Finding Federal Civilian position from Private

[kmeioybel]

The announcements are formed from a general template that doesn't change very much from year to year. PCS, student loan repayment, and even recruitment incentives are determined on an individual basis, as it depends on the budget of the hiring unit within the agency. However, through my conversations with federal HR specialists, I've learned that agencies are often inundated with numerous exceptionally well qualified candidates who, to be frank, will accept an offer without asking for any of the aforementioned employment incentives.

How "in demand" is the position? What do you have to offer them? Are you cleared? Do you even need to be cleared? My advice is to ask the HR specialist about those hiring incentives at the time of the offer of employment. He or she will just tell you that the agency is or is not offering those incentives at present. Actually, that's a question I would bring up in the interview, as the selecting official is the person who actually authorizes HR to grant those incentives.

Your active duty military time will be credited automatically, but it's still your responsibility to report any discrepancies. Maintain a file of SF-50s; you'll generate a ton of them!

Good luck!

Originally Posted by snoopy_

Kmeioybel,

Thanks, I did not know that there was such a thing as "excepted service agencies". They can fire you whenever they want... doesn't sound like a healthy situation.

I "think" I am qualified, and should be superior and all that, but who knows.

My major concern is once you get the tentative offer what you need to negotiate. Salary is obvious, but what about:

1. PCS. It was not prohibited in the announcement, so do you have to ask for it, or is it automatic.

2. Do I have to negotiate my active duty military time to gain more vacation, or is that automatic?

3. I heard there is the ability to have student loans paid for... Something like $500/mo with a max of $10k/year? I know, math doesn't work out. Is this negotiated or is it automatic?

4. Signing bonuses? I heard this is possible as well. How "possible"?

I don't want to stick the manager up or make him me get a bad taste for me at the start, but I don't want to leave anything on the table either.

[Plokivos]

Originally Posted by M700lefty

I currently work at a Private company in NOVA as a System Admin. The Federal contracting field is highly volatile now and I am applying for some Federal positions through USAJOBS. I have a couple of questions to ask of those who work for the Feds or are knowledgeable with Fed hiring practices.

First of all, I make slightly more than $83k. The Fed jobs I have applied for at the GS-13 is many times a supervisory position but not always. I have worked with many in the GS-13 2210 series and they do the same thing I do. Not sure I will find a job there so I jump down to one grade (GS-12). As you can see from the 2211 pay scape on OPM's website...the starting pay with locality is something like $71K.

Lets say I get a job offer after an interview...and the know I make $83k. The advertised series is GS-12 so will they start me at Step 1? That would mean I take a $12K pay cut...which is a whopper LOL. Does the Federal Gov often match what you make in the private industry? If they match my salary of
$83k that means I would be at the top end of the GS-12 Step 10 range...

So my questions is...do they always start new hires at Step 1. And if they do...is it often suggest that you can negotiate a extra vacation week like getting 6 HRS every 2 weeks instead of 4 hrs?

How does the Federal Gov work this out since they know that often Private industry workers have a slightly different pay sacle.

Not only that...but the GOV often keeps advertising same job (IT Specialist) over and over and they probably cannot/unlikely find someone in the GS-12 range who wants to start at Step 1 with $71K when they may be making in the $80k's range.

I'd like some input from those who know how this works...and if they negotiate on something when they see someone making $85k applying for a GS-12 series.

Thanks for any input.

Depends on how much they like you. It's like that.