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Post by bowser on Jul 9, 2010 12:39:34 GMT -5
Anyone still waiting? Friday, after noon, and I just heard one of mine was called. Any truth to the rumor that they were calling refs in reverse order of how they ranked candidates? Here's hoping next week flies by!
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Post by vestedinterest on Jul 9, 2010 13:02:09 GMT -5
I think the more the board is checked the more we think (and stress over) what we will hear (or hopefully not NOT hear) but it is hard to stay away. It is very comforting to know others are in the same situation. When you return can you please clarify the "calling refs in reverse order of how they ranked candidates"-do you mean the high ranking folks had their references contacted first? A recent post stated their associate, who got a higher score had references contacted later than the person with the lower score. BTW, any more information on cities now closed due to transfer or can we breathe a small sign of relief regarding that?
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Post by 71stretch on Jul 9, 2010 13:10:53 GMT -5
Anyone still waiting? Friday, after noon, and I just heard one of mine was called. Any truth to the rumor that they were calling refs in reverse order of how they ranked candidates? Here's hoping next week flies by! Okay, I couldn't stay away, either... . EDIT: Didn't register the wink on your quote, bowser. That said, there's enough rumors to go around, so . . .
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Post by maxlaw on Jul 9, 2010 13:39:21 GMT -5
Mine started getting calls yesterday. My supervisor got the call, and reported they asked about my ability to close between five and eight hundred cases. That's the biggest number I've heard so far.
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Post by organizized on Jul 9, 2010 14:04:30 GMT -5
Any truth to the rumor that they were calling refs in reverse order of how they ranked candidates? I may be wrong, but judging by the winking smiley face at the end of the sentence, I think bowser was kidding about this "rumor." I wouldn't be too concerned about it. Have a great weekend everyone! Uncross your fingers and take some time to relax and enjoy the summer. Save the REAL stressing-out for the week of July 19th (if THAT rumor proves true).
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Post by bowser on Jul 9, 2010 14:24:46 GMT -5
Man, I'm just a big fat liar!
My boss said when they called today they gave the option of speaking with them next week ...
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Wolfiemom
Full Member
Irish Wolfhounds Rule!
Posts: 47
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Post by Wolfiemom on Jul 9, 2010 15:59:38 GMT -5
That theory I had about old job references not being contacted was just shot down. I found out that my old (and I mean really old--like in the mid-80's in age) boss was contacted about my performance on a 4 year job in the early 1980's, my first job out of law school. He said, "Wolfiemom, who??" Just kidding. Allegedly, he said nice things about me even though he was not happy that I left at the time. So, I believe that all of my references were checked, with only one unconfirmed. I probably just had a diligent person working on mine. Do they tape record the reference checks? The really old x-boss said that he was recorded. I got that second hand, so I wondered if that was true. Nobody else mentioned that.
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Post by allrise on Jul 9, 2010 17:13:10 GMT -5
I think that most of my references expected an alj to contact them. Last time I made a cert and my references were contacted, the checker in chatting with my reference, told him that he had recently been a bus dispatcher. This time another one of my references, while chatting was told by the checker that he made $15 per reference check including writing the report. This entire process is crazy.
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Post by mcb on Jul 9, 2010 19:17:23 GMT -5
My references told me that they were contacted by an ODAR Employee in the Mountain Time Zone.
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Post by alj on Jul 9, 2010 21:06:23 GMT -5
My references told me that they were contacted by an ODAR Employee in the Mountain Time Zone. I doubt it was an ODAR employee who made the call. Yesterday I talked with an independent contractor from Colorado (Mountain Time Zone) about a staff attorney who was with the office a few years back. This caller was contacting me as a judicial reference--personal and not as a former supervisor (HOCALJ). The questions asked, however, were similar (the same?) as the ones I have received as HOCALJ in the past. The caseload mentioned was 500 to 700 cases per year and not the upper limit mentioned earlier.
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Post by 71stretch on Jul 10, 2010 13:52:38 GMT -5
Think I'm out. My last job prior to this one I was a managing attorney and got an email from one of my old staff members. My boss who said he didn't mind me leaving after a year because my new job was too good of an opportunity (more money, flexible hours, better benefits, no management duties) mentioned that someone had called for a reference and laughed about how he let them know that I bailed on him after a year and had only been on my current job barely three years and I was unreliable job hopper. Maybe he was joking but one reason I was so happy to leave was because I thought he had a darker side that was going to erupt so I'm not counting on the joke explanation. Real bummer after getting calls all week from people making sure I knew they had called and really talked me up. Naturally it would be the last one I hear from. That is a major bummer. I wonder if when ONE reference is so out of line with the others, that someone doesn't discount it in evaluating the info from the reference checks. For your sake, I hope so!
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Post by demelza on Jul 11, 2010 15:46:33 GMT -5
I applied for the ALJ register in the fall of 2008. I was interviewed early in 2009 and made the register with a pretty high score. I was on the certs for the Spring 2009, Fall 2009 and Spring 2010 rounds of hiring, but I've never gotten an offer. I am on the current cert. This time, I provided a different group of references, out of concern that -- perhaps -- one or two of my initial references had been unreliable. I recently asked SSA whether my new set of references would be contacted, and the response I received was that a new reference check ONLY would be performed if my prior reference check was done was more than 12 months ago. By my calculation, this suggests that although I have been considered on three prior certs, my references probably were contacted only in Spring 2009 -- and that I am now due for a new reference check (i.e., more than 12 months have passed since my last reference check in Spring 2009). But so far, none of my references have been contacted for the current cert. I'm not freaking out about this; frankly, given my very poor experience with the whole ALJ hiring process, I am expecting very little from this round of hiring, either. But I was wondering whether anyone else in my "class" (i.e., someone who applied for the ALJ register in the fall 2008) AND who was on the Spring 2009 cert) has learned that their references have been contacted recently in anticipation of this new round of hiring? Everhopeful, Just wanted to let you know that I am in the exact same situation that you are. I don't know if I've been three-striked (actually I know I wasn't after the first cert. even though I was considered 3 times), and I've tried to resign myself to the idea that I won't get an offer this time. Your explanation that they check references after a year confirms one of my theories, but then I hear from a reference who gave me a glowing report and sounds so hopeful for me that I get my hopes up again. Oh well, a little guarded optimism shouldn't hurt. Best of luck to you. When the offers come out I hope to see your name.
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Post by arlene25 on Jul 12, 2010 6:39:17 GMT -5
Well,
I'm hoping that one bad reference won't spoil your chances. A25
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Post by bowser on Jul 12, 2010 9:53:19 GMT -5
Couple of my references told me today that they are playing phone tag with a person from ODAR. And yes, they did say the person on VM identified themself as being from ODAR.
So apparently not all reference checks have been completed as of yet.
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Post by justruling on Jul 12, 2010 10:32:56 GMT -5
I am certain that my references did not fall through the cracks initially as I did actually go interview - but nobody has been called to my knowledge! It makes me doubt the certainty of next week, but who knows??? Craziness!
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Post by fletch40 on Jul 12, 2010 12:28:52 GMT -5
I am certain that my references did not fall through the cracks initially as I did actually go interview - but nobody has been called to my knowledge! It makes me doubt the certainty of next week, but who knows??? Craziness! Same here. My references have not been contacted to date. Probably means that SSA was so enthralled by my interview skills that they deemed it unnecessary to do the background check.
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Post by justruling on Jul 12, 2010 12:36:06 GMT -5
I like that line of thinking, but can't presume it to be the case. I appreciate knowing that I am not alone in being (as of yet) un-reference checked.
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Post by 71stretch on Jul 12, 2010 12:37:37 GMT -5
None of you are alone... I'm still a member of that club, too.
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Post by westcoaster on Jul 12, 2010 15:55:56 GMT -5
I just found out at least one of my references was checked. I have been on the cert a few times before, but was only checked the first time. I hate to get my hopes up, again . . . .
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Post by eyre44 on Jul 12, 2010 20:02:44 GMT -5
One of my references was contacted today. My reference fished around a bit and was told by the contractor that she had been asked to complete her candidate reference checks by the end of this week. Just an FYI, don't know how that correlates with offer timing.
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