Opening ALJ register soon

[care]

I sent the following request to the ALJ application team and will let you know what they respond:
Some, including me, have received a Notice of Results (NOR) for the last
round of Administrative Law Judge hiring. Will we be able to reapply this
time?

The reason I ask is because of discrepancy in my scores. When applying to be
an ALJ several years ago, I scored 90.7 (reduced to 87.9 on appeal) in
testing (without veteran preference points). For some reason my score was
exceptionally low (59.41) in the last go around. Rather than appeal it, I
choose to wait for the next open application period. That will have turned
out to be a bad strategy if I cannot retake the exam.

Would you please shed light on the reapplication question so we can be ready
with our updates since this opening may only last for a day or two under
current procedure and since it takes considerable time to verify locations,
phones, and emails of persons listed in the application.

[Legal Beagle]

I would recommending going to the site which was mentioned in an earlier thread that listed the interview questions, and would also take my last submission and start working on that now. Apparently identifying the 'buzzwords' and including them ad nauseum in your AR is the key to getting "invited to participate" in the WD and Interview phases. I did not know that my first go-round (being a civilian and not a fed - not knowing what the rules of the games were), and got thrown out.

Do not wait - if you want this job, you have to be fast, accurate, and ready to jump.

[care]

The ALJ help desk felt it could not give an answer to my question. It said:
"To ensure fairness among all individuals interested in the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) exam we are unable to address your specific questions at this time. Please note that the detailed information that you are seeking, which is pertinent to applicants on the current ALJ register (such as application procedures, request to change geographic availability, etc.) will be described in the ALJ vacancy announcement when it is posted on the USAJOBS website (http://www.usajobs.opm.gov).

The ALJ vacancy announcement is currently closed to the receipt of applications except as required by 5 CFR 332.311. Please closely monitor the USAJOBS website in the coming weeks since OPM does not maintain a mailing list to notify potential applicants of the exam opening and does not provide applications in advance. When the announcement is posted on the website, the application filing period will be made public at that time; the application limit will factor-in future agency hiring needs. Specific filing instructions will be addressed in the vacancy announcement.

Your interest in employment as an Administrative Law Judge is appreciated."

[24kgoldengirl]

Gee, based on this I am sure everything will be perfectly clear in the next posting.

[tricia]

Patriotsfan said: "A bit harsh, perhaps, but this process is not for the complacent or faint-hearted. It's war!"
Just for the record, I am not complacent and I am not faint-hearted. Having been a public defender for sixteen years, I feel like I've been through a war.
But I failed to put the date I was first licensed on the correct line of the May 2007 application. I immediately appealed and lost. In July of 2008, I was taking a bar exam, and USAJobs failed to email me about the opening. When the bar exam was over, I had missed the two days the applications were open.
So I don't intend to make those mistakes again. And I'm hoping to not make any others.

[chinook]

PF

Any thoughts as to whether those added to the register this time will also need to retake in October 2010 or will those added get three years on the register (like those in 2007).

[privateatty]

Oct 30, 2009 14:40:28 GMT -5 care said:

The ALJ help desk felt it could not give an answer to my question. It said:
"To ensure fairness among all individuals interested in the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) exam we are unable to address your specific questions at this time. Please note that the detailed information that you are seeking, which is pertinent to applicants on the current ALJ register (such as application procedures, request to change geographic availability, etc.) will be described in the ALJ vacancy announcement when it is posted on the USAJOBS website (http://www.usajobs.opm.gov).

The ALJ vacancy announcement is currently closed to the receipt of applications except as required by 5 CFR 332.311. Please closely monitor the USAJOBS website in the coming weeks since OPM does not maintain a mailing list to notify potential applicants of the exam opening and does not provide applications in advance. When the announcement is posted on the website, the application filing period will be made public at that time; the application limit will factor-in future agency hiring needs. Specific filing instructions will be addressed in the vacancy announcement.

Your interest in employment as an Administrative Law Judge is appreciated."

When they say "closely monitor" the USAJobs website, they are making an understatement. Snooze, you lose. You may have two days, maybe three, to do your AR and get it perfect. No errors, (as tricia can attest), period.

A few years ago a poster lamented that they could not possibly contact their references in the time allowed. I will repeat what has been posted time and again, have your ducks all in a row. You have no time to contact anyone, not even your inner self. My advice is to get it all done now.