Job situation update (1 Viewer)

[zatsnzapps]

1c - I done some preliminary research

I hope you didn't put this on your cover letter for a technical writing position.

But seriously....

1a - Good point, I made the mistake of throwing out the figures without having done my homework, hopefully I'll have another chance to make a case Monday. Will try to get them to throw out the first number next time.

I realize you're in a pickle at the moment, but they don't need to know that. Make sure you get all you can get now, because all of your percentage increases over the life of your job will increase a little more with every extra bit you can get now.

1b - That's a problem because with federal resumes, they require salary history in the resume. I sent them my federal resume, so they already have that. Even if that wasn't the case, I might have told them my salary for my previous position which was in a lot of ways, similar to this one.

Ugh. Ok, then if they try to bring up your salary history and it's where you want to be, then you can state that's somewhere along the lines of what you are looking for with this position. I wouldn't say it's exactly what you're looking for because you still want room to negotiate to get the most you can to start the new position. If your previous salary is too low and you're looking for more, I'd try to explain the difference from those jobs to this one, and that this one has more responsibility or whatever difference you see between the two jobs that you feel warrants a higher salary.

1c - I done some preliminary research, but I've noticed tech writing can vary widely when it comes to compensation. It seems some put a premium on it, while for others, it's a bit of an afterthought.

This is where you have to use your best judgement. I think DadsDream suggested glassdoor, and that's most definitely worth a shot to see if there is any feedback on salary for your position at the company.

1d - Agreed, although it's a little difficult to compare since I don't have all of the details yet regarding benefits. I'll definitely ask that before it's all said and done.

Try looking at the website of the hiring company in the Careers section. Many employers are now putting their benefits (sometimes just high-level, but sometimes detailed) on their websites.

 

[DaveXA]

I hope you didn't put this on your cover letter for a technical writing position.

But seriously....



I realize you're in a pickle at the moment, but they don't need to know that. Make sure you get all you can get now, because all of your percentage increases over the life of your job will increase a little more with every extra bit you can get now.



Ugh. Ok, then if they try to bring up your salary history and it's where you want to be, then you can state that's somewhere along the lines of what you are looking for with this position. I wouldn't say it's exactly what you're looking for because you still want room to negotiate to get the most you can to start the new position. If your previous salary is too low and you're looking for more, I'd try to explain the difference from those jobs to this one, and that this one has more responsibility or whatever difference you see between the two jobs that you feel warrants a higher salary.



This is where you have to use your best judgement. I think DadsDream suggested glassdoor, and that's most definitely worth a shot to see if there is any feedback on salary for your position at the company.



Try looking at the website of the hiring company in the Careers section. Many employers are now putting their benefits (sometimes just high-level, but sometimes detailed) on their websites.

Solid thoughts all around. I've got plenty to think about over the weekend. Appreciate your time and suggestions. Really helpful!

 

[BreesIsMyFather]

Just wanted to pop in to say good luck on the interview coming up Monday.

Truthfully, I'm just a young buck that literally just step into my first real career and honestly learning more from your experience that you have graciously shared with us WhoDats, as well as the excellent feedback others have added. I hope only for the best for you and family Dave! But like Zats shared, I agree that being confident will definitely do wonders. I always say just being yourself in interviews really show the employer what your worth. I mean those interviewers have done tons of them and can see right through all the bs.

Sorry if this makes no sense. I just wanted to show support!

 

[dtc]

If you given them an X to Y range, be prepared to be offered X.

Do your research. Go to www.glassdoor.com , click on the Salaries tab and plug in the job title. There are dropdown selections to let you tailor your query by company size, years experience, location, etc. It also has a section for Open Jobs with that job title. There's a sliding graph scale for the averages nationally. It's a good tool.

Next, go to Google , type in the company name, job title and the words Pay Average.
Hey, there's a site called Career Bliss www.careerbliss.com that has average salaries based on previous employee info and location.

Look at that! Hmmmm. Very interesting. Seriously, follow the instructions I just gave and you'll see what I mean.

It will be much more effective if he leans back and puts his monocle in his eye, tilts his head to the left and touches his right pinky to his cheek and says "I"d like 1 Billlllion dollars."

 

[DaveXA]

So...a few things I've found during some research on the company. From reviews on glassdoor, the benefits seems to be average to pretty good, with the most common complaint being the health insurance plans were very high deductible with very little coverage to show for it. Adding family members will jack the price way up though. I suspect that's getting more common across the board though.

The position I'm applying for is really hard to find based on its lengthy title and broad scope of work. It includes supervising 2 people, but, it seems that the company doesn't categorize it as a supervisory position. It's really hard to gauge where it fits on the salary spectrum.

Reading interview reviews, I found one that almost exactly followed the experience I've had so far. Referred by company employee, preliminary phone interview with senior recruiter, second phone interview with hiring manager, final call from the recruiter with salary negotiation and offer.

So I guess they do hire people sight unseen these days. Surprising tbh. I guess with social media, it's not hard to look a candidate up and get some idea of what a person is like, as well as throwing in the phone interview experience.

 

[Fanincowboyland]

Have you looked into whether your hearing loss would make you eligible for a schedule A excepted appointment with the federal government? It makes it easier to hire you.

 

[DaveXA]

Have you looked into whether your hearing loss would make you eligible for a schedule A excepted appointment with the federal government? It makes it easier to hire you.

I appreciate the suggestion.

Yes, I have. I've been using the Schedule A letter for the last 2, almost 3 years now. Tbh, it really hasn't helped, even though I've been applying for positions as long as I have. That, and some agencies don't even take Schedule A into consideration because they are not subject to the usual OPM rules and guidelines.

There are several variables that I think are combining to make is super difficult to get a foot in the door right now. One, the idiotic hiring freezes and budget battles in Congress has hamstrung a lot of agencies, so by and large, they've been doing most of their hiring internally. Two, the few agencies who are actually doing a decent amount of hiring often get hundreds and hundreds of applications for each position posted. Schedule A can get you near the top of those lists, but it's often to no avail because if someone is a 100% disabled vet (there actually are quite a few of them), they're going to get the job. They get first dibs. I don't begrudge that, but it is what it is. Thirdly, the placement coordinators, who are supposed to be advocates for individuals with disabilities aren't doing their jobs. I've emailed every one of the 100 placement coordinators in the directory and I've gotten a response from about 10 of them, and 5 of them have actually taken my resume and offered to submit for review by a hiring official. There hasn't been a single call from a hiring manager since I started this process.

I'm just really disillusioned by the whole Schedule A process. It seems to be a waste of everyone's time if they're not actually going to use this to hire individuals with disabilities. I'm not alone either. I have several friends dealing with the same issue. It stinks, but, what can I do?

What's even more maddening, I've actually had one interview and it was with an agency who doesn't take Schedule A into consideration. So, I've had more success applying through the normal process than through Schedule A. Go figure.

 

[saintmdterps]

Good luck on Monday, Dave! We're pulling for you

 

[Fanincowboyland]

I work for the National Park Service and I've seen quite a few Schedule A hires, but we are one of those agencies you mentioned who's hiring has been crippled since the hiring freeze and the new rules that emerged after the hiring freeze. I think all this will get better in the neare future. We are starting to contract out our hiring with agencies that have excess HR capactiy. My unit alone has 5 vacancies with two of those being vacant for more than 2 years. Our Accounting Operations Center in Reston, VA, employs a lot of people with your background. Best of luck to you.

 

[DaveXA]

I work for the National Park Service and I've seen quite a few Schedule A hires, but we are one of those agencies you mentioned who's hiring has been crippled since the hiring freeze and the new rules that emerged after the hiring freeze. I think all this will get better in the neare future. We are starting to contract out our hiring with agencies that have excess HR capactiy. My unit alone has 5 vacancies with two of those being vacant for more than 2 years. Our Accounting Operations Center in Reston, VA, employs a lot of people with your background. Best of luck to you.

Every one of the deaf friends I know who have managed to get hired through Schedule A was hired as part of a college graduate recruiting program. I haven't met anyone who was mid or late career get hired. I know Schedule A applicants who have been looking for work in the federal government for years, and with far better credentials than I, and still haven't been hired. It seems to be a lot more difficult if you're coming from the private sector and wanting to make a lateral move into federal employment. Not sure why that is.

I know I have the experience necessary to qualify for nearly all of the positions I apply for, so I'm not sure why I haven't gotten any traction. It's frustrating, but hopefully, I'll have work soon, and that would lead to advancement opportunities down the road.

I appreciate the comments and well-wishes.

By the way, I'm just a few miles down the road from Reston. I wouldn't mind working there at all.

 

[DaveXA]

Well, today is the big day! Interview at 11. I wish it were sooner. I'm ready to get it over with.

So anxious to start working! Hope this is where it begins. Yeah, a wee bit nervous, lol.

 

[BobE]

Good luck Dave you got this

 

[crosswatt]

Well, today is the big day! Interview at 11. I wish it were sooner. I'm ready to get it over with.

So anxious to start working! Hope this is where it begins. Yeah, a wee bit nervous, lol.

Best of luck, my friend. You are the right man for this job. Go show them.

 

[DadsDream]

Remember, if they ask, you work well with women!

 

[DaveXA]

Remember, you work well with women!

Well, their senior leadership has a ton of women! Lol. Works for me.