DEMYSTIFY??? Wow! Looks like the proponents of "forked tongues", have come up with a new "buzz" word for each of us to get accustomed to. With regard to this issue of the Federal Government's civilian hiring process, couldn't we have eliminated all this 'demystifying' by simply putting ethics and integrity back into the system? I know the United States Air Force wants to remain on the "cutting edge", but I don't think it's necessary to bring aliens into this issue.
With the utmost of respect: contrary to what Mr. Karl Abernathy (CMSgt, USAF Ret), one time WR-ALC Senior Enlisted Advisor (SEA) and right hand to the Commander of the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center during this decade, and many years a "fantastic" First Sergeant; I must respectfully disagree. As a former Human Resources Manager and Deputy Human Resources Director, many duty stations, to include Robins AFB, "charges of nepotism, good ole" boy/girl system, who you know, and countless other issues", plague the federal civilian hiring process throughout. It is without question rampant and has been like a disease allowed to infest the body for many years. That does not leave out the WR-ALC.
It's not about how your resume looks, although misspellings might "give you a bad name". For every class you take on resume writing, you will be given new instructions on how to do a resume. That goes for the Civil Service System as well. They have their own way on USAJOBS, but many hiring officials simply ignore them. Ultimately, the ENTIRE PROCESS of getting "ANY" job, is about marketing yourself. That's not some new thought worthy of putting in the "Genus Book of World Records."
In being boldly candid, in the end, an opening is advertised (posted), not because someone just thought it was a "good idea": it was because directives require it. Chances are though (99%) of the time, who a hiring agency wants has already been determined and the selection authority has already made a phone call and advised that individual to submit their credentials for hiring or they're waiting for him/her to come up on the hiring list. Further, the needing agency will keep sending the list back to Personnel until the person they want appears on that listing. At that time, they will make the selection of that individual and advise personnel they have made their selection. I've observed this process countless times.
How many retired Field Grade Officers (Maj, Lt Col and Col) have you seen picked up by a Defense Contractor after retirement, only for that retired officer to wait six months, by law and then get picked up by the Civil Service for a 12, 13, sometimes even 14! Check it out! I don't mean to pick on Field Grade Officers either; it happens in the Senior Enlisted force as well. They don't call it a "revolving door" for nothing! And it's not like there is no one in the civilian sector outside the gates that is not qualified more so and has applied.
What concerns me as well is the use of U.S. Representative Jim Marshall in this "explanation process" as if to imply that the Honorable Jim Marshall believes it to be different. For the record, I know Congressman Marshall well and I like him. He's always responded to me and in a timely fashion. Quite frankly, I firmly believe he heard so much about these so-called "perceptions"; that he wants to find out for the people he represents, what in "Sam Hill" is going on here!
Quite frankly, there isn't anything to "debunk." I firmly believe, most can articulate their experiences and skills quite well, even in Georgia! If I as a hiring official, ever had any question about someone I was considering, it was easy enough to find out what I needed to know. Bottom line, actions speak louder than words and the citizens of Houston and the surrounding counties of Robins AFB have seen through the "rose colored glasses." What this system needs is "oversight", and that oversight need not be by the "foxes."