Rejection Letters 2013:
08/08/2013
We received your online application for Attorney Advisor, GS-905-13/14 (Excepted Service) ARC, GS-0905-14 which was advertised under vacancy number FHWA.HCC-2013-0006 and closed on 02/06/2013. Your name was referred to the selecting official at the grade 14 along with other highly qualified candidates; however, another candidate was selected at the grade 14.
We appreciate your interest in employment with U.S. Department of Transportation. Please visit our Careers in Motion jobsite at http://jobsearch.dot.gov for
a current list of job vacancies. We encourage you to continue to apply for future vacancies in which you are interested and wish you success in your future employment endeavors.
Please note, if you requested consideration under more than one grade level for this position, you will receive an individual email PER grade level.
Best regards,
The DOT Automated Staffing Office
TRANSJOBS@fhwa.dot.gov
__________________________
08/08/2013:
We received your online application for Attorney Advisor, GS-905-13/14 (Excepted Service) ARC, GS-0905-13 which was advertised under vacancy number FHWA.HCC-2013-0006 and closed on 02/06/2013. Your name was referred to the selecting official at the grade 13 along with other highly qualified candidates; however, another candidate was selected at the grade 13.
We appreciate your interest in employment with U.S. Department of Transportation. Please visit our Careers in Motion jobsite at http://jobsearch.dot.gov for
a current list of job vacancies. We encourage you to continue to apply for future vacancies in which you are interested and wish you success in your future employment endeavors.
Please note, if you requested consideration under more than one grade level for this position, you will receive an individual email PER grade level.
Best regards,
The DOT Automated Staffing Office
TRANSJOBS@fhwa.dot.gov
___________________________
05/14/2013:
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
USCIS HR OPERATIONS CENTER
70 KIMBALL AVENUE
SOUTH BURLINGTON VT 05403
Dear [ ],
This refers to the application you recently submitted to this office for the position below:
Position Title: Entry Level Attorney
Pay Plan: GS
Series/Grade: 0905-12
Vacancy ID: 826700
Announcement Number: CIS-826700-COU
Hiring Office: US Citizenship and Immigration Services
Results regarding your recent referral to the Hiring Official are as follows:
Referral Type: Non-Traditional
Appointment Type: Excepted
Service Permanent
Specialty / Grade: 0905 – 12
Promotion Potential: 15
Locations: Location Negotiable
After Selection
Thank you for applying for this position. Your application has been considered. However, another applicant was selected. We appreciate your interest in employment with our agency.
Audit Code: NS
Code Definition: Not Selected
Code Explanation:
The selecting office has indicated that you were not selected for the position.
Thank you for your interest in Federal employment. You are encouraged to visit http://www.usajobs.gov to view additional Federal employment opportunities and information.
PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS EMAIL MESSAGE. IT IS AUTOMATICALLY GENERATED.
For additional information, please refer to the vacancy announcement for this position.
A Law School Victim
Life's Mockery 
Jael Said:
on May 31, 2014 at 4:59 pm
I can relate and the whole Federal jobs hunt is extremely frustrating! I’ve been applying for Federal jobs on and off since 2007, and as a disabled person, I am able to apply as a ‘status candidate.’ I have a Graduate degree, (not in Law, I ended up dropping out my first semester-due to medical reasons), multiple undergraduate degrees, 10+ years of experience in my field etc…I also have 1 year experience of former NAF work, before I was fired for having a disability, (but that’s a whole other story).
While I’ve had a few interviews, a majority of my applications are referred, (but not contacted), and not hired. I’ve tried including my minority status information in the applications, if that plays a part in the hiring process at all, and that hasn’t helped. I’ve also tried applying for entry level positions, (NF-01, GS04 etc), in my field and again, nothing. Lately, most of the interviews I’ve been getting offered have been for NF04 to GS09 and GS10.
I definitely think the Federal job system is meant to hire people who are already in the system, or people that the hiring officials know, or military wives, and it sucks!
I’m just curious, since your last blog post, that I’ve seen, was from Aug 2013, were you able to obtain employment in the Federal system?
Dana Ruffin Said:
on May 17, 2014 at 8:27 pm
Do you have a job with the federal government, yet? I have a similar collection of letters and I feel as if I need to stop applying but I can’t stop. I am always so hopeful, maybe this is it.
Dr. Shambolic - re edit Said:
on January 15, 2014 at 10:19 am
Really, this whole profession is based on connections, your grades, the university you attended, and other accomplishments go to a black hole, because another insider will get in, no matter their background. It is the new normal now that the economy has truly never recovered. You can speak several languages, have a diverse job background, and still it is based on connections. Hell I think somebody with a high school diploma probably beat you out at that DOT position. Hope it works out for you, but you are not alone.
Satchel Doby Said:
on September 17, 2013 at 7:27 pm
Life’s Mockery,
What do you think about law school minority programs such as the Law and Leadership Institute? A description is below:
The Law and Leadership Institute, LLC (“LLI”) is a statewide initiative in collaboration with the legal community that inspires and prepares students from underserved communities for post-secondary and professional success through a comprehensive four-year academic program in law, leadership, analytical thinking, problem solving, writing skills and professionalism. LLI successfully obtained status as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization in 2010. It is governed by a board of directors of seventeen members consisting of representatives of the Ohio legal community that includes one designee of the Ohio State Bar Association, one designee of the Ohio Center for Law-Related Education, one designee of the Supreme Court of Ohio and one designee of the Consortium of Metropolitan Bar Associations.
j Said:
on September 1, 2013 at 4:49 am
im a little late but you need serious politucal connections for a majority of thise jobs
A Law School Victim Said:
on August 22, 2013 at 6:52 pm
clicked the *like* button.
A Law School Victim Said:
on August 22, 2013 at 5:32 pm
Further evidence your advice is false propoganda–just received this rejection letter today (GS07) position which is even further below GS 09 thelatter conaidered entry level for someone with experience. So what is GS 07?
Dear [ ]:
This refers to the application you recently submitted for the position shown below:
Position: Paralegal Specialist – DEU
Series/Grade: GS-0950 – 07
Announcement Number: BC-AP-2013-0002
Location: Washington, DC, US
Your application was reviewed and given consideration; however, another candidate was selected for this position.
Thank you for your interest in employment opportunities at the Federal Trade Commission. Please continue to visit http://www.ftc.gov and http://www.usajobs.opm.gov for other career opportunities. If you have any questions, please contact us by email at hrmoemployment@ftc.gov, in writing at the Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Room H-723, Washington, DC 20580, or by telephone at (202) 326-2021.
Sincerely,
Human Resources Specialist
Office of Human Capital Management
Lea Said:
on August 21, 2013 at 10:20 am
I work for the federal government and in all honesty, most graduate level employees w/ experience do not come in at the GS 12, 13, 14, or 15 unless they have a significant level of work experience and are deemed subject matter experts in their particular field. In addition, typically the people who enter at grade levels above a 12, usually have connections and are closely affiliated with the higher manager.
A more realistic approach is to find a GS-09 position w/ promotional potential to a 12, 13 or 14 (if you can find such a position).
The key is to get in at a GS-09 and gain the work experience. If the position has promotional potential and you perform well, you will be at a 12 within 2 years and then you can apply for the next higher grade (and keep rising) throughout your federal career.
Good luck!
A Law School Victim Said:
on August 21, 2013 at 11:39 am
This is utter bull****. I apologize to readers as I know this is unlady like but Im tired of arrogant bureacrats segmenting one post one comment as reflective of everything we’re referring to. The realistic approach is for
1) for you to read a blog in its context then you would know that I worked for the federal government before with stellar performance evaluations and
2) I applied for federal jobs since 2006 with grades which RANGED from GS09-GS14.
3) Your spliced comment that to start at higher grades you have to know a manager or higher up falsely veils the reality that to get into ANY FEDERAL JOB REGARDLESS of grade, yes that includes the mediocre GS-09 you STILL have to know someone.
4) To make the readers aware that this is the type of bureacratic, apologist mentality steeped in a fantasia world that you will face and you will be blamed instead of accepting the reality that regardless of how good you are either 1) your race 2) national origin 3) religion OR/AND lack of connections will be used against you.
For you to say “good luck” just sprays the condescending, self-absorbed, bureaucratic and unrealistic hope that you burden applicants with; without admitting or dealing with facts. When the federal government continue to reduce its budget and downsize and you lose your job. Remember this moment, they will escort you out the federal building and tell you ‘good luck.” That my dear will be true karma.
Do not go to law school as this willbe just a taste of the bull being soewed at you in addition to “network” and attend “career fairs” or ask your alumn’s “career services.” Priceless.
Richard Leiby Said:
on August 22, 2013 at 11:39 am
Hello, “Law School Victim.” I am a Washington Post writer looking to talk to people like you for a piece on loan debt, specifically law school debt. Please get in touch at 202-334-7325. Thanks. Richard
Nando Said:
on August 12, 2013 at 11:10 am
Thank you for posting these letters, LM. Those considering law school should know the following BEFORE applying to law school:
(a) If you do not land a summer internship after first year, then you have no shot at Biglaw;
(b) If you are approaching 30, most law firms do not have any interest in hiring you;
(c) OCI leads to a small minority of jobs for law students – which means that you will rely on your sales ability to land a job;
(d) If you do not land a decent legal job prior to – or soon after graduation – then you are not going to land a lawyer position.
With roughly 45,000 JDs issued each year, the firms and government agencies can always hire from a fresh batch. Why hire someone who has been out of law school for a few years – with no legal experience – when you can hire among a bunch of desperate, cheap new grads?
A Law School Victim Said:
on August 22, 2013 at 6:54 pm
clicked the *like* button…