AUSA/USAO hiring Forum

[Anonymous User]

Is the hiring process any different if you’re a current AUSA applying/interviewing for a position in another part of the country? As a current AUSA, I am aware of incoming vacancies in my hometown. Assuming that I could secure an offer, will I need to go through the background check process again? (I passed without any issues the first time, but I am just curious what my timeline will look like.)

Current AUSA who transferred offices in 2023. The process is pretty much the same - you apply through USAJOBS and compete against any external applicants. However, if you're selected, the office to which you applied will contact your current office to facilitate an employee transfer. I believe the paperwork ultimately goes through EOUSA in Washington. Your background check adjudication will transfer over. I do think an existing DOJ employee has an advantage when competing against external candidates because the background check has already been adjudicated, so there's less risk involved for the hiring office and onboarding can begin sooner.

Thanks for the helpful response. Glad to hear that I may have a slight advantage. I know it might vary by office and their idiosyncrasies for hiring, but will it be viewed poorly if I haven’t been an AUSA for a very long amount of time (a few years) when I apply? I didn’t expect a vacancy back home to pop open anytime soon. The only reason I would apply is to be closer to my family. I am really happy with my current office otherwise.

I don't think it will be viewed poorly. It sounds like you can articulate a good reason for changing offices. I transferred offices around the three-year mark, and it was also to return to my home district and be closer to family. I think that's viewed pretty favorably, because you won't be a flight risk.

Thank you. I’ll be honest, it’ll be much sooner than the three-year mark. But I figure that the opportunity may not present itself for a long time.

[Anonymous User]

Thank you. I’ll be honest, it’ll be much sooner than the three-year mark. But I figure that the opportunity may not present itself for a long time.

I don’t think this is a problem - people understand that you can’t control when openings arise. If you don’t have a lot of experience yet, you may be at a slight disadvantage if there are other more experienced AUSAs from elsewhere applying, but you’ll still have an advantage over non-AUSAs for the reasons already given.

It’s possible someone somewhere in the process may disapprove of people leaving jobs after < X amount of time, who knows, but you can’t let that control what you do in this kind of a situation. Worst that happens is you apply and don’t get it, leaving you in the same position you are now.

[Anonymous User]

I'm finally throwing my hat in the ring and applying to be an AUSA. The question I have is about the length of my resume. It looks like USA jobs is accepting resumes that are two pages in length. For those of you who have been through this process, would you recommend that I use all two pages, or try to keep things in a single page?

[Anonymous User]

Any updates on MDFL?

You don't want to work in MDFL.

[Anonymous User]

I’ve recently received a tentative offer from a USAO with background check pending. This job however would require my family to move states, which is doable but a major disruption to our lives especially since we have a pre-schooler. A posting just went up for another office in the district I am now—I would choose this one over the current offer, if given the choice—but I don’t know if I could/should even apply. Here is the thing: I am told by some that applying to another office while my background check with the first office is underway will pose a real risk to both my reputation and even jeopardize my employment opportunities with both offices. Others however assure me that it is completely normal to pursue multiple tracks simultaneously and that I won’t need to make a final decision until/unless my background check with the first office clears and I receive a final offer. The people I have consulted are all big firm lawyers I know well with 10+ years experiences at major USAOs / main justice and I believe they offered their opinions in good faith. And yet their opinions differ so much that they leave me at a complete loss as to what to do. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[Anonymous User]

Any updates on MDFL?

You don't want to work in MDFL.

Why not?

[Anonymous User]

I’ve recently received a tentative offer from a USAO with background check pending. This job however would require my family to move states, which is doable but a major disruption to our lives especially since we have a pre-schooler. A posting just went up for another office in the district I am now—I would choose this one over the current offer, if given the choice—but I don’t know if I could/should even apply. Here is the thing: I am told by some that applying to another office while my background check with the first office is underway will pose a real risk to both my reputation and even jeopardize my employment opportunities with both offices. Others however assure me that it is completely normal to pursue multiple tracks simultaneously and that I won’t need to make a final decision until/unless my background check with the first office clears and I receive a final offer. The people I have consulted are all big firm lawyers I know well with 10+ years experiences at major USAOs / main justice and I believe they offered their opinions in good faith. And yet their opinions differ so much that they leave me at a complete loss as to what to do. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

FWIW, in my experience, this probably comes down to personality/office culture more than any clear-cut norm that holds across all offices. Which doesn’t help you decide, I know.

My sense from my experience in the two offices where I’ve worked (which, full disclosure, is limited with regard to hiring) is more like “this is perfectly normal,” that the second office wouldn’t notice/care and would treat you like any other candidate, and the office that has made you an offer would be sort of annoyed/frustrated if you bailed for a different office, but would understand the impulse. Which is to say, the offices where I’ve worked have always understood that one’s family comes first, and value hiring locals, so I think would recognize that applicants have to do what’s best for them.

That said, I’ve not worked in big/fancy/major metro offices, and I can’t guarantee what I’ve experienced is universal b/c I think it really is office-specific. (Possibly also USA specific.)

Do you know anyone in the office in your current district, or anyone who can connect you to someone there? I think it would be perfectly reasonable to reach out informally and find out how the application would be received - maybe not to the people actually responsible for hiring, but to someone who’s been there long enough to have a sense of how that specific office would respond.

(You may have had to decide already too! Hope it works out!)

[jnewsham]

Hi TLS people. I'm Jack Newsham, a reporter for Business Insider, and I'm doing some reporting on working conditions for AUSAs and hiring for new AUSAs.

I analyzed some LinkedIn data and I've done a couple interviews, but I'm interested in talking to people who are either going through the hiring process or interviewing candidates for AUSA roles. If you're ex-DOJ or previously went through the process and could talk about how it went for you, that might also be helpful.

Of course, I'm also a TLS lurker, but I can't rely on anonymous posts. Also not holding my breath for timely responses to any FOIA requests.

I'm happy to discuss my interest in this topic and how I can protect my sources' anonymity. If you're up to chat, my number's 314-971-1627 for calls and Signal. You can Google me to confirm this.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have intel on the recent NDIL posting? Number of positions, etc.

[Anonymous User]

Any updates on MDFL?

You don't want to work in MDFL.

Why not?

The office is a mess. Poor leadership, shady discovery practices, and draconian charging philosophy compared to other districts (even the other two districts within Florida).

[Anonymous User]

Assuming that most hiring will pause during a shutdown right?

[Anonymous User]

Hi all, I’m considering an AUSA position in the Superior Court Division in D.C. Does anyone have insight into the career outcomes for this role? How common (or feasible) is it to move over to the federal side afterward? How selective/prestigious is the program, and what kinds of exit opportunities does it typically lead to? Thanks in advance!

[Anonymous User]

Any updates on MDFL?

You don't want to work in MDFL.

Why not?

The office is a mess. Poor leadership, shady discovery practices, and draconian charging philosophy compared to other districts (even the other two districts within Florida).

I wish I knew which one of my colleagues this was

[Anonymous User]

Any updates on MDFL?

You don't want to work in MDFL.

Why not?

The office is a mess. Poor leadership, shady discovery practices, and draconian charging philosophy compared to other districts (even the other two districts within Florida).

I don’t know if you know this buddy but MDFL follows the JUSTICE MANUAL just like everyone else. Don’t like it? There’s plenty of room on the CJA list.

[Anonymous User]

I’m surprised there’s not much gossip about the various USAOs on here.

[Anonymous User]

I’m surprised there’s not much gossip about the various USAOs on here.

We are too busy in my district to gossip. Dear Lord, the hours went up.
- SDTX.

[Anonymous User]

I’m surprised there’s not much gossip about the various USAOs on here.

What kind of gossip are you looking for?

[Anonymous User]

I’m surprised there’s not much gossip about the various USAOs on here.

We are too busy in my district to gossip. Dear Lord, the hours went up.
- SDTX.

I am glad to be in flyover country.

[Anonymous User]

Any updates on MDFL?

You don't want to work in MDFL.

Why not?

The office is a mess. Poor leadership, shady discovery practices, and draconian charging philosophy compared to other districts (even the other two districts within Florida).

I don’t know if you know this buddy but MDFL follows the JUSTICE MANUAL just like everyone else. Don’t like it? There’s plenty of room on the CJA list.

MDFL also has a history of disregarding policy guidance from DOJ that local leadership disagrees with, like the 2022 Garland memo on drug cases. And then there's this:

https://www.orangeobserver.com/news/202 ... na-amesty/

[Anonymous User]

I’m surprised there’s not much gossip about the various USAOs on here.

We are too busy in my district to gossip. Dear Lord, the hours went up.
- SDTX.

Yup.

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone heard anything back since the shutdown? Is the hiring on pause?

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone heard anything back since the shutdown? Is the hiring on pause?

[Anonymous User]

Any updates on MDFL?

You don't want to work in MDFL.

Why not?

The office is a mess. Poor leadership, shady discovery practices, and draconian charging philosophy compared to other districts (even the other two districts within Florida).

I don’t know if you know this buddy but MDFL follows the JUSTICE MANUAL just like everyone else. Don’t like it? There’s plenty of room on the CJA list.

Feisty, say nothing of the allegations of the shady discovery practices.

[Anonymous User]

Any updates on MDFL?

You don't want to work in MDFL.

Why not?

The office is a mess. Poor leadership, shady discovery practices, and draconian charging philosophy compared to other districts (even the other two districts within Florida).

I don’t know if you know this buddy but MDFL follows the JUSTICE MANUAL just like everyone else. Don’t like it? There’s plenty of room on the CJA list.

Feisty, say nothing of the allegations of the shady discovery practices.

Careful sweetie, your ignorance is showing.

JUSTICE MANUAL 9-5.002: Discovery policies

JUSTICE MANUAL 9-5.003: Even more discovery policies

JUSTICE MANUAL 9-5.004: Yet more discovery policies

JUSTICE MANUAL 9-5.100: You guessed it, discovery policies

Believe it or not, every question you will ever think of as a prosecutor has already been thought of and committed to the JUSTICE MANUAL. So when I say all districts follow the JUSTICE MANUAL, maybe you should actually read the whole thing instead of the little part that covers your practice (JUSTICE MANUAL 9-112.000).

[Anonymous User]

Any updates on MDFL?

You don't want to work in MDFL.

Why not?

The office is a mess. Poor leadership, shady discovery practices, and draconian charging philosophy compared to other districts (even the other two districts within Florida).

I don’t know if you know this buddy but MDFL follows the JUSTICE MANUAL just like everyone else. Don’t like it? There’s plenty of room on the CJA list.

Feisty, say nothing of the allegations of the shady discovery practices.

Careful sweetie, your ignorance is showing.

JUSTICE MANUAL 9-5.002: Discovery policies

JUSTICE MANUAL 9-5.003: Even more discovery policies

JUSTICE MANUAL 9-5.004: Yet more discovery policies

JUSTICE MANUAL 9-5.100: You guessed it, discovery policies

Believe it or not, every question you will ever think of as a prosecutor has already been thought of and committed to the JUSTICE MANUAL. So when I say all districts follow the JUSTICE MANUAL, maybe you should actually read the whole thing instead of the little part that covers your practice (JUSTICE MANUAL 9-112.000).

Why JM in caps?