2015 PMF Finalists Announced!

2015 PMF Finalists Announced!

The Office of Personnel Management just released the finalists for the prestigious Presidential Management Fellows program. Out of 7,800 applicants, 600 were selected to proceed to the next step in the application process, including 92 finalists for the STEM track.

Congratulations to all the finalists!

Were you a finalist? Let us know in the comments below!

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  • RW

    Made it!

  • Alaska

    I made it!

  • AMR

    I made it!! Did anyone else in Atlanta make it??

    • PMFingYES!

      I’m in south GA – I made it!

      • AMR

        Awesome!!

    • chance2

      I am in metro atlanta πŸ™‚

  • Don E.

    One of two from the La Follette School of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. DC Badgers, I’m ready to hit the road!

  • Matt Poland

    Representing San Francisco State University! (and University of Michigan)

  • Briar Dunn

    PMF! University of Texas and James Madison University (Masters)!!

  • RW

    Any other law graduates make it? Are you considering foregoing any meaningful legal practice and seeking out a PMF position? I’m conflicted.

    • ADL

      I’m a first year associate at a law firm, and am leaving practice to pursue a PMF placement. One year of being a lawyer really made me realize I do not want to be a lawyer haha. Definitely a personal decision you have to make on your own though. I always thought being a plaintiff’s medical malpractice attorney would be a fulfilling career, but now that I’m doing it, I find myself constantly craving the opportunity to make a more tangible, lasting difference. Fingers crossed I’ll find a suitable placement with the gov’t to do just that! Good luck with your decision!

  • Ken

    Made it! Syracuse Univ. – PMF STEM. Cyber security.

  • Latonia

    Made It! North Carolina State University!!

    • pastpmf

      Congrats! Glad to see NC State represented this year.

  • JordanHaven

    I was selected – Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce at the University of Kentucky

    • JulieWarner

      Hi Jordan! We were in the same interview group – glad you made it! I made it too. -Julie Warner.

      • JordanHaven

        Great! Congrats to you!

        • The Field Mice

          Hey Jordan, this is Ethan, congrats on making it! I made it as well. Good luck with whatever you do!

  • Natalie Nguyen

    I am a finalist!! Western University of Health Sciences- PMF STEM!

  • CTpmf

    I made it! Clarkson University and University of Rhode Island (Masters)! Any one else from the CT/RI area?

  • David

    Super proud to be representing the University of Hawai’i. One of two finalists this year. One stem and one non-stem (me).

  • IndianaHopeful

    APUS Finalist here. I believe I counted 7 of us; though I’m not sure if any of the others are actively following this website. But I look forward to seeing all of you at the job fair (whenever it may be) πŸ™‚

  • Lisa

    STEM Finalist!

  • LaNita McWilliams

    FINALIST! AU Washington College of Law!

    • AU14

      AU dominated! Beat those other G schools…by a lot!

    • David Satnarine

      LaNita, I’m right there with you from WCL! Congratulations!

  • Morgan

    Finalist from UPENN here. Looking forward to moving forward!

  • jonathan

    I made it!

  • Maureen

    Yes, I made it! I’m so thrilled!

  • Maureen

    Any advice on updating one’s resume with PMF Finalist Info?

  • Maureen

    Final question of the day! I notice when I go into look at opportunities, the first two agencies I pulled up say “Rotational Opportunities – 4-6 months” Does that mean they will not take on a PMF except for short term projects only? This is a little disheartening because these two agencies were at the top of my list/closest to my expertise. Former and current PMFs, please advise!

    • GAU

      Rotations are only for current PMFs. Meaning you can go work there for a few months, then return to your home agency.

  • Lila

    Finalist from Oxford! πŸ™‚

  • Roya

    How do I find opportunities for STEM? When I look at the available opportunities they don’t specify. Does that mean that there currently aren’t any listed?

    • helpful

      There is one posted right now, and there will probably be more. Make sure you click “Appointment Opportunities (STEM)” in the drop down under Position Type.

      • Roya

        Thanks! I’ve figured it out πŸ™‚

  • caca

    after checking every day for a month I can’t believe I was selected…… now to just find a job lol

  • Kaitlyn_PMF

    I’ve noticed one or two STEM opportunities that don’t appear to be properly marked. I’m not a STEM finalist, but my advice to those looking for STEM appointments would be to check postings with position titles that appear to be STEM related.

  • Briar Dunn

    I’m hoping we find out about the job fair asap! I need to buy my ticket!

  • CTpmf

    Can anyone more clearly explain how they calculate what grade we’ll go in at? For example, I have 50 graduate credits, which is 4 credits less than the 3 years of progressively higher education for GS-11. Just wondering where I stand.

    • AnonPMF

      There is no formula. Some very experienced and educated finalists begin as 9’s, while some lucky folks find positions as 11’s.

      Some agencies (State, last I checked) have blanket policies of hiring PMF’s as 9’s across the boards. A PhD or JD might justify an 11, but again, it’s very much dependent on the job.

  • Steph

    Excited to join the PMF team!

  • David

    Couple questions:

    1. Anyone know when we can expect large numbers of job postings? I see a few up now but some of them are leftovers from the call of 2014.

    2. Do all positions have to be announced on the job board? Or are there a number of positions at each agency not publically available?

  • pmfs

    The job fair is April 14 and 15th. Per an email from HHS…just reserved megabus tickets (oh dear)…..plane tickets were too expensive.

    • Briar Dunn

      Can you confirm that 100%? I just got an email from the OPM to hang tight for the email to come this Wednesday or Thursday.

      • chance2

        i am not going to be able to make it to the job fair if those are the dates! craaaaaap

        • Briar Dunn

          Well the best option you can do is email all the coordinators. They are listed on the pmf.gov site.

          • chance2

            i am going to figure something out, i need to be there! I leave to go out of town the next day, so looks like i will just be traveling the whole week now basically.i need them to hurry and release the official announcement so i can be sure.

          • chance2

            i checked my calendar, i thought it was during a week i couldn’t miss at work! but looks like i am gravy! see everyone there!

  • Ryan McDonald

    Some confusion, will this spring job fair be in-person or virtual?

  • pmfs
    • Briar Dunn

      Ya it said “agency-wide” so I’m assuming it’s for everybody!

      • GAU

        HHS only! Common sense would say they would not schedule in conflict with the large OPM-sponsored fair, thus the main job fair is likely some other time.

        • Briar Dunn

          Well it is implying that it’s hosting the second annual finalist job fair at its facility. It could very well be for everybody. I think last year State hosted it. Read

          • GAU

            Last year it was in a State Department building, but that building is also home to the PMF office and where the in-person assessments are held, so it’s not that State hosted the job fair. This event is most definitely HHS only, hence the specific mention of STEM and health related fields.

  • pmfs
    • pmfs

      for the HHS at least.

  • chance2

    Just an FYI, there is a linkedin group for us that I found, it is under the name
    “Presidential Management Fellowship, Class of 2015”

    • Maureen

      Thanks, I just joined the group. The group moderator will approve once we’re verified. BTW, I am hesitant to update my personal LinkedIn profile, as many people in my current company will see the update, and until have have a sign, sealed, and delivered offer from an agency, I do not want them to get wind that I am a PMF. Not at this time anyway. I never want to burn any bridges!

      • PMFco15

        Why would becoming a PMF be considered burning bridges? What if an agency wants to speak to previous employer as a job reference?

        • Maureen

          I think it would be detrimental to tell my current employer at this early stage before I land a position. It has nothing to do with being a PMF.

        • fred

          I’m actually in the same boat. Private sector company gets wind you are looking elsewhere/in the running for a federal job? That’s all kind of bad news…

          • susan hollis

            i have to agree

  • Rachel

    If the April 14-15 job fair is STEM only (there is still no consensus, it seems)… then will agencies like homeland security and state be there, just to check out applicants? Or is this ONLY HHS sub-agencies?

    • Pmf2k15

      The HHS job fair is not stem only. I work for HHS and that is not what the email say that went out.

      The applicants’ backgrounds include, but are not limited to, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), acquisition, communication, budget analysis, health care, medical, health information technology, human resources management, leadership and management, policy analysis, public administration, law enforcement, contracting, and procurement.

      The HHS PMF Coordinator will follow up with OpDiv/StaffDivs to coordinate their participation in HHS’s PMF Recruitment Fair.

      • HHSHopeful

        Why does the HHS have their own fair? Are you all not participating in the traditional agency-wide PMF job fair this year?

        • chance2

          that is what i wonder too… seems odd to me.

        • Pmf2k15

          Maybe they have a need for PMFs that can’t wait until the main PMF job fair. Not sure but I just there should be a virtual one with such short notice. No email has went out about the agency wide job fair; however, I heard that HHS will participate in that one as well.

        • IndianaHopeful

          I’m just hoping the OPM Fair falls a day or two later. It would be nice to enjoy the nation’s capital for the entire week.

  • Rachel

    Another question: the jobs fairs typically are two days. Can anyone comment on whether it is worth it to go to both days, or just one?

    • GAU

      Job fair was only one day last year.

    • Briar Dunn

      I have read from PMF documents it will be two days. But again, who knows until this week. The OPM told me to hang tight, an official email for the webinar is coming out mid-week this week.

  • Alaska

    just looking at a job posting and it requires proof of PMF Finalist Status?!?!?! Anyone know what I will actually need to provide other than taking a screenshot of my status page?

    • Briar Dunn

      Make sure you’re clicking on “appointment opportunities”…it should be a list of 17 (as of yesterday)…The proof – as I have gathered – is confirmed by the agency reaching out to the OPM. They should be able to see on the list that you’re a Finalist.

  • SD1988

    Does anyone have any ideas on what those of us who live out of the country should do? I’m currently with CDC as a contractor in southern Africa but am eager to obtain a PMF appointment… definitely won’t be able to make the job fair though. Just wondering if anyone has experience with this! Thanks and congrats to everyone!

    • Dave

      Reach out to the agency contact list. I’m in the same situation and have been exchanging emails with every agency I’m interested in letting them know my situation and that I (probably) can’t make it to the in person fairs.

      The government uses Skype so it shouldn’t be a problem.

      • SD1988

        Great, thank you so much! That’s sort of what I figured – I’ve emailed a few agencies, but none have gotten back to me yet. Thank you for your help!

  • chance2

    Guess that clears that up….

    HHS Job Fair for 2015 Finalists

    Posted on 2015-03-31T09:35:00

    The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is hosting a Job Fair for Class of 2015 Finalists. The Job Fair will be held April 14-15, 2015, at HHS Headquarters (200 Independence Ave, SW, Washington, DC). This event is for PMF Class of 2015 Finalists and HHS agencies only. Finalists can find additional information, and how to register, by viewing the PMF Appointment Opportunity Announcement# 2015-1992 in the PMF TAS.

    The PMF Program Office is working to identify a venue and date for hosting the government-wide PMF Class of 2015 Finalists Job Fair. Once details become available we will update the PMF website and inform all Finalists and participating Federal agencies.

    • Briar Dunn

      It sure does!

    • PMFer

      I really hope we get some decent notice. My April has been booked for months – conference presentation out of state and my honeymoon. Not to mention fewer than 6 weeks notice doesn’t allow for affordable flights to be purchased. I am crossing my fingers for a May job fair.

  • Victoria

    Do we have access to the PMF TAS system?

    • Victoria

      Duh..never mind.

      • Briar Dunn

        We all get a free pass πŸ˜‰

  • Maureen

    I may be getting ahead of myself, but can any current PMFs give us some idea about housing in the area where most agencies are located? Ideally I’d like to ditch the vehicle and use mostly public transport. I’ll be going from a very large home to at least a 1BR. Best areas, price points, any info will do. Thank you.

    • GAU

      Current PMF, and I lived in the area before. The answer is…it depends. Many agencies are centered around downtown DC and accessible via the Metro subway, but there are also agencies all around the DC metro area on military bases and other facilities that may or may not be. I’ll assume that you will start as a GS-9 and its pretty difficult to live on your own with that salary, so most young professionals will live with roommates with popular spots being anywhere in DC or along the Orange Line in Arlington…Craiglist is a useful tool for that. If you have specific agencies I can give you a better idea of the accessibility of their locations.

    • priorpmf

      I just went through this whole house hunting a few months ago and it was quite overwhelming. I was almost glad that my office is only on one metro line so it narrowed down the neighborhoods.
      A lot of PMFs do live in Arlington or Alexandria. I live in northwest DC and I like it a lot. It can be affordable(by DC standards!) if you dig a bit and find an older apartment building without amenities, not a luxury building. I’m a GS-11 and can afford to live alone, but sharing a 2 bedroom would probably be around $1200.
      If you want a very cheap rent you have to do a house share with 3-4 other people.

      • Briar Dunn

        What about living away from the city and taking the train in? Worth it? I heard this was a great option. I am recently married, so my wife probably wont want to share a place right now lol.

        • GAU

          Further away is cheaper with bus and commuter train options in certain areas. I live about 30 miles from DC, and drive to work because I do not work in the city. If I did, I would probably take a bus or train.

  • Briar Dunn

    Release…the dang job fair already PMF! A man has got to buy his tickets already! lol

  • RW

    anyone make a facebook page for us to stay in contact?

    • David

      There’s a class of 2015 LinkedIn page for us.

      • Garth

        I can’t find this page, what is the title. Could you provide a link perhaps?

        • chance2

          Presidential Management Fellowship, Class of 2015

    • Ebele

      There is a Facebook page : Presidential Management Fellows Program – 2015 finalists

  • happyfinalist

    Hi guys, im contemplating on attending the HHS recruitment fair, i live in Houston and 2 weeks is a bit short of a notice, to book a ticket and hotel for 2days, also taking off work( lost wages). Does any current PMF or past PMFs have a personal experience of the fair HHS held last year, and whats your honest opinion. Thanks

  • Briar Dunn

    Hey everybody, here is an update regarding the job fair!

    PMF.gov will be updating their page/sending our Job Fair emails/webinar email later today(before 5pm EST), or early tomorrow morning at the latest!

    Source: PMF.gov email contact

    • Briar Dunn

      Email out!

      Webinar will take place Tuesday April 7th at 2-4pm EST! I’m hoping they’ll tell us all about the job fair then!

  • GAU

    How was someone appointed already? That doesn’t even seen possible.

    • Victoria

      I saw that yesterday. Maybe that individual already held a GS position and got it converted. I’ve heard it is possible. Lucky her.

      • PMFgirl

        Where are ya’ll seeing this?

        • IndianaHopeful

          Log In Screen. Two links near the top of the page: “View Finalists and Coordinators” and “View Rotational and Training Opportunities”

          • Pmf girl

            Thank you!

      • Chris

        According to the Internet she is a former intern.

        I’m really not surprised to see OMB making the first appointments. I’ve reached out to the agency coordinator to let them know my interest and ask when jobs will go up on TAS and they basically told me they do not publically announce positions and do all their hiring from direct recruiting.

        This is a bit distressing for the vets out there because it seems that OMB does not follow veterans preference guidelines. Veterans preference only applies when a veteran applies for a publically announced “specific” position. Looks like OMB has a nice convenient loophole going on in their hiring process. I don’t think they hired any vets in the last 2-3 years.

        http://www.pmf.gov/become-a-pmf/eligibility/veterans-preference.aspx

        • IndianaHopeful

          I’m sure there will be plenty of opportunities for vets and non-vets alike. I wish nothing but the best for the first Fellow of our class to get herself an appointment.

          As for the listings posted on TAS, from what I have gathered it is just one avenue for seeking an appointment. Direct contact with hiring managers could lead to a more expedited path for gaining employment as a fellow…as seems to be the case here.

          • Chris

            Yes of course there are plenty of opportunities for vets at other agencies but some of us are interested in very specific agencies and one of those agencies is making it extremely difficult if not impossible for us to apply for consideration for a job.

          • CTpmf

            So you’re saying they only hire PMFs they directly contact based on the resumes they like on the database?

          • Victoria

            CTpmf…he stated exactly what he meant to say.

            Chris…I’m unsure if you are familiar with the gov’t sector, but the PMF Program is a cowboy’s showdown. Basically, you ought to know how to ride your own horse, duck and dive, hit your target, and then ride off in the sunset victorious. I”m from the south if you can’t tell.

            Meaning: the last thing you, or anyone else, should be worried about is the next man/woman. I’m sorry, but any finalist who hasn’t emailed his/her resume out, to at least 3 agencies to date, is still drinking at the bar. You shouldn’t need vet preference to land a job. Heck the TAS system list the coordinators and their email addresses. Email them. Then go to their websites and email some of their coworkers your resume. Don’t go too crazy. πŸ™‚ Guess what, not all of them will respond. So…the recipient of the email will either delete it, read your resume, or print it out. Always think positive.

            Chris, I’m not trying to bash you…just want you to know that you should strive to be so great that your vet preference will simply be the icing on the cake.

          • JP23

            These are good life pro tips in general but I’m conflicted because, to be perfectly honest, veterans are entitled to their preference. They earned it and all agencies should respect it by conducting fully transparent hiring as requested by OPM.

            They shouldn’t have to play the cowboy showdown because they already went through that with their service and making it through the PMF selection process. As far as I’m concerned, they are entitled to go to the front of the line and only have to worry about competing with other veterans. The non-veterans should be the ones who need to work harder to show why they are the better hires.

          • Victoria

            JP23. I can understand your approach. Yet, as a combat veteran myself, I believe that my skills should supersede my ‘extra credit’. Military members are given a vast array of work experiences within their given field. Though if a vet changed his/her career field, then that is another story.

            Honestly, I would be devastated to know that I only got a position simply because of some ‘extra credit’. I would love it better if I knew that other applicants’ profiles didn’t come close to mine. Maybe it is an ego thing. I dunno.

            Now, having the opportunity to apply for federal jobs is important for vets; as in Chris’ case. But I don’t agree with you that vets should only compete with other vets. We aren’t in the military anymore. This is civilian life with civilian players and civilian rules. We learnt to adapt to different situations while in service and should still know how to do it.

          • Pmf

            you say that now. be glad that you have vet preference and hope that it and your resume can work to your benefit. Everyone is well qualified….. That is why we are all PMF finalist. if you didn’t want your vet preference included, then you shouldn’t have included in the application process. You didn’t have to include, so don’t act like you don’t want it to work to your benefits. You did not have to include your veteran documents. If I was a vet and felt like you…Guess what! I would not have included documents to “claim” vets preference. Key word is “claim” so no one forced you to do it.

          • Victoria

            Ouch! Pmf…please take a chill pill. Reread my post. I was stating that I don’t want my vet preference to be the reason why I would be hired over another non-vet finalist. I want my perspective manager to hire me because my skills equate or supersede the qualifications for the position; not just because I am veteran.

            Whether or not I claim vet preference to become a Fellow (to land a placement) still will not change the way I feel about my skill set. Yes, we are all qualified to be PMF Finalists. Yet, everyone will not become a 2015 Fellow.

            Pmf, my conversation had nothing to do with the PMF application process. The PMF application process is self-driven. It basically chose the players who were going into the game. Though I am pretty freaking awesome without my ‘extra credit’, I did use it to get into the game. If I truly needed it or not, I will not know from OPM’s perspective. Hey ask me. Um, no. I didn’t need it…it was my icing on the cake.

            Now, all of the finalists are waiting to get picked off the bench. Like I stated before, everyone will not get playing time.

            Don’t be so passionate about the wrong issue. It is not a good look. πŸ™‚ Toughen up home-skillet.

          • GAU

            The PMF coordinator is not doing the hiring. They are essentially a resource for people in the agency who want to hire a PMF or have questions about the process. The keep up with regulation, but they aren’t really in a position to directly get you a job, unless you are emailing the coordinator for a really small subagency. The coordinator listed for Department of X is just going to be able to provide some general info and guidance, if they reply at all.

          • Victoria

            Thanks GAU. I am aware. Oh, and yes. They do respond.

  • Rachel

    I have emailed several agencies (all he ones I’m interested in, in fact) but have yet to receive a response from any of them… How long should I wait before a follow up email? I don’t want to be too much of an “eager beaver”, haha!

    • David

      I’ve also emailed. Some have responded but still waiting to hear back from most. I think they just got a flood of inquiries when the finalists were announced and are probably swamped.

      As for myself, I’ll follow up on Monday.

    • SD1988

      Same as me! I emailed a bunch but haven’t gotten a single response. I also feel like everyone probably emailed them and they’re sorting through. I will probably follow up in a week or so, since I won’t be able to make it to the job fair.

    • pickmepickme

      Nearly all of the agencies I’ve contacted have indicated that they will post available positions to the PMF TAS when they become available and have not had much else to say. Just an FYI.

    • Briar Dunn

      As a recruiter myself, I always encourage my candidates to never create a “grey zone”…make the hiring process black or white. Never be afraid to follow up – even if it is every other day. πŸ™‚ As long as you’re professional, and emulate a positive person through the follow up it’ll be fine! Yes, expect some people to be annoyed; however, they are few and far between. 99% of the coordinators are coordinators for a reason, and enjoy assisting PMFs! I have followed up a few times already, and will do some more today. I will send some out this weekend, and early next week. Be creative in your searches, go off of list from the TAS. If somebody responds, maybe ask if they have referrals to where you could best fit and see if they’ll pass your information along.

      Happy hunting!

      • Miles Bennett Dyson

        Thanks for the advice.

    • IndianaHopeful

      I’m right there with you. I’m thinking the action will really begin approaching the job fair (whenever it may be); and shortly thereafter. And here I thought finding out I was a finalist would put an end to my compulsive email and PMF website checking πŸ™‚

    • susan hollis

      I want to know too how long it takes to get a response?
      Eager Beaver

  • alex

    Are you all sending out regular resumes or the one that you created on USAjobs? I hate the way that one looks and it ends up being terribly long, but if thats what they want…?

    • Briar Dunn

      My friends who work in the government already said that it doesn’t really matter. As long as you have a 1-2 pg resume that can best reflect who you and is concise then you’ll be golden.

      • chance2

        I really need clarification on the resume. my USA jobs resume is 7 pages. for the agencies i have sent emails and stuff i applied for, that is the one i attached. i attended a workshop by an OPM rep a while back that said the longer the better, and when you send in a short one, you are selling yourself short. prior to that workshop i only had about a 2 page resume, and once i beefed it up, i got much further in the hiring process than ever before. but this whole pmf thing is a whole new ball game. i am not sure what to do with it now.

        • Briar Dunn

          Well there are many ways to skin a cat, chance2. I understand your concern completely. I used a beef up resume back in the past, but got nowhere. Once I used my 1-2 pg. government resume I have since been flown to DC for interviews, had multiple face-to-face interviews, and am now a Finalist for the PMF. My point is…it’s all about how you sell yourself. I’ve been a lead recruiter for a while now at my company, and hire in the range of CEO to Admin Assistant for many Fortune 500 companies, and I’ve seen it all. What I tell all my candidates (government position or not), the Hiring Manager/HR Specialist are super busy. They don’t want to sift through all your resume…statistically, all they see is the top 6 inches of your first page…and that is where you need to sell yourself. For example, a professional summary of 3 sentences explains a lot, then a professional skill set, then your education, then your professional work experience and wrap it up with relevant course work, volunteer work, certifications or whatever you deem notable. My resume I use came from a buddy of mine who is high up in the DOC, and it has been very useful – it is only one page. One of my interviews I had with an agency I can’t mention here said they loved to see 1 pg, due to agency preference. Again, just sell yourself well and the page number wont matter. You’ll hear a lot that 1-2 pages are the best for the government, and that is because the managers aren’t wanting to sit and read through multiple pages. Good luck to you though! If you want to chat more off this forum feel free to reach out to me via LinkedIn!

          • chance2

            thats great info. i will try and work on a 1-2 pager this weekend sometime. i like the format of my resume and my cover letter is good since i borrowed the format from a friend who had hers professionally done. it highlights skills really well, its just wordy since i have included everything i could think of doing in positions. but it is agency preference- at the workshop they told us that too- some like narrative styles, some like bullets, etc. if i have any questions i will reach out to you on linked in, i believe we are already connected on there now.

          • Briar Dunn

            Great! Happy hunting then πŸ™‚

    • David-Hawaii

      1 page for me. We’re all vetted by the PMF selection process so there is no need to have a ridiculous 5+ page USAJOBS resume to get through the filters and on the desk of a hiring manager.

  • SD1988

    Can we apply to more than one job within the same agency? Or will that look bad..

    • Victoria

      Yes. I am. There are many departments within an agency. Hiring managers know that we are seeking placements to enhance our leadership/management skills.

  • Briar Dunn

    I’ve been in touch with many agencies today off the list, who have informed me that they will be releasing jobs “most likely” next week. One mentioned the majority will be at the job fair later this year. State said they are looking upwards to 40+ PMF’s this year. Most gave the generic answer to watch the TAS.

    • Victoria

      “at the job fair later this year”… did your contact tell you a month, season, or quarter for the proposed job fair?

      • Briar Dunn

        I wished! I’m guessing it’ll be soon though. Trends show it has been in late April.Maybe it’ll stay the same or be in May at some point. Though, its all speculation at this point.

      • PmfAp

        I contacted an agency and was told that the job fair will more than likely on April 28th. It’s not official; however, that’s the inside information received.

  • PMFalot

    Anyone have any idea how long onboarding takes for low-security positions? I have an opportunity to teach this summer through June 18. I’m wondering if I should take it or forfeit it since I’ve had some “bites” already and am also hoping that the job fair is fruitful. Do most agencies expect you to be immediately available? Will it take months to get hired on and actually start, and thus am I worrying about nothing?

    • Sparkles are pretty

      I just received the lowest level security clearance about a 2 weeks ago and the whole process it took about 2 months after I got finger printed. I have been abroad a couple times which may or may not have affected the process, so I’m unsure how long it would take for you. The staff at the office where I am going to work told me anything between 30 days and 6 months, with the average being around 2 or so.

      • PMFalot

        Thanks – this is really helpful.

      • Briar Dunn

        I have lived abroad three times, and I was told in a recent interview that if I was to get a top secret that it “could” take upwards to a year. But anything lower will take less time – obviously πŸ™‚

  • Guest

    Is anyone else having a hard time logging into the TAS? I’m getting an error message when I login. It says “ERROR rendering field” in the left-hand menu. I’ve e-mailed the PMF office but haven’t heard anything back.

    • IndianaHopeful

      I just logged in OK. Do the full-proof method for fixing PC issues: 1) Restart, 2) make sure plugins are up-to-date, 3) update browser, 4) backhand to the CPU.

      • Guest

        Still not working even after making sure everything is up-to-date Very frustrating. Just to confirm — is the link to the job postings in between Program Status and My Account on the left hand menu? That’s where I keep seeing the “ERROR rendering field” message.

        • IndianaHopeful

          Yes, that is the correct link. You can also access TAS via a link at the bottom of the Program Status page. Shot in the dark here, are you using a mobile device? If so I’d bet dollars to donuts you’re having Java issues.

          • Guest

            Yeah. And I am seeing that error message at the bottom of the screen. So it’s a problem with the link. No. I am using my Mac (which I thought might be the problem but have also tried on the PC. Starting to worry it’s something wrong with my account.)

          • IndianaHopeful

            Hmmmm…it doesn’t sound account-related but it might be. Last thing I can think for you to try would be to switch browser. If you’re using IE, try Mozilla Firefox.

            Other than that you may just have to reach out to OPM and see if they can put you in touch with their website administrator. He or she may have more insight.

  • PMFhopeful!

    So I’m going to be positive here and say I think we actually all have quite a fair chance at being placed – you have to look at it as many people will not want to relocate, some will already have secured good jobs, etc. Happy hunting and I hope everyone gets placed!!

  • SD1988

    Can we try and post somewhere when people are getting interviews or notifications back that way I know how far behind I am haha. I mean I know it’s going to be tough considering I’m not in the US now but it’d be great just to have some idea of the hiring process. I’ll start – I’ve applied to a few, only received one back saying they got my application and it could be up to a month and a half before they notify people of their status.

    • Victoria

      Great idea. Just to ease your mind…I haven’t even been able to apply yet. No jobs are posted for my field. So, you are ahead of me. I have no problem with doing it here or Linkedin. I know there is a Facebook page for us, but I can’t tell you much about it. I don’t have Facebook (yes, it is true).

      • Briar Dunn

        I have applied to several, and got some generic responses to wait for the job fair, or thanks for applying. However, two have been very positive. Best you can do is keep applying over and over to any job you think you can fit. Remember, its a rotational so we can switch once our foot is in the door. My mentality is just get in, learn, evolve and then go to the next opportunity. That was actually the best advice I got from current federal employees, and one current PMF. Best of luck!

        • Victoria

          I agree with your mentality, but I didn’t know that we could apply for rotational positions now. I mean, how would one know his/her start date if he/she hasn’t received a permanent placement?

          • Kaitlyn

            It’s my understanding that the rotational opportunities posted are for current PMFs. I was hoping they’d clarify that in the webinar today. I’ve personally been avoiding those myself.

      • PmfAp

        Lol. Neither do I. I thought I was the only millennial without….lol. Surprisingly, there are a few out there without one. I planned apply to a few vacancies this week. Hope to get an offer at the HHS job fair

        • Victoria

          I’ll see you there!

    • Mike

      Applied to two in the past couple days. Waiting to hear back from either.

    • PmfAp

      I received an email for offer, which I declined. Don’t think its a good idea to put the name of the agency. I did not apply or send an letter of interest. I guess some agencies are looking at resumes and reaching out to the candidates they are interested in.

      • Guest21

        I had a similar experience. Got an offer out of the blue from an agency I never expected would try to recruit me. I didn’t think it was a good fit so I declined politely.

        Also got an invitation to apply for a special program at another agency that I think will not be announced on TAS. Probably will have to decline that one also because they are requesting an in-person interview (not at the job fair) and I am currently living in South Korea and don’t have enough cash on hand to pay for these back and forth trips to DC and then move my family when I land the job…

        • chance2

          what fields were these offers in if you don’t mind sharing?? i am seeing a lot of health care or science based jobs on TAS with the agencies I am looking into, which is not my background, so nothing i can apply for

          • Tamika Walls

            Don’t get discourage about the agency being known for health related jobs. Some of the positions are administrative/ non-health related. You can do rotations at some places.

      • The Field Mice

        You received an offer from the agency without even having an interview?

  • CTpmf

    I don’t think there will be a webinar today. I just tried to log in and it said,

    “Good afternoon,

    Due to a power outage at the US Office of Personnel Management HQs and surrounding buildings, we are postponing today’s webinar. Once power is restored, we will send out a notice re-scheduling for a new date and time. We appologize for the inconvenience.

    Sincerely,

    PMF Program Office”

    • chance2

      man i took off work for part of the day to be at this thing…. smh

      • Briar Dunn

        Same here…

        • chance2

          i am going to run out of excuses why i need chunks of time off lol

          • Briar Dunn

            Dog ate your homework? Thats always a classic

    • Victoria

      Nooooooo! Ah…that hurt.

    • Victoria
      • CTpmf

        Ugh. Well, I’m glad I had my phone interview this morning before this happened.

        • Victoria

          Heck yea! Good for you! Outages, drills, and other events usually happen around lunch time. This is a prime example. I wonder how it went from DC to Waldorf, MD. I guess they are all connected somehow.

          Well, I hope in this upcoming email they tell us when the government-wide fair is going to be held. I mean, do we have to listen to the webinar live? Can they not put in up alike those two other videos in our last email?

          • CTpmf

            Thanks! Honestly, I thought it wouldn’t be live anyway. I figured they would play it, and then just have a few people ready to answer questions at the end.

          • Victoria

            Did you attend the semifinalist webinar? It was live with questions at the end.

          • CTpmf

            No unfortunately I had class during that one. I was looking forward to this one, but when they sent out the videos, I thought they might record it.

    • IndianaHopeful

      Ugh…I was hoping they would announce the date of the job fair on this webinar.

  • Briar Dunn

    Looks like a guy “Rob” from PMF office said this webinar won’t have any information about the job fair…and that they STILL haven’t landed a time, date or a venue to host the government wide JF. Wow

    • chance2

      you would think they have never had a PMF class before. i can’t believe they didn’t have a tentative date and location planned well before they announced interviews for the semi-finalists. smh i don’t understand the secrecy around it now- we are in the finalist round. why can’t we know??

    • Mike

      NO!?!? Seriously?!? what the….

    • Victoria

      Wow…so what were they going to tell us…to watch the videos in the email? No venue yet? Let’s have it in a hotel conference room, college auditorium, hs basketball court, at a park, baseball field…I dunno…just trying to help OPM out. πŸ™‚

  • Victoria

    Government-wide job fair: How many resumes/folders (writing samples, bios, etc) are you bringing? I thought about 20. I’m thinking I may need more since there are multiple departments within an agency. Then again, if we have it on-line (I hope not), I have too many.

    • Briar Dunn

      Best thing you can do…research who will be at the Fair. Make a resume PER agency. Also, have samples ready that cover any topic…just need a good sample there. Also, whatever agency you know you’ll pursue, make sure to have their mission well known. As well, do some digging to see what that agency has been up to. This will all help sell you. Its time consuming, but beneficial! This is what I’ll be doing πŸ™‚

      • Victoria

        Wow…Thanks. So for the resumes, are you planning to bring a gov’t resume (4-6 pager) and civilian (1-2 pager) for them to quickly read over at the fair? A 2014 Fellow informed me that it is best to bring both types. Yet, I think my bio should work as a quick read; instead of the civilian resume. I was already planning to make my bio and cover letter geared toward each specific agency.

        • Briar Dunn

          It doesn’t hurt to have both…but what I’ve learned in my time of recruiting is that a 1-2 pager will serve as a point of reference for the interviewer to look at them ask you question. Your cheat sheet of you will. So make it thorough and reflect what you want it to say about you.

          • Jay

            Bring plenty of 1-2 page resumes and a few of the longer ones. Best advice – Have your 30 second elevator pitch down….you will use it again and again and again.

  • fred

    Can you folks give us decent notice on the Job Fair? Not trying to sound ungrateful but like most people I am not local. I have to make travel plans, book a hotel, and take at least two days off from work to attend this thing. Would need at least three weeks to pull off and the longer the better.

    • Andy

      OPM sets that up, not this website.

  • Jay

    2014 PMF here…..happy to answer some questions, please post here.

    • IndianaHopeful

      I wouldn’t ask you to denounce any particular agency, but I am sure within the PMF community some are more reputable than others. From your observations and experience, what agencies tend to have the “best” programs for PMF’s? Most structured? Most training opportunities? Most challenging? Etc.

      And if you’re feeling froggy with no fear from the NSA, feel free to share which agencies to steer clear of πŸ™‚

      • Jay

        Pick your top agencies and look for jobs that interest you. State and US AID are the popular choices, but keep your mind open.

        Bottom line, most larger agencies have an established PMF programs, but some of the smaller offices within those agencies (outside DC) are not as established so you will have to find your own way a little more.

        NIH was pretty structured, so was SSA. I would recommend checking out their websites and search for the PMF program listed there, it might give you a better idea. Also, make sure to check out the Regional Offices websites for the agencies you are looking at, it will also give you a inside look at their PMF program.

        Prepare yourself for the interviews, bring lots of resumes, and get a good nights rest before the job fair. I ended up with 7 job offers by the end of the summer and was able to select the job I wanted.

        • chance2

          Jay were there many placements available outside of DC? I know majority of them are there in DC, but I am hoping to stay in Atlanta.

          • Jay

            The Federal Government is everywhere, Atlanta included. Network where you can. Research the CDC, they are based down there. Otherwise think local, VA, SSA, etc.

          • chance2

            Yes, however, the CDC is not really in my field. But I am not sure what other agencies are actively recruiting for the area.

          • Jay

            What’s your field?

          • chance2

            financial/legal/compliance- policy stuff, compliance audits in those areas as well as training. i have seen analyst positions but they are asking for some kind of background in whatever the agency does, and i don’t have it. so would be a waste of time to submit an application when they are going to pass over me when i am sure there are at a minimum probably 100 other qualified people, and i honestly have no interest in healthcare or science fields. that may be the wrong way to look at it, but i don’t want to take a position just to say i got a position. i know you can move around, but who’s to say i will get a rotation in a place i actually am interested in. and at the end of 2 years, i could be stuck at the original agency. i want to find a balance where its a good fit for me and the agency and i have interest in it too because i will perform even better when its something i am passionate about. i have had positions that i hated but i kept because i can’t pay bills with tears and apologies. however, i am in a good role and not unhappy at all with my current position, so i dont want to jump ship to something and be unhappy. but i know the value of professional development this program offers, so i want to be a part of it. the position just has to make sense for my life and ultimate career goals. and then of course, i have narrowed my options because i want to stay in Atlanta. but it’s only been, what, two weeks?? i am hopeful more positions with a good fit come up, and a variety of locations come up as time goes on.

          • Jay

            then I would really recommend digging in to the agency you want. Decide important location is. Here is what I found after a quick Google of the CDC aND PMF: http://www.cdc.gov/pmf/downloads/factsheet.pdf

          • chance2

            yeah, i have seen that. i will have to go into the depths of google this week to find some local agency contact info for PMFs because i dont think cdc is going to have what i want.

          • NT

            jay:
            Is it normal to reach out to local/regional agencies to inquire about PMF appointment opprotunties even if they haven’t posted jobs ads to TAS?

          • Jay

            To a hungry PMFer, yes! I secured my appointment this way. Word of warning, many of the local agencies who have not had PMFs before, may have no clue what the PMF program is (even though it has been around since 1977). With that said, you will never know if you don’t ask. I good method is to look at current postings. It is not that hard for them to repost it as a PMF position.

          • Jay

            Oh, and if you are PMF STEM Candidate, good luck! Last year the hiring managers were not really sure how to post/recruit for those positions. Just an observation that I noticed.

          • priorpmf

            chance2, Department of Commerce has regional offices in Atlanta for both NOAA and Census. I also saw an email about several opportunities at DOL’s Employment and Training Administration and they have an Atlanta regional office. There are probably more…if an agency has a southeast regional office, it tends to be in Atlanta. Good luck!

          • chance2

            Yes I saw that email as well, but i believe it said it was located in DC. I am going to probably still apply, and hope that they will be willing to let me work out of the regional office. Honestly that is what i am doing with most of the positions I like right now because nothing is posted for Atlanta yet. I am hopeful as we move further along postings located directly in atlanta will come up.

    • aSTEMPMF

      Hi Jay (& others) – Have you by any chance came across any agencies in New Mexico? Are there any STEM PMF in national labs, e.g. Los Alamos National Labs, Sandia National Labs. Thank you for your time.

  • Maureen

    Is anyone looking at housing arrangements? Seriously, this is a big deal. I am hoping I begin my Fellowship in October 2015 (Gov Fiscal Year 2016 begins in Oct). I am selling my house, hope to have it sold before the fact, if not, I will need a minimal housing situation with one BR and hopefully a private or minimally shared one bath. I will be coming from a 2500 sf house in Tampa, FL. I like fun, but I want a place that I can chill. I would trade my exquisite skills in housekeeping for a better deal. Trust me, I like a clean organized, space. I’m onto my second career, so go figure. Ping me on LinkedIn, Maureen Fuller.

    • CTpmf

      I have started. I live with roommates right now, and I may be looking for roommates in D.C. if I get an appointment. It is so expensive in that area.

  • Kaitlyn

    Has anyone else had an interview yet? I had one less than a week ago and I thought I was supposed to hear about a follow-up interview by now but they haven’t gotten back to me yet. This is reminding me of the anxiety some of us had before we were announced as finalists.

    • IndianaHopeful

      Nope. Haven’t even received a reply back from any of the emails I’ve sent out. I know it’s only April, and I should be patient. But I’m eager to get this party started.

      • shortround

        right there with you, indy

        • pickmepickme

          Just keep applying! I was in the same boat, but received a call today! You will get interviews….it’s just going to take time. Best of luck!!!

          • Rachel

            pickmepickme, Congratulations! Best of luck on your interview. Out of curiosity, could you say how much time passed between sending your agency your app and receiving a call? I’m very impatient!

          • pickmepickme

            Thank you! It was almost a week after I sent in my application materials.

  • IndianaHopeful

    Has everyone seen the Forest Service postings on TAS? With the degree requirements for those postings, shouldn’t they be listed for STEM’s?

  • chance2

    Webinar rescheduled!

    The PMF Class of 2015 Finalists Informational Webinar has been rescheduled to Monday, April 13, 2015. The webinar was originally scheduled for Tuesday, April 7, 2015, but cancelled due to a power outage.

    All 2015 Finalists will be sent details via email. This webinar is for 2015 Finalists only.

    • Kaitlyn

      Of course it gets rescheduled to a day that I can’t participate. Stupid power outage..

    • Briar Dunn

      Now for them to confirm the rumors of April 27th-28th for the job fair!

    • IndianaHopeful

      “Time: TBD. We are waiting until we have information for departing flights of Finalists attending the HHS Job Fair. . -Your Tongue-In-Cheek PMF Team” πŸ™‚

    • Briar Dunn

      Don’t know if anybody saw, the time of the webinar is the same as the last – 2-4pm EST.

  • chance2

    i keep reading that some agencies can offer student loan repayment. does anyone know a PMF who has actuaally received that? i feel like once you’re offered a position after the 2 years it may be possible, but the wording i have seen seems to indicate its during the PMF years….

    • IndianaHopeful

      I’d like more information on this as well. This will be my first time working in public service at any level. How does one approach seeking benefits like student loan repayment?

      • LuckyDuckie

        You negotiate for it when you get a job offer.
        Anyone who is in public service is eligible for Public Service Loan Repayment. It’s a matter of sending in a couple of forms. You have to make 10 years of consecutive payments while in public service and then your remaining loans are forgiven. I don’t think the info above about paying taxes on that as “income” is accurate. I would love to see a weblink to info on how forgiven debt = income. They don’t give you money, they just erase the rest of the debt.

        • chance2

          you’re right… damn clark howard… the pslf program is excluded from the taxable part of it. but there are other programs that do tax for the forgiven part.

          however, i still would be interested in repayment for accepting a position because i have a few private loans that don’t qualify for that.

          • LuckyDuckie

            I have a friend who was a PMF and she told me to negotiate for it. Some agencies can do it, some can’t, but no harm in asking. I have a feeling with private loans it’s a no-go, but worth asking about.

          • GAU

            The worst (and likely) response is no, but you never know until you ask. But if you switch to a income based repayment it will at least stretch your repayment an extra 2 years, which would be forgiven if you hit 10 years of service.

          • Kaitlyn

            I’m doing the Pay As You Earn repayment plan (I’m already in public service). So far it’s the lowest possible payment. I plan to have SOMETHING forgiven.

    • Guest

      I don’t know of any PMFs who have gotten repayment assistance but as a current federal employee I can tell you what my HR department has told me, which is, it depends on the agency and their budget. I currently work for a small independent agency that used to offer tuition repayment for employees who received a degree that is directly related to their position, but as budgets have gotten tighter over the years they haven’t been able to offer repayment assistance. Keep in mind, though, that if you have a federal direct student loan, there is always the option to participate in the public service repayment plan.

      • chance2

        yeah, i know about the public service repayment plan. however, i would like to reduce the amount that gets written off after 10 years because you have to claim it as income on your taxes and my tax bill would be astronomical considering the amount of student loan debt i have.

        • David Wilcox

          Loans forgiven under PSLF are NOT considered income for tax purposes.

          You might be confusing with the leftovers after 20 years on an income-based plan. Anything forgiven on those plans are considered income, but not public service.

  • AMR

    Does anyone know/has anybody called to see if there will be a place at the HHS job fair to hold luggage? I just thought of this question and will call them tomorrow during business hours but figured I’d ask you all anyway. My flight doesn’t land until Tuesday around 10:30 AM and I don’t think I have time to get to my hotel before I go to the fair. Similarly I will be leaving from the fair on Wednesday.

    • AMR

      FYI the answer is yes per their e-mail

  • IndianaHopeful

    Out of curiosity, how many are planning on attending the HHS job fair next week? I was originally going to attend. But there is only 1 subagency within HHS that I’d be interested in and just cannot justify the expense of flying to DC on the off-chance that department happens to be interviewing.

    • Victoria

      I’m attending. Unless, you have no intentions of working in the healthcare industry, then I would say don’t attend. Less competition for the rest of us. πŸ˜‰ Honestly, do not only consider your ‘top interest’. You need to get a placement. You can always apply for rotational opportunities in your agency of interest and then apply for a permanent position at that agency prior to the end of your fellowship. Yes, all Pathways participants (Internship, Recent Graduates, & PMF) can apply to permanent positions while they are in their respective programs.

      • IndianaHopeful

        Well I worked in healthcare for the past 7 years and can’t run away from it fast enough πŸ™‚ My career interests going forward lies in criminal law enforcement. So as I said in my previous statement, I think the only subagency that would fit that mold would be OIG…probably the smallest of the HHS family and hence why it’s not worth the cost.

        Sound advice though, and the approach I’ll be looking to do with the bigger, more criminal-focused agencies.Best of luck to you, I hope you land one of those HHS spots. And please be sure to come back here and let those of us not attending how it went.

        • PmfAp

          You should definitely look at the Department of Justice. There were a few positions in TAS. You should also reach out to the FBI PMF coordinator. I think HHS has some criminal investigator positions/ OCI

          • IndianaHopeful

            I intend to. If I recall I applied for a DoJ posting last week; but not the ones related to grants or budgets…my average-at-best math skills would do more damage than good. But yeah, definitely focused on DoJ, DHS, and if I get lucky some OIG postings.

            I’ve sent a few feelers out, and will continue to do so as we get closer to Job Fair time.

          • IndianaHopeful

            Aaaaand of course HHS OIG has 2 vacancies for my dream job. Who’s kicking himself for not attending? This guy!

          • chance2

            JUST SAID THE SAME THING! and they have openings in atlanta! i went ahead and applied, the posting said interviews would be in person and over the phone, so they may not hire everyone at the job fair. the one i was looking at said about 10 positions for each city and there were about 9 cities. that would be A LOT of hiring at the job fair!

          • IndianaHopeful

            Best of luck to you! I’d be willing to fly in special to interview as opposed to a phone interview. Maybe I’m just old fashioned but I prefer to meet my (hopeful) future employers face-to-face as a first encounter.

          • chance2

            if i was to be working directly in DC, i would be ok with that, but if i am going to work out of the atlanta office, i want to meet those people-so basically whoever i will be working with the most. but my current position is remote, so i have little face to face interaction with people now, so i am used to that part of it.

            i wonder do they pay for interview travel or is that on us for all these positions? that would also play a role in deciding i guess.

          • susan hollis

            I have the same issues. Did you find local face to face meetings in SLC.
            How do i get an interview

      • GAU

        You can apply to other openings if they are willing to take you on specifically as a PMF. You can certainly apply to ordinary open positions but that would mean quiting the program if it is before you have finished. After the two years you gain competitive status and a lot more doors open.

  • PmfAp

    I’m going….but I also live in the area

  • Victoria

    Kinda crazy questions…

    1) Are Fellows allowed to take four rotational opportunities to accumulate their 2-year term?

    2) Is the appointing agency always financially responsible for a Fellow’s rotational assignment?

    3) Has a Fellow ever began a rotational opportunity first and later got an appointing agency?

    4) Hypothetically, what happens if a Finalist gets accepted for a rotational opportunity that starts in 2017 now, but gets an appointing agency in December 2015 and the agency does not approve of the rotational assignment?

    5) Are the rotational opportunities based on a Fellow’s preference or the ‘hands that feed him/her’?

    6) Per TAS, what does DELEGATED EXAMINING mean?

    7) Are you having a great day?

    Just curious. Thanks

    • Jay

      1) No – most fellows will do 1 four to six month rotation and 1-2 shorter rotations (1-2 months). Think of it this way, your home agency is paying your salary for 2 years, why would they want to pay you for not being there that long?

      2) Salary yes, but sometimes the rotation agency will cover travel costs and per deim.

      3) No, you have to obtain an appointment first and then you can apply for rotations.

      4) Then you wouldn’t go on the rotation. No agency will give you a rotation without you being appointed.

      5) A little of both. The fellow has the most control though.

    • katie

      1. If you’re interested in a lot of rotations, you could look at the NIH “at large” PMF assignment…it’s all in the same agency but the fellows rotate to different offices every 3-4 months throughout the 2 years.
      5. Like everything in the PMF it depends on the agency, and in some cases the specific supervisor. You can ask about it during the interview and find out how flexible they will be for your rotations.

  • Rachel

    Some people have stated that agencies reached out to them after seeing their resume… could anyone specify where we’re supposed to upload or resume? Or are you guys talking about the resume we submitted for the PMF app initially?

    • IndianaHopeful

      Yes I believe that is the resume agency recruiters are using. Would be nice to have a spot to post an updated version though.

    • PmfAp

      Someone reached out to me. I think the agency recieves our resumes and other information prior to us applying.

  • IndianaHopeful

    For those unable to attend the webinar today, still no definitive date/venue for the Job Fair. However, it was said that they are looking at the last week in April so we should “block off our calendars”.

    • shortround

      yeah kinda frustrating the short notices given

      • Kaitlyn

        I agree. I have a two week offsite training for my job that I’m doing right now, which is why I’ve had to miss the webinar and the HHS job fair. I won’t even get back to work until the last week of April. I can’t justify leaving for DC after just getting back. It would be helpful if they did these things on the weekends at least. I imagine it’s equally frustrating for anyone finishing up school right now.

    • pickmepickme

      Anything else vital that we missed? I wasn’t able to get out of work this time around.

      • IndianaHopeful

        If you have read the GovLoop guide to the program, much of it should already be known. Some of the things that I took away:

        1) During your interviews is when you should be asking about the additional benefits (relocation assistance, Student Loan repayment, telework, etc). And make sure the HR Specialist that will actually be processing your hiring info has documented those additional benefits.

        2) Be sure to ask about the developmental assignments during the interview.

        3) Because this is a leadership program, look to leadership training courses to fulfill your program requirements.

        4) There will be a pre-Job Fair webinar a couple days prior.

        That’s all that really stood out to me. Though if someone else wants to add on to this, please feel free.

  • chance2

    looks like there was a 2nd appointment made per the status page on pmf.gov.

  • Briar Dunn

    JOB FAIR IS PUSHED INTO MAY!!!!

    • IndianaHopeful

      Edited.

      Nevermind. Looks like they posted info on their website before sending out emails.

      • Rachel

        I have not received an email. What’s the deal?

        • IndianaHopeful

          They may not be sending an email. Announcement on PMF.gov just states:

          The PMF Program Office is working with our contracting group to secure a venue and dates for this event. We originally requested the last week of April, but we did not receive any formal proposals from available venues.

          We have expanded our requirements to include dates in May.

          As soon as we have additional information we will update the PMF website and inform all 2015 Finalists and all Agency PMF Coordinators.

          At this point they could have the thing in a Chucky Cheese and I’d be ok with it. Tables by the mechanical band, interview booths by the skeeball.

  • C3PO

    anyone have any impressions or thoughts from the hhs job fair?

    • STEM hopeful

      It felt it was more like a recruitment fair than a job fair (i.e. come work for HHS! we are awesome). There weren’t any new jobs available, and the majority of the recruiters at the booths pretty much did the following: A. asked which jobs we were interested in based on TAS, B. said to apply for them on the website, or if we already applied, that we would hear back in a couple weeks, C. were there to answer questions more than being there to conduct interviews / hire people. That being said, I’m coming from the STEM perspective. I know that there were traditional PMF’s that had pre-scheduled interviews, but overall I was disappointed in the lack of STEM jobs available.

      • PmfAp

        You pretty much summed it up…lol

        I accidentally posted this comment in the wrong spot

        • pickmepickme

          Agreed. I had one interview that was lined up prior to the fair, which was productive. But overall – I agree with what was stated above. Many booths were engaging, but ultimately I was encouraged to apply to the position listed on TAS. I hardly saw any booths pull someone aside for an interview.

  • PmfAp

    You pretty much summed it up…lol

  • PMF2014

    DOE has two Informational Events coming up next week. There are about 20 positions Including STEM with a few in Colorado as well as DC.

    Wednesday
    April 22, 2015
    1:30 – 3:00 PM (EDT)
    Please click the link below to join the session
    (10 to 15 mins early):
    Join WebEx
    Event Password: join

    Thursday
    April 23, 2015
    6:30 – 7:30 PM (EDT)
    All participants must use a Gmail account for the Hangouts session.
    Please click the link below to join the session
    (10 to 15 mins early)

    An email should be going out.

  • IndianaHopeful

    It has been quiet here the past few days. Anyone made any progress towards an appointment?

    • NT

      I haven’t received a response for any of the applications i submitted. Has anyone heard back or scheduled an interview for any position with the HHS OIG office? How long should one wait before sending a follow up email?

      • IndianaHopeful

        I’m wondering the same.

      • STEM

        I applied for several HHS positions (multiple agencies) and haven’t heard back from any of them yet either. If you go off what the representatives at the job fair said, it could be another few weeks until they come up with a finalized list.

      • IndianaHopeful

        Update: Looks like most of those OIG positions have been taken off TAS. Hopefully that means we are closer to getting interview calls.

        • NT

          That’s a good sign. Let’s hope they begin contacting people by next week.

  • pmf?

    a few state dept jobs are up but what the heck do they mean by:

    In the body of the email, please state whether you are a veteran or non-veteran ONLY. Not following the directions above will disqualify you from selection.

    Does that mean send nothing in the body of the email except for that? Just wondering.

    • IndianaHopeful

      That’s what I took from it. Maybe they are just trying to simplify the sorting of vet vs non-vet applicants for vet preference purposes, and don’t have the manpower to read through cover-letter-type emails?

      • pmf?

        that’s what i though. weird that the state dept jobs all seem health related to some extent. huh.

    • David Satnarine

      Hey when I applied, i just put non-veteran in the body of the email and my contact info as the signature. I figured this is an easy way for them to screen vets versus non-vets. It makes sense from an efficiency standpoint. I attached a Cover Letter with my Resume just in case as well.

  • PmfAp

    Another appointment was made. We now have 4 2015 Pmfs with placement. Congrats to them!

    • Sir Chillz-Alot

      I am one of those appointments! Thanks and good luck in your search!

    • susan hollis

      Where can we see the finalist?

  • IndianaHopeful

    So a week ago today the survey for the job fair closed. Hopefully we’ll find out a date this week.

  • Victoria

    Does anyone know if the agencies in Baltimore/Woodlawn MD are closed this week; due to the rioting? Is that neighborhood near CMS?

    • IndianaHopeful

      I would think because they are in a state of emergency all non-essential personnel would be working from home. Scary situation none-the-less. Thoughts and prayers for those caught in this mayhem; and for the restoration of sanity.

  • Victoria

    We are moving….6 Fellows now!

    • wearethe1%

      1% appointed!

    • IndianaHopeful

      Looks like 8 as of the writing of this post…with OMB gobbling up 4 appointees. Best of luck to the recently appointed, and the rest of us actively seeking.

  • Rachel

    Has anyone heard back from a STEM application? As a STEM applicant, I applied to quite a few postings early on but haven’t heard back from any of them… And yes, I did follow up emails.

    • Pmf2k15

      Hadn’t recieved a job interview yet. Was presented with an offer or letter of interest from an agency. Didn’t agree with the starting salary GS9 step one offer. It just wasn’t an agency that I had in mind. I sent out a few emails after the job fair / HHS. Had an HR specialist reach out to let me know that I will have to wait until the vacancies close. No decision will be made prior to the job closing. Had a pmf coordinator to tell me to apply to a certain position. All in all…..no job interview. Hoping to get an offer before the middle of June. No pessimistic responses….lol.

      • Rachel

        Good luck to the both of us, Pmf2k15! At least we are not alone.

        • Pmf2k15

          Got two emails to set up for job interviews next week. Have you heard anything yet?

          • Rachel

            No πŸ™ …

    • STEM

      I haven’t heard back either, so it’s good to hear I’m not alone! I have applied for multiple positions with various HHS agencies. One HR rep that I followed up with said the director had 90 days to make a decision, and that if I didn’t hear from them by then, I didn’t get the job. This makes me hope they’re just moving super slow…

  • HireMe

    10 appointed PMFs! OMB is certainly the bulk of it

    • Pmf2k15

      12 now

      • PMF2015

        I hope this job fair gets going fast.

    • randomname

      looks like OMB is doing what they did last year… snatching up the Ivy grads with connections without posting announcements on TAS.

      • JaneW

        How long did it take to get your job offer after your interview for your PMF appointment?

        • randomname

          rec. offer the next day, totally depends on the agency and hiring officials every agency will be different.

  • Searchingforajob

    Anyone see the USDA postings in TAS today? There is no email address listed and the only direction there is to “apply in the TAS” but there is no way to apply within the TAS system, right? Or am I missing something? When I emailed the PMF Coordinator at USDA, I got an answer that they “cannot assist me.” (???)

    • IndianaHopeful

      Spot checked a couple. Looks like there is an address on the first line of “How to Apply” for the Rural Housing Service. For Forest Service there is an email address at the very bottom of the listing. Both may have been added since your initial post.

      • Searchingforajob

        Yep, they added it! Cool. Thanks.

  • Victoria

    Congrats to our 15 Fellows and those of us who are graduating/have graduated this year!

    Where do we send our final transcripts that list our conferred degrees?

    • CTpmf

      16 now! As for the transcript, I don’t think we update anything until we are appointed. But I could be wrong. I just remember the webinar saying there is no way to update resumes, etc.

    • GAU

      Yeah, its up to the agency that eventually hires you to determine if you are in fact eligible.

  • ComeOnNow

    any update on the job fair?

  • tim a

    Any chance of them having the job fair anytime soon with reasonable notice to finalists? I don’t understand how they don’t have a date and venue picked out when they know they will do this every year… For such a prestigious program this whole process seems very hap hazard and slapped together at the last minute…

    • Pmf2k15

      I hope that it will better than the HHS job fair. People were just being told to apply online in the TAS. I could do that from my home computer. I’ve 2 interviews so far and one scheduled for next week. I have applied online and reached out to some PMF agency coordinators. Had 2 agencies to tell me that they don’t post their positions in the TAS system

    • k.d.

      Seriously…can’t believe it’s almost the end of May and they still haven’t held the job fair, or even scheduled it. They should just start looking for a time and place for 2016’s job fair now.

  • James F

    As a 2015 finalist I am very disappointed in what Ive seen from this program so far. Found their placement rates for 2011/12/13 were disasteriously low (ranginf from 33-54%) Also communication has been very poor to almost nonexistent. How do you not know when the job fair is if you throw one every year? You have a general idea of how many finalists. This isnt your first goat rodeo. For finalists- Unless you are an unenployed recent grad who already lives in the DC metro area, taking several days off work and arranging travel is a hardship that requires significant notice to pull off. This is VERY poorly planned. Also in looking at job reqs on TAS its so obvious this is an afterthought for many agencies as they are riddled with spelling errors and basic cut and paste goofs, meaning they couldnt be bothered to take the extra ten seconds to skim over what they were posting…

    • cynicalPMF

      2014 finalist here and I’m afraid that most of what you’re saying is true of PMF as a whole. Things are incredibly disorganized and vary widely from agency to agency, and the PMF office is totally hands off once you’re hired. For most agencies, once you’re in, it still takes a lot of determination and hard work to make the fellowship something worthwhile due to the lack of oversight.
      I don’t want to totally discourage people, because it’s nice to be employed and have fellowship perks like training, but I also think it’s a good idea to keep applying to outside positions while waiting for the job fair.

      • randomname

        2014 PMF here, agree w/ above sentiments most people including myself fail to realize that the PMF program is not centralized your experience varies widely by agency. Sure there was a fair last year but any 2014 PMF will tell you it was a total cluster tons of people very small building took people hours to even get in the door through security they know they had to change the venue from last year that could be part of the problem. Another thing is if you come in government you will quickly hear agency’s utter disdain for OPM. I have not heard anyone say anything possitive about OPM unfortuantely the program is run by them but don’t judge all agencies the same.

    • GoodLuck

      Another 2014 finalist here….also past federal employee prior to PMF….I wouldn’t cast to big of a shadow over the PMF program because of the job fair. You are correct, they have one every year and I am sure they planned on it this year as well, however, who knows the whole story? Perhaps the venue dropped out at the last minute? Perhaps someone in contracting, not connected with the PMF office, dropped the ball on the contract? I highly doubt that the PMF office is really to blame as they are a small cog in a large machine (federal government). There will eventually be a job fair, but in the meantime apply to all jobs that interest you. Remember, you only won the race (by becoming a finalist) to the starting line. The real work begins with networking and putting your nose to the grindstone to secure an appointment.

    • Curious G

      Did you do any research before applying to the program? Placement rates from previous years you could have determined before, and the job fair always has been in DC. If those are discouraging to you, why bother applying?

      • R. Nebel

        Obviously its going to be in DC, but knowing when it is is kind of a big deal. I’m pretty annoyed myself.

    • randomname

      I don’t know that its fair to judge an agency based on the actions of one random HR specialist’s errors in job posting.
      But I agree doesn’t look like things are off to a great start this year which is sad because it wasn’t a disgustingly horrible budget year a lot of agencies should have hiring authority.

  • 2015

    2015 PMF; I heard back with an offer after about 1 week…but I get the impression that it varies greatly between agencies

  • M. Attwood

    Anyone have any idea why the applications on all FBI related positions are completely broken? I’m from New York and the only schools on the pulldown list are “NYU” or “Columbia” sorry- I didn’t go to either of those. Also the only available degree programs were “Criminal Justice”, “Physical Education” and “Gunsmithing” (are there actually degree warranting programs for such a thing?). Seriously for a major organization the application looks like a twelve year old with some basic html skills put it together and no one QC’d. Tried contacting them and a) no response b) these applications are only open for a few days anyway. I’ve applied to three positions and all applications were completely jacked up.

  • Fingerscrossedfor6months

    Has anyone heard from the OPM regarding whether or not their personal information was compromised by hackers? This is in regards to last weeks news that OPM was hacked.

  • PMF2015

    Well, at least the department of Ed. is doing something about this lack of job fair!

  • HopefulPMF2015

    Email sent out today at about a background investigation webinar, during that time they will also disclose any information about the job fair. ALSO, the date on the email says July 24th, but when you click on their link it says June 24th JUST FYI.

    • Victoria

      Yes, I saw that as well. I questioned which month and am waiting for their response.

      • HopefulPMF2015

        correction email sent. It is in fact June 24th.

  • PMFinally

    Anybody know what forms I should be filling out to get a jump start on onboarding? Got a verbal offer yesterday but waiting to hear from the HR official. I want to be ready to go.

    • GAU

      If you know you need a clearance and which one, you can start gathering the applicable information. TS should need addresses for the past several years and a contact for each address.

  • FrustratedFred

    Soooooo… in the “Background investigation email” sent on 6/12- they stated they would also put out some information on the job fair. I’m going to go ahead and guess that said info will not be of any real value- because if OPM already knows when and where it will be and they are going to sit on that information for two weeks… Well that’s just beyond inconsiderate…

    • FedUp@PMF

      This program SUCKS!!!!!!!!!

  • Victoria

    Has anyone heard anything from HHS or its operating divisions? Seems like NIH is the only division that is offering placements.

    • GAU

      Have you tried e-mailing the various coordinators at HHS? I’ve noticed they have listed many rotations over the past months. They even had their own job fair last year IIRC. My guess is that many agencies are waiting on OPM. Even if the coordinator doesn’t have much to say, they may tell you if that is that is the case.

      • Victoria

        Thanks. I’ve interviewed several times (more than 10). All of the interviewers stated that offers will come from HR. No one has posted a placement acceptance yet on TAS. I’m just curious if anyone received an offer from any other HHS agency besides NIH.

  • MyGoshOPM

    This webinar is a disaster

    • GAU

      Ruh roh…dish!

  • GAU

    This could probably be considered a Friday news dump. http://pmf.gov/become-a-pmf/find-a-job/in-person-job-fair.aspx

    “STATUS AS OF 06-26-2015: The PMF Program Office is tentatively announcing the venue and dates for the PMF Class of 2015 Finalists In-Person Job Fair to take place Thursday-Friday, August 13-14, 2015, at the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Natcher Conference Center in Bethesda, MD. Once official and details become available we will update this webpage and inform all 2015 Finalists and Agency PMF Coordinators.”

  • amahoney

    Has anyone else declined an offer because of location and pay? I feel so nervous to decline, because I really want to be part of this program, but this isn’t an exact fit for me. So scary!

  • Pmf2k15

    I was offered a PMF position as a program analyst 343 series. After accepting the offer, I’m now being told that the position will be a 301series for 2 years. All Pmfs are 301 series regardless of job title. I was also told that the ppm step rule does not apply to PMFs. I’m worried because I turned an offer down for this one. i feel like I’m being screwed over. I know a few PMFs from previous classes and they said this was not right.

    • GAU

      PMFs can be many different series’. Maybe this particular agency has a specific process. Is it NIH? And I’m not sure if “ppm step rule” is a typo.

      • Pmf2k15

        Sorry. It was a typo and should read OPM. The hiring managers are now discussing things with HR. They want me to start soon but I just want to make sure everything is right. It’s not NIH. I think the HR person doesn’t know what she’s doing. Not saying this to be offensive. The position is a program analyst 343. She changed my offer letter to program analyst 301. A program analyst can not be a 301 series by OPM guidelines. Just waiting now to see what happens. I feel relieved to know that the hire managers are working on things. Just didn’t want to come off as difficult; on the other hand, I don’t want to be cheated.

        • GAU

          Got it, I should have made the OPM connection. But in a way, many typical fed provisions do not apply to PMF. If you mean the 2-step rule, I don’t think they would have to give it to you, though they should. If you have more than a year experience as a 343 at the GS-9 level, then I would expect to be appointed GS-11.

  • Miles Bennett Dyson

    2015 Finalist and current VA employee. Any current PMFs on here who were Federal Employees at the time of their appointment? If so, were any of you able to be selected for an appointment with your agency in the same geographic location?

    • Finallymadeit

      I’m a 2015 finalist and did not want to go with my current agency HHS ( don’t want to say the name of the sub agency). I was selected for another agency and can’t wait to leave in a few weeks. Do you want to stay with the same agency? If so, there shouldn’t be a problem. However, it all depends on who you work for and HR.

      • Miles Bennett Dyson

        Congrats on the selection. Ideally, I would like to stay with my current agency in the same location. However, I get the impression that may not be an option due to communication gaps between local hiring managers, my local HR and our agencies central office who approves PMF positions within our agency. What have you observed in terms of communication about the PMF program within your current agency compared to the agency you were appointed to?

        • Pmf2k15

          I am not sure about the PMF program communication within my agency. Never planned on staying with my agency after being selected as a PMF finalist. The current agency that I’m going to is great. I was interviewed on Thursday and received a call for the job offer on Monday (verbal offer). Received email for tentative offer by HR on Tuesday. Process has been quick. I have heard that my current agency starts all PMFs as a GS9 regardless of experience. My new agency (PMF position) is starting me off as a GS11.

          I interviewed for a position with the VA. Received an email stating that someone else was selected for the position. The hiring manager advised me that the position was filled, but she named a different job title than the one I interviewed. I emailed her back to make sure I understood her correctly since the title that she mentioned was not the one I interviewed for. I never got a response….lol. Have you spoken to the PMF coordinator for VA?

  • GAU

    I just knew that NIH had a very centrally-managed program and has PMFs rotate though a variety of positions, so I assumed they would put their PMFs in a generic catch-all classification like 301 or 343. Congratulations on your appointment and good luck.

  • Ebele

    Does anyone know if PMF positions are
    compatible with the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. I just got accepted into the corps and I was wondering if I could remain in my PMF position as a USPHS officer and vice versa.

    • Victoria

      That is awesome! You will need to ask the people who hired you. I don’t see a problem with it; especially since you have to find your own job placement under the Corps.

  • GAU

    Surprised nobody mentioned the job fair has finally been announced. http://pmf.gov/news-events/pmf-class-of-2015-finalists-in-person-job-fair.aspx

  • Jason

    GAU, I was thinking the same thing. Go back a couple of months and plenty of people are mentioning that the Job Fair not happening. Now that it is, perhaps complacency has set in? πŸ™‚

  • PMFHopeful

    Has anyone that already received an offer been able to successfully lobby to start at GS-11 from an original GS-9 Position offer? If so, how did you go about it? Thanks y’all.

    • Ebele

      This topic has been widely discussed on the Facebook page. Join the group if you have not. It is such a great resource. Look for
      Presidential Management Fellows Program – 2015 finalists

  • Nosy14

    Don’t know if anyone is still checking this, but my agency wasn’t there and I’m curious. How was the job fair?

    • IndianaHopeful

      It was good. The first day for most people wasn’t very productive. Although for me, I made some great contacts which may *fingers crossed* end up with my first choice in agencies. Second day was hectic as expected. But everywhere I went there were interviews being conducted. I had 5, with one agency in particular already following up for an additional interview. Well worth the wait and expense to attend.

      • Nate

        Which agencies did you interview with and which one requested a follow up interview?

        • IndianaHopeful

          Forest Service, USAID, CMS (x3). One of the teams with CMS was most interesting to me and the one I have additional interviews. Also talked at length with HHS OIG and am waiting for them to post an analyst position.

  • PmfRegret

    To all PMF Finalist,

    Please research the govt agencies before just accepting any offer. Check the Internet to see employee reviews and the list or best places to work for in the Federal Govt. I have not worked in my PMF position long; however, I am very miserable. My agency is the worst. I am already looking for another position ( PMF or not). I was so excited about the PMF program in the beginning. At first I thought that I was overreacting but I’m not the only PMF that feels this way in my agency. I honestly thought that they were just being negative…until I started to feel the same way. It is my fault because I accepted the job out of desperation. I know that this program can be great if you are placed in a good agency. Trying to suck it up for 2 years.

    • dayman

      Just out of curiosity, what agency are you with?

    • EO

      I think this goes without saying for any federal job, and depends on the purpose. I wouldn’t accept a position with the VA right now, but others want that challenge. I also think some PMF finalists misunderstand what the program is intended to do (not saying you, just in general). It’s not a silver spoon or a paved road to SES; you still have to work your ass off, prove yourself, and earn your way.

      • PmfRegret

        I pretty much understand that but some managers don’t understand the PMF program ( required hours of training and rotations). Don’t assume the PMF doesn’t understand the program…..sometimes it’s management. GS9 or 11 starting salary doesn’t equate to “silver spoon” inside fed govt. I know people that started as a GS12 (non PMF) in the fed govt. The SES program also requires acceptance in the program and is not automatic after GS15 ( no paved road as you say). The program was designed with a certain purpose, which is what attracts candidates. I just think people should research the agency before choosing. I guess that means that I misunderstand what the program is intended to do.

        • susan hollis

          Can you assign me a good manager? I am new to PMF

          • siza

            Looks like we got a troll in our hands

    • susan hollis

      How can I get placed with a good agency near me?

  • Rock

    Hello guys,
    I just accepted a tentative offer of GS 9 recently . However, I just got a call from another agency for an interview for a position which I do like and its GS11. Does anyone know if one could turn down a tentative offer?

    • 14PMF

      Yes, definitely, if you haven’t gone through the onboarding process it doesn’t matter. If they ask why you’re turning it down, tell them you got another position that’s GS-11 and maybe they will offer you the higher grade too.

  • Steve

    For folks who participated in 2015 applications and looking to apply for 2016 season, just a heads-up we updated the guide and 2015 -2016 PMF application thread is at

    http://pathtopmf.com/2016-pmf-open-thread/