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Post by jagghagg on Apr 14, 2009 7:36:56 GMT -5
There is a big difference between what SSA is doing at the selection interview, and, what OPM is doing in establishing and maintaining the Register. SSA is not rating you in order to establish a list of candidates, rather SSA is interviewing you in order to make a decision as to whether they want to hire you. Oddly enough, if you are not selected by SSA, you can ask the selecting official for a non-selection interview, in which you can get some feedback. Most folk do not avail themselves of the opportunity. Most likely because the fear that they will get the usual "there were better qualified candidates" type answers. I can tell you that the SSA interviews are very important. Very. So if one does not get an offer, you might avail yourself of this opportunity. I have been asked about the "nonselection interview" that GP references, but I know nothing about the logistics of such and thus cannot answer the questions. Perhaps GP will share and post exactly how and of whom a request for such an interview would be made? There is more information to be had in such an interview; more than the usual "there were better qualified candidates" type answers. You can ask for the "Interview Folder Review" sheets, the sheet showing your "composite rating based on all competencies," and, of course, - under the Privacy Act - a copy of your background investigation. (Remember that, under the Privacy Act, you can ask to make corrections in the records the Agency maintains under your name.) |
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Post by Legal Beagle on Apr 14, 2009 11:54:04 GMT -5
Would those who were interviewed last year but not selected, please give us an idea of whether you had any clues in the interview that it was not going well, or if you were shocked at not being selected. Also, were there any on this Board who were selected but declined the position, and why?
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Post by pm on Apr 14, 2009 12:01:34 GMT -5
There were people who thought they had great interviews who did not get hired. There were people who thought they had lousy interviews who did get hired. There were people on this board who bowed out before getting an interview. Their reasons were all highly individualized. One chose to keep her corporate job at $325,000 per year.
I know you are worried about the interview but none of these questions are you going to give you any insight or any peace.
Just relax. 99% report that the interview is easy and pleasant, generally more pleasant than the OPM interview. ODAR is just trying to figure out if you are a nice person and to see how your background fits in with their needs.
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Post by Legal Beagle on Apr 14, 2009 12:22:20 GMT -5
You are absolutely right, pm - it is what it is (or you are who you are), and faking it or trying to psych out the system just will not work. We Beagles just like to sniff out the lay of the land before we leave our "pee-mail."
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Post by rhino on Apr 14, 2009 13:08:21 GMT -5
ODAR is just trying to figure out if you are a nice person and to see how your background fits in with their needs. That may be true, but "just" is a minimizer I am unwilling to accept. If these SSA interviews are as important as they seem, then I think I am going to want to know more about this "non-selection interview." When the Giant Panda tells you something, believe it. Fine, so where's the GP when you need him ?  |
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Post by pm on Apr 14, 2009 13:35:06 GMT -5
The non selection interview is a special process. You do not want to ever be in a position to request a non selection interview.
The regular interview is just that, a regular interview. Anyone who overblows the nature or extent of that interview is not doing themselves or anyone else a favor.
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Post by jagghagg on Apr 14, 2009 15:11:15 GMT -5
The non selection interview is a special process. You do not want to ever be in a position to request a non selection interview. The regular interview is just that, a regular interview. Anyone who overblows the nature or extent of that interview is not doing themselves or anyone else a favor. Well, no - not really. It's not just a regular interview. It's a structured interview with a note-taker there to capture the interviewee's actual words and then transcribe them. It has set areas outlined by specific questions. In that they are looking for particular information, yes - that is like a "regular" interview, but no, this is pretty much a step up from "regular." Pleasant, as you say, but a step up. As far as no one wanting to be in the position of asking for a nonselection interview, sure - no one would. But at least 200 candidates were nonselected last year. Global Panda mentioned it; I've been asked what I know about how to request one (and since I didn't know about them,) I think GP might provide the information for those who have asked. If they have contacted me privately, they don't want their names associated with wanting to know, but they do seem to want to know. |
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Post by pm on Apr 14, 2009 15:48:17 GMT -5
I consider it a simple interview because it does not challenge the interviewee. They just ask fairly simple questions and you give fairly simple answers. The questions are standardized. What they are looking for, with a couple of exceptions, is standardized. There's not much to prep for. It's far less intensive than the interviews I conduct.
Many of the people who think they want a non selection interview would get little out of it. Regardless as to what the interview might reveal, the primary reason most people are not selected is that they were either not in the top 3 at all, or if they were, a slightly better candidate was chosen.
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Post by jagghagg on Apr 14, 2009 18:15:38 GMT -5
I must respectfully disagree, PM. (yesssss, "respectfully") Whatever the nature of the SSA interview, the SSA now maintains a file on each and every person they have interviewed. This file contains what your references said; what your past and current emploers have said about you; what the background investigation revealed; what your credit rating said; what your DMV records revealed;...and there exists a transcribed record of your interview; what your interviewers said about you; how they rated you in the competencies; and ALJ Griswold rated you overall and perhaps why. All this information is mandatorily available to you under the Privacy Act and if there are errors in it, then you have the right to submit corrections. (For example, I know one candidate whose interviewers clearly misunderstood the concept of an "Article 32" hearing and the nature of such a hearing in the military and so, as a result gave that candidate little credit for completion of hundreds of such hearings.) I would think asking for that information AND having it at a "nonselection interview" would potentially provide a candidate a plethora of information which could be used when that candidate finds themself on a cert for another agency ( or even another cert for the SSA!)
Instead of you and I discussing whether one should want such an interview or not, if GlobalPanda knows of what she speaks - it would help more than a few for her to post the information she has about it.
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Post by pm on Apr 14, 2009 19:52:36 GMT -5
I don't disagree with your point at all. My point is that for most people this stuff is going to be irrelevant. If you are someone with a VP and a high score, or someone with a high score and more than a few cities on the cert, and you didn't get hired, then a non selection interview might be interesting, but that's going to be a tiny percentage of the people on the register. And yes I do understand you are one of that tiny percentage and that this is all very relevant to you. I wish you luck in pursuing this path.
But many people have a tendency to read about some of the more esoteric aspects of this process and think that it has to be relevant to them, so they get all hyper about it, whereas in truth it isn't going to be relevant to them.
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Post by privateatty on Apr 14, 2009 20:50:35 GMT -5
I don't disagree with your point at all. My point is that for most people this stuff is going to be irrelevant. If you are someone with a VP and a high score, or someone with a high score and more than a few cities on the cert, and you didn't get hired, then a non selection interview might be interesting, but that's going to be a tiny percentage of the people on the register. And yes I do understand you are one of that tiny percentage and that this is all very relevant to you. I wish you luck in pursuing this path. But many people have a tendency to read about some of the more esoteric aspects of this process and think that it has to be relevant to them, so they get all hyper about it, whereas in truth it isn't going to be relevant to them. Everybody on the Cert. believes that he or she is ALJ material. At least two-thirds of that same Cert. will not get hired. Puzzle Palace (Falls Church ODAR) will hire high scorers, yes, but also a bunch of low scorers. Tell me where the "tiny percentage" is...  |
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Post by pm on Apr 14, 2009 21:26:41 GMT -5
I don't disagree with your point at all. My point is that for most people this stuff is going to be irrelevant. If you are someone with a VP and a high score, or someone with a high score and more than a few cities on the cert, and you didn't get hired, then a non selection interview might be interesting, but that's going to be a tiny percentage of the people on the register. And yes I do understand you are one of that tiny percentage and that this is all very relevant to you. I wish you luck in pursuing this path. But many people have a tendency to read about some of the more esoteric aspects of this process and think that it has to be relevant to them, so they get all hyper about it, whereas in truth it isn't going to be relevant to them. Everybody on the Cert. believes that he or she is ALJ material. At least two-thirds of that same Cert. will not get hired. Puzzle Palace (Falls Church ODAR) will hire high scorers, yes, but also a bunch of low scorers. Tell me where the "tiny percentage" is... :P 2/3 are not supposed to get hired. If your score is in the bottom 2/3 of scores, and don't get hired, you are wasting your time if you plan to whine, moan, complain, or gripe. Most in the top 1/3 with more than a few cities on the cert are going to get hired. The tiny percentage that has a reason to whine, moan, complain, or gripe (and thus consider a non selection interview) are those with high scores, VP and/or multiple cities on the cert who did not get hired. It's really not complicated. |
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Post by barkley on Apr 14, 2009 21:27:33 GMT -5
DMV records!?!?! So much for my chances! |
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Post by globalpanda on Apr 14, 2009 21:28:25 GMT -5
There is a big difference between what SSA is doing at the selection interview, and, what OPM is doing in establishing and maintaining the Register. SSA is not rating you in order to establish a list of candidates, rather SSA is interviewing you in order to make a decision as to whether they want to hire you. Oddly enough, if you are not selected by SSA, you can ask the selecting official for a non-selection interview, in which you can get some feedback. Most folk do not avail themselves of the opportunity. Most likely because the fear that they will get the usual "there were better qualified candidates" type answers. I can tell you that the SSA interviews are very important. Very. So if one does not get an offer, you might avail yourself of this opportunity. I have been asked about the "nonselection interview" that GP references, but I know nothing about the logistics of such and thus cannot answer the questions. Perhaps GP will share and post exactly how and of whom a request for such an interview would be made? There is more information to be had in such an interview; more than the usual "there were better qualified candidates" type answers. You can ask for the "Interview Folder Review" sheets, the sheet showing your "composite rating based on all competencies," and, of course, - under the Privacy Act - a copy of your background investigation. (Remember that, under the Privacy Act, you can ask to make corrections in the records the Agency maintains under your name.) Of course, If I was a snarky person I would ask if you bothered to do ANY research BEFORE you posted this question... |
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Post by globalpanda on Apr 14, 2009 21:29:02 GMT -5
ODAR is just trying to figure out if you are a nice person and to see how your background fits in with their needs. That may be true, but "just" is a minimizer I am unwilling to accept. If these SSA interviews are as important as they seem, then I think I am going to want to know more about this "non-selection interview." When the Giant Panda tells you something, believe it. Fine, so where's the GP when you need him ? Rhino- check your PM |
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Post by jagghagg on Apr 14, 2009 23:28:04 GMT -5
I'm not sure how my referencing your own post and asking you to elaborate for those unwilling to subject themselves to the snide comments that can ensue from posters on this board gives you the freedom to actually BE snarky, but apparently, GP, you either didn't know what you were talking about when you informed this board about nonselection interviews, or you were talking out of turn and now decline to provide further information.
Modification:
(See following post...)
OOOOoooooooh! It was that the question came from ME, eh, GP? Well, well, well.... now that's not petty at ALL, is it ? My, my, my. Tsk, tsk, tsk!
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Post by rhino on Apr 15, 2009 4:28:08 GMT -5
I received the following reply from GP. I know from watching these boards for so long that posting PM information is usually a no-no, but I am at a loss to understand why GP would not post this instead of sniping at JH. It seems, at least to me, to be an unnecessary snub that worked to the disadvantage of people who actually wanted to know. And since GP did not ask me to keep this confidential, this was the information I was provided:
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Post by jagghagg on Apr 15, 2009 6:45:53 GMT -5
. . . And yes I do understand you are one of that tiny percentage and that this is all very relevant to you. I wish you luck in pursuing this path. Oh, PM, you disappoint.  And here I thought you might --- just might --- prove you can refrain from being a prat, but you really can’t, can you ? Silly me. Your misdirection assumes it is I who has an interest in requesting a nonselection interview, and your assumption would be wrong. (You know what they say about assuming….and since I have made no assumptions, it would just be you.) I wouldn’t say I had been approached by people who wanted to know if I hadn’t. . But many people have a tendency to read about some of the more esoteric aspects of this process and think that it has to be relevant to them, so they get all hyper about it, whereas in truth it isn't going to be relevant to them. This could explain why you repeatedly posted herein to deflect interest in the subject. The more likely explanation is that you determined you are the arbiter of that in which people on this board should be interested or not. The Board is for sharing information as much as possible and the people on it are intelligent enough to determine what is wheat and what is chaff with regard to themselves. It is too bad that you and GP have taken this so personally, but I am glad GP responded to somebody so that the information, no matter how incompletely it was provided, is out there. Okay, Ladies ( Pixie and ALJDiscussion) – ( as I'm sure we're on the verge) -shut ‘er down!!!! |
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Post by ALJD on Apr 15, 2009 6:54:04 GMT -5
Okay, Ladies ( Pixie and ALJDiscussion) – ( as I'm sure we're on the verge) -shut ‘er down!!!! Sigh. If you insist. Hopefully the usual suspects can all chill a little and let the room temperature cool a bit. We're all bright and competent people here, why can't we just get along a little better?  |
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And here I thought you might --- just might --- prove you can refrain from being a prat, but you really can’t, can you ? Silly me. Your misdirection assumes it is I who has an interest in requesting a nonselection interview, and your assumption would be wrong. (You know what they say about assuming….and since I have made no assumptions, it would just be you.) I wouldn’t say I had been approached by people who wanted to know if I hadn’t.
