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If they didn’t ask for a cover letter, I’m guessing I should submit one anyway?Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Dec 18, 2022 6:05 pmIt may depend a bit on what you mean by bigfed, but no, I don't think following up with the contact person about your interest will accomplish anything. If you know people in the office, you could let them know you've applied and that you're very interested, but really, employers assume that people who apply for their jobs are interested.
I don't think there's much you can do at this point until/unless you get called for an interview. Before applying, you want to have made sure that your cover letter makes clear why you want to be in that office and why they should be interested in you, and you could have tried to connect with people in the office for informational interviews if you have any connections you could work. Then at the interview stage, you want to be able to articulate what you can contribute to the mission of their office.
No, don't submit what you're not asked for. I said cover letter because the federal jobs I've applied for have all asked for one, and I know my office asks for one when it hires (and notes if people omit it). But if they don't ask for one, it's not necessary.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Dec 18, 2022 7:15 pmIf they didn’t ask for a cover letter, I’m guessing I should submit one anyway?Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Dec 18, 2022 6:05 pmIt may depend a bit on what you mean by bigfed, but no, I don't think following up with the contact person about your interest will accomplish anything. If you know people in the office, you could let them know you've applied and that you're very interested, but really, employers assume that people who apply for their jobs are interested.
I don't think there's much you can do at this point until/unless you get called for an interview. Before applying, you want to have made sure that your cover letter makes clear why you want to be in that office and why they should be interested in you, and you could have tried to connect with people in the office for informational interviews if you have any connections you could work. Then at the interview stage, you want to be able to articulate what you can contribute to the mission of their office.
Thanks.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Dec 18, 2022 9:14 pmNo, don't submit what you're not asked for. I said cover letter because the federal jobs I've applied for have all asked for one, and I know my office asks for one when it hires (and notes if people omit it). But if they don't ask for one, it's not necessary.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Dec 18, 2022 7:15 pmIf they didn’t ask for a cover letter, I’m guessing I should submit one anyway?Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Dec 18, 2022 6:05 pmIt may depend a bit on what you mean by bigfed, but no, I don't think following up with the contact person about your interest will accomplish anything. If you know people in the office, you could let them know you've applied and that you're very interested, but really, employers assume that people who apply for their jobs are interested.
I don't think there's much you can do at this point until/unless you get called for an interview. Before applying, you want to have made sure that your cover letter makes clear why you want to be in that office and why they should be interested in you, and you could have tried to connect with people in the office for informational interviews if you have any connections you could work. Then at the interview stage, you want to be able to articulate what you can contribute to the mission of their office.
Depends on the agency's needs and other circumstances, but yes, it will be a lot slower. For one thing, if there's an application deadline in the job posting, they won't review applications/pick people for interviews until after that deadline. (If you're applying via USAjobs, I don't think the hiring committee can even see the applications until after the deadline.) For my current position, it was about 6 weeks between the application deadline and offer (with 2 rounds of interviews in between), but that was also pretty fast; it can definitely be slower. When you start work will be slower still if you need to do the background check for a sensitive position (i.e. criminal AUSA; not sure how widespread that background check is for other jobs, although there's always some background check).Anonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Dec 19, 2022 2:54 amWhat is the hiring timeline for most fed agencies? I’m guessing they move slower than firms, a few months or so?
Thanks, it’s fdic through USAjobsAnonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Dec 19, 2022 8:35 amDepends on the agency's needs and other circumstances, but yes, it will be a lot slower. For one thing, if there's an application deadline in the job posting, they won't review applications/pick people for interviews until after that deadline. (If you're applying via USAjobs, I don't think the hiring committee can even see the applications until after the deadline.) For my current position, it was about 6 weeks between the application deadline and offer (with 2 rounds of interviews in between), but that was also pretty fast; it can definitely be slower. When you start work will be slower still if you need to do the background check for a sensitive position (i.e. criminal AUSA; not sure how widespread that background check is for other jobs, although there's always some background check).Anonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Dec 19, 2022 2:54 amWhat is the hiring timeline for most fed agencies? I’m guessing they move slower than firms, a few months or so?
But "fed agencies" is a really broad umbrella so it can depend on which agency, too.
(If there isn't a specific job posting and you're applying on a more rolling basis, I think it's sort of impossible to predict.)