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Post by aljwishhope on Jun 12, 2018 2:06:48 GMT -5
Federal hiring seems very robust now. I have never seen so many agencies hiring attorneys on usajobs as I have recently.
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Post by stevil on Jun 12, 2018 8:13:12 GMT -5
Federal hiring seems very robust now. I have never seen so many agencies hiring attorneys on usajobs as I have recently. That's because all the politicos think agencies are over-staffed and saw to it that there were hiring freezes for numerous years over the past decade. It always plays well to folks who aren't a fed to claim that we are lazy and the cause of deficits. Then people notice that backlogs get worse, service gets worse, etc. So when they finally do pass a budget and take off the freezes, there is going to be a hiring frenzy until the spigot gets turned off again. It is almost cyclical enough to time it.
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Post by grassgreener on Jun 12, 2018 8:29:35 GMT -5
Federal hiring seems very robust now. I have never seen so many agencies hiring attorneys on usajobs as I have recently. That's because all the politicos think agencies are over-staffed and saw to it that there were hiring freezes for numerous years over the past decade. It always plays well to folks who aren't a fed to claim that we are lazy and the cause of deficits. Then people notice that backlogs get worse, service gets worse, etc. So when they finally do pass a budget and take off the freezes, there is going to be a hiring frenzy until the spigot gets turned off again. It is almost cyclical enough to time it. Most agencies need to hire before the end of the fiscal year, so there seems to a be rush to the finish line right now.
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Post by foghorn on Jun 12, 2018 14:19:11 GMT -5
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Post by aljwishhope on Jun 16, 2018 14:29:39 GMT -5
I hope to secure one of my plan B jobs. I hope to remain anonymous from my board identity. However, a mischievous side of me wants to take a picture of myself with my hair like in my avatar and with my kids fake glasses that look like the lines in the glasses on my avatar. I would keep the picture in my work area and see if it illicits any response haha.
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Post by Judge McJudgeypants on Jun 18, 2018 19:09:20 GMT -5
Has anyone else been in this predicament?
Federal job posting requires copy of most recent performance appraisal (I am not a current fed employee so it would just be a civilian evaluation). I do not get copies of my performance appraisals where I work. I can get one upon request, but that's going to be a giant red flag that I'm looking for a job if, all of a sudden, I need my performance appraisal. I do not really want my current employer knowing about my federal gig dreams until or unless it happens, so I'm hesitant to do anything that might make them perk up their antennae.
Can you just explain this to a federal agency and get through the referral stage, or given my circumstances, should I just not apply since I will not being able to submit the full application package?
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2018 19:25:32 GMT -5
Does the announcement state that “federal employees must submit their most recent performance appraisals”? Are you certain that the performance appraisal submission requirement is applicable also to non-federal applicants?
You may just wish to apply and simply not submit a performance evaluation. At most, just indicate you do not have an SF-50 as you are not currently a federal employee. That way you show you are attentive to detail, but maybe the announcement was ambiguous.
Always apply.
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Post by Judge McJudgeypants on Jun 18, 2018 19:41:06 GMT -5
Does the announcement state that “federal employees must submit their most recent performance appraisals”? Are you certain that the performance appraisal submission requirement is applicable also to non-federal applicants? You may just wish to apply and simply not submit a performance evaluation. At most, just indicate you do not have an SF-50 as you are not currently a federal employee. That way you show you are attentive to detail, but maybe the announcement was ambiguous. Always apply. It doesn’t specify that they want reviews for only federal employees, so I took that mean to everyone, current fed or not, has to submit one.
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Post by SPN Lifer on Jun 18, 2018 23:17:21 GMT -5
“Unavailable: Copies of performance appraisals not routinely provided to employees.”
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Post by JudgeKnot on Jun 19, 2018 6:03:07 GMT -5
I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but the idea of having a performance appraisal of an employee, and not sharing the appraisal with the employee, is confusing. I would think management would want to share information with the employee so they (the employee) can understand what they're doing well, and where they are falling short.
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Post by aljwishhope on Jun 19, 2018 7:57:28 GMT -5
Lawyerbearclaw. Are you sure this announcement is open to public (and that you are looking at announcement for nonstatus candidates if it is open to both groups separately)?
PAPs are generally mandatory in merit promotion positions for agency or internal candidates on usajobs.
Generally optional for current and former feds applying for positions open to the public.
At least that has been my experience. Recently inquired of HR for a vacancy whether I needed one (as one was not mentioned) and he said it was optional.
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Post by karenmtlaw on Jun 19, 2018 7:57:31 GMT -5
I just got referred for an AUSA position.
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Post by qwk01 on Jun 19, 2018 8:11:06 GMT -5
I just got referred for an AUSA position. Congrats! I've been referred many times for AUSA positions but that's as far as I ever get. My heavy defense background could have something to do with it . Good luck to you and I hope you get an interview.
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Post by SPN Lifer on Jun 19, 2018 8:51:46 GMT -5
I just got referred for an AUSA position. Congrats! I've been referred many times for AUSA positions but that's as far as I ever get. My heavy defense background could have something to do with it . Good luck to you and I hope you get an interview. I was an assistant public defender for 4½ years before becoming an AUSA for 6½ years, and many former AUSAs do criminal defense in private practice. A good lawyer can argue both sides. For background research, peruse the U.S. Attorneys’ Manual. www.justice.gov/usam/united-states-attorneys-manual
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Post by Judge McJudgeypants on Jun 19, 2018 8:58:27 GMT -5
I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but the idea of having a performance appraisal of an employee, and not sharing the appraisal with the employee, is confusing. I would think management would want to share information with the employee so they (the employee) can understand what they're doing well, and where they are falling short. They shared it with me. I had a meeting with the boss where we went over it, and we both signed it. Thankfully, I was doing well and got my raise. They just don’t give you paper copies of the signed review after the meeting. The office manager sends the top sheet with original signatures to HR and retains the duplicate bottom copy. You can request from the office manager a copy of the duplicate on file at any time, which is the thing I’m not keen to do as I think it would raise questions. A wacky procedure perhaps, but that’s government for you.
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Post by SPN Lifer on Jun 19, 2018 9:01:35 GMT -5
Hence my recommended language about copies not “routinely” being provided.
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Post by Judge McJudgeypants on Jun 19, 2018 9:07:20 GMT -5
I just got referred for an AUSA position. Congrats! I've been referred many times for AUSA positions but that's as far as I ever get. My heavy defense background could have something to do with it . Good luck to you and I hope you get an interview. I’ve been referred over a dozen times as well, with 8 years of prosecution experience and 4 years law enforcement civil experience. Have not been invited to a single interview. I often wondered, is it me... do I smell bad? Why always the bridesmaid and never the bride? And then I realized two things— I’ve always applied to out of state openings, which I hear on this board isn’t favored, and that part on the application that asks for current salary might scare them away since, monetarily, I’m not doing too bad. So, since my whole goal is to leave my current city, and I’m unlikely to get a non-local slot, I gave up on applying to USDOJ and am focusing on other agencies.
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Post by SPN Lifer on Jun 19, 2018 9:16:26 GMT -5
It is all a numbers game.
Hundreds and even thousands apply for each opening.
So you have to submit applications to a corresponding number of openings to have a statistically viable chance.
Persistence pays.
But you are right about a geographical advantage and known quantities -- I was serving as a local public defender in the same municipality where I became an AUSA.
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Post by neufenland on Jun 19, 2018 9:30:34 GMT -5
Congrats! I've been referred many times for AUSA positions but that's as far as I ever get. My heavy defense background could have something to do with it . Good luck to you and I hope you get an interview. I’ve been referred over a dozen times as well, with 8 years of prosecution experience and 4 years law enforcement civil experience. Have not been invited to a single interview. I often wondered, is it me... do I smell bad? Why always the bridesmaid and never the bride? And then I realized two things— I’ve always applied to out of state openings, which I hear on this board isn’t favored, and that part on the application that asks for current salary might scare them away since, monetarily, I’m not doing too bad. So, since my whole goal is to leave my current city, and I’m unlikely to get a non-local slot, I gave up on applying to USDOJ and am focusing on other agencies. If you’re willing to come to DC, I think that’s an exception. You wouldn’t be an AUSA, but Civil and Criminal Divisions do post openings a fair bit for DC offices. And there are plenty of litigation positions in both of those. And there is the USA office for DC, and what’s interesting about them is that they prosecute all DC Code offenses. They also do all USDC stuff, but a big group does the local trial work in the DC Superior Court. They have quite a few more AUSAs than other places because of that.
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Post by SPN Lifer on Jun 19, 2018 9:54:51 GMT -5
Excellent suggestion. The USAO (D.D.C.) had a reputation as a high-stress, high-turnover office, so a good opportunity to get a foot in the door.
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