|
|
Post by judicature on Feb 26, 2009 22:08:06 GMT -5
I would strongly encourage the use of the search feature on this and the other board. The other board has some very good nuggets buried within the older posts (and some much more recently). This board was formed because the trolls on the other board drove those of us who were serious about this process crazy.  Late summer, early fall 2007 this board was born out of that frustration. You can think ALJDiscussion and Pixie for taking this step. ;D |
|
|
|
Post by ladyinwaiting on Feb 27, 2009 4:13:56 GMT -5
O.K. Now that we are all duly chastised about diligence and searches: (Look at the time I am writing this post which just confirms that some of us are now insomniacs addicted to this discussion forum while waiting breathlessly for some word of scores) I have searched for an answer to the following question and have not been able to come up with an answer:
If ODAR is going to hire 150 ALJs with three separate training classes and start dates: Are all the offers made at approximately the same time, or do the offers come in three waves of 50?
Thanks so much, anyone who knows the answer to this query.
And thanks so much to EVERYONE on this board who makes it possible for those of us newbies "in waiting" to have some information that is accurate since details of the process are not forthcoming from the Wizards who do the hiring.
|
|
|
|
Post by wallace on Feb 27, 2009 7:00:15 GMT -5
Last year all the offers were made at the same time by e-mail:
[your name here]-Congratulations! You have been selected for an ALJ position in [your duty station here]effective 6/22/08. I have listed some general information for you below. Please respond by next week with your answer.
You will report to your duty station on the Monday after your effective date, remain there for 2-3 weeks and then report to Baltimore, MD, for formal training. If you decline our offer, please do so in writing but if you are accepting, a statement of acceptance will be provided in the package to be mailed to you in the next 2 weeks.
--Please respond with your correct home address so the orientation materials will be sent correctly and add any phone numbers that are better in which to reach you.
--If employed by the Fed. Govt., we need the name of agency and Personnel Office contact name and number.
--A selection letter and all information concerning Government employment will be mailed within the next 2 weeks. There will be some actions on your part that will need to be done quickly, i.e., obtaining fingerprints, but please first read all the information provided in the package and follow it. . . .
SSA assigned your start date. Some people were able to move their dates forward or backward on request.
|
|
|
|
Post by ishmael on Feb 27, 2009 9:50:26 GMT -5
And thanks so much to EVERYONE on this board who makes it possible for those of us newbies "in waiting" to have some information that is accurate since details of the process are not forthcoming from the Wizards who do the hiring. I agree ladyinwaiting . . . I have visited this board many times but mainly lurk . . . If not for the helpful people and posts on this board, I would have long ago been institutionalized!  So a big thanks to Pixie, adjudicature, ALJDiscussion, blackswan, GP, and everyone else who have been so kind to share what they know with the rest of us. |
|
|
|
Post by interested on Feb 27, 2009 11:14:37 GMT -5
When I started this thread, my real question was whether those of us that took the exam the first time and could not test again would be at a competitive disadvantage since the next wave had the benefit of our experience. Put another way, does anyone believe they would have done better if they had been allowed to take the examination the second time? I really don't know.
|
|
|
|
Post by arlene25 on Feb 27, 2009 11:52:37 GMT -5
Interested, I believe I would have done better. In 2007 during that weekend when I completed my original application, I was in the middle of a perfect storm of personal/financial/medical issues that weighed heavily on me.
With hindsight, I should have thought, hey, not a good time, I'll wait until next time....
|
|
|
|
Post by carjack on Feb 27, 2009 12:07:47 GMT -5
There really was no time to think about it. After the years of no applications, I think everyone who found out about the opening just worked as quickly as possible, especially if, like me, you just periodically chekc usajobs. I'm no fed so I had no idea they would close the process as early as they did, except they set a number. I got my ap in on the last day (which I think was only the second day it was open?). I've never had an application count towards the final score in anything I can remember so I thought the ap was more like a hurdle, make it or not, and then the testing would determine the final score. I'm pretty sure I could bump up my final score based on the ap part if I had known it would count. I feel like I did as good as I could have on the other parts. With that said, thanks Wallace for a peek at the e-mail we'd all like to recieve. Hopefully it won't be the only time we see it!
|
|
|
|
Post by decadealj on Feb 27, 2009 15:00:25 GMT -5
About 10 years ago, I was one of the ALJs who participated in the development of the new ALJ examination because one of the OPMs weakness in then ongoing litigation was the criteria for examining and grading qualifications for the ALJ position had not been "validated". At that time there were numerous exams on differing agency subjects (SEC, OSHA, NLRB, etc.) and people competing for the same register often took different exams (written demonstrations). A;ll of the exams had been developed by some GW law professor in the late 40s and 50s. What is so interesting is the battles that took place between the ALJs over what were proper subjects for exam, qualifications and experience to be an ALJ, are the same issues that dominate this board, inside vs outside, qualifying litigation experience, etc. I don't know what the end product of the process was but from revelations on this board and discussions with applicants that made the register and not, and those selected as ALJs and not, the one thing I am certain about is the process is totally different than in my time starting with the OPM interview process, written demonstration and qulifying experience. What I also know for certain is that there are now many, many more "insiders" that are now ALJs than before the new exam.
|
|
|
|
Post by hod on Feb 27, 2009 17:27:03 GMT -5
Scores are in-hope yours is better than mine!
|
|
|
|
Post by Orly on Feb 27, 2009 17:31:51 GMT -5
Scores are in. And it's titled "Notice of Results (NORs) Vacancy ID: 134575" from a norfolk(at)opm.gov e-mail address, so check your junk mail box if you don't see it in your in-box. Good luck to everyone!
|
|
|
|
Post by lawdog98 on Feb 27, 2009 18:18:39 GMT -5
Good luck everyone, remember that this number means little without knowing the range of all the scores so don't over (under) react to it.
|
|
|
|
Post by okeydokey on Feb 27, 2009 18:33:11 GMT -5
Actually, there a a number of things to remember:
1. You qualified for the WD and the SI, so you are on the Register. Congratulations.
2. SSA is on schedule to hire a great number of ALJs, so everyone, potentially, has a chance to actually become an ALJ, depending on geographic preference.
3. Some scores are higher because of the 5/10 preference.
4. Most importantly, SSA went deep into the register to make selections for the last round, so a lower score is not necessarily a disqualifying score.
|
|
