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As of yesterday I have received a tentative job offer for employment with DCAA in Herndon, Virginia (near Dulles International Airport), pending, of course, my successful clearance of a Federal background check. When DCAA came to my campus, King's College, last month to conduct on-site interviews, I felt nothing but excited about this opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the American tax payers (I'm a natural "penny-pincher"). However, I have been doing some more in-depth research online, and the vast majority of the commentary I have uncovered from both present and former DCAA employees is horribly negative. While I consider myself to be a rather intelligent person, there is STILL a "learning curve" that ought to be EXPECTED of a fresh hire in ANY sort of position, and what worries me the most is that I read several accounts where, after attending the two-week training seminar in Memphis, trainees were more or less just dumped off on their own in their home offices and left to flounder about. I'm very self-motivated and a quick-learner, but I don't feel as if two weeks worth of training in another state would be sufficient in and of itself to prepare you to effectively and efficiently audit defense contract-related documentation.
Another concern I have is that MANY long-standing employees with DCAA feel as if their working environment has gone progressively downhill over the years to the point where they no longer feel motivated to come into work. I read all of the scandals online about how many at DCAA have been "pressured" to favor certain contractors over others by their superiors, overlooking errors, etc. I also read about many supervisors being downright aloof and unfazed by concerns of their staff. I come from a background of very high moral and ethical integrity; being told to "hush" about any sort of "finding" in an audit would NOT sit well with me, and the thought of being terminated or discriminated against for being a "whistle-blower" is paralyzing (Sarbanes-Oxley is only effective up until a certain point).
Does anyone here on this forum currently work for DCAA? I'm accepting this offer, as I'd be foolish NOT to given our current economic crisis that could leave me hanging out to dry otherwise, but if this agency has a habitual reputation for improprieties and ethical dilemmas, then is it really a place I want to launch a promising career with my B.S. in Accounting? I'm most attracted to the "perks" (tuition reimbursement for my MBA, expenses paid for CPA prep courses and exam fees, a free gym membership so I can continue staying healthy, etc.). However, I don't want to be "selling my soul" in order to do this. Only one or two people had anything KIND to say about DCAA in all of the research I did.
Personally, I would not make my career decisions based on rumour and innuendo. If you really want to know, if the department, organization or company is having "real" legal problems, then look them up on their federal docket or go to your city law library and look them up on lexis or westlaw and see how many incidents of legal malfeasance they have alleged been involved with or employment cases, etc... And look for complaints in the better business bureau, etc..
If high, then plan your departure, stay two years and then move on to your next government or private job.
For example, I am interested in patent law and I have read employee nightmare stories about the U.S. patent office. They have cameras watching their employees, uncaring managers, they are overworked and understaffed, etc, etc...
But if it were me, I would still take a job there, because it is a great jumping off point to any private I.P. company. I just wouldn't get trapped into staying there more than two years.
People who are satisfied with their jobs wouldn't be venting about it on online forums, so you're reading the words of the disgruntled. And the gruntled (is that a word?) wouldn't necessarily feel the need to write positive reviews to provide a balance.
Grain of salt, my man. Keep your own eyes and ears open once you get there and form your own opinions - don't create a self-fulfilling prophecy.
As an employee, some of the stories are true. Just listen to the Congressional testimonies of current auditors and the Director. However, I still believe that our Agency can save the taxpayer; we just have to weather the storm ahead. The agency has been very good to me with regards to tuition reimbursement, travel opportunities, and payment of CPA review course.
I would assume any DCAA employee who passed the severe scrutiny of the intensive backround check and found employment, would strongly hesitate to badmouth the organization in public on one of America's most visited internet forums.
As an employee, some of the stories are true. Just listen to the Congressional testimonies of current auditors and the Director. However, I still believe that our Agency can save the taxpayer; we just have to weather the storm ahead. The agency has been very good to me with regards to tuition reimbursement, travel opportunities, and payment of CPA review course.
Regardless of as to whether or not the horror stories or true I'm still firmly devoted and committed to exerting 110% effort into my job performance with DCAA. It's an agency I feel is a wonderful opportunity for me to advance myself while working hard for the American people simultaneously. I feel blessed to have been "tentatively" selected. Speaking of which, I was e-mailed the offer on Friday. I replied in the affirmative, attached my completed Form OF-306, and thanked the originator of the e-mail for the consideration on Sunday. I was told to ensure that I had accepted or rejected the offer by Wednesday, March 11 (tomorrow). Here it is on Tuesday, and I'm just wondering if I should have received any sort of confirmation back by now indicating that my acceptance of the offer was received (or am I just being paranoid?!).
I would assume any DCAA employee who passed the severe scrutiny of the intensive backround check and found employment, would strongly hesitate to badmouth the organization in public on one of America's most visited internet forums.
Wrong assumption, just check out the blogs on Govexec.com.
Wrong assumption, just check out the blogs on Govexec.com.
I found negative comments about the agency on numerous other web sites as well. Nevertheless as I said I'm firmly committed to giving this position a true 110% effort! Maybe my enthusiasm will prove encouraging and refreshing to some of these jaded old-timers who think the agency has gone too far downhill to save!
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I'm very self-motivated and a quick-learner, but I don't feel as if two weeks worth of training in another state would be sufficient in and of itself to prepare you to effectively and efficiently audit defense contract-related documentation. 
I'm most attracted to the "perks" (tuition reimbursement for my MBA, expenses paid for CPA prep courses and exam fees, a free gym membership so I can continue staying healthy, etc.). However, I don't want to be "selling my soul" in order to do this. Only one or two people had anything KIND to say about DCAA in all of the research I did. 
