PAC - Postdoctoral Association of Colorado
Workshop Speaker: Don Mock, Executive Director NOAA-Boulder Directors Council
Workshop Date: January 14, 2010

* One way to get into a federal labs is to start working with a "cooperative institute"
  that collaborates with the Lab: e.g. At CU-Boulder, go work at CIRES first, then try to get
  a job at NOAA.
* Over the last 10 years, funding at NOAA has been relatively flat, so employees have
  been getting outside grants, primarily to pay their support staff.  Flat funding causes less and 
  less people to be working as a fed; these people are getting older and are close to retirement.  
  Therefore, there might be a hiring boom soon if more money is given to this area.
  (Colorado was 49th in line to get government stimulus money.)
* Your cover letter should state why you are interested in the position (generic letters
  will put you in the reject pile.)  What do you have to offer?  How are you a good fit
  to the job description.  Look at their website and mention people's work.  Mention who you know.
* Apply for all jobs for which you are qualified.
* Make sure that you specifically address all key aspects of the announcment.  Provide evidence
  to support your claim that you are the person for the job (either in your resume or in the
  short essay questions.)  Don't be modest in your answers, but don't exceed your reality!
* Don't overstate your case.  Don't miss deadlines!  Those deadlines are firm.
* Known "quantites" are better than uknown "quantities".  E.g. If you know the
  hiring committee, that's good.  If the hiring committee knows one of your refs, and they
  give you glowing remarks over the phone, great!  Even though hard copies of letters of reference 
  are probably required, they don't hold as much weight as in the past because people are worried about
  being sued for saying something bad.
* Federal Jobs in general
	- You must be a US Citizen.  Although foreign nationals can technically apply, in order to hire
 	  that person, the lab must prove that this foreign national is the ONLY person in the US who can do
	  that particular job.  
	- Job descriptions are written in a very systematic way, but the announcement may specify the
	  certain skill/aspects that are required for the position.
	- the announcement will include details of how your performance will be evaluated.
	- your application will be scored according to KSAs (knowledge, skills, and abilities);
	  the answers to multiple choice questions & essays will be used for a "secret
	  scoring plan"...
	- Minimum requirements might be listed. If so and you don't meet them, your application
	  will be rejected.
	- Vacancy announcements are posted on USAJobs; generally it should include HR contact
	  person; you should followup with this person, particularly if you faxed information to
	  him/her.  Also you can contact the HR person, to get the name of the person doing the
	  Hiring.
	- usually there are TWO announcments (one for fed-only and non-fed applicants; also 
	  called status and non-status applicants.). Also there may be two announcements for the
   	  same jobs (usually one has a different education requirement. e.g. a physcists and physical
	  scientist posting may actually be for the same job.)  Bottom line --> apply for both!
	- Announcements with short application periods could be due to the following:
 	  (1) they expect many applications so they want a short window to reduce the total number 
	  (2) they know that some *really* good people will be applying anyhow 
	     (I think that's a clear sign that they have a candidate in mind already!)

* What happens after you submit your application?
	- HR person will screen your application without close contact with the hiring manager.
	  They will be making sure that you meet at the minimal requirements.  If you don't,
	  you won't make the cut.  Bottom line: Look really good on paper!
	- The multiple choise and short essay questions are used to (1) eliminate your from the
	  pool (2) used to "score" your application or (3) check your education
	- <ake sure you provide concise answers in your application; the hiring committee will 
	  be reading them, and they probably don't want to read 50 pages of your application.
	- Veterans get extra points in this application process. Disabled veterans even more on top
	  of the normal scoring procedure.
	- The hiring committee will rescore your application, if they find discrepancies (and 
	  then your application will probably be scrutinized even more for inconsistencies.)
	- Once the HR person reviews the applications, they will hand over CERTs (certification
	  of Eligibility) to the Hiring Manager.  One set of CERTS will be for fed applicants and one will
	  be for non-fed applicants.  NOTE: fed employees can apply for non-fed jobs.  So if these fed.
	  applicants are really qualified, their applications might appear in both CERT piles.  This is less 
	  likely in science positions.  Generally there are 3 people in each CERT pile.  Interesting enough if
  	  a veteran is rated higher than a non-veteran, they HAVE to choose the veteran by law.  Although
	  the hiring manager won't see the other applications.  So if you're 4th in line, the hiring manager
	  will never know you existed.  Bottom line --> Be persistent and keep applying.
	- The hiring manager can choose which CERT pile to look at (both fed and non-def, one or the other).  They will
	  form a review committee and look over the applications, interview people, and rescore their
	  applications.  They will probably ask the same set of "canned" questions to short-listed
	  people, so that the hiring process is fair.
	- The hiring committee passes on their recommendation to the selection official,
	  who may choose to decline their recommendation and choose someone else in the CERT pile.