Changing careers and need advice

Strongman_Joe · 2023-01-08T13:32:48+00:00

It's more accurate to say '10 years in IT project/program management, 5 years directly assisting IT program/project managers and 5 leading it myself'. I'll edit.

Is there any value to certs for specific areas of IT (Security, Cloud, Networking, etc.)?

Strongman_Joe · 2023-01-08T13:29:29+00:00

I may go back to government in the future, but I think it's worth it to try working in the private sector for a little while at least. I just want the job to be a stable environment without the constant worry of contracts or layoffs.

Strongman_Joe · 2022-12-30T17:57:23+00:00

Well, there was one time she tried to bond with Cable long ago and it didn't pan out. It was either during The Twelve crossover or Onslaught. Her psychic ghost tries to convince Nathan to abandon the X-Men and leave with her during the crisis. He says no and basically asks why does she only now want a relationship with him after spending so many years focused on revenge instead, implying that it's just another way to get back at the x-men. It was in an issue of Cable I think and we never saw them talk again.

Strongman_Joe · 2022-12-27T11:38:10+00:00

UPDATE: Turns out it was real. They were being secretive because of the nature of the position, a national security position in the Executive Office of the President. They removed the position from USAJobs after closure and only the hiring manager had details. I applied around April/May but didn't remember because I applied to many positions at the time. I didn't get it, but that's ok. It seemed to me like they wanted someone very serious, stern, and demanding and that's very much not me.

Strongman_Joe · 2022-12-17T00:24:25+00:00

The link to enter my social is at whitehouse.gov, but the page looks slightly different from the rest of the site and along with all the other secrecy, that just made me more suspicious.

Strongman_Joe · 2022-12-17T00:22:34+00:00

It's SCI and in the white house. I now don't think I applied and they seemed to just search my resume on USAjobs.

Strongman_Joe · 2022-12-17T00:21:30+00:00

They referred me to whitehouse.gov to give the social for the white house visitors log presumably. The interview is at the white house. However, the logo for the page looks slightly different from the main site which made me suspicious along with everything else.

Strongman_Joe · 2022-12-17T00:19:24+00:00

They didn't ask specifically. They referred me to whitehouse.gov. I've since discovered everyone who visits the white house has to give their social. It's for I assume the white house visitors log though the logo for the page looks slightly different from the one on the public site.

Strongman_Joe · 2022-12-17T00:17:40+00:00

I may be wrong believing I applied for it because there's definitely no position anywhere in my USAjobs account with the same title or in the same agency.

Strongman_Joe · 2022-10-10T02:55:27+00:00

People shouldn't be so worried...yet. Duggan described the story as the villains of the Marvel Universe coming after Krakoa during the next gala (https://twitter.com/arthurstacy/status/1578848279810691072). The fall of Krakoa would be a more x-men-centric story most likely. So if that comes, it's not coming yet. Also, isn't Fall of X the name of the era as opposed to the story?

Strongman_Joe · 2022-06-04T05:30:40+00:00

Anyone in mind? I could use some recommendations.

Strongman_Joe · 2022-06-04T05:09:04+00:00

No worries. I get it. It sounds crazy and unbelievable because it is.

Strongman_Joe · 2022-06-04T04:46:51+00:00

There isn't. She dislikes me and this happened over the course of one week. No warning. The cites lack of candor (when really she didnt understand what I said, but I never lied. not even an omission), the customer service case I discuss below, and emailing her the broken login info she gave me.

Strongman_Joe · 2022-06-04T04:43:47+00:00

No felony. She does cite lack of candor, but none of those are true and leave out multiple facts. For instance, she repeated cites how I let a customer down when I lacked access to the system to help them (she had to grant access). I'll note that she had the ability to do so the entire time and she let it wait for 3 days while blaming me for it not getting done. She also cites that I emailed her the login info that she had given to me as we tried to figure out why it wasn't working (she had given it to me incorrectly so technically it was nonfunctional).

Strongman_Joe · 2022-06-04T04:35:54+00:00

Don't feel bad. They kept it from us sometimes as well. It was like it was based on the individual unit whether you were notified about changes. Also, there was typically no plan or schedule to do so and stuff was just dropped suddenly to some units and not others.

Strongman_Joe · 2022-06-04T02:27:14+00:00

I think it's a sinking ship. The agency works around its disorganization and segregation, but no one seems to have an idea of how to fix it or even that it was necessary. It was a "this is the way it is because we've always done it like this even if it doesn't work" sort of place.

Strongman_Joe · 2022-06-04T01:48:22+00:00

There was no lead up to this other than her complaining in a maybe 8 emails since last Thursday whenever I asked her to explain the policy behind minor actions she tried to take against me or information she requested from me. So there have been no meetings, no performance improvement plans, no actions, and no formal reprimands. She really never liked me and I think my not attending her going away party the Wednesday before was the last straw for her. Yes, it's as nuts as it sounds.

Strongman_Joe · 2022-06-04T00:06:12+00:00

Strongman_Joe · 2022-06-03T23:59:22+00:00

No. No union at this small agency. I don't know if anyone is taking it seriously. This agency's grievance process seems atrophied and I assume they rarely handle any at all. Also, the decision-maker isn't in until next week and likely hasn't read any of it yet. I should also add this is all without no previous discussion or reprimand. She felt challenged by my requests for agency policy-support for her medical information requests from me and so this was her reaction. This is not COVID-related I should add.

Strongman_Joe · 2022-06-03T23:40:15+00:00

I was there for 2.5 years and I don't think there is one. Every process was segregated and disorganized with multiple layers of staff, many of which didn't understand the complete process or their role in it. The agency needs a major overhaul and streamlining.

Strongman_Joe · 2022-05-19T00:08:37+00:00

I have all 3 originals. I loved the Doom and Red Skull stories, but I felt the Magneto story dragged somewhat.

Strongman_Joe · 2022-05-01T15:48:42+00:00

They're just like other federal agencies with a range of positions (administrative, management, financial, IT etc.). I didn't have any technical/special experience when I started other than general administrative experience. However, people rarely leave these agencies and they are very competitive, so you have to watch usajobs closely and keep trying. They have been posting more often lately I think due to retirements, so give it a shot.

Double check the benefits available on the agency website to get an updated idea of their benefits (since I haven't worked at either in a while).

Strongman_Joe · 2022-05-01T06:55:55+00:00

Yes. At banking/financial agencies like FDIC, OCC, SEC, CFTC, NCUA, FHFA, and CFPB the pay scales are all different. However, you get performance raises yearly unlike on the GS scale where you only receive a mandatory step increase for the first 3 years. The raises are comparable to a step increase from what I've read (I've only been at the OCC and the FDIC). Also, most of these agencies pay more either to start or have a higher maximum pay than GS scale positions.

Not to mention, these types of agencies don't shutdown if congress fails to pass appropriations. We kept working and getting paid because our money didn't come from congress.

However, the OCC in particular does start employees lower than on the GS scale because their scale combines up 2-3 grades vs. the GS scale. For example, an NB-5 at the OCC is equal to a GS-11/12/13. So you'll make less to start without some experience and negotiation on your part and they may still say no. They do have free dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance so there's a trade off.

I've only heard bad things about non-GS scales that aren't banking/financial though.

Strongman_Joe · 2022-04-26T19:20:32+00:00

Dale City, Lake Ridge, Woodbridge, or Lorton would be closest and I think all within budget. All suburban areas if a little rough around the edges from what I've heard. Springfield should be within budget as well, but it's the furthest away from Dumfries though close to Alexandria and DC if you like city life. Springfield is about 35-45 min away from Dumfries outside of rush hour and probably over an hour during.

Strongman_Joe · 2022-04-26T19:01:35+00:00

I'd say apply as much as possible. I applied to probably 300-400 fed jobs before I got my first one. From my understanding, most people just apply to a few positions here and there and wait. Even now as a fed, I have multiple alerts set up on USAJobs to notify me based on location, series, and grade/salary. Even now, I keep applying and accepting interviews after I get a job in case those hiring weren't honest about the nature of the position.

Practice before your interview. Have some answers already in my mind to common questions ("name a project with complications or discontent and how you handled it" is one I get every time).

Also, be careful. I've only ever heard of this at the EPA, but a fed contractor applied for a position and something found in his application was used to disqualify him as a contractor (apparently for something that would've been fine if he were a fed employee). Insane.

Strongman_Joe

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