OPM Score on Appeal

[mrskent]

I wanted to know whether there are any candidates with an OPM score of 55% or less, appealed the scoring and was called for an SSA interview?

I did not receive a call for an SSA interview and even though OPM alleges that my appeal will not interfere with the selection process; I believe it does since they do not wait to publish the scores until their appeal process is completed. Admittedly, I myself would not pick myself given my low score (whopping 43.3 which is not commensurate with my experience or abilities). Given the present process it certainly places those of us in this position at a disadvantage especially if after the appeal, scores are improved but all available positions have already been filled.

Anybody out there in the same position? I would love to hear from you and try to figure things out

Does OPM send SSA and/or other hiring agencies a new list with renewed scores after the appeal process is over?

Do I have a chance or should I just accept the inevitable and look forward to doing this all over again in 2010 if and when the register re-opens?

[nonamouse]

They will be finished with the current round of hiring before you know anything about your situation. Search the threads for tips on how to rewrite your ARs and do it now, so you will be ready should the opportunity to redo it come up before anything else pans out for you. Some of it is having suffiiciently diverse experience to fill all 6 areas and some of it is how it is written up. Write it for an average Joe/Jane Doe GS-4, not a lawyer or anyone who has a clue about legal work.

[privateatty]

If it was me (and it was), I would take a long hard look at my AR, interview skills and test taking and ask myself why, given my abilities and experience, do I have a score that I have. What could I do to beef up my AR? Can I practice doing interviews with a friend?

I would retake the examination in 2010.

[morgullord]

This is a marketing exercise. Determine what is the most you can say about yourself without lying and there you have it!

[anticipation1]

I was a candidate for this job in the 1990's. I appealed my final score. OPM reviewed my application and deducted 2 or 3 points from my final score. So I ended up in a much worse position than I was before I appealed. Just a FYI. Be prepared for this.

[ohaer]

I, too, appealed my SQS score on the old ALJ exam. A year and a half later, (a year after the OPM regs said they could, but about two weeks after I said some very unflattering things about OPM to some people on Capital Hill while there on other business), OPM sent me a response to my appeal. They lowered my SQS by over 30%. I was marginally in the hunt before that. That score took me out of consideration. Think they sent me a message?

[care]

In 1996, I had initially received a score of 90.7 and appealed. They reviewed the score and reduced it to 87.9 (which took me out of the running) because my SQS (experience) score was reduced from 24 to 20 and my WD (writing) score was reduced from 56.3 to 49.5. It is hard to understand how the rescoring could be valid and have that much variance between it and the original test scores. At that time I had published a book, several articles and written various documents in more than 60 cases as a contract administrative law judge. Also, I asked them to increase my experience SQS rating based on additional experience after my application, which included winning a difficult MSPB trial for my employer. For them to reduce my writing score by 12% and my experience score by 16.67% seems statistically improbable for a valid test. My score this time around is just below 60. I'm not appealing but that doesn't mean you shouldn't. It would be useful to hear from anyone who got their score improved by an appeal.

[masondixon]

OPM still hasn't formally processed my rating appeal filed in November 2007. They claim they are working on it. I am not holding my breath. We are talking about OPM you know.

[jagghagg]

They TOOK AWAY points???
Jes*s, insult to injury.....