Now how long for the cert?

[bowser]

Now that the scores are out, what thoughts does anyone have WRT when we can expect a cert?

Folk say SSA intends to interview 3.5 weeks from now. My understanding is that SSA has to request a cert, OPM has to provide it, and then SSA has to offer interviews. Is that correct?

Is it made public when SSA requests a cert? If so, how much (if any) detail is made public WRT numbers, locations, and the like? I think I've heard that transfers are still being processed. Will that delay the request for a cert? Because I'd imagine that if SSA wishes to hold interviews in June, they'll likely be ready to request a cert pretty quickly.

Anyone remember how quickly OPM provided a cert in the past? Are you notified once when a cert is issued with your name on it, and then a second time when SSA offers an interview? Any idea if everyone on the cert gets an interview?

Just seems like a whole bunch of stuff has to take place before a bunch of people have to make travel plans 3.5 weeks from now.

[carrickfergus]

Last year the scores were sent on 02/27, and the certs on 03/17. You will be notified via e-mail if you made the cert, and then you will get a call to schedule your agency interview. Everyone on the cert will get an interview, unless they've interviewed with the same agency before.

[Well]

May 12, 2010 13:55:23 GMT -5 carrickfergus said:

Last year the scores were sent on 02/27, and the certs on 03/17. You will be notified via e-mail if you made the cert, and then you will get a call to schedule your agency interview. Everyone on the cert will get an interview, unless they've interviewed with the same agency before.

18 days would seem problematic with interviews starting in 26 days.

[bowser]

Thanks, cf.
What a process, with us all seeking clues!

[getready]

When the cert comes out -- and you receive the email informing you that you made it -- does the email list the cities for which you made the cert?

Or does the email simply list all of the cities on your GAL for which there IS a cert?

In simpler terms, are you notified where exactly you are in the running?

[carrickfergus]

Your cert e-mail will contain those cities you identitifed on your original GAL which overlap those cities where they have openings. You can reduce your GAL at that point, but can't add to it.

[Orly]

Today at the refresher training, Deputy CALJ said the request for a certificate will be going out to OPM this Friday. They are planning to hire 120ish new ALJs this round.

Looks like ODAR is on track for the June interviews. Good luck to everyone.

[issuegirl]

CarrickFergus:
Is there an advantage or disadvantage to reducing your GAL? Sorry, but this is all greek to me!

[Propmaster]

May 12, 2010 17:27:31 GMT -5 issuegirl said:

CarrickFergus:
Is there an advantage or disadvantage to reducing your GAL? Sorry, but this is all greek to me!

It is almost universally agreed that the larger your GAL is, the better your chances of being appointed somewhere.

However, if you are not going to end up agreeing to go to a particular place, having it on your GAL actually lowers your chances, because you might get put there and decline it when, if it had been eliminated, you would have been put somewhere else (potentially).

If you get included in the cert, carefully review all of the cities on your GAL and make sure you are prepared to move there (on very short notice; possibly leaving your family separated for some months until the entire move can be completed). Turning down a slot hurts your chances and also means that one less judge will be hired, since SSA does not generally offer second-chance appointments (at least not often).

Summary: Make your GAL as large as you can live with, but do not include places to which you would not move.

[71stretch]

May 12, 2010 17:33:36 GMT -5 Propmaster said:

May 12, 2010 17:27:31 GMT -5 issuegirl said:

CarrickFergus:
Is there an advantage or disadvantage to reducing your GAL? Sorry, but this is all greek to me!

It is almost universally agreed that the larger your GAL is, the better your chances of being appointed somewhere.

However, if you are not going to end up agreeing to go to a particular place, having it on your GAL actually lowers your chances, because you might get put there and decline it when, if it had been eliminated, you would have been put somewhere else (potentially).

If you get included in the cert, carefully review all of the cities on your GAL and make sure you are prepared to move there (on very short notice; possibly leaving your family separated for some months until the entire move can be completed). Turning down a slot hurts your chances and also means that one less judge will be hired, since SSA does not generally offer second-chance appointments (at least not often).

Summary: Make your GAL as large as you can live with, but do not include places to which you would not move.

So once the cert is issued, is there an opportunity to reduce the GAL? I didn't go all nuts and say I'd move anywhere, but I did list cities in my end of the country besides where I live now.

I'd prefer to be here, and I've heard through the grapevine that SSA is opening an additional hearing office here, so maybe that will come to pass, but I did not want to limit myself to one place.

[Lion]

Is it possible to expand your GAL before the cert comes out? How -- writing to OPM?

[runningman]

You cannot expand your GAL at this point in time. You can only expand your GAL when the register reopens. However, you can reduce the number of cities if you wish. For example, if you are on a certificate of eligibles and have 50 of the 150 cities listed for that particular certificate, you can then reduce the number for which you wish to be considered. You never would go to place x, y, or z and your spouse/significant other says no way to a, b, or c, you could then eliminate those six locations.

[getready]

According to Orly, OPM should receive the request for a certificate tomorrow.

If that happens, then what is the turnaround time before OPM actually issues the cert?

[getready]

Bueller?

[hurrywait]

IssueGirl

Ideally, you want your GAL as wide as possible. You should only reduce your GAL for those places that you would decline. That is a real advantage. If you have places on your GAL you know you would decline, then you should reduce your GAL. You don't want to be considered, or worse, offered a position in a place you know right now that you would decline.

[tigerfan]

If the cert was requested last Friday the cert should come out very very soon. I would not be suprised if it was withing a week.

[slick]

A word on the issue of reducing GAL cities:

I was in the 2009 class. Some of my classmates got offers for cities that, on further reflection, they really did not want and could not understand why they put that city on their list at all. They took the position, with an eye towards transferring to a preferred location later. (you can sign up for a transfer after you're on the job for 90 days). Many of those people now work too far to commute and their families weren't able to move. In Supp training last week, some of the people there said they either had already transferred, or were about to do so. Others were still in their original position, with no expectation they would be able to move.

Caveat: If you are expecting to transfer to a very popular location, your name will be at the bottom of what could be a very long list. (e.g Honolulu)

[Orly]

May 16, 2010 11:01:48 GMT -5 slick said:

A word on the issue of reducing GAL cities:

I was in the 2009 class. Some of my classmates got offers for cities that, on further reflection, they really did not want and could not understand why they put that city on their list at all. They took the position, with an eye towards transferring to a preferred location later. (you can sign up for a transfer after you're on the job for 90 days). Many of those people now work too far to commute and their families weren't able to move. In Supp training last week, some of the people there said they either had already transferred, or were about to do so. Others were still in their original position, with no expectation they would be able to move.

Caveat: If you are expecting to transfer to a very popular location, your name will be at the bottom of what could be a very long list. (e.g Honolulu)

Agreed. Don't take a position with the expectation of going home quick. It may take you years to get back. On a side note, one quick thing about Honolulu. To the best of my understanding, it's a single ALJ office, and that ALJ is the HOCALJ. So it never is on the union transfer list.

[tigerfan]

Orly is correct, Honolulu is a one judge office and that judge is the HOCALJ but technically it is on the union transfer list and there is a waiting list, however, no one has ever been transferred to Honolulu without being named HOCALJ. On still another side note, there are actually four transfer lists, hardship list, management list, union list and other agency list.

[tricia]

I have been surprised, in the poll on how many locations people chose, at how many people chose ten or fewer locations. My understanding was that in order to get on the cert, you had to have a number high enough to make the cut, and also you had to have some locations on your list for which there were openings. And it's my further understanding that everyone on the cert is interviewed if they have not been interviewed before.
What about the high scorers who do not have any locations on their list which are on the cert? Are they interviewed anyway?
Thanks for the information.