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Post by 71stretch on Feb 3, 2016 19:55:09 GMT -5
Where in the 2013 announcement (a copy was already posted here) do you see any prohibition to getting help with one's resume or documenting 7+ years of qualifying work? There is nothing we do that violates any of OPM's rules or any canons of ethics. No one is certifying my work as their own. Also, neither the resume nor the application questionnaire is scored. It is not on the announcement. No one said it was. That certification is part of the application itself. Those of us who have actually completed application(s) know that.
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Post by Pixie on Feb 3, 2016 20:13:49 GMT -5
OK, everyone has had his or her say. All points have been made and rebuttals submitted. Time to move on. Let's let 71Stretch's post be the last one on this topic. There is a lot of life left in this thread if we stay on topic. Pixie.
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Post by montyburns on Feb 3, 2016 20:57:26 GMT -5
under the older system, you applied with a resume and Accomplishment Record. That was scored and those "in the higher scored subgroup" advanced to testing in FC. Thus, because the Accomplishment Record was scored, having someone else write it up for you.....well, I think is unethical. Now, the first step is merely proving you have 7 years. A resume can do that. People have been getting help for resumes for as long as there have been resumes. (Though now that I have donned the robe, I call mine a curriculum vitae ). I just want to verify that this is this correct (not the ethical question). All you have to show is the 7 years and it is not part of the score? Reading the posting again, it certainly seems like it. In 2013 I got past the first part (i.e. showing the 7 years) and failed at the online test. I was considering to what extent I would want to update my initial wannabe ALJ resume (i.e. I have a word document saved from the 2013 go-around). I figure I got past it once, so apparently I used enough magic words, and I guess why mess with success.
Nevertheless, they do score your experience on the online part, so I would like input from the members on that issue as well (assuming I get that far). Since coming on the inside, I have occasionally (rarely may be more like it) done some side work litigating the occasional misdemeanor or contract case. Do you think this is even worth mentioning, or is it possible that the relative infrequency of this work would either not be significant enough to matter (I would really like to get every point I can) or is it too potentially confusing (because it is so intermittent) to be worth it and somehow actually hurt me. OPM works in mysterious ways and I'd hate to mess this up just for what amounts to really, not a lot of work.
Many thanks.
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Post by gary on Feb 3, 2016 21:20:22 GMT -5
under the older system, you applied with a resume and Accomplishment Record. That was scored and those "in the higher scored subgroup" advanced to testing in FC. Thus, because the Accomplishment Record was scored, having someone else write it up for you.....well, I think is unethical. Now, the first step is merely proving you have 7 years. A resume can do that. People have been getting help for resumes for as long as there have been resumes. (Though now that I have donned the robe, I call mine a curriculum vitae ). I just want to verify that this is this correct (not the ethical question). All you have to show is the 7 years and it is not part of the score? Reading the posting again, it certainly seems like it. In 2013 I got past the first part (i.e. showing the 7 years) and failed at the online test. I was considering to what extent I would want to update my initial wannabe ALJ resume (i.e. I have a word document saved from the 2013 go-around). I figure I got past it once, so apparently I used enough magic words, and I guess why mess with success.
Nevertheless, they do score your experience on the online part, so I would like input from the members on that issue as well (assuming I get that far). Since coming on the inside, I have occasionally (rarely may be more like it) done some side work litigating the occasional misdemeanor or contract case. Do you think this is even worth mentioning, or is it possible that the relative infrequency of this work would either not be significant enough to matter (I would really like to get every point I can) or is it too potentially confusing (because it is so intermittent) to be worth it and somehow actually hurt me. OPM works in mysterious ways and I'd hate to mess this up just for what amounts to really, not a lot of work.
Many thanks.
There is a minimum amount of experience and there is an Experience Assessment (EA) that is part of your score.
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Post by hopefalj on Feb 4, 2016 8:39:50 GMT -5
So, "And how would an applicant who paid for your services be able to certify that their application was entirely their own work?" Does this eliminate everyone that paid to take a Bar Review to pass the Bar, which is after all the first step in this whole deal.. You're asked to certify that you didn't receive assistance completing the application, not that you've never received assistance in obtaining the experience you write in your application. Seems to be a pretty obvious distinction.
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Post by pumpkin on Feb 4, 2016 14:11:55 GMT -5
For 50 cents free I will share with you some very simple advice: do NOT use an AOL e-mail address as your contact e-mail during the application process. The cadre of folks who completed the online component in July 2015 were, in large number, members of the "I'm over 40 years old and still clinging to my e-mail of xxxxx@aol.com)" - myself included. We did not receive our invitations to participate in the online phase of the testing because the e-mails to aol.com did not get delivered. Get with the 21st century and create a Gmail account.
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Post by ba on Feb 5, 2016 8:26:51 GMT -5
For 50 cents free I will share with you some very simple advice: do NOT use an AOL e-mail address as your contact e-mail during the application process. The cadre of folks who completed the online component in July 2015 were, in large number, members of the "I'm over 40 years old and still clinging to my e-mail of xxxxx@aol.com)" - myself included. We did not receive our invitations to participate in the online phase of the testing because the e-mails to aol.com did not get delivered. Get with the 21st century and create a Gmail account. Really? 40 is the line for that? I would have guessed it was higher.
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mwai
New Member
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Posts: 13
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Post by mwai on Feb 5, 2016 11:31:16 GMT -5
For 50 cents free I will share with you some very simple advice: do NOT use an AOL e-mail address as your contact e-mail during the application process. The cadre of folks who completed the online component in July 2015 were, in large number, members of the "I'm over 40 years old and still clinging to my e-mail of xxxxx@aol.com)" - myself included. We did not receive our invitations to participate in the online phase of the testing because the e-mails to aol.com did not get delivered. Get with the 21st century and create a Gmail account. Really? 40 is the line for that? I would have guessed it was higher. Well, guilty at 44, so that isn't far off. And yes, great advice Judge Pumpkin.
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Post by tobaby on Feb 5, 2016 20:22:16 GMT -5
Regarding AOL, I am in the over 40 demographic and I still use AOL, believe it or not. Also, when I first created the AOL account in 1996, my husband and I didn't really understand email or the internet and we thought we should have one family email address, which we still use! Fortunately I used my work email address for the ALJ application - a hassle if I change jobs though.
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Post by pumpkin on Feb 5, 2016 21:57:24 GMT -5
For 50 cents free I will share with you some very simple advice: do NOT use an AOL e-mail address as your contact e-mail during the application process. The cadre of folks who completed the online component in July 2015 were, in large number, members of the "I'm over 40 years old and still clinging to my e-mail of xxxxx@aol.com)" - myself included. We did not receive our invitations to participate in the online phase of the testing because the e-mails to aol.com did not get delivered. Get with the 21st century and create a Gmail account. Really? 40 is the line for that? I would have guessed it was higher. Are you sayin' I'm old?
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Post by ba on Feb 6, 2016 1:48:05 GMT -5
Really? 40 is the line for that? I would have guessed it was higher. Are you sayin' I'm old? Hey, I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'.
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Post by lizdarcy on Feb 6, 2016 8:34:07 GMT -5
Every single OPM and SSA email went to my AOL account without any problems. Somehow, I got hired even though I use AOL. I AM NOT ASHAMED TO USE AOL!!!! Just sayin. Young whippersnapper -- stay off my lawn!!
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Post by ba on Feb 6, 2016 8:51:23 GMT -5
Every single OPM and SSA email went to my AOL account without any problems. Somehow, I got hired even though I use AOL. I AM NOT ASHAMED TO USE AOL!!!! Just sayin. Young whippersnapper -- stay off my lawn!! "Back in my day, there was no email. We needed to wait for the pony to bring the mail from OPM. And if the pony died we didn't find out if we were selected as an ALJ. And that's the way it was, and that's the way we liked it!"
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Post by lizdarcy on Feb 6, 2016 9:13:13 GMT -5
Every single OPM and SSA email went to my AOL account without any problems. Somehow, I got hired even though I use AOL. I AM NOT ASHAMED TO USE AOL!!!! Just sayin. Young whippersnapper -- stay off my lawn!! "Back in my day, there was no email. We needed to wait for the pony to bring the mail from OPM. And if the pony died we didn't find out if we were selected as an ALJ. And that's the way it was, and that's the way we liked it!" yer darn tootin', sonny boy.
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Post by nschulth on Feb 7, 2016 13:13:24 GMT -5
Hi, new to board. I was scrolling through the threads and the stickied threads were a huge help, but I was looking for something with more specific tips.
As in, what are the best things I can do now to get ready for the next ALJ announcement?
A little about me. I have ten years private practice experience in criminal defense and immigration law. I did three years of medical research in an PhD program (I couldn't complete for life reasons). I am starting my second year as an Attorney Advisor (decision writer) for SSA now. I served in the Iraq War and have the 5 point VP, but I filed the paperwork in September to get the 10 pt bump, estimated it should come through in April or May.
Any thought on me specifically or the process generally would be great. Thanks in advanced!
Military service and your disability status can help you in several ways. (1) Unlike federal 0905 series attorney positions, 0935 ALJ series jobs are not Excepted Service. Thus, unlike candidates for GS-0905 attorney positions, 5- and 10-point Vets can have these points added to their scores on the ALJ exam. (2) Sometimes Veterans can count their military service towards their qualifying experience, even if it doesn't fit the definition of qualifying litigation or administrative law experience. If the military service immediately follows qualifying employment, it can be considered as an extension of that employment, and the applicant is considered to have continued performing the duties of the position he/she left. So in adding up your full time equivalent years of qualifying litigation/admin law experience, your military experience might help you qualify. If you need to rely on non-litigation military experience to help you qualify, you ought to make your arithmetic on this really clear in your qualifying experience narratives. (3) A disability, if serious enough, can also help you gain preferential hiring as an ALJ under Schedule A. This is entirely separate from your status as a 10-pt Vet. Both avenues enable you to apply to a closed exam, if for some reason you miss the open window. Potentially you could leverage both your 10-point status AND a Schedule A preference. "OPM encourages job-seeking veterans to ask for consideration under as many hiring authorities as they are eligible, in addition to claiming their preference under the competitive examining process (if applicable)." -- See www.fedshirevets.gov/job/shav/#scheda.
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Post by christina on Feb 8, 2016 9:45:56 GMT -5
Without rereading the long 2013 posting, am I right in thinking that apart from establishing that you've been a licensed practicing attorney for at least 7 years, you must also describe in percentages what portion of those 7 years was dedicated to litigation job duties? Must those percentages add up to 7 total years? I.e., would a, AA decision writer position therefore be "100%" litigation because it involves drafting "opinions" per the definition of administrative litigation experience? AA experience can count as admin experience. You need to show at least 7 years of lit and/or admin experience according to how those terms are defined in the job announcement
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Post by Propmaster on Feb 8, 2016 10:18:53 GMT -5
Without rereading the long 2013 posting, am I right in thinking that apart from establishing that you've been a licensed practicing attorney for at least 7 years, you must also describe in percentages what portion of those 7 years was dedicated to litigation job duties? Must those percentages add up to 7 total years? I.e., would a, AA decision writer position therefore be "100%" litigation because it involves drafting "opinions" per the definition of administrative litigation experience? Yes, you multiply the number of years by the percent of experience and the total of the results must be 7 years. So 7 years at 95% relevant experience = not qualified and 35 years at 20% experience = qualified. As far as 100% opinion writing, that depends on the individual situation, but if accurate, then yes. Edit: Also, please note that they do not employ math specialists, so show your work and explain any number weirdness.
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Post by tonypitt on Feb 11, 2016 15:17:52 GMT -5
Is Schedule A applicable to ALJ positions? Is this something I've missed?
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Post by phoenixrakkasan on Feb 11, 2016 20:56:09 GMT -5
Schedule A is excepted service. ALJs are selected using the competitive service process thankfully.
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Post by minny on Feb 11, 2016 21:08:29 GMT -5
Is Schedule A applicable to ALJ positions? Is this something I've missed? I don't know how it would work, but I don't think there are any exceptions to this special hiring authority. You might want to contact either OPM's or SSA's Selective Placement Program Coordinator (they are the points of contact for Schedule A programs).
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