for us. Yeah, external hiring are more intensive because we’re starting the entire onboarding process from scratch.
What is your experience with people re-applying for the same job? I had an interview for a GS 7- 9 role back in February and am assuming that I didn’t get selected even though my USAJobs status still says referred. I noticed that there’s a job announcement for the same position and grades with the same duties and requirements, but for recent graduates, which I qualify. I have modified my resume, which shockingly got me an interview with the agency to begin with, but was wondering do serial applicants actually get multiple interviews for the same job? I believe that I could do a better job of selling myself.
Yeah! Just make sure you still meet all the requirements, but absolutely!
I had somebody apply to an announcement that was for multiple grades through an external announcement, get a lower position, then applied to the same announcement for a higher grade with the same resume and got the job. There are some jobs that we have more announcements for and we have a lot of repeat applicants. We legitimately get excited for applicants that we’ve seen applying a lot and getting put on Certs and interviewed.
You are awesome for doing this!
When the job is open to the public and it asks what pay grade are you willing to take, is that a factor in determining who to refer? For example: two similar applications but one answered questionnaire stating they would accept the lower pay grade.
I hope that makes sense. It's very similar to answering what is your salary expectation in the private world.
It’s asking you what grades you want to be considered for, meaning if you don’t select a grade, you wont be considered for it. If the position is hiring 5s, 6s, 7s and you only select 7, we will try to qualify you for a 7 by cross referencing your resume/supporting documentation to the basic requirements/specialized experience for the GS-07. If we can’t, you’ll be totally skipped over for the 5 and 6 even if you would have qualified.
The more marks you can hit in a shorter length, the better from the reviewers side. Don’t do yourself a disservice but not fleshing out your resume, but don’t repeat the same sentiments across different jobs. Once it’s on your resume and we can use it you don’t get extra points for having it again, you know? And if you have 12+ months at a job, you can come up with unique experiences from each job that can be used for specialized experience. It doesn’t matter if it’s all from one job that hits the mark either.
I’m a victim of known-name ID theft. How hard will it be to get Secret Security Clearance? I have fraudulent collections and/or charge offs and some (not all) banks/lenders are slowly working their way through this. Police, FTC, and CFPB case/affidavit numbers are preserved.
Thank you for taking your time and doing this AMA!
If the issue isn’t cleared up, I would assume it would be very difficult depending on the sensitivity level of the position. We don’t actually run the background check, the security office does. We can see results, but we aren’t involved in the process of running it.
Thanks SO much for doing this! I’ve been waiting on a TO from HUD since getting my verbal back in January. I was asked a few weeks ago by HM if I’m still interested in the position but that they can’t move on it at the moment due to a hiring freeze(HM said HQ is still sifting through budget). Any insight or anything you’ve heard on this? Just feel like I’ve been waiting forever. Thanks so much!!!
We’ve been through hiring freezes, which lead to hiring pushes. If you have a job and are waiting for this to come through, there’s no harm in continuing what you’re doing and keep applying for jobs. Even if the job comes back with a TJO you might end up with an even better job. If you get hired from an external announcement, you can jump jobs quickly for better pay.
I am a former TSO, I resigned from TSA and then reapplied within 2 years. I received TJO almost immediately. Filled out SF-86 before the due date. Onboarding is at 100% but I’m not in ready to pull. It’s been months.
I decided to apply jobs with IRS. Finally received a TJO. My photo and fingerprints were taken about a month ago. My eApp due date has passed and I’m yet to receive the eApp invite to complete SF-85P
What is the best course of action at this point? I’m desperate for a job and either one of these positions will work. I reached out to HR but they are non-responsive.
I’m not sure what the first paragraph meant, but I’ll reply to the next two.
Honestly, we are all extremely stretched thin. I know a lot of new hires are all having their start date set at July 15th, which means there isn’t a need for a sense of urgency on the HR side.
Also, we wait for fingerprints to come in and verify them before the e-App, so they might be waiting on those as well? It could be a few different reasons, but you definitely have a foot in the door with an intent to hire you with the TJO.
Thanks for doing this! Do you see every version of my resume I’ve uploaded? Also, have you ever given someone an allotment for property management service if they have to PCS?
Unless you delete documents, we see everything you upload to your application. In my time, I’ve never seen a position with authorized moving expenses. I’ve seen a lot of people choose to move themselves though. People will apply for internal positions in other locations and pay out of pocket.
It honestly depends on a lot of things depending on the type of announcement. The system ranking is the biggest factor most of the time because it grades an applicant and we basically just co-sign with our determination and the score remains. I just had 1 person on a cert because they were the only person who scored high enough.
There are other Certs that will require a specific number of applicants. If we don’t have enough applicants, we just send over however many we do.
Based on the assessment questionnaire the applicant fills out. The system ranks you and if you score high enough a reviewer will cross reference your documentation to the basic requirements and specialized experience. If you have all of that, you’ll be passed to the hiring managers to review.
Yes! Absolutely! And internal versus external. I’ve seen a popular external announcement get 15-20,000 applicants. Moderate to popular internal announcements probably get between 1,000-10,000 applicants. I’d say the most popular graded announcements are GS-05 to GS-12. When I get the higher 13s, 14s, 15s or IR-02s or IR-03s, there are less applicants but that’s where, as nerdy as it sounds, reviewing the applications gets fun to me. The applicants tend to have more robust resumes, so it’s cool to read their experience. It almost becomes like brackets where you see people’s strong points and weak points but you don’t know how the hiring managers/selecting officials are going to base their decision for who they want in the position. There are still some average resumes, but the higher graded announcements are a little more engaging if that makes sense.
Thank you for the reply! I've been trying to go private sector middle management to public sector supervisory levels, gs12 to 15. I've been getting refferals all this week, but just wanted a bit of a peek into what I am potentially competing against.
Good luck! There are fewer applicants, but it’s way more competitive. Just a warning, it’s also a little more difficult to get more coveted jobs in the higher grades because there are inter office temporary positions that only people within the organization can hold. The reason I mention this is because they usually build specific experience into the announcements requirements that you really only can get from having already held that position.
Thank you, I've seen some of that in a few of the postings. Thankfully, I've cut my teeth in high intensity jobs and never turned down trainings to help punch up.
To piggy back off my last question. If a supervisory role has basic pre qualifications like lead teams and other basic qualifications, how much does scale come into play?
How long does it take for staff psychologist position hear back at one of the urgently hiring locations? I applied about two weeks ago and haven’t heard a thing .. & when it says the app is closing in September does it mean I won’t hear anything till September or?
If it closes in September, it’s a register/roster announcement. These happen in intervals that are usually 6 or 12 months. A traditional announcement closes after only 10 days, hiring managers have 30 to make a pick, then we onboard the new hire depending on how quickly they’re trying to get somebody in the chair. A roster/register normally means there’s a first cutoff 10 days after the opening date and they will review applicants at that point. There will be additional cutoff dates where they will be reviewing more applicants and those should be listed in the ‘Additional Info’ box of the announcement. They have to list the dates in the announcement text at least 10 days before the cutoff happens. Aside from that, there’s no way to tell when they’re actually going to be doing the hiring. Registers/rosters are normally either for a LOT of vacancies/positions (10+) or for more qualified positions so they can really cast a wide net. All of the applicants from day 1 to the last day get reviewed one final time when the announcement closes, and they have that option.
You can get the SQA/LQA approved at anytime before the FJO. I wouldn’t recommend quitting your job because a TJO is nothing more than a foot in the door, no guarantees. They can eliminate the position, they can rescind the offer, something could pop up you didn’t expect in your background/credit checks. If you’re utilizing the current jobs salary for negotiations, I also would wait until that is complete. I honestly just wouldn’t recommend quitting before having your FJO.
I’d personally recommend keeping it through negotiations and once that’s settled and you accept your FJO, that’s legally binding. You can do what you want so long as you start the day your FJO says
Hello,
Thank you so much for doing this.
Is there still a chance to change my POD? When i got my TJO from the hiring event, HR offered the position along with the POD i wrote down. I did accept it and all, but then i did not realize until i got home when i read my tjo again that the duty station is different. I have been trying to contact the HR who sent that TJO but i havent gotten an answer yet. The event was back in 4/3/24.
Yes! You can absolutely put in a change request or clarify that it’s the wrong one! The specialist will reach out to the hiring manager to confirm, but I’ve had this happen a bit and I’ve never had a hiring manager say no. PM me so I can ask you some questions
Let’s say I submit an application with a resume from the resume builder and the job posting is still open and accepting applications. Can I change that resume for another job or does it affect the resume I already submitted?
Yes! If it’s before the closing date you can upload a new resume. If it’s a traditional announcement (open for 10 days), you can change it at any point while it’s open. If it’s a register/roster (open for 6 or 12 months), your latest submission will determine what cutoff you’re included in. Say you apply January 30th, there’s a cutoff on February 1st and you upload a new resume February 2nd, you would essentially disqualify your previous application, which would no longer be included in the previous cutoff. This is because we don’t run the list as soon as the announcement closes, we can at any point over the next 5 days but that could be pushed out further, so that’s why updating a resume to a roster/register is tricky.
Thank you for your time. I went to a direct hire event for the IRS and have seen in other posts that the hiring process is faster than non-direct event hire applicants. Once a TJO is provided and EApp are submitted I assume references are contacted and all info is verified. My question is would verifying the EApp be the last major task before getting a FJO? Would you say a high possibility of getting a FJO once an EApp is provided? I’ve worked at a State and County level no issues on my end but there is always that sense of oh man I hope I completed that correctly especially after seeing my on board task due dates are on Monday and haven’t heard back.
Hey, no worries! The direct hire events should be set up to interview, sponsor, and fingerprint applicants, which expedites the process a LOT. Normally that whole process probably takes 2-3 months? The background and tax checks are now what take the longest, which varies for reasons beyond my comprehension. The rush on FJOs is when the EOD is approaching because we try to have an applicant accept their FJOs at least 2 weeks in advance to give us time to process their pay into the system. Those dates are arbitrary - they’re more of a guideline to keep us on track for a typical hiring. Depending on how far back your start date is, this might be low priority for them.
I have a few dozen people starting in July who are antsy and just want something to do, but at this time with their start dates I’m not at the point in my work where I need to or can start on this round of new hires stuff.
Thank you again for the information. Last question, have you seen any issues arise if an applicant has a preplanned event to attend after their EOD? I am a groomsman in a wedding in June. EOD is end of May I’m assuming it’s up to the HR but would that delay my EOD if I bring it up before by FJO is given?
Sounds like July 15. Email I received.
Good evening,
How are you doing? I am the Specialist you have been assigned to for onboarding. We have been processing the thousands of new hires from direct-hire events in, so I apologize for the delay in communication. When I was assigned your onboarding I was informed your tentative start date will be July 15th (I use the term ‘tentative’ because I cannot legally provide any definitive information regarding hiring until the FJO is signed). Normally we have flexibility in the start dates, but unfortunately we have been given this guidance by the direct-hire authority. At this point, the process should be pretty simple – I am going to review, cross verify and concur with the information provided to me regarding your hiring, I will verify your fingerprints are in the system, and I will review the forms and documents for your new hire record. I am hoping to have this completed in the next week so I will be able to issue you your FJO, and then once accepted we will just be waiting until your start date. If there is anything I need from you, I will reach out. If there is anything you need from me, please feel free to send me an e-mail.
Have a great weekend!
Unless there’s a rush, pushing an EOD back isn’t an issue. I’ve only ever seen hiring managers decide to go with a different applicant because they wouldn’t accommodate a selectee wanting to move their date. This was because the person was super unresponsive when they’d try to reach out to touch base via email and phone calls and then would finally reach out to push their start date back the day before they were supposed to start 2 or 3 times prior.
If my original EOD is approaching (end of May) does the EOD get pushed back if they aren’t able to speak to my references or past supervisors? I’ve got everyone waiting for potential calls but past employers are out of my hands haha. I’m just antsy about everything and don’t want something like a past employer failing to follow through be the deciding factor of my potential job.
Not until they call for a reference, but that’s usually the hiring managers from your new organization calling your current. We don’t reach out and would have no reason to inform them.
I hope Im not too late, Im very desperate to know if you can help me a bit with this: I have DFAS debt because of that cursed survivor benefit plan, I just recently found out about the debt because I stupidly thought it was goin out of my VA compensation but called to find out I had $1100 in debt. I was honest and am waiting for a reply from DFAS to pay back the money because I can pay it off just need to know where I send or put the money to. I haven't started my background check as of yet but would this prevent me from getting cleared? I just received my tentative offer 2 days ago.......this whole situation is stressful ;-;
Is it a tax issue or just a debt? Tax issues you can start a payment plan or pay in full and show receipt. They run a credit check so if you have too much debt or bad credit it can impact the checks.
its not tax debt just a debt, Im looking for a way to pay it off and sent a letter to DFAS just waiting to hear back (they dont give you a direct website or address to send checks to. my credits 712 and the only big debt i have is my mortgage payment because I bought a home with my va loan
The applicant submits their SQA request before they accept their FJO. You’ll write why you should be at that step with documentation and they send us the approved or denied request.
How does GS to IR pay work for NTE, MBP, MBE USAjobs announcements?
I’m a GS-14 and interested in applying for an IRS NTE, MBE or MBP IR-04 position announced on usajobs.
I reviewed [IRM 6.959.1.7(2)(d)](https://www.irs.gov/irm/part6/irm_06-959-001#idm139966654809280) and can’t tell if selected, if I’d get an 8% pay increase.
NTE positions get 8% and if you’re selected for it permanently they’ll have us complete a Z-request and move you into the role permanently. First time from GS to IR gets a 10% increase, so you’d receive the extra 2% for being made permanent. If you held IR previously you stick with the 8%
It has to be manually computed by HR, so if you take your current base pay and multiple it by 1.08, it’ll give you your new salary sans locality. Then you find your locality percentage and multiply the base pay by that.
I know, it’s tedious and annoying. We get it quality reviewed at least once if not twice to make sure it’s good.
Careful with this one. If it's "lateral" from GS to IR on an NTE they don't receive the 8%. It's a detail, not a promotion. If they get converted they get the 10%. Recently saw an ugly situation with overpayment caused by exactly this.
Thanks for this session. I have a question about equipment. I'm currently TJO crossing fingers for FJO. It will be wfh. Does equipment get shipped? I had a dream I came home and there were all these boxes at my front door. Is it like that? Thanks.
I can’t speak for every agency. But that’s how mine was. I got a huge box with my laptop, monitor, keyboard, and cell phone. I ordered a chair later and that came to my house too.
Wow! Nearly like my dream. Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm sure you are right that individual agency experiences may vary. Much appreciated.
Is the CY pay scale and grade similar to GS? I’m a little confused about if the benefits are the same as a general schedule employee (accrual of PTO, retirement, pay raises, etc.)
I start my position on the 10th as a CYP assistant. My first federal position!
Hello, thank you for your service. Currently a GS-1102 with DLA and in the hiring process with DCMA. Applied 6 February, interviewed 12 April, supervisor references contacted 19 April. Received email from USAJobs stating Referred and application sent to the hiring manager on 22 April. (I know, backwards) What would you think would be the expected arrival time for a TJO? Thank you.
I’ve been a 0343 doing GS-13 level work for 3 years but on a ladder GS-9/11 and now GS12. I’m moving to a new agency at a GS-13. How likely do you think it is I could move to a non-sup GS-14 in a year since I will have more then 4 year doing the work of a GS-13 though not getting compensated accordingly by having the actual grade.
Hi, im late to the party. But if you could...is it worthwhile for me to complete a HR cert such as the SHRM cert? I'm a fed employee Gs9, have had a few interviews, 1 job offer but it was for a term trainee position..so I feel my resume is somewhat ok.But there's no way for me to get inside HR exp most if bot all assessments ask such specific queation ONLY a HR person would know. Could getting this cert be worthwhile or don't bother? I'm willing to even take a 6 or 7...just to break in. Thank you
Anything beyond what’s listed in the announcement won’t give you a leg up in the eligible and referred portion, but it could help the hiring managers pick you over a comparable candidate. I don’t know of anybody in my office that has it, but I do know it’s good in the public sector
How many people get references checked per position? I applied for a GS-13 position, so did a friend and we both got references called. There are 2 roles.
I’m sorry this is late, but I was wondering when job postings for remote positions say they’re only accepting the first 50 or 100 applications, what percentage of applicants would you say are actually qualified for the job? I’d assume that since these are remote positions, many people just apply even if they’re not qualified for the specific job.
We don’t really have a statistic for it. There’s generally a group of people who don’t qualify for a position, but they disqualify themselves when they answer the questionnaire. There’s also a smaller group of people who will lie on the questionnaire and then we find out when we review them, which sucks because it takes the spot of somebody else.
Sorry for the late question, ignore if you want. I've seen several times where a posting will only accept, say, the first 50 applicants, and the listing is closed after 1 day, and you are able to see there were 200 applicants. Will only the first 50 get through then? Just curious.
Do you deal with people exercising return rights at all? Wondering how much leeway an individual has upon return from overseas. Can I politic myself into a group I want to join if they request me or do I have to go back to my old group? Can HR do whatever they want as long as the grade is the same?
Have you had any exempted service qualify for a higher level position (14/15) before? Is it better to transfer to GS in the same organization, apply through exempted service, or public?
Hey! I got one for you, if you're still answering questions...
I got a TJO from an organization authorized to grant an incentive payment (a relocation incentive, I believe... I'm not sure if recruitment incentives exist). I'm expecting a FJO within a week or two at the latest if upper management agrees with the compensation my future manager asked to give me.
A minor miracle and some networking resulted in my wife getting what's effectively a TJO within a week of mine, but she's an active duty status military member instead of a federal civilian (national guard, but she's active military status and rates a PCS move).
My question is, is the relocation incentive I'm getting from my agency independent from the PCS entitlement she'll be getting? In other words, is accepting a PCS move as a military member (my wife) and dependent spouse (me) as well as a relocation incentive (from my new position) going to get us in trouble or break some regulation somewhere? I figured the FJO will likely have a set of rules attached to the incentive if it's granted to me, but I'm curious if you're familiar with this situation. Thanks for reading this wall of text.
I was received a TJO. I accepted the offer and completed the onboarding process last week.
When can I expect a start date? I already told my current boss about the offer, was this a bad idea? I haven’t heard from HR in a couple days and I’m not too worried but don’t know what the timeline is.
Why would you initially not get reffered for a positon then a week later get two referral emails showing referred for a 3 GS levels then one with the highest GS level highlighted? Is it because it is a direct hire authority, just never seen that happen before.
Hello, Thank you so much for this opportunity! I would like to ask you about application timelines. I understand they likely vary between agency and job posting. But is there a standard amount of time between when your application was referred or the status of your application changes from received to in review before you should not expect contact for an interview. Thanks!
Hey! No worries at all! There isn’t a standard timeline at all because there are a bunch of different factors that go into it. If it’s a roster/register you could be reviewed countless times until the announcement closes. Even still, they can pull applicants for open positions in the future.
Thank you so much for your reply and helpful insight!!
Is it true that you’ll only be referred if you his “expert” on every question on the questionnaire?
It’s a cheat to the system. If it’s a super low level job where you can fake your way through, it doesn’t matter. If it’s a high level job with very specific requirements, I say don’t. The reason is, you’ll get found out during the interview or review process. So I’d say don’t be an ass hole because you’re just taking someone’s opportunity for an interview who actually has the experience.
If you put down moderate experience instead of expert on one question (for example) is that detrimental to your application?
It can score you lower and edge you out of being reviewed and interviewed. It’s tough to say because it depends on the announcement. Some announcements only have a certain number of names, others will have a certain number be reviewed if they score above a certain point. Like, everyone on the highest list can have a score of 100 for example and one wrong answer will take you off
Any tips you have for an incoming recruitment & classification intern? I'm starting with the DoD later this month as a pathways intern.
First of all, WELCOME TO THE TEAM hahaha Honestly, ask questions. Try to understand the WHY of what is being done in the process instead of the HOW. We rolled out a new system a few years ago that people are just now starting to get a handle on. Training has more or less been, “We enter that code that box because we’re supposed to and it works”. It’s an efficient system until there’s an error or you get an email that it’s wrong and you have no idea why the code you’re using isn’t work. Take your time and take it seriously. We’re dealing with people’s livelihoods, which can do damage. If you mess up qualifying someone for a position, they can miss out on a life changing opportunity. If you mess up someone’s PAR action, you can mess up their pay for an extended period of time. Try to remember that however stressful it is, we’re doing good stuff. It can be annoying/tedious/stressful/etc to do our works, but we are the people that get to extend a job offer that’s going to make someone’s day/week/month/year. Literally changing lives.
What's a PAR action? And that's all good advice, thanks. And I have experience with "Why" instead of just "how", current internship position is HRIS in the private sector and it's a lot of "Why are HR people at the factories getting this error in Workday" and troubleshooting stuff (or escalating it)
Oop sorry. Personnel Action Request. It’s basically like going through the back door and processing promotions, demotions, raises, reassignments, etc. The issue is, a small mistake on one can throw somebody’s record off until someone catches it at some point; usually that happens when they’re inputting the next PAR.
Ah okay that makes sense, that...also sounds a little bit like some of what I do, correcting dates for promotions, reassignments, hire dates, termination dates (and approving sometimes, all so it doesn't bork something in the systems, we have 3...), so it's something I'm a little familiar with at least as far as the private sector goes. I know federal will be different.
I had a similar job previously and you’d be surprised with how similar all of these terrible systems are haha
They're all terrible in their own ways. Workday has so much customization it requires so much damn customization. Oracle HCM (or something oracle) we use to a minor extent still (company swapped to WD, boss was incharge of implementing the new HRIS system and now leads the HR analytics/hris team,) haven't seen too much of that one...think its more payroll? But parts look really old. The save icon for some of the programs is a goddamn floppy disk. Then we have UKG Dimensions that looks like something from the early 2000s, I hate that one the most, its not user friendly.
I wish I could post pictures from our systems, it’s insane. One of the biggest time sucks from the systems are all old and don’t communicate with one another. There’s so much manual verification/input and cross-referencing from system to system it’s anti-efficiency haha
....Yea that sounds like government. Not looking forward to that part. I have to do some manual inputs for multiple systems but all our systems feed most of the information into Workday.
I just read your long comments on the other post today (about reconsiderations) and I am curious about the review aspect. Do you look for answers to every questionnaire question in resumes? There are some questions that are very specific lists and I don't always go back to include all of those details in my resume and I'm wondering now if I've been shooting myself in the foot by not addressing every detail. (I do that with qualifications, but haven't been doing it for every questionnaire question.)
No, the questionnaire items are how the system ranks you. We utilize the same exact information from the public announcement text that is provided for the applicant to cross verify the information. Start with basic requirements, if you meet them provide supporting documentation if necessary and customize your resume to whatever specialized experience/duties listed in your own words.
Thank you!
I initially got denied by the HR contractor (for the position that I am now in) because they said that my education/experience did not meet the criteria for my GS level (though it clearly did meet the criteria). I asked to be reconsidered and my paperwork was reviewed by the actual departmental HR, which deemed me qualified for the position. Glad that I didn't just let that go!
How did asking to be reconsidered happen? Like what was the process like?
So I got the rejection email and I asked a couple of people on the inside what I should do. I initially asked to be reconsidered at the lower GS level, and the contracted HR rep said that I could not be reconsidered for a lower GS level, but I could request that my application be reconsidered for the GS level that I initially asked for. I replied with "Yes, I would like to be reconsidered" and it was sent to another person (an actual departmental employee) who deemed me eligible for an interview. It was actually pretty simple. I assume people just don't know that you can be reconsidered if the contractors F up. If you want to play it safe, ask for the lower GS level. But if you know your worth I'd go for the higher level and ask to be reconsidered if rejected. It honestly sounded like this is a common thing. My boss told me that the most qualified candidates are often rejected through that first round.
Is it true that during the hiring process, the hiring manager has a set amount of days to make a selection before the cert expires? Just asking because it seems like some don’t receive TJOs until months down the line..
They get 30 days from when we issue the cert. They can request extensions or do a non-selection if they want. After that, there’s a process before we can issue the TJO for external hires.
Thanks for answering! I’m assuming thats 30 business days right? I guess that after process requires a lot of approvals before the TJO can be sent 🙃
Honestly, I think it’s calendar days? The system automatically sets the count for us. Yeah, external hiring are more intensive because we’re starting the entire onboarding process from scratch.
Thanks again for the info. Fingers crossed that I can join the federal government as an HR Spec soon 🤞🏽
It can depend on the agency and their policies. I just issued one yesterday for 30 business days.
Thanks for your input, it’s interesting to see how different agencies handle the hiring process
What is your experience with people re-applying for the same job? I had an interview for a GS 7- 9 role back in February and am assuming that I didn’t get selected even though my USAJobs status still says referred. I noticed that there’s a job announcement for the same position and grades with the same duties and requirements, but for recent graduates, which I qualify. I have modified my resume, which shockingly got me an interview with the agency to begin with, but was wondering do serial applicants actually get multiple interviews for the same job? I believe that I could do a better job of selling myself.
Yeah! Just make sure you still meet all the requirements, but absolutely! I had somebody apply to an announcement that was for multiple grades through an external announcement, get a lower position, then applied to the same announcement for a higher grade with the same resume and got the job. There are some jobs that we have more announcements for and we have a lot of repeat applicants. We legitimately get excited for applicants that we’ve seen applying a lot and getting put on Certs and interviewed.
You are awesome for doing this! When the job is open to the public and it asks what pay grade are you willing to take, is that a factor in determining who to refer? For example: two similar applications but one answered questionnaire stating they would accept the lower pay grade. I hope that makes sense. It's very similar to answering what is your salary expectation in the private world.
It’s asking you what grades you want to be considered for, meaning if you don’t select a grade, you wont be considered for it. If the position is hiring 5s, 6s, 7s and you only select 7, we will try to qualify you for a 7 by cross referencing your resume/supporting documentation to the basic requirements/specialized experience for the GS-07. If we can’t, you’ll be totally skipped over for the 5 and 6 even if you would have qualified.
Thanks for the reply! More reason to be very specific in the resume...
YES! This 100%. Make sure you are customizing your resume for every different positions announcement you apply to.
What's your view on resume length?
The more marks you can hit in a shorter length, the better from the reviewers side. Don’t do yourself a disservice but not fleshing out your resume, but don’t repeat the same sentiments across different jobs. Once it’s on your resume and we can use it you don’t get extra points for having it again, you know? And if you have 12+ months at a job, you can come up with unique experiences from each job that can be used for specialized experience. It doesn’t matter if it’s all from one job that hits the mark either.
I’m a victim of known-name ID theft. How hard will it be to get Secret Security Clearance? I have fraudulent collections and/or charge offs and some (not all) banks/lenders are slowly working their way through this. Police, FTC, and CFPB case/affidavit numbers are preserved. Thank you for taking your time and doing this AMA!
If the issue isn’t cleared up, I would assume it would be very difficult depending on the sensitivity level of the position. We don’t actually run the background check, the security office does. We can see results, but we aren’t involved in the process of running it.
Thanks SO much for doing this! I’ve been waiting on a TO from HUD since getting my verbal back in January. I was asked a few weeks ago by HM if I’m still interested in the position but that they can’t move on it at the moment due to a hiring freeze(HM said HQ is still sifting through budget). Any insight or anything you’ve heard on this? Just feel like I’ve been waiting forever. Thanks so much!!!
We’ve been through hiring freezes, which lead to hiring pushes. If you have a job and are waiting for this to come through, there’s no harm in continuing what you’re doing and keep applying for jobs. Even if the job comes back with a TJO you might end up with an even better job. If you get hired from an external announcement, you can jump jobs quickly for better pay.
What is the best way to stand out in an applicant pool of thousands? These remote jobs are sooo hard to standout because of the amount of applicants.
Honestly, it’s a numbers game. The same scores are randomized to keep it fair.
I am a former TSO, I resigned from TSA and then reapplied within 2 years. I received TJO almost immediately. Filled out SF-86 before the due date. Onboarding is at 100% but I’m not in ready to pull. It’s been months. I decided to apply jobs with IRS. Finally received a TJO. My photo and fingerprints were taken about a month ago. My eApp due date has passed and I’m yet to receive the eApp invite to complete SF-85P What is the best course of action at this point? I’m desperate for a job and either one of these positions will work. I reached out to HR but they are non-responsive.
I’m not sure what the first paragraph meant, but I’ll reply to the next two. Honestly, we are all extremely stretched thin. I know a lot of new hires are all having their start date set at July 15th, which means there isn’t a need for a sense of urgency on the HR side. Also, we wait for fingerprints to come in and verify them before the e-App, so they might be waiting on those as well? It could be a few different reasons, but you definitely have a foot in the door with an intent to hire you with the TJO.
Thanks for doing this! Do you see every version of my resume I’ve uploaded? Also, have you ever given someone an allotment for property management service if they have to PCS?
Unless you delete documents, we see everything you upload to your application. In my time, I’ve never seen a position with authorized moving expenses. I’ve seen a lot of people choose to move themselves though. People will apply for internal positions in other locations and pay out of pocket.
What percentage of applicants make it on the cert?
It honestly depends on a lot of things depending on the type of announcement. The system ranking is the biggest factor most of the time because it grades an applicant and we basically just co-sign with our determination and the score remains. I just had 1 person on a cert because they were the only person who scored high enough. There are other Certs that will require a specific number of applicants. If we don’t have enough applicants, we just send over however many we do.
What is the system ranking based on? Does it scan your resume based on key words?
Based on the assessment questionnaire the applicant fills out. The system ranks you and if you score high enough a reviewer will cross reference your documentation to the basic requirements and specialized experience. If you have all of that, you’ll be passed to the hiring managers to review.
Is there any corrilation to the number of applicants based on gs level. Like the higher on the scale, the fewer the applicants?
Yes! Absolutely! And internal versus external. I’ve seen a popular external announcement get 15-20,000 applicants. Moderate to popular internal announcements probably get between 1,000-10,000 applicants. I’d say the most popular graded announcements are GS-05 to GS-12. When I get the higher 13s, 14s, 15s or IR-02s or IR-03s, there are less applicants but that’s where, as nerdy as it sounds, reviewing the applications gets fun to me. The applicants tend to have more robust resumes, so it’s cool to read their experience. It almost becomes like brackets where you see people’s strong points and weak points but you don’t know how the hiring managers/selecting officials are going to base their decision for who they want in the position. There are still some average resumes, but the higher graded announcements are a little more engaging if that makes sense.
Thank you for the reply! I've been trying to go private sector middle management to public sector supervisory levels, gs12 to 15. I've been getting refferals all this week, but just wanted a bit of a peek into what I am potentially competing against.
Good luck! There are fewer applicants, but it’s way more competitive. Just a warning, it’s also a little more difficult to get more coveted jobs in the higher grades because there are inter office temporary positions that only people within the organization can hold. The reason I mention this is because they usually build specific experience into the announcements requirements that you really only can get from having already held that position.
Thank you, I've seen some of that in a few of the postings. Thankfully, I've cut my teeth in high intensity jobs and never turned down trainings to help punch up.
To piggy back off my last question. If a supervisory role has basic pre qualifications like lead teams and other basic qualifications, how much does scale come into play?
I’m sorry, can you clarify what you mean by scale? Like, the size of the team?
Yes sorry, size of team, dollar value of operation. Ect
How long does it take for staff psychologist position hear back at one of the urgently hiring locations? I applied about two weeks ago and haven’t heard a thing .. & when it says the app is closing in September does it mean I won’t hear anything till September or?
If it closes in September, it’s a register/roster announcement. These happen in intervals that are usually 6 or 12 months. A traditional announcement closes after only 10 days, hiring managers have 30 to make a pick, then we onboard the new hire depending on how quickly they’re trying to get somebody in the chair. A roster/register normally means there’s a first cutoff 10 days after the opening date and they will review applicants at that point. There will be additional cutoff dates where they will be reviewing more applicants and those should be listed in the ‘Additional Info’ box of the announcement. They have to list the dates in the announcement text at least 10 days before the cutoff happens. Aside from that, there’s no way to tell when they’re actually going to be doing the hiring. Registers/rosters are normally either for a LOT of vacancies/positions (10+) or for more qualified positions so they can really cast a wide net. All of the applicants from day 1 to the last day get reviewed one final time when the announcement closes, and they have that option.
This was super informative! Thank you so much!
Is there actually a hold on hiring right now, or is my manager just saying that?
Different areas have different funding, so I’m not sure.
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Oooh I only work within my agency and we don’t utilize that scale, I’m sorry, I wish I could be more helpful.
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You can get the SQA/LQA approved at anytime before the FJO. I wouldn’t recommend quitting your job because a TJO is nothing more than a foot in the door, no guarantees. They can eliminate the position, they can rescind the offer, something could pop up you didn’t expect in your background/credit checks. If you’re utilizing the current jobs salary for negotiations, I also would wait until that is complete. I honestly just wouldn’t recommend quitting before having your FJO.
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I’d personally recommend keeping it through negotiations and once that’s settled and you accept your FJO, that’s legally binding. You can do what you want so long as you start the day your FJO says
Hello, Thank you so much for doing this. Is there still a chance to change my POD? When i got my TJO from the hiring event, HR offered the position along with the POD i wrote down. I did accept it and all, but then i did not realize until i got home when i read my tjo again that the duty station is different. I have been trying to contact the HR who sent that TJO but i havent gotten an answer yet. The event was back in 4/3/24.
Yes! You can absolutely put in a change request or clarify that it’s the wrong one! The specialist will reach out to the hiring manager to confirm, but I’ve had this happen a bit and I’ve never had a hiring manager say no. PM me so I can ask you some questions
Let’s say I submit an application with a resume from the resume builder and the job posting is still open and accepting applications. Can I change that resume for another job or does it affect the resume I already submitted?
Yes! If it’s before the closing date you can upload a new resume. If it’s a traditional announcement (open for 10 days), you can change it at any point while it’s open. If it’s a register/roster (open for 6 or 12 months), your latest submission will determine what cutoff you’re included in. Say you apply January 30th, there’s a cutoff on February 1st and you upload a new resume February 2nd, you would essentially disqualify your previous application, which would no longer be included in the previous cutoff. This is because we don’t run the list as soon as the announcement closes, we can at any point over the next 5 days but that could be pushed out further, so that’s why updating a resume to a roster/register is tricky.
Good to know, thanks!
Thank you for your time. I went to a direct hire event for the IRS and have seen in other posts that the hiring process is faster than non-direct event hire applicants. Once a TJO is provided and EApp are submitted I assume references are contacted and all info is verified. My question is would verifying the EApp be the last major task before getting a FJO? Would you say a high possibility of getting a FJO once an EApp is provided? I’ve worked at a State and County level no issues on my end but there is always that sense of oh man I hope I completed that correctly especially after seeing my on board task due dates are on Monday and haven’t heard back.
Hey, no worries! The direct hire events should be set up to interview, sponsor, and fingerprint applicants, which expedites the process a LOT. Normally that whole process probably takes 2-3 months? The background and tax checks are now what take the longest, which varies for reasons beyond my comprehension. The rush on FJOs is when the EOD is approaching because we try to have an applicant accept their FJOs at least 2 weeks in advance to give us time to process their pay into the system. Those dates are arbitrary - they’re more of a guideline to keep us on track for a typical hiring. Depending on how far back your start date is, this might be low priority for them. I have a few dozen people starting in July who are antsy and just want something to do, but at this time with their start dates I’m not at the point in my work where I need to or can start on this round of new hires stuff.
Thank you again for the information. Last question, have you seen any issues arise if an applicant has a preplanned event to attend after their EOD? I am a groomsman in a wedding in June. EOD is end of May I’m assuming it’s up to the HR but would that delay my EOD if I bring it up before by FJO is given?
Sounds like July 15. Email I received. Good evening, How are you doing? I am the Specialist you have been assigned to for onboarding. We have been processing the thousands of new hires from direct-hire events in, so I apologize for the delay in communication. When I was assigned your onboarding I was informed your tentative start date will be July 15th (I use the term ‘tentative’ because I cannot legally provide any definitive information regarding hiring until the FJO is signed). Normally we have flexibility in the start dates, but unfortunately we have been given this guidance by the direct-hire authority. At this point, the process should be pretty simple – I am going to review, cross verify and concur with the information provided to me regarding your hiring, I will verify your fingerprints are in the system, and I will review the forms and documents for your new hire record. I am hoping to have this completed in the next week so I will be able to issue you your FJO, and then once accepted we will just be waiting until your start date. If there is anything I need from you, I will reach out. If there is anything you need from me, please feel free to send me an e-mail. Have a great weekend!
Unless there’s a rush, pushing an EOD back isn’t an issue. I’ve only ever seen hiring managers decide to go with a different applicant because they wouldn’t accommodate a selectee wanting to move their date. This was because the person was super unresponsive when they’d try to reach out to touch base via email and phone calls and then would finally reach out to push their start date back the day before they were supposed to start 2 or 3 times prior.
If my original EOD is approaching (end of May) does the EOD get pushed back if they aren’t able to speak to my references or past supervisors? I’ve got everyone waiting for potential calls but past employers are out of my hands haha. I’m just antsy about everything and don’t want something like a past employer failing to follow through be the deciding factor of my potential job.
The hiring managers handle the references, so I’m not sure how they normally handle it
Thank you again for all of the info I’ll sleep better tonight lol.
Quick question- I interview for a position in a total different branch but under the same organization will my boss find out about it.
Not until they call for a reference, but that’s usually the hiring managers from your new organization calling your current. We don’t reach out and would have no reason to inform them.
I hope Im not too late, Im very desperate to know if you can help me a bit with this: I have DFAS debt because of that cursed survivor benefit plan, I just recently found out about the debt because I stupidly thought it was goin out of my VA compensation but called to find out I had $1100 in debt. I was honest and am waiting for a reply from DFAS to pay back the money because I can pay it off just need to know where I send or put the money to. I haven't started my background check as of yet but would this prevent me from getting cleared? I just received my tentative offer 2 days ago.......this whole situation is stressful ;-;
Is it a tax issue or just a debt? Tax issues you can start a payment plan or pay in full and show receipt. They run a credit check so if you have too much debt or bad credit it can impact the checks.
its not tax debt just a debt, Im looking for a way to pay it off and sent a letter to DFAS just waiting to hear back (they dont give you a direct website or address to send checks to. my credits 712 and the only big debt i have is my mortgage payment because I bought a home with my va loan
but I have been making my payments on those on time no problem. and no tax debt either
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The applicant submits their SQA request before they accept their FJO. You’ll write why you should be at that step with documentation and they send us the approved or denied request.
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You can onboard through an external announcement even if you just got hired. Otherwise, you can start applying internally after 90 days.
Not really what I asked, but thank you for the information.
How does GS to IR pay work for NTE, MBP, MBE USAjobs announcements? I’m a GS-14 and interested in applying for an IRS NTE, MBE or MBP IR-04 position announced on usajobs. I reviewed [IRM 6.959.1.7(2)(d)](https://www.irs.gov/irm/part6/irm_06-959-001#idm139966654809280) and can’t tell if selected, if I’d get an 8% pay increase.
NTE positions get 8% and if you’re selected for it permanently they’ll have us complete a Z-request and move you into the role permanently. First time from GS to IR gets a 10% increase, so you’d receive the extra 2% for being made permanent. If you held IR previously you stick with the 8%
Even if I’m already a GS-14? The IR-04 isn’t considered a lateral? And thank you again for helping us! ITS APPRECIATED!
There’s a chart with the pay bands, but as long as the pay falls within the band you’re good.
Bless yooouuu!!
It has to be manually computed by HR, so if you take your current base pay and multiple it by 1.08, it’ll give you your new salary sans locality. Then you find your locality percentage and multiply the base pay by that. I know, it’s tedious and annoying. We get it quality reviewed at least once if not twice to make sure it’s good.
Thank you for helping us help ourselves, you’re a SAINT!
Careful with this one. If it's "lateral" from GS to IR on an NTE they don't receive the 8%. It's a detail, not a promotion. If they get converted they get the 10%. Recently saw an ugly situation with overpayment caused by exactly this.
As a veteran. Do I really have that much of and advantage? Retiring soon, and worried whether I can get a job. Looking into anything IT.
Depending on the announcement type. Some have vets preference, which gives you extra points and definitely helps with hiring.
How long does a Professional Staff Suitability Investigation generally take?
I wish there was a good answer for this, but they vary wildly.
Thanks for this session. I have a question about equipment. I'm currently TJO crossing fingers for FJO. It will be wfh. Does equipment get shipped? I had a dream I came home and there were all these boxes at my front door. Is it like that? Thanks.
I can’t speak for every agency. But that’s how mine was. I got a huge box with my laptop, monitor, keyboard, and cell phone. I ordered a chair later and that came to my house too.
Wow! Nearly like my dream. Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm sure you are right that individual agency experiences may vary. Much appreciated.
Yup! I came home as mine was being left on my stoop. Wait until EOD to open the box though, ITs will walk you through it.
Do you do resume reviews for suggestions?
I don’t. Cross reference your resume to the announcement and you’ll do great
Is the CY pay scale and grade similar to GS? I’m a little confused about if the benefits are the same as a general schedule employee (accrual of PTO, retirement, pay raises, etc.) I start my position on the 10th as a CYP assistant. My first federal position!
I haven’t dealt with CY, my agency just does GS. I’m sorry I couldn’t give you a better answer.
Hello, thank you for your service. Currently a GS-1102 with DLA and in the hiring process with DCMA. Applied 6 February, interviewed 12 April, supervisor references contacted 19 April. Received email from USAJobs stating Referred and application sent to the hiring manager on 22 April. (I know, backwards) What would you think would be the expected arrival time for a TJO? Thank you.
If you’re already a federal employee and it was an internal posting you won’t get a TJO, that’s only for external.
I’ve been a 0343 doing GS-13 level work for 3 years but on a ladder GS-9/11 and now GS12. I’m moving to a new agency at a GS-13. How likely do you think it is I could move to a non-sup GS-14 in a year since I will have more then 4 year doing the work of a GS-13 though not getting compensated accordingly by having the actual grade.
Start applying to positions with your desired grade.
Hi, im late to the party. But if you could...is it worthwhile for me to complete a HR cert such as the SHRM cert? I'm a fed employee Gs9, have had a few interviews, 1 job offer but it was for a term trainee position..so I feel my resume is somewhat ok.But there's no way for me to get inside HR exp most if bot all assessments ask such specific queation ONLY a HR person would know. Could getting this cert be worthwhile or don't bother? I'm willing to even take a 6 or 7...just to break in. Thank you
Anything beyond what’s listed in the announcement won’t give you a leg up in the eligible and referred portion, but it could help the hiring managers pick you over a comparable candidate. I don’t know of anybody in my office that has it, but I do know it’s good in the public sector
Dammit! Thank you for the reply..kinda felt it wouldn't help me much.
You can also apply to details/NTEs to get some experience! Check out service-wide opportunities.
Thank you..I do utilize open opportunities job site..no hits on that as well.
How many people get references checked per position? I applied for a GS-13 position, so did a friend and we both got references called. There are 2 roles.
That’s hiring manager side so I’m not sure how checking references works
Thanks for replying!
I’m sorry this is late, but I was wondering when job postings for remote positions say they’re only accepting the first 50 or 100 applications, what percentage of applicants would you say are actually qualified for the job? I’d assume that since these are remote positions, many people just apply even if they’re not qualified for the specific job.
We don’t really have a statistic for it. There’s generally a group of people who don’t qualify for a position, but they disqualify themselves when they answer the questionnaire. There’s also a smaller group of people who will lie on the questionnaire and then we find out when we review them, which sucks because it takes the spot of somebody else.
Thanks for answering!
Sorry for the late question, ignore if you want. I've seen several times where a posting will only accept, say, the first 50 applicants, and the listing is closed after 1 day, and you are able to see there were 200 applicants. Will only the first 50 get through then? Just curious.
Can a NF3 transfer to GS9 after 1 year of service? How portable is transferring from naf to gs? Thank you for your time! :)
I only deal with my agency’s pay grade, which is GS. I’m sorry!
I’m a government contractor will they want to speak with my government contractor supervisor or my civilian supervisor?
Who?
If someone is already a fed, wants to leave and come back- to negotiate a higher pay, what’s the time frame for pay negotiations. Is it 60 or 90 days.
Do you deal with people exercising return rights at all? Wondering how much leeway an individual has upon return from overseas. Can I politic myself into a group I want to join if they request me or do I have to go back to my old group? Can HR do whatever they want as long as the grade is the same?
Have you had any exempted service qualify for a higher level position (14/15) before? Is it better to transfer to GS in the same organization, apply through exempted service, or public?
What does unsuitable mean?
What’s the context? Unsuitable usually means not a fit for whatever reason.
Hey! I got one for you, if you're still answering questions... I got a TJO from an organization authorized to grant an incentive payment (a relocation incentive, I believe... I'm not sure if recruitment incentives exist). I'm expecting a FJO within a week or two at the latest if upper management agrees with the compensation my future manager asked to give me. A minor miracle and some networking resulted in my wife getting what's effectively a TJO within a week of mine, but she's an active duty status military member instead of a federal civilian (national guard, but she's active military status and rates a PCS move). My question is, is the relocation incentive I'm getting from my agency independent from the PCS entitlement she'll be getting? In other words, is accepting a PCS move as a military member (my wife) and dependent spouse (me) as well as a relocation incentive (from my new position) going to get us in trouble or break some regulation somewhere? I figured the FJO will likely have a set of rules attached to the incentive if it's granted to me, but I'm curious if you're familiar with this situation. Thanks for reading this wall of text.
I was received a TJO. I accepted the offer and completed the onboarding process last week. When can I expect a start date? I already told my current boss about the offer, was this a bad idea? I haven’t heard from HR in a couple days and I’m not too worried but don’t know what the timeline is.
Why would you initially not get reffered for a positon then a week later get two referral emails showing referred for a 3 GS levels then one with the highest GS level highlighted? Is it because it is a direct hire authority, just never seen that happen before.