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Post by JudgeRatty on Nov 6, 2014 8:53:00 GMT -5
I sent Bob a message this morning about interview scheduling, and he said to please be patient that there are "many many candidates who have to be scheduled for interviews." He said to please be patient. Also, anything we can do to reduce the interruptions is greatly appreciated and would be a big help.
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Post by steelrain on Nov 6, 2014 8:54:27 GMT -5
Thank you Sratty for the update...this process from day one has been nothing but a test of patience
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Post by Ace Midnight on Nov 6, 2014 8:58:12 GMT -5
Just like that Guns N' Roses song.
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Post by JudgeRatty on Nov 6, 2014 8:59:31 GMT -5
Thank you Sratty for the update...this process from day one has been nothing but a test of patience Amen to that! No doubt they are inundated with calls & emails right now. Of course, my question only added to the frey. EEEK! But maybe folks will give Bob and company a breather on the questions until things settle a bit. After all, the more time they spend answering questions (mine included), the less time they have to get acutal work done!
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Post by Gaidin on Nov 6, 2014 9:03:10 GMT -5
Thank you Sratty for the update...this process from day one has been nothing but a test of patience Amen to that! No doubt they are inundated with calls & emails right now. Of course, my question only added to the frey. EEEK! But maybe folks will give Bob and company a breather on the questions until things settle a bit. After all, the more time they spend answering questions (mine included), the less time they have to get acutal work done! I am holding my questions until after Monday. I suspect that most of not all will be answered soon thereafter.
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Post by ok1956 on Nov 6, 2014 9:18:34 GMT -5
I sent Bob a message this morning about interview scheduling, and he said to please be patient that there are "many many candidates who have to be scheduled for interviews." He said to please be patient. Also, anything we can do to reduce the interruptions is greatly appreciated and would be a big help. Thank you for the info!
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Post by hopefalj on Nov 6, 2014 9:22:56 GMT -5
Just like that Guns N' Roses song. Another 80s musical reference that is appropriate here is, like George Michael said, you gotta have faith that Bob will get in touch with you to schedule the interview.
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Post by moopigsdad on Nov 6, 2014 10:04:00 GMT -5
Thanks sratty for biting the bullet for us. If I have more questions, I will gladly wait until the end of next week to ask them of Bob.
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MW2
Full Member
Posts: 49
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Post by MW2 on Nov 6, 2014 10:52:08 GMT -5
This whole process is a true test of patience. Getting an email months ago that I made the first cert was very exciting. Travel plans got made. Interview was attended. And then a long difficult wait set in. While I was disappointed when I did not get an offer, the most difficult part was the lack of information. Did I tank the interview? Was I undermined by a reference? Or was it simply my GAL was not large enough for my number to get called? Many board members have described ALJs who waited months or years to get the call. So I wasn't really in any different position, if I was still in the game.
All of the cliches, all of the advice, and knowing others had been there before me were not too much help when what I really wanted was information.
So now that I got another email asking if I am interested in a few more cities on my GAL I have a little more information. And some good news. I wasn't three struck. Yet. Maybe I'll get the call this time. Maybe not. But I will be a little better prepared for the wait and the lack of information.
Good luck to all of you getting ready to interview. It looks like the wait won't be quite as long, but the lack of information may be difficult.
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Post by bartleby on Nov 6, 2014 11:17:05 GMT -5
Sratty, you noted, "Also, anything we can do to reduce the interruptions is greatly appreciated and would be a big help." In an attempt to help out, I have asked several Judges not to bother Bob with their retirement applications at this time. Good luck to all....
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Post by chessparent on Nov 6, 2014 22:45:39 GMT -5
Sratty, you noted, "Also, anything we can do to reduce the interruptions is greatly appreciated and would be a big help." In an attempt to help out, I have asked several Judges not to bother Bob with their retirement applications at this time. Good luck to all.... I'm kind of hoping they will get those retirement applications underway. I would love to see a few more judges enjoying their golden years away from the office. Of course, this has nothing to do with my own ALJ ambitions.
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Post by cheesy on Nov 7, 2014 1:24:39 GMT -5
Almost nothing in government moves quickly or with full transparency, not due to malicious intent but simply due to lack of time and manpower. In all seriousness, those who are considering dedicating the rest of their careers to Government service should be prepared for a lifetime of working for, in, with, and sometimes frustratingly against the Government. After all, as just one example, your Government retirement pay data will entered manually into a number of 1980s-era computer systems and then hand filed by several hundred fellow Goverment employees working in an abandoned mine in Pennsylvania.
If you're visibly frustrated now, just wait until you're also on Uncle Sam's bankroll. Again, in all honesty and seriousness, if you are not the kind of person who can enjoy a good hurry-up-and-wait with dignity, grace, and a certain amount of aplomb, is this the best career path for you?
Just some food for thought...
C
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Post by dudeabides on Nov 7, 2014 6:46:53 GMT -5
Cheesy - Well said.
Surely the cheesemakers shall inherit the earth (or at least SSA-ODAR)!
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Post by ALJD on Nov 7, 2014 8:00:35 GMT -5
An anonymous board member informed me that Bob and crew had about 300 e-mails to send as of a couple days ago when the process just got started. So have some patience.
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Post by Missundaztood on Nov 7, 2014 9:14:20 GMT -5
An anonymous board member informed me that Bob and crew had about 300 e-mails to send as of a couple days ago when the process just got started. So have some patience. I blame OPM.
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Post by bartleby on Nov 7, 2014 9:27:13 GMT -5
At the AALJ conference, IIRC, they told us 70% of the ALJ Corps had been hired since 2008. Cheesy mentions the slowness of the Government. Their is one area that is uber speedy. A friend of mine took two weeks vacation last year around Christmas. By the second week he noticed his headaches, neck, and back pain had gone away. He decided his health was more important than his job and he had over 40 years of Government work. He called Bob. Two days later Bob had sent him an e-mail with everything in it about retirement and all he had to do was sign and return. The Monday he was to return from vacation another Judge went to his office, opened the door and noticed all of my friend's personal stuff was gone. He had cleaned it out over the weekend. My friend was retired. Way too cool. I love it. Remember, when you get ready to retire you CAN phone it in....
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Post by orchid on Nov 7, 2014 9:37:59 GMT -5
An anonymous board member informed me that Bob and crew had about 300 e-mails to send as of a couple days ago when the process just got started. So have some patience. Do we think that means 300 candidates? Or do the 300 emails include emails related to travel arrangements, interview dates, etc?
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Post by sealaw90 on Nov 7, 2014 11:01:28 GMT -5
My thoughts exactly. Probably a combination, but ALJD said "as of a couple of days ago" so maybe they are down a hundred or so...if anybody gets an email today, let us know what kind of email (travel, cert, interview, etc.)
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Post by hopefalj on Nov 7, 2014 12:09:57 GMT -5
I'm supposed to interview one week from today, but still have not received my Travel Authorization Number (TAN) necessary to call SATO and book the travel. I'm a non-SSA employee. Should I start pestering Bob, or just relax and wait until Monday. Seems awfully late (and expensive) to be making travel arrangements ... Relax. They have the cost situation under control. They've booked flights a day or two before writer training in the past, so just make sure to keep your Thursday and Friday as open as possible. They'll figure it out and get you there.
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Post by JudgeRatty on Nov 7, 2014 12:34:39 GMT -5
I'm supposed to interview one week from today, but still have not received my Travel Authorization Number (TAN) necessary to call SATO and book the travel. I'm a non-SSA employee. Should I start pestering Bob, or just relax and wait until Monday. Seems awfully late (and expensive) to be making travel arrangements ... Relax. They have the cost situation under control. They've booked flights a day or two before writer training in the past, so just make sure to keep your Thursday and Friday as open as possible. They'll figure it out and get you there. Every travel I have ever needed with ODAR has been arranged at the last minute. A bit unnerving, but it always worked out. Last minute planning is not something I like to do either, but it seems to be the way things go.
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