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Post by hopefalj on May 14, 2014 13:39:14 GMT -5
Regarding the 9 references, I can find 3 ALJs and 3 adversaries, but I am not sure who we can use as professional references. Can we use current or former co-workers? How about personal friends who are attorneys? Since I am an insider, would other Decision Writers be OK? Personal friends who are lawyers and can answer the questions (which have not changed), sure. Former coworkers who are lawyers and can answer the questions, yes. Fellow decision writers would be the last choice of the three. Why is that? Is there a reference bias against fellow insider attorneys? Has this been discussed in the past on this board and I just missed it?
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Post by 71stretch on May 14, 2014 14:10:45 GMT -5
Personal friends who are lawyers and can answer the questions (which have not changed), sure. Former coworkers who are lawyers and can answer the questions, yes. Fellow decision writers would be the last choice of the three. Why is that? Is there a reference bias against fellow insider attorneys? Has this been discussed in the past on this board and I just missed it? No, I just think that if you have references outside your job you should use them first. I've had to use fellow ALJs because of a shortage of other references, and will still need to if I make a future cert, as some of my earlier references have passed away since the last time I had to submit one of those. But, if I had people outside my office to use instead, I would.
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Post by 71stretch on May 14, 2014 14:12:36 GMT -5
Radric - did you receive an extension for submitting documents? Weren't they due last Friday...or did we all have different due dates? I was just notified today that I made the certificate for 7 cities. This is interesting. Either they figured out that they missed sending some emails, or they've had to go back and add some more candidates to the mix.
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Post by agilitymom on May 14, 2014 14:15:32 GMT -5
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Post by hopefalj on May 14, 2014 14:21:16 GMT -5
I was just notified today that I made the certificate for 7 cities. This is interesting. Either they figured out that they missed sending some emails, or they've had to go back and add some more candidates to the mix. Perhaps they were serious about recontacting those that did not timely submit their references?
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Post by 71stretch on May 14, 2014 14:35:39 GMT -5
This is interesting. Either they figured out that they missed sending some emails, or they've had to go back and add some more candidates to the mix. Perhaps they were serious about recontacting those that did not timely submit their references? Possibly. However, I don't think the "recontact" of someone who had not sent in the documents would just be the original email resent, but rather one that says," we sent you X and you did not respond..." or, it would be a phone call. There have been late adds to certs before. I was one, back in 2011.
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Post by orchid on May 14, 2014 14:53:00 GMT -5
Radric - did you receive an extension for submitting documents? Weren't they due last Friday...or did we all have different due dates? I was just notified today that I made the certificate for 7 cities. I came to SSA 4 years ago after 13 years as a state attorney. My former state attorney coworkers can vouch for my integrity and reputation in the legal community, but cannot vouch for my ability to crank out high volumes of cases like my fellow DWs can. That is why I ask if should list a DW colleague or two. If you don't mind answering, is your score above or below the previous announced cut off of 73.41?
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Post by privateatty on May 14, 2014 15:38:54 GMT -5
One of the Judges on my list once told my wife that I was full of "fire and brimstone" in his Courtroom. He meant that as a compliment, but the comments on this board make me wonder if I should ask that Judge to not say that kind of thing when contacted by the SSA contractor. It seems to me that a lawyer who zealously represents his clients is doing his job. I would think ODAR would want to hire an ALJ who does his/her job to the best of his/her ability. If I ask that Judge to not say anything like that when contacted about my ALJ application, then the Judge might also hesitate to say other nice things about me and wind up being a lukewarm reference. I find it hard to believe that a Judge trying to compliment a lawyer by saying how zealously the lawyer represents his clients would be used as a reason to not hire that lawyer. I am not a trouble maker, I just try to provide the best possible representation for my clients, which is what the clients pay me to do. The more I think about it, I am not going to ask that Judge to tone down his remarks about me, and I just hope that ODAR (or Medicare) will understand that I will use that same energy and enthusiasm to do the best possible job for them if I am hired. I can relate to this. This is a very tough call. In a perfect world where your skills as a litigator (and one who follows the dictates of a DR who zealously represents the interest of his/her client) would be seen in the "proper" light and you wouldn't have to ask this question. But ODAR doesn't want this type of litigator. They want a lawyer who gets that this is a "non-adversarial process" and that you must be able to move cases and not slice and dice in court nor over-prep. For this reason I would contact the Judge and discuss this with him/her and tell them that emphasis on the qualities that you have that are more condusive to the job needs to be stressed.
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Post by 71stretch on May 14, 2014 18:25:45 GMT -5
The actual questions are posted, and would show the judge the sort of info they are looking for. "Fire and brimstone" and "team player in a volume operation" don't really mix, as noted above.
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wayne
Full Member
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Post by wayne on May 15, 2014 9:36:14 GMT -5
I appreciate the responses. In light of your suggestions I will ask my Judge references to emphasize the team player side of me more than the adversarial fighter.
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Post by 71stretch on May 15, 2014 11:15:21 GMT -5
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Post by hamster on May 15, 2014 16:40:54 GMT -5
I am a reference for an outstanding ALJ candidate this go-around. I was called and asked all of these questions, essentially verbatim. Curiously, not the one about the 500-700 disposition per year, but I addressed that anyway. Good luck to all of you at your interviews! Knock their socks off! Best, Hamster
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 19, 2014 12:53:03 GMT -5
Having references checked freaks me out.
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Post by hopenfaith on May 19, 2014 14:55:38 GMT -5
I understand. I have had three references tell me they have been called - a judge, a former supervisor, and an adversary. I wonder if they will contact anyone else.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 19, 2014 17:00:02 GMT -5
I understand. I have had three references tell me they have been called - a judge, a former supervisor, and an adversary. I wonder if they will contact anyone else. Over the course of the past week, I think they have called every one of the names I provided.
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Post by privateatty on May 19, 2014 17:07:43 GMT -5
Having references checked freaks me out. In a bad way, like "it makes me nervous" or in a good way like Sally Fields accepting an Oscar: "they really like me"? Or are you just dancing to the "Freak Out" song and forgot the lines? Sorry for all the questions but I have misinterpreted your ambiguity before...
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 19, 2014 17:48:46 GMT -5
Having references checked freaks me out. In a bad way, like "it makes me nervous" or in a good way like Sally Fields accepting an Oscar: "they really like me"? Or are you just dancing to the "Freak Out" song and forgot the lines? Sorry for all the questions but I have misinterpreted your ambiguity before... Freaked out as in "there are people talking behind my back about something that's really important to me." But there have been good moments: a law clerk for a federal judge reference called and asked for citations to all the cases I'd had before that judge over the past 3 decades. The law clerk said the judge "really wants to tell the whole story" when he calls back the interviewer. I should not have been surprised that the judge wanted to be just as prepared for a reference telephone call as he has been for every other proceeding I've ever had in that courtroom. If I'm lucky enough to get an ALJ position, I hope I have the capacity to devote the same degree of attention to each of my cases.
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Post by privateatty on May 19, 2014 18:01:25 GMT -5
In a bad way, like "it makes me nervous" or in a good way like Sally Fields accepting an Oscar: "they really like me"? Or are you just dancing to the "Freak Out" song and forgot the lines? Sorry for all the questions but I have misinterpreted your ambiguity before... Freaked out as in "there are people talking behind my back about something that's really important to me." But there have been good moments: a law clerk for a federal judge reference called and asked for citations to all the cases I'd had before that judge over the past 3 decades. The law clerk said the judge "really wants to tell the whole story" when he calls back the interviewer. I should not have been surprised that the judge wanted to be just as prepared for a reference telephone call as he has been for every other proceeding I've ever had in that courtroom. If I'm lucky enough to get an ALJ position, I hope I have the capacity to devote the same degree of attention to each of my cases. Not to throw water on your parade, but what you describe is an Art. III Judge or an ALJ in an Agency who has time. There are alot of Agencies with few ALJs who fit that bill-but ODAR isn't one of them. However, your recognition of your Reference gets a like from this pilgrim.
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Post by hopefalj on May 19, 2014 18:38:18 GMT -5
...a judge, a former supervisor, and an adversary. This sounds like the makings of a good joke.
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Post by gary on May 19, 2014 18:41:49 GMT -5
...a judge, a former supervisor, and an adversary. This sounds like the makings of a good joke. Or a bad one.
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