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Post by wiszman on Sept 2, 2015 16:06:15 GMT -5
I cannot understand why: - SSA claims they need hundreds of additional ALJs to process a backlog of cases, but doesn't hire enough new ALJs - each of us on the GAL has been tested and vetted to be a competent ALJ, yet most of us still sit here waiting for the call - they set up training classes able to handle 50+ new ALJs, but never come close to filling them - each GAL contains a long list of cities, most of which SSA never ends up hiring ALJs for - for those persons lucky enough to get the call, they are only given 2-3 weeks' notice to quit their current job and relocate Ahh! Now I feel better! Not really
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Post by luckylady2 on Sept 2, 2015 16:10:52 GMT -5
Quick answer - the OPM rule that SSA has to choose from the top 3 scorers plus individual city certs means the order in which jobs are offered matter and if anyone in the chain says no, it can mess up the entire chain, despite the fact that the hiring had been planned and authorized.
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Post by beenlurking on Sept 2, 2015 16:21:18 GMT -5
Quick answer - the OPM rule that SSA has to choose from the top 3 scorers plus individual city certs means the order in which jobs are offered matter and if anyone in the chain says no, it can mess up the entire chain, despite the fact that the hiring had been planned and authorized. I have never been good at math but that has got to be very confusing/hard to figure out. I guess there is some way that OPM can check and see that SSA is following the rule of choosing from the top 3, however, I have seen it posted on here somewhere ( I think) that SSA has its own ways of "getting around" that. Ok, my head is hurting, I'll stop.
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Post by funkyodar on Sept 2, 2015 16:32:24 GMT -5
And....SSA doesn't always agree with OPM's previous vetting of a candidate to be an ALJ. Making the register or even a cert was never a guarantee of a job. SSA isn't just gonna take anyone on the certs because they have slots to fill. If they dont like a candidate, better to not hire them than to do so just to fill an open office. Afterall, once hired an ALJ is in there for a long time and is exceedingly difficult to get out. Not like the private sector where if they were wrong on the pick they can fire easily and start over.
Not saying anyone here is an undesireable candidate...but maybe you are being blocked by one. One that, due to all the hiring rules and considerations, they cant get around to get to you at present. They arent gonna hire such a person, and until they can legally get them out of the way they cant hire you. Undoubtedly that is happening in some instances.
And of course, there are other reasons individuals havent been hired. Maybe you bombed the interview and didnt even know it. It happens. Anyone can have a bad day. Maybe some former supervisor took this opportunity to pay you back for not emptying the coffee pot filter that one time back in 1999. Maybe, if you are an insider, that one time you filed a grievance over a parking spot, really ticked some folks off. Or your obvious content to settle for writing the 85% every month that kept them off your back and you happy has also been brought to someones attention.
Maybe you just hosed yourself with your GAL.
Point is, getting one of these jobs was always an uphill battle against overwhelming odds. I still feel like I won the lottery...both in how much I love the gig and how lucky I feel to have gotten the call. There are so many pitfalls between spelling mistakes on your original application all the way to the testing, to the interview, to what kind of agreement those bozos in Congress finally make about funding. If you get the call, you are incredibly lucky. If you don't...you may never know why, but I highly doubt it is because you were unqualified. No reason to be down on yourself. Frustrated? Yes, that's completely understandable. But, as has been said multiple times in the last few days and threads by others way smarter than me, you have to put this in the back of your mind and allow yourself to be pleasantly surprised if it happens. Not devatstated if it doesnt.
IMHO
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Post by anotherfed on Sept 2, 2015 16:37:13 GMT -5
Listen to the Funkmeister. He is a wise man.
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Post by gary on Sept 2, 2015 16:47:49 GMT -5
Quick answer - the OPM rule that SSA has to choose from the top 3 scorers plus individual city certs means the order in which jobs are offered matter and if anyone in the chain says no, it can mess up the entire chain, despite the fact that the hiring had been planned and authorized. I have never been good at math but that has got to be very confusing/hard to figure out. I guess there is some way that OPM can check and see that SSA is following the rule of choosing from the top 3, however, I have seen it posted on here somewhere ( I think) that SSA has its own ways of "getting around" that. Ok, my head is hurting, I'll stop. SSA has to return a report on what it did for each cert. See bottom of page 1 and page 2 of this form: www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/sf39.pdf
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Post by privateatty on Sept 2, 2015 17:08:46 GMT -5
And....SSA doesn't always agree with OPM's previous vetting of a candidate to be an ALJ. Making the register or even a cert was never a guarantee of a job. SSA isn't just gonna take anyone on the certs because they have slots to fill. If they dont like a candidate, better to not hire them than to do so just to fill an open office. Afterall, once hired an ALJ is in there for a long time and is exceedingly difficult to get out. Not like the private sector where if they were wrong on the pick they can fire easily and start over. Not saying anyone here is an undesireable candidate...but maybe you are being blocked by one. One that, due to all the hiring rules and considerations, they cant get around to get to you at present. They arent gonna hire such a person, and until they can legally get them out of the way they cant hire you. Undoubtedly that is happening in some instances. And of course, there are other reasons individuals havent been hired. Maybe you bombed the interview and didnt even know it. It happens. Anyone can have a bad day. Maybe some former supervisor took this opportunity to pay you back for not emptying the coffee pot filter that one time back in 1999. Maybe, if you are an insider, that one time you filed a grievance over a parking spot, really ticked some folks off. Or your obvious content to settle for writing the 85% every month that kept them off your back and you happy has also been brought to someones attention. Maybe you just hosed yourself with your GAL. Point is, getting one of these jobs was always an uphill battle against overwhelming odds. I still feel like I won the lottery...both in how much I love the gig and how lucky I feel to have gotten the call. There are so many pitfalls between spelling mistakes on your original application all the way to the testing, to the interview, to what kind of agreement those bozos in Congress finally make about funding. If you get the call, you are incredibly lucky. If you don't...you may never know why, but I highly doubt it is because you were unqualified. No reason to be down on yourself. Frustrated? Yes, that's completely understandable. But, as has been said multiple times in the last few days and threads by others way smarter than me, you have to put this in the back of your mind and allow yourself to be pleasantly surprised if it happens. Not devatstated if it doesnt. IMHO funky says it just so much better than I or most folks can. The only reason I'm jumping in here is that post 2013, Luck played a very, very minor role. Given the prerequisites and the competition, not to mention the advent of the Logic whatchamacallit and you have folks who are just plain well qualified. I've heard this from near and far and I've seen it. Puzzle Palace (to reiterate funky's point) is IMHO, very focused, perhaps obsessively so, on narrowing the odds that they don't hire another "problem Judge". Almost all of us agree withe the sentiment expressed at the start of this Thread, but I don't think any of us work at Puzzle Palace. Your only real comfort is that you are in very good and distinguished, company. Finally, the "cert by city" new hiring paradigm has slowed things up considerably as many have posted.
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Post by mch135 on Sept 2, 2015 17:41:36 GMT -5
My utter frustration this go around I think is stemming from the fact that they are making so few hires. I can handle not getting the call because they chose someone else. It's the repeated pulling of large certs with the intent to hire 50-75 and then filling only a fraction that is leading to such a dejected feeling.
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Post by JudgeRatty on Sept 2, 2015 17:58:49 GMT -5
My utter frustration this go around I think is stemming from the fact that they are making so few hires. I can handle not getting the call because they chose someone else. It's the repeated pulling of large certs with the intent to hire 50-75 and then filling only a fraction that is leading to such a dejected feeling. Don't forget, this whole long calling process is not SSA's fault. People are not immediately at the ready to answer the call and have to call back, then they have 24 hours to respond and some do take it. Some take the time and then turn it down. Some need special questions to be answered like for deferments etc. There are all sorts of things that go on behind the scenes that we do not know about...many many things.
They want to hire. They want to hire as many as they can as fast as they can, but with very small GALs, having to keep in line with the regs on who they can hire in line (top 3 etc.) ... there are simply too many issues involved. It is NOT a simple list of people they call and move on the next. They know what they are doing.
And don't forget all the stories of folks who thought they were out but then one day, they got the call. It can happen. And as long as you keep getting on cert lists, you are not out. Have faith. Good luck to all!
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Post by mch135 on Sept 2, 2015 18:01:40 GMT -5
My utter frustration this go around I think is stemming from the fact that they are making so few hires. I can handle not getting the call because they chose someone else. It's the repeated pulling of large certs with the intent to hire 50-75 and then filling only a fraction that is leading to such a dejected feeling. Don't forget, this whole long calling process is not SSA's fault. People are not immediately at the ready to answer the call and have to call back, then they have 24 hours to respond and some do take it. Some take the time and then turn it down. Some need special questions to be answered like for deferments etc. There are all sorts of things that go on behind the scenes that we do not know about...many many things.
They want to hire. They want to hire as many as they can as fast as they can, but with very small GALs, having to keep in line with the regs on who they can hire in line (top 3 etc.) ... there are simply too many issues involved. It is NOT a simple list of people they call and move on the next. They know what they are doing.
And don't forget all the stories of folks who thought they were out but then one day, they got the call. It can happen. And as long as you keep getting on cert lists, you are not out. Have faith. Good luck to all!
You always put such a positive spin on everything!! Thanks for not leaving us once you got the call
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Post by JudgeRatty on Sept 2, 2015 18:04:02 GMT -5
Half full. You gotta keep thinking positive. And don't forget, things do work out for the best! It might not seem like it at the time, but it does.
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Post by gary on Sept 2, 2015 18:39:30 GMT -5
Half full. You gotta keep thinking positive. And don't forget, things do work out for the best! It might not seem like it at the time, but it does. My glass is half full because it has a hole in the bottom.
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Post by JudgeRatty on Sept 2, 2015 19:18:16 GMT -5
Half full. You gotta keep thinking positive. And don't forget, things do work out for the best! It might not seem like it at the time, but it does. My glass is half full because it has a hole in the bottom. LOL! Gary, you HAVE to get picked up soon. I am rooting for you!
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Post by ok1956 on Sept 2, 2015 19:36:20 GMT -5
What JudgeR said!
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Post by gary on Sept 2, 2015 19:48:49 GMT -5
Thanks. Too bad you guys aren't the hiring committee.
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Post by zepplin on Sept 2, 2015 20:14:35 GMT -5
SSA may create what sounds like problem ALJ candidates by calling their bosses repeatedly to ask how awesome a candidate is all while reminding the boss that 1) employee hasn't been hired; 2) employee is seeking another job; 3) employer is wasting time repeating self.
How enthusiastic can a boss be in private practice?
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Post by cafeta on Sept 2, 2015 20:56:58 GMT -5
Half full. You gotta keep thinking positive. And don't forget, things do work out for the best! It might not seem like it at the time, but it does. My glass is half full because it has a hole in the bottom. I am reminded of a recent variation I heard on the glass half full/half empty idea.......you have a glass, and it has something in, you are more fortunate than those without a glass! ;-). Hang it there all!! [now I need a picture of a cat hanging by its paws].
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Post by bartleby on Sept 3, 2015 7:56:55 GMT -5
I think I heard this class has about 12 in it??
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Post by sealaw90 on Sept 3, 2015 8:36:48 GMT -5
The class that started August 10th had about 12 in it. I really hope the September class has double or triple or more! I seriously cannot believe that they can't find 50 decent candidates amongst the current batch on 74 city certs. If they did find a good candidate, I'd like to hear that ODAR is calling the HOCALJ in that one city this person (unwittingly) selected and asking if they have a broom closet/ coat closet, etc this person can sit at. Maybe they asked for all these cities to find new people sitting on the register. They did, and dozens of folks interviewed. So far, it seems only one or two of the recent interviewees have offers. Hmmmm.....
Meanwhile, there is a huge backlog, you have vetted candidates willing to go at a moments notice to start working, and yet they are hiring at a snail's pace.
Folks have said that ODAR doesn't want to get stuck with a dud, but from the recent list of 'bad apples' listed in another thread, most of those problems cannot be discovered by interviewing and reference checking. During the many years I prosecuted members at courts-martial, the ones who surfed porn, stole government property or misused their position appeared to be as squared away and 'normal' as anyone else. You cannot predict future behavior!
So, let's get on with the hiring!
Rant over, it's all good. Life goes on. Still running the marathon. Semper Paratus.
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Rant
Sept 3, 2015 8:41:10 GMT -5
Post by JudgeRatty on Sept 3, 2015 8:41:10 GMT -5
The class that started August 10th had about 12 in it. I really hope the September class has double or triple or more! I seriously cannot believe that they can't find 50 decent candidates amongst the current batch on 74 city certs. If they did find a good candidate, I'd like to hear that ODAR is calling the HOCALJ in that one city this person (unwittingly) selected and asking if they have a broom closet/ coat closet, etc this person can sit at. Maybe they asked for all these cities to find new people sitting on the register. They did, and dozens of folks interviewed. So far, it seems only one or two of the recent interviewees have offers. Hmmmm..... Meanwhile, there is a huge backlog, you have vetted candidates willing to go at a moments notice to start working, and yet they are hiring at a snail's pace. Folks have said that ODAR doesn't want to get stuck with a dud, but from the recent list of 'bad apples' listed in another thread, most of those problems cannot be discovered by interviewing and reference checking. During the many years I prosecuted members at courts-martial, the ones who surfed porn, stole government property or misused their position appeared to be as squared away and 'normal' as anyone else. You cannot predict future behavior! So, let's get on with the hiring! Rant over, it's all good. Life goes on. Still running the marathon. Semper Paratus. It isn't that they cannot find decent candidates... other factors are in play. People take time to respond, some turn it down, some want deferrments, and a LOT have very limited GALs making it all very difficult to get full classes.
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