USAJobs vs. Application Manager Problem

[keepsake]

So I noticed yesterday that Application Manager was undergoing system maintenance.

I tried to login today and got the message that you can only login through USAJobs portal and cannot login directly to Application Manager anymore. I have been logging in through Application Manager exclusively and this is how I submitted my application for the ALJ position. Now - USAJobs not only does not seem to recognize that I have applied for the ALJ job but also seems to have "forgotten" that I have applied for other federal positions (used to be in Application Manager that I could see the last few positions I had applied for).

Sent a message to the USAJobs help desk, but am thinking that they've now messed something up with Application Manager and the ability to find your application that way. This is becoming increasingly ridiculous.

Anyone else have this issue?

[requa]

I did have to log in through USAJobs rather than directly through my saved link to Application Manager, but when I did log in, I saw the expected pending application plus one prior attempt under My Account/Application Status. I finally figured out to click More Information instead of the job title, and eventually got through to Application Manager. That doesn't mean anything changed with my status of No Results Yet on External Assessment :-( By the way, now, even after getting back into the results page, my link still does not let me in, and I have to go in through USAJobs. I thought maybe it was a one-time inconvenience.

[lawgurrl]

I think application manager was furloughed I haven't had any access since Friday. My recent attempt got the--we can't find this website error message--so, I tried USAJobs, which says what it always says "Application Status Not Available." I don't even care anymore. The entire secrecy from applicants about this process angers me (a soft anger, cause really, this is not the end for me). OPM should have provided us with a step-by-step outline of how the evaluation goes and what to watch for, but did not. There plenty lacking in the way this process works and someone in the higher up, muck-a-muck position should have done something about this by now.

[JSteele]

I never figured out how to login to application manager without going through USAJOBS so this isn't a change for me. I was half-hoping that when I logged in today after the upgrade somehow miraculously my status would have changed - but nope, still 'see details tab.' Alas, always a bridesmaid never a bride

[prescient]

I believe Application manager has been terminated, and you will no longer be able to check the status of applications filed through it. OPM wanted it to be folded into Usajobs. Unfortunately, any jobs that you applied for directly through application manager will not show up in usajobs.

[keepsake]

Prescient - that might very well be. On the bright side - if that's correct - at least I won't be checking on my status so much . . . . I'll just have to wait to hear the results and go from there.

[ncatty007]

Apr 28, 2013 22:27:17 GMT -5 keepsake said:

Prescient - that might very well be. On the bright side - if that's correct - at least I won't be checking on my status so much . . . . I'll just have to wait to hear the results and go from there.

This seems like rather poor implementation. Just terminate application manager and leave everyone who applied directly through there in limbo. The current application manager page suggests there is some interface between that site and USAjobs. I'm certainly no programmer, but it wouldn't seem extremely difficult to have the information from application manager imported into USAjobs. As it is, I suppose I'll be checking for email.

[keepsake]

So - I've sent emails to the Application Manager helpdesk, the USAJobs helpdesk, and the ALJ Application helpdesk. Application Manager help did not answer my question about what happened to Application Manger, closed my ticket and referred me to the ALJ Application helpdesk regarding status of application. USAJobs also has failed to answer my questions about how to find my application, which does not appear in my USAJobs account. Have only gotten standard, non-responsive acknowledgement of receipt emails from ALJ Application helpdesk. Not sure if I will hear back, but if I do, I will post for those of us who might be in this situation. Don't know how many people are impacted by this but it seems like two of us . . . . Sorry if you're in the same boat as me ncatty007.

[JSteele]

Apr 30, 2013 13:20:35 GMT -5 keepsake said:

So - I've sent emails to the Application Manager helpdesk, the USAJobs helpdesk, and the ALJ Application helpdesk. Application Manager help did not answer my question about what happened to Application Manger, closed my ticket and referred me to the ALJ Application helpdesk regarding status of application. USAJobs also has failed to answer my questions about how to find my application, which does not appear in my USAJobs account. Have only gotten standard, non-responsive acknowledgement of receipt emails from ALJ Application helpdesk. Not sure if I will hear back, but if I do, I will post for those of us who might be in this situation. Don't know how many people are impacted by this but it seems like two of us . . . . Sorry if you're in the same boat as me ncatty007.

They need to change the name to (un)help desk!!

[kenutlaw]

I too ran into the no-more-AppMgr buzzsaw yesterday and was totally bumfuzzled, firing off confused emails to USAJobs help desk. Eventually, I got the answer about AppMgr being no more. As I submitted my app through AppMgr, I can't check its status any longer either. Also, I too emailed the "ALJ App Help Desk," late yesterday afternoon, and I've yet to receive anything but the canned we-got-your-email reply. In going back through some old emails, I ran across one from USAJobs a couple of weeks ago announcing all this (oops), but like y'all it seems to me that a better way to do this could have been devised -- nothing as drastic as just lopping off access to app status. Oh well, I too will just have to wait for further word <tick tock>.

[keepsake]

kenutlaw - I don't seem to have gotten such an email. Would you mind copying and pasting the relevant portion of that USAJobs email as a reply? Thanks in advance.

[piperlaw]

I am an SSA employee and this is what we received on April 8th:
We wish to alert you regarding an important upcoming software release that will affect the Internal Vacancies On-Line (IVOL) process. Beginning on April 27, 2013, a login and password for USAJOBS will be required in order to apply for positions announced through IVOL. In the past in order to apply for an internal position announced under IVOL, even if you had a username and password for USAJOBS, you were required to have a separate username and password for a website called “Application Manager.” As of April 27, 2013, the Application Manager username and password will be replaced by the USAJOBS username and password providing users with a single sign-on experience. The USAJOBS username and password can also be used when applying for vacancies announced by other federal agencies.
In preparation for these changes, we encourage you to take the following actions:
• If you have applied for announcements through IVOL in the past, your application history and documents will be retained by Human Resources (HR) but will no longer be directly accessible to you after the software update. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you log in to Application Manager prior to April 27 to make note of the vacancy identification numbers, open dates, and the HR contacts for each of your applications. We also recommend saving a copy of any documents that you may have used for prior vacancies.

• We encourage you to visit the USAJOBS account page and ensure that you have an active username and password. If you do not already have one, we encourage you to create a USAJOBS account. The USAJOBS pages will store your application materials and application history for future announcements.
Taking these steps in advance of the April 27 software update will help ensure access to all of your past application history and make it easy to apply for new announcements issued under IVOL. If you have additional questions about the upcoming changes, please contact your Servicing Personnel Office or the HR contact listed in the vacancy announcement for which you wish to apply.

[keepsake]

Thanks piperlaw for the email you got. I don't work for SSA and did not receive any email despite the fact I have/had both an Application Manager and USAJobs account. Well - this email confirms what they did with Application Manager. And also seems to confirm that those of us who applied through Application Manager directly likely are out of luck in terms of being able to track the status of our application for the ALJ position in real time. We will have to rely on OPM efficiency and timely attention to detail to keep us informed I am afraid.

[kenutlaw]

Sorry keepsake that I didn't respond to your request, but I was off line. Like piperlaw, I too am an SSA employee and received the email on 4/8 ("A Message to All SSA Employees

Subject: Upcoming Changes to IVOL (USAJOBS) Application Manager"). However, I promptly forgot about it until yesterday when I happened across it. As of now, I still haven't received the courtesy of a reply from ALJ App Help Desk.