AUSA/USAO hiring Forum

[Anonymous User]

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?

The forfeiture hyperlink is the greatest troll in the history of trolls, maybe ever

[Anonymous User]

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?

Because they cut and pasted from the website, which has it in caps.

[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).

I mean, I used to be a criminal AUSA and even I think citing the existence of discovery policies in the Justice Manual to someone alleging shady discovery practices seems kind of silly. It’s like citing the fact that there’s a speed limit to someone alleging speeding.

(TBC, I don’t know anything about whether MDFL does have shady discovery practices.)

[Anonymous User]

Thoughts on leveraging an interview at a district to move things along at another (no response yet from the second district)? Too risky? Should I wait until I get an offer?

[Anonymous User]

Thoughts on leveraging an interview at a district to move things along at another (no response yet from the second district)? Too risky? Should I wait until I get an offer?

Every single district I interviewed with wanted to know whether I had any interviews with other justice components and how far along in the process I was. So, maybe let them know?

[Anonymous User]

Thoughts on leveraging an interview at a district to move things along at another (no response yet from the second district)? Too risky? Should I wait until I get an offer?

Wait until you get an offer or at least an invitation for a second round interview (most offices still do 2 rounds, I think). It’s not really risky to share news of another interview, it’s just that it’s not pressing enough to move the needle. Either the second office is in a position to start interviewing candidates (in which case it’s probably already made a decision about you, which news of an interview elsewhere won’t change), or it’s not. If it’s not, it’s very unlikely to be willing/able move up its timeline based on the fact that you have an interview scheduled with another office, especially b/c pools and priorities vary between offices.

Based on my hiring experience (which isn’t extensive, but not nothing), we start scheduling interviews basically right after we review the pool and identify the people we want to talk to. So if you haven’t heard from the second office about interviews, they either haven’t reviewed the pool yet (is there a deadline for applications, and has it passed? The hiring committee can’t even look at applications until the deadline passes and the pool is released by HR), or they have reviewed the pool and you didn’t make the cut. News that you have a first round interview scheduled elsewhere isn’t likely to change either of those things.

Different offices do handle things differently, so don’t treat my experience as the final word, but generally, hiring committees aren’t particularly interested in your other possible options until they’ve interviewed you and know they’re still interested in hiring you. It’s common for applicants to have applied to a number of offices, so before that point, if we lose someone to another job, we lose them.

The risk even with an offer or second round interview is that the second office will say, with all sincerity, “we’re not going to be able to give you any more information on the timeline you need, best of luck.” But if they’ve already identified you as someone they’re really interested in, they might be able to work something out (especially depending on the strength of their pool, or lack thereof).

(Actually, I guess there is a minor risk to leveraging a first round interview invite: if you tell office #2 you have an interview scheduled, and office #1 rejects you after the interview, and then you do move forward with office #2, you may be stuck telling them that office #1 rejected you after the interview, which isn’t a great look. Office #2 probably wouldn’t ask unless they were interested in pursuing your candidacy further, and it’s unlikely to outweigh office #2’s independent assessment of you, but still.)

[Anonymous User]

Thoughts on leveraging an interview at a district to move things along at another (no response yet from the second district)? Too risky? Should I wait until I get an offer?

Wait until you get an offer or at least an invitation for a second round interview (most offices still do 2 rounds, I think). It’s not really risky to share news of another interview, it’s just that it’s not pressing enough to move the needle. Either the second office is in a position to start interviewing candidates (in which case it’s probably already made a decision about you, which news of an interview elsewhere won’t change), or it’s not. If it’s not, it’s very unlikely to be willing/able move up its timeline based on the fact that you have an interview scheduled with another office, especially b/c pools and priorities vary between offices.

Based on my hiring experience (which isn’t extensive, but not nothing), we start scheduling interviews basically right after we review the pool and identify the people we want to talk to. So if you haven’t heard from the second office about interviews, they either haven’t reviewed the pool yet (is there a deadline for applications, and has it passed? The hiring committee can’t even look at applications until the deadline passes and the pool is released by HR), or they have reviewed the pool and you didn’t make the cut. News that you have a first round interview scheduled elsewhere isn’t likely to change either of those things.

Different offices do handle things differently, so don’t treat my experience as the final word, but generally, hiring committees aren’t particularly interested in your other possible options until they’ve interviewed you and know they’re still interested in hiring you. It’s common for applicants to have applied to a number of offices, so before that point, if we lose someone to another job, we lose them.

The risk even with an offer or second round interview is that the second office will say, with all sincerity, “we’re not going to be able to give you any more information on the timeline you need, best of luck.” But if they’ve already identified you as someone they’re really interested in, they might be able to work something out (especially depending on the strength of their pool, or lack thereof).

(Actually, I guess there is a minor risk to leveraging a first round interview invite: if you tell office #2 you have an interview scheduled, and office #1 rejects you after the interview, and then you do move forward with office #2, you may be stuck telling them that office #1 rejected you after the interview, which isn’t a great look. Office #2 probably wouldn’t ask unless they were interested in pursuing your candidacy further, and it’s unlikely to outweigh office #2’s independent assessment of you, but still.)

I agree with all of this. It wouldn’t move the needle in my office at all, and it seems like it can only hurt you.

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone know if SDNY/EDNY does hypos in the first round of interviews?

[Anonymous User]

Lots of movement the past two weeks. I know people who have heard back from SDNY/EDNY/DNJ/D Mass/many more.

[Anonymous User]

This is a long shot, but does anyone know anything about Cincinnati’s USAO? I’m from there and thinking of applying (junior AUSA).

[Anonymous User]

Current AUSA here. I’m about to apply to an AUSA vacancy in my hometown. When am I supposed to tell my current USAO? If I receive an interview, I assume?

[Anonymous User]

Thoughts on leveraging an interview at a district to move things along at another (no response yet from the second district)? Too risky? Should I wait until I get an offer?

Wait until you get an offer or at least an invitation for a second round interview (most offices still do 2 rounds, I think). It’s not really risky to share news of another interview, it’s just that it’s not pressing enough to move the needle. Either the second office is in a position to start interviewing candidates (in which case it’s probably already made a decision about you, which news of an interview elsewhere won’t change), or it’s not. If it’s not, it’s very unlikely to be willing/able move up its timeline based on the fact that you have an interview scheduled with another office, especially b/c pools and priorities vary between offices.

Based on my hiring experience (which isn’t extensive, but not nothing), we start scheduling interviews basically right after we review the pool and identify the people we want to talk to. So if you haven’t heard from the second office about interviews, they either haven’t reviewed the pool yet (is there a deadline for applications, and has it passed? The hiring committee can’t even look at applications until the deadline passes and the pool is released by HR), or they have reviewed the pool and you didn’t make the cut. News that you have a first round interview scheduled elsewhere isn’t likely to change either of those things.

Different offices do handle things differently, so don’t treat my experience as the final word, but generally, hiring committees aren’t particularly interested in your other possible options until they’ve interviewed you and know they’re still interested in hiring you. It’s common for applicants to have applied to a number of offices, so before that point, if we lose someone to another job, we lose them.

The risk even with an offer or second round interview is that the second office will say, with all sincerity, “we’re not going to be able to give you any more information on the timeline you need, best of luck.” But if they’ve already identified you as someone they’re really interested in, they might be able to work something out (especially depending on the strength of their pool, or lack thereof).

(Actually, I guess there is a minor risk to leveraging a first round interview invite: if you tell office #2 you have an interview scheduled, and office #1 rejects you after the interview, and then you do move forward with office #2, you may be stuck telling them that office #1 rejected you after the interview, which isn’t a great look. Office #2 probably wouldn’t ask unless they were interested in pursuing your candidacy further, and it’s unlikely to outweigh office #2’s independent assessment of you, but still.)

I agree with all of this. It wouldn’t move the needle in my office at all, and it seems like it can only hurt you.

Would this apply to a third and presumptively final interview?

[Anonymous User]

Current AUSA here. I’m about to apply to an AUSA vacancy in my hometown. When am I supposed to tell my current USAO? If I receive an interview, I assume?

I don’t know of any particular rule about this, if I’m honest. I don’t see how it would create any conflicts (like it would if you were applying to private firms) so I suspect you’d be fine until they want to check references; it would probably be safest to tell people at that point as I think they’d really want to talk to someone in your current office.

[Anonymous User]

Would this apply to a third and presumptively final interview?

I think you could reach out with a third/final interview, on the premise that you want to have timelines in mind. (And that’s how I’d present it, “I’m writing to find out if you can give me any information about timelines for your hiring process, as I have a final interview scheduled with another USAO, but I remain very interested in your office, and would like to know if I’m still a candidate for your position/wanted to find out where you are in the hiring process” or similar).

Again, they’re not going to change their opinion of you just because you have a final interview elsewhere, and if they haven’t got to the point of scheduling interviews yet, they’re not likely to be willing/able to move that up for you.

But it can give you some closure or information to weigh moving forward, so fair enough to do.

[Anonymous User]

How long does it typically take to hear back after the first round of interviews?

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know how long it takes to receive an update on an application? Mine is still saying it’s been “processed” but I am not sure how the process works. Is it typically a few weeks after applications close? And is there any guarantee that I’ll hear something one way or another?

[Anonymous User]

Lots of movement the past two weeks. I know people who have heard back from SDNY/EDNY/DNJ/D Mass/many more.

I heard back from DNJ but not SDNY.

Am I fucked?

Also, EDNY isn't hiring. At least there's no posting on the DOJ website, where all opps are advertised. So what are you talking about?

[Anonymous User]

Lots of movement the past two weeks. I know people who have heard back from SDNY/EDNY/DNJ/D Mass/many more.

I heard back from DNJ but not SDNY.

Am I fucked?

Also, EDNY isn't hiring. At least there's no posting on the DOJ website, where all opps are advertised. So what are you talking about?

EDNY was doing first round interviews a few weeks ago. Though I haven’t heard back since then. This was for the positions they posted back in September.

I know someone who interviewed with SDNY two weeks ago (first round). Not sure if there was any follow up.

[Anonymous User]

Lots of movement the past two weeks. I know people who have heard back from SDNY/EDNY/DNJ/D Mass/many more.

I heard back from DNJ but not SDNY.

Am I fucked?

Also, EDNY isn't hiring. At least there's no posting on the DOJ website, where all opps are advertised. So what are you talking about?

EDNY was doing first round interviews a few weeks ago. Though I haven’t heard back since then. This was for the positions they posted back in September.

I know someone who interviewed with SDNY two weeks ago (first round). Not sure if there was any follow up.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone in process in DC?

[Anonymous User]

What is the general expected timeline for one to accept an offer? Do offices generally expect you to accept on the spot? Or is it okay to ask for a few days if you have multiple interviews?

[Anonymous User]

What is the general expected timeline for one to accept an offer? Do offices generally expect you to accept on the spot? Or is it okay to ask for a few days if you have multiple interviews?

You can absolutely ask for time to consider. We had a candidate recently decline after weeks (in part, there were management changes on our end that created delays, but I know they were given a decent chunk of time).

Purely anecdotally, I think the more competitive the applicant pool is, the less leeway you may get - to be clear, you’d still get some time to decide, just that weeks is probably not common; our candidate was for a very specialized kind of position rather than your ordinary line AUSA. But I also think offices are having a harder time hiring these days (though that doubtless depends a lot on location) and thus might be more flexible.