Federal jobs hiring timeline? Other application advice?

[Villanelle]

This may be a weird forum to ask a question about trying to *get* a job, but I'm wondering if anyone can give me a rough estimate on the hiring timeline for federal jobs.  Is there even such a thing or are they all drastically different--one take 3 weeks and the next 5 months?

Also, it is an NY (NY-03) not GS, if that makes a difference. 

Any insights would be much appreciated, as would be any thoughts on gaming the application system.  (I've been told to basically cut and paste as much applicable wording from the job description into the resume/application as possible.  If it says that responsibilities include, "herding cats, petting cute dogs, and rescuing scary spiders"  and I have dog and spider experience, then I saying my responsibilities at X and Y jobs including, "petting cute dogs and rescuing scary spiders".)

[sparkytheop]

Hiring time widely varies, but tends to be longer for people with no military or previous federal service.  Fastest I've seen for someone with previous service was still over a month. 

I interviewed (and was "hired pending background checks") four months before what was supposed to be my start date.  My actual start date was 7 months after my interview, and I got in right before a hiring freeze. I'm also non-GS.

Expect there to be a hiring freeze right after presidential elections (pretty much every time).

Do not expect any notification that the job has been filled (not all managers update the job status online).  I've only seen one place send "thanks, but sorry" letters.  Usually you find out through the rumor mill that someone was hired (if you are already working where you can hear the rumor mill).

Follow the resume requirements exactly.  Expect that with any actual job history, your resume could become several pages long-- this is normal for feds.  If the guidelines say "list job title, salary, hours worked", list them all "sparky, $xx/hr, 40 hrs/wk".  Start with your most recent work first, then work your way back in time.

To get around the length of the resume for when a real person finally looks at it, make sure you have a brief work experience summary, before all the other stuff, that explains in short detail the things you have experience in that make you a great fit for the position.

Having the "key words" in the resume are the only way to get past the computer program that decides who is "qualified".  The first "real person" will check that the resume meets required format/info (and will toss it if it doesn't).  Next (or same) "real person" will then start reading and looking for things that will determine if your name makes "the list".

If you are applying for a position that asks you to rank your experience, and you put "expert" on everything, be prepared to back that up with your work history and interview.

[Villanelle]

Hiring time widely varies, but tends to be longer for people with no military or previous federal service.  Fastest I've seen for someone with previous service was still over a month. 

I interviewed (and was "hired pending background checks") four months before what was supposed to be my start date.  My actual start date was 7 months after my interview, and I got in right before a hiring freeze. I'm also non-GS.

Expect there to be a hiring freeze right after presidential elections (pretty much every time).

Do not expect any notification that the job has been filled (not all managers update the job status online).  I've only seen one place send "thanks, but sorry" letters.  Usually you find out through the rumor mill that someone was hired (if you are already working where you can hear the rumor mill).

Follow the resume requirements exactly.  Expect that with any actual job history, your resume could become several pages long-- this is normal for feds.  If the guidelines say "list job title, salary, hours worked", list them all "sparky, $xx/hr, 40 hrs/wk".  Start with your most recent work first, then work your way back in time.

To get around the length of the resume for when a real person finally looks at it, make sure you have a brief work experience summary, before all the other stuff, that explains in short detail the things you have experience in that make you a great fit for the position.

Having the "key words" in the resume are the only way to get past the computer program that decides who is "qualified".  The first "real person" will check that the resume meets required format/info (and will toss it if it doesn't).  Next (or same) "real person" will then start reading and looking for things that will determine if your name makes "the list".

If you are applying for a position that asks you to rank your experience, and you put "expert" on everything, be prepared to back that up with your work history and interview.

I have no fed experience.

There is some chance we could come in a couple months, and a greater chance we could be gone by the end of the year.  But we could also be here another 2 years (though that's unlikely).  (I'm a military spouse, and mil spouse preference does apply to this job, and I believe I get super double bonus preference due to returning from overseas.)  If this is going to take 6 months, it would be pointless, but I guess I'll let that sort itself out.  It's a lot of work to put in for that, though.  And I found the job on super short notice and have a lot of work to do as it's been over a decade since I worked and I have to generate a resume from scratch, with  only a couple days before the posting closes.

I guess I'll do the best I can and see what happens. 

[moneypitfeeder]

The lower pay grades are easier to get into faster (for feds) i.e., for my GS wage my supervisor could interview me directly and choose to hire me directly. At higher grades you have to go in front of a hiring board, and they are going to want 3-5 applicants, at least, to interview. Then they have to go through the whole process of rating each candidate, holding meetings to hash out and discuss ratings, and come to a final decision collectively to hire or re-list the post. My direct-hiring process took about 3 months, but much of that time was HR not processing my paperwork and could have been done faster (took a few phone calls from my director once we knew there was a holdup). I think the fastest at my org has been 1.5 months from acceptance to first day (not including the posting timeline and applicant interview timelines).

[Villanelle]

The lower pay grades are easier to get into faster (for feds) i.e., for my GS wage my supervisor could interview me directly and choose to hire me directly. At higher grades you have to go in front of a hiring board, and they are going to want 3-5 applicants, at least, to interview. Then they have to go through the whole process of rating each candidate, holding meetings to hash out and discuss ratings, and come to a final decision collectively to hire or re-list the post. My direct-hiring process took about 3 months, but much of that time was HR not processing my paperwork and could have been done faster (took a few phone calls from my director once we knew there was a holdup). I think the fastest at my org has been 1.5 months from acceptance to first day (not including the posting timeline and applicant interview timelines).

 

Define upper and lower pay grade.  This is an NY-03.  (I'm not finding direct comparisons to GS pay grades, though I haven't looked that hard.)

[moneypitfeeder]

I think a NY-03 might be comparable to my level (GS-7), but only a the lower step-end, my band is 43251 to 56222. Is there an HR number you can call to see if you can interview w/o a board? Also, the board thing might be DoD-specific and not agency-wide, might be a non-issue.

[Villanelle]

I think a NY-03 might be comparable to my level (GS-7), but only a the lower step-end, my band is 43251 to 56222. Is there an HR number you can call to see if you can interview w/o a board? Also, the board thing might be DoD-specific and not agency-wide, might be a non-issue.

Pay scale seems to be higher than GS-7. 

NY-03 is $53,064 - $100,278

Or in DC--$68,039 - $128,577

[moneypitfeeder]

Yes, the NY-03 band has a much broader range than a GS range in pay. GS jobs normally start people in the step 1 pay (i.e., the lowest) I was able to negotiate a higher rate based off my previous salary/experience to enter service at mid-grade, but it was still substantially lower than what I made at my previous job. It worked out for us, because I work mostly remote, so I wasn't paying for gas and wear and tear on my vehicle. Are you looking at coming in toward the top of the NY-03 band or at the base?

[Villanelle]

Yes, the NY-03 band has a much broader range than a GS range in pay. GS jobs normally start people in the step 1 pay (i.e., the lowest) I was able to negotiate a higher rate based off my previous salary/experience to enter service at mid-grade, but it was still substantially lower than what I made at my previous job. It worked out for us, because I work mostly remote, so I wasn't paying for gas and wear and tear on my vehicle. Are you looking at coming in toward the top of the NY-03 band or at the base?

The salary range posted for the job is toward the lower end of the DC range.

[moneypitfeeder]

Well, if that is the case, and if NY does board hiring similar to GS, than you may be looking at that. Hopefully someone that has NY hiring experience can weigh in here for you. Is there another forum specifically for NY that you can get answers (kinda like federal soup)?

[Monkey Uncle]

Former fed manager here, but zero experience with the NY system (didn't even know it existed prior to reading this thread). 

Hiring timeline is highly variable depending on the agency.  Even within agencies it can vary depending on the initiative of the day, and also the hiring authority that is being used.  I've seen processes get strung out for 6 months, and I've seen veteran's preference hires happen within a few weeks.  Your best bet is to apply, making sure you dot every i and cross every t, then if you get selected for an interview, ask your interviewer about the timeline.  It is common for the actual timeline to end up being longer than what they tell you (at least in my former agency).

@sparkytheop gave some great advice that you would do well to heed.  If you have to answer a questionnaire as part of the application process, err on the side of "yes, I've done that; yes, I can do that; yes, I possess those qualifications;" as long as you don't outright lie about it.