Federal folk - what's been your experience with choice of locale after training?

[lpdhopeful]

For current federal guys and girls: could you give me some insight into how the process of assigning you to an office went? Were most trainees sent to office of their preference, or were trainees scattered all over the country with little consideration to what would be a "good fit" as far as family connections and suchlike were concerned?

For example, were trainees with families and kids in school in one particular locale generally assigned back to that locale following graduation?

Thanks.

[Kimble]

Were most trainees sent to office of their preference, or were trainees scattered all over the country with little consideration to what would be a "good fit" as far as family connections and suchlike were concerned?

Can't speak for all federal agencies, but mine tends to go with the latter. I was lucky and got a good area, but I know plenty of others who didn't. I know other agencies, like ICE, tend to put people near or where they applied, so I guess it can go either way.

[charlydevo]

Sometimes agencies announce vacancies for a particular office. In that case, applying for that job would land you in that office. Other times, they announce for general recruiting. In that case, you go where they tell you to go.

[Stub]

For current federal guys and girls: could you give me some insight into how the process of assigning you to an office went?

The following is specific to the USMS. From a qualified pool of applicants, HQ sends the profile of an applicant to a district who is slated to receive a new hire. The district gives the applicant a thumbs up or thumbs down. If thumbs up, HQ calls the applicant and offers the position and location of first assignment. If the applicant accepts, he reports to FLETC on the designated report date. Upon graduation, he reports to his first assignment. If the applicant declines, he is removed from the list of considered applicants. If there is continued interest in the USMS, the applicant must re-apply.

As an applicant, I provided the USMS with my geographic preferences.

Newly hired DUSMs must remain at their first assignment for three years before they are eligible for reassignment via OPREF (Office of Preference).

Were most trainees sent to office of their preference, or were trainees scattered all over the country with little consideration to what would be a "good fit" as far as family connections and suchlike were concerned?

Some DUSMs that I attended FLETC with were given their geographic preference. Most were not given preference. All were happy to be offered the job and willing to serve just about anywhere.

Most were married and many had kids.

For example, were trainees with families and kids in school in one particular locale generally assigned back to that locale following graduation?

To my knowledge, families and kids were not a consideration by USMS. It was the applicants responsibility to determine what was in the best interest of his family given the offer on the table.

[Group9]

It is completely dependent on agency. Some federal agencies are very accomodating when it comes to where you are assigned and your preferences, and some use the blindfolded monkey throwing a dart at a map method.

[works for an agency where assignments are given out by a blindfoled money throwing darts at a map. :D]

[retdetsgt]

It is completely dependent on agency. Some federal agencies are very accomodating when it comes to where you are assigned and your preferences, and some use the blindfolded monkey throwing a dart at a map method.

[works for an agency where assignments are given out by a blindfoled money throwing darts at a map. :D]

My wife's nephew is DEA. He graduated #1 in his class so he apparently got to pick his assignment. The rest had to go wherever. Although now I think he's about to get transferred, I dunno if it's voluntary or not. Probably, I think he wants to get away from my wife's sister!

Several of my former coworkers went federal, DEA, FBI and the old Customs. The DEA and FBI people ended up with some pretty awful assignments and most quit after a while. One good friend of mine went FBI and was sent to L.A. He has awful allergies and asked to be transferred to anywhere but there. The agency refused and now he's a US Attorney...... The guy that went with Customs got to stay here and retired from the local office.

[RT302]

And then there is the other side of the federal coin, but as was said before, it depends on the agency.
With the agencies that I have worked for/ with, if you apply to a specific vacancy announcement for a specific location, that is where you go. In my case, I applied several years ago to a position with an agency that had a vacancy in Yuma, AZ. I got the job, moved to AZ, because it was where I wanted to be (and the wife thought she did too...;)), doing what I wanted to do. Wife didn't like it so much so I applied to a position in the same agency at a location on the CA/ OR border. After a few years, I switched agencies and moved to where I am now, because I wanted to be here.
In all of the 4 federal agencies that I have worked for, I have been at areas that I applied to because that is where the vacancy was. By way of comparison, while I was at FLETC, there was an entire BP class being sent to Ajo, because that is where the government wanted them.

The NPS tried a few years ago with their intake program to hire a group and then send them where NPS wanted them after FLETC, but they abandoned the program, from what I heard, due to high turn-over and financial reasons. Currently, USFWS is contemplating the same strategy (hire THEN assign). I guess some agencies have to learn mistakes on their own.... :rolleyes:

[BP348]

USBP has a geographic area that you can put in for. When I was hired they didn't do that they just sent you an offer. I recently met a guy who has the same EOD date as I do. All of his class went to California all of my class went to Texas or New Mexico. So I guess it was dumb luck that I got offered Texas and not California. At that time I also had an offer from a local PD & I think I would have accecpted the local PD offer rather then goto California.

On the other hand, when I received my offer from ICE it was as STUB described it. I was offered a location and I either accecpted it or I didn't. Since I din't I was dropped from the applicant pool. Would have been a dream job and I would have accecpted pretty much anywhere except California or NYC. Of course they offered me Los Angles :mad:

I called every HR department I could get a number for. All of them told me that they had "X" number of spots in L.A. that had to be filled before they could offer any other locations. I'm sure that cost ICE lots of time & money in testing, interviews, and BI's because one of the HR people told me that they had offered the L.A. position to A LOT of people and everyone was turning it down. I don't know how you could make it out in San Diego, SF, or LA on a GS 5, 7, or 9 pay.

[Group9]

My wife's nephew is DEA. He graduated #1 in his class so he apparently got to pick his assignment. The rest had to go wherever. Although now I think he's about to get transferred, I dunno if it's voluntary or not. Probably, I think he wants to get away from my wife's sister!

Several of my former coworkers went federal, DEA, FBI and the old Customs. The DEA and FBI people ended up with some pretty awful assignments and most quit after a while. One good friend of mine went FBI and was sent to L.A. He has awful allergies and asked to be transferred to anywhere but there. The agency refused and now he's a US Attorney...... The guy that went with Customs got to stay here and retired from the local office.

Yep, it's a horrible system that cause untold numbers of good people to leave every year. They main reason that we keep it seems to be a, "I had to do it and I've been divorced twice and my kids hate me and everyone else should have to do it too," attitude in the high command.

[Switchback]

We're lucky. We are hired to a specific location. While you may not like it, you at least know what you are getting into before you take the job and you can decide accordingly. After a 3 year stint in the initial office, you can put in for moves. There are a lot of things that go into these voluntary moves, but it is not that hard to move off to greener pasturs. Also, unless you really screw up, we do not have mandatory moves. We do not have a mandatory time in HQ, either. After your initial hire, generally you will not be moved unless you request it (through voluntary reassignment or by putting in for promotions that require a move).

[Sierra]

When I did it, ICE had you list up to 3 geo preferences. You would only be considered for those areas. Of course, it could be anywhere in that geo area. I only put in for AZ, so that is all I was eligible for.

Some of my classmates put in in various locations then griped when they got them. One girl put in for FL, CT (she had homes in those states) and CA. She, of course, got San Diego.

[BP348]

by putting in for promotions that require a move.

Are supervisors with USMS GS-13?

[BP348]

she of course, got San Diego.

Ouch!!

A while back I read an ariticle in USAToday about how the FBI was having problems keeping new agents in the So. Cal area. and they're GS-10's

As I said I don't know how anyone lives there as a GS-7 with a family.

[Switchback]

For the most part, supervisors are GS13. Some GS13 positions are non-supervisory, though. You still compete for them the same way, but the nature of them is non-supervisory.

[retdetsgt]

Even the state police here is like that. You can put in for a locale, but you are assigned on need.

They finally got away from transferring as discipline, but if you want a promotion or an assignment other than running up and down a freeway, you will have to move. That's why I never gave them any serious consideration, the furtherest they could send me was across town.