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Post by moopigsdad on Aug 13, 2013 18:32:31 GMT -5
funky, don't get hung up on NOR scores. Read the old posts. In 2007 Pixie told us "scores didn't matter". BUT BUT, I cried! Pixie was right. SSA will three strike their way to get to you even with what is considered on this Board to be a low score. It has happened on every big hire on this Board. Now, mind you, SSA needs alot of bodies to play this game correctly (litigation has kept them honest). And they love to do a "re-fresh" so that they can scoop up a few more favorite sons and daughters that they couldn't get to. But polls and posts have seen folks with 50-60 scores hired (mind you that's the old testing scoring--probably not relevant now). You are right on, though, regarding whom they want. And the idea that folks can't hit the groung running after training seems a bit weak, but then that's my supposition. I don't know about SSA, but agree that every area of the law has a learning curve. Thanks for the reality check PA. Now the only question is am I one of the "favored sons." When I joined Odar a wise old alj told me to think of it as a deer herd. Get to big and run too far ahead of the herd and some hunter will hang your head on the wall. Run to slow to keep up and you're wolf food. In keeping wit that, I haven't rocked the boat, kept my productivity above the average and generally played nice. But I haven't done a lot of details or won any significant awards. Local management seems to like me. I have no doubt my hocalj and two other offices hocaljs that worked as aljsin my office would give me high reccs. But I doubt anyone in higher region or national office could pick me from a lineup. After 2 years as an AA I had pretty high production, a low remand rate, respect from the aljs as one of the better writers in the office and way more experience outside odar than any other candidate, so I got the promotion to SAA over several who had been there years longer. But I dunno if I have anything that would give me "favored" status. Pretty sure thereis nothing to make them automatically tank me. Guess Im hoping a slightly above average insider with no negatives is enough to qualify as a "favored son" on a register that has much fewer insiders than ssa anticipated. With those thoughts and your post with the Pixie info, I can face the process without too much dread. As long as Idon't totally funk the exams and don't shart in the SI, if I can just stay above the mean, I think I will be ok. That's the upside to the new register being insider lite. Also means better chances for outsiders, but I think they will need higher scores to differentiate themselves from the larger number of outsiders. What difference does it make funky? You will go to DC no matter whether you are "favored son" status or not won't you? Hence, why are you worrying about it?
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Post by crab on Aug 13, 2013 18:37:03 GMT -5
Funky, hang loose mother goose. You've got the goods. And your prolific writing ability has me wringing my claws with envy!
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Post by funkyodar on Aug 13, 2013 19:03:52 GMT -5
Loose it is. Time for a cold beer and a cigar. Talk to you fine folks in the morn.
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Post by sealaw90 on Aug 14, 2013 10:29:09 GMT -5
NEWS FLASH - I heard from OPM this week that testing has been scheduled out to the week of October 20. That adds another 9 testing dates (WD/LBMT on M,T,W and SI on T,W,Th). So we've got another 225 - 275 applicants to add in.
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Post by funkyodar on Aug 14, 2013 11:08:54 GMT -5
NEWS FLASH - I heard from OPM this week that testing has been scheduled out to the week of October 20. That adds another 9 testing dates (WD/LBMT on M,T,W and SI on T,W,Th). So we've got another 225 - 275 applicants to add in. Very interesting...why just MTW for the written exams? has that been common already? I had been assuming 4 days a week of testing based on the fact i have my exams on a thursday and SI on a friday. That not true for every week or is it just the october dates are limited to three days?
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davef
Full Member
Posts: 87
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Post by davef on Aug 14, 2013 11:12:34 GMT -5
NEWS FLASH - I heard from OPM this week that testing has been scheduled out to the week of October 20. That adds another 9 testing dates (WD/LBMT on M,T,W and SI on T,W,Th). So we've got another 225 - 275 applicants to add in. Really hoping that means they're finally going to schedule me...
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Post by sealaw90 on Aug 14, 2013 11:16:22 GMT -5
Oh, my bad - I thought 4 days of testing meant no SI on Fridays. So now were back in the 1200 - 1300 applicant range of who is showing up for phase 3. So if room 1350 can fit 32 testers, that's approximately 1500 applicants that could've been invited. But it looks like (on average) 1100 - 1200 are actually taking the test since most are saying there's been 23 - 25 folks in the room. Not sure if my math is right but I am sure someone else will do the math and correct me!
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Post by moopigsdad on Aug 14, 2013 11:18:58 GMT -5
NEWS FLASH - I heard from OPM this week that testing has been scheduled out to the week of October 20. That adds another 9 testing dates (WD/LBMT on M,T,W and SI on T,W,Th). So we've got another 225 - 275 applicants to add in. Very interesting...why just MTW for the written exams? has that been common already? I had been assuming 4 days a week of testing based on the fact i have my exams on a thursday and SI on a friday. That not true for every week or is it just the october dates are limited to three days? I think these may be special accommodation people or rescheduled people. I still think we are only talking about 1100 total when all is said and done. I think it is four days of testing each week and only adds eight days as people were already scheduled to the end of the first week of October 2013. If it is special accommodation people there may even be less desks in the room and less test takers each of those days.
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Post by steelrain on Aug 14, 2013 11:27:30 GMT -5
Ugh...what that tells me is that we might not have a register until the end of Nov or even Dec...this really is a marathon!
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davef
Full Member
Posts: 87
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Post by davef on Aug 14, 2013 11:47:13 GMT -5
Very interesting...why just MTW for the written exams? has that been common already? I had been assuming 4 days a week of testing based on the fact i have my exams on a thursday and SI on a friday. That not true for every week or is it just the october dates are limited to three days? I think these may be special accommodation people or rescheduled people. I still think we are only talking about 1100 total when all is said and done. I think it is four days of testing each week and only adds eight days as people were already scheduled to the end of the first week of October 2013. If it is special accommodation people there may even be less desks in the room and less test takers each of those days. I totally agree MPD. Based on te lack of response to my earlier posts, I believe I am one of a handful who was not originally scheduled. Therefore, I would speculate that the additional dates are for those individuals needing to be rescheduled. It also explains the low classroom numbers. I think the original math is likely accurate assuming 30 people per test, 4 tests per week, times 8-9 weeks.
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Post by mikeinthehills on Aug 14, 2013 11:58:51 GMT -5
I'm curious about the week of Labor Day, 9/3 through 9/6. Is OPM making people travel on Labor Day for a 9/3 WD/LBMT? Can anyone scheduled for that week report in?
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Post by 71stretch on Aug 14, 2013 12:07:07 GMT -5
Ugh...what that tells me is that we might not have a register until the end of Nov or even Dec...this really is a marathon! Last time around, someone calculated that the time period from the close of applications to either the hire or the start date (I don't remember which) for those hired off the first cert from the refreshed register was essentially the same as the gestation period for a human baby. So yes, it's always a marathon. This time, I don't think we will see a register until after the first of the year. Makes this round closer to the gestation period for a horse. I've waited for foals before, so I can do that.
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Post by funkyodar on Aug 14, 2013 12:25:09 GMT -5
Ugh...what that tells me is that we might not have a register until the end of Nov or even Dec...this really is a marathon! Last time around, someone calculated that the time period from the close of applications to either the hire or the start date (I don't remember which) for those hired off the first cert from the refreshed register was essentially the same as the gestation period for a human baby. So yes, it's always a marathon. This time, I don't think we will see a register until after the first of the year. Makes this round closer to the gestation period for a horse. I've waited for foals before, so I can do that. I think this process certainly resembles something that comes out of the rear end of a horse....just not sure it's a foal.
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Post by sealaw90 on Aug 14, 2013 12:35:04 GMT -5
NEWS FLASH - I heard from OPM this week that testing has been scheduled out to the week of October 20. That adds another 9 testing dates (WD/LBMT on M,T,W and SI on T,W,Th). So we've got another 225 - 275 applicants to add in. I've been away - so maybe I missed something, but my WD is on a Thursday and my SI is on a Friday, so not sure what the above schedule means. aljfaq, sorry for the mistake, funky pointed it out as well. I stand corrected, but the testing dates I stand by until someone else hears something new from OPM!
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Post by hopefalj on Aug 14, 2013 17:21:55 GMT -5
Everyone in the exam room today grew up in New Jersey. This is what popped into my head. As someone who comes from a much stereotyped state, I apologize for doing the same to someone else.
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Post by Gaidin on Aug 15, 2013 6:51:49 GMT -5
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Post by orchid on Aug 15, 2013 7:08:39 GMT -5
Has anyone asked OPM during testing how many people are scheduled to test?
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Post by westernalj on Aug 15, 2013 7:21:58 GMT -5
The question isn't where are you traveling from. It's where did you live when you received your SSN.
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Post by Gaidin on Aug 15, 2013 8:42:58 GMT -5
The question isn't where are you traveling from. It's where did you live when you received your SSN. a. I am not sold on the SSN idea. b. I understood the person making the report to be saying the room was full of people currently from NJ not a room full of people who got their SSNs in NJ. There is also the question of how much participation we are getting so that we can get a better feel for other things like the size of the pool, etc. That means that knowing that only 1 person says they are traveling from NJ and yet there was a room full of people from NJ there plus other people reporting they met folks from NJ. Our sample is way off which we knew but now we know one of the ways it is off.
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Post by Gaidin on Aug 15, 2013 8:44:30 GMT -5
The question isn't where are you traveling from. It's where did you live when you received your SSN. a. I am not sold on the SSN idea. b. I understood the person making the report to be saying the room was full of people currently from NJ not a room full of people who got their SSNs in NJ. There is also the question of how much participation we are getting so that we can get a better feel for other things like the size of the pool, etc. That means that knowing that only 1 person says they are traveling from NJ and yet there was a room full of people from NJ there plus other people reporting they met folks from NJ. Our sample is way off which we knew but now we know one of the ways it is off. Everyone in the exam room today grew up in New Jersey. Never mind I see what I missed before.
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