Applying through usajobs

[Fayd]

I'm applying to an econ/stats internship through usajobs.gov.

Do i apply to all grades available?

i'm a master's student, i'm very qualified for the top grade, but i'm not all that picky. should i be applying to both grades, or just the top grade?

 

[SheHateMe]

Apply to what you think you qualify for....

 

[Fayd]

Apply to what you think you qualify for....

i qualify for both >.>

 

[Mixolydian]

econ/stats internship

Good god, why?

 

[Fenixgoon]

granted i applied for full-time positions, but i applied for the highest grade for which i was qualified.

 

[TechHead87]

Are you a vet?

 

[Fayd]

Good god, why?

because i have an econ bachelors and am going for a stats masters?

 

[Fayd]

Are you a vet?

neg, so i doubt i'll get in at all, but doesn't make it not worth sending the app in.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

neg, so i doubt i'll get in at all, but doesn't make it not worth sending the app in.

Send the app in. I can tell you that many, many government jobs go unfilled because there are no qualified applicants. If the different grades are in the same location, it doesn't matter which you apply for.

 

[TechHead87]

neg, so i doubt i'll get in at all, but doesn't make it not worth sending the app in.

Check federalsoup too.

Make sure your résumé is IN DEPTH and your qualifications match the "key words" in the job description. Don't lie, but embellish if need be. Tell your entire story and don't hold back.

I'm in the process of applying for a load of federal jobs. I'm not a vet either, so I'm not expecting much.

EDIT: And be prepared for a SLOW process. I applied for a job in July. I wasn't referred to a selecting official until nearly October.

 

[dud]

Sorry but now IS NOT the time to be applying for jobs in Federal service ...

Many branches are in the midst of a huge hiring freeze.

 

[Fayd]

EDIT: And be prepared for a SLOW process. I applied for a job in July. I wasn't referred to a selecting official until nearly October.

i'm applying for summer internships. the application period is open, and will close in 4 days. they cancelled the previous opening for the same position. I don't know why. but yeah, they can't physically delay too much longer anyways.

 

[Fayd]

Sorry but now IS NOT the time to be applying for jobs in Federal service ...

Many branches are in the midst of a huge hiring freeze.

dunno if the same is true of federal government, but companies that do contract work for the govt (defense industry), when they're under hiring freeze, the only people they are hiring are students, because they STILL have contractual obligations to hire x number of college graduates.

 

[TechHead87]

So...the federal government can tell its contractors it has to hire college students, but its own federal internship program (pathways) can LOOK like a program for college students but is really a way to bring in more veterans?

Just call it a veterans program and stop teasing college students/grads

 

[dud]

dunno if the same is true of federal government, but companies that do contract work for the govt (defense industry), when they're under hiring freeze, the only people they are hiring are students, because they STILL have contractual obligations to hire x number of college graduates.

Not privy to this and would make perfect sense for the DoD that is facing the fact that they may have to furlough their employees.

 

[Fenixgoon]

Sorry but now IS NOT the time to be applying for jobs in Federal service ...

Many branches are in the midst of a huge hiring freeze.

there are plenty of positions that are still unfilled, despite the hiring freeze.

plus, the second money comes in, people are going to be looking to hire like crazy.

 

[OutHouse]

Send the app in. I can tell you that many, many government jobs go unfilled because there are no qualified applicants. If the different grades are in the same location, it doesn't matter which you apply for.

from the tech jobs i have seen posted on usajobs, part of your statement is true because the job is asking for certifications and or in-depth knowledge of software that is so specialized that unless you are already in that department working with it, there is zero chance you will get the job. Ive seen some crazy crap being listed as a requirement and even Google said WTF is that. Its bullshit that there is no room for any training, they want you to come in with with all the experience of the guy you are replacing.

 

[Fenixgoon]

from the tech jobs i have seen posted on usajobs, part of your statement is true because the job is asking for certifications and or in-depth knowledge of software that is so specialized that unless you are already in that department working with it, there is zero chance you will get the job. Ive seen some crazy crap being listed as a requirement and even Google said WTF is that. Its bullshit that there is no room for any training, they want you to come in with with all the experience of the guy you are replacing.

generally that would indicate that the position description is written for someone within the organization (because that's the only way you would know the specific software).

make the qualifications so strict that only 1 person can meet the position description, and therefore despite any "competition", they are the selected candidate for said position.

 

[HydroSqueegee]

keywords, keywords, keywords. and apply for every slot you can.

when my contract was in sourced, we all had to apply for the jobs we were already doing, but at 3 different pay grades for the same thing. I applied for them all and split the difference when i was luckily hired.

 

[Triumph]

dunno if the same is true of federal government, but companies that do contract work for the govt (defense industry), when they're under hiring freeze, the only people they are hiring are students, because they STILL have contractual obligations to hire x number of college graduates.

I don't know who told you that, but I've never seen a contract that dictated to the contractor who they could hire. That's one of the main reason the gov hires contractors, because it's easier for the contractor to hire and fire as they see fit, than it is for the gov to do so.

If you want a job in the gov, the way to do it is to get a job at a contractor, preferably one that works directly and is co-located with a government office. That's different than working for say, Raytheon in San Diego when the contract is administered through ONR in Maryland. Someone else alluded to job descriptions being very specific because they're written for a certain person, and this is often times true. Most government organizations have support contracts with companies specifically to run the management of programs and projects, not the execution of the project itself which is done by the prime contractor. So get one of the former contract positions and you're in a much better position to land a gov job eventually.

 

[bignateyk]

from the tech jobs i have seen posted on usajobs, part of your statement is true because the job is asking for certifications and or in-depth knowledge of software that is so specialized that unless you are already in that department working with it, there is zero chance you will get the job. Ive seen some crazy crap being listed as a requirement and even Google said WTF is that. Its bullshit that there is no room for any training, they want you to come in with with all the experience of the guy you are replacing.

They do this because they already know who they are going to hire, but still have to post it to the public to make it legal and non discriminatory. So they just make the requirements so strict that nobody except the person who they already know they want to hire can match them.

They do this at the university I work at as well. My job posting was written specifically for me

 

[Jimzz]

Yes apply for ALL grades. With the Fed Gov the hardest part is getting your foot in the door.