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Return to Article: Homeland Security job applicants surprised by continued hiring freeze

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  In response to SA Chris, I applied for Detention and Removal, Investigations positions and a few other with former INS. (I am a current employee with CIS) I waited over a year, but by the time I got any acknowledgement, it was too late-I reached the "golden" age of 37, which we all know forbids anyone past that age from any type of law enforcement position. I am still with CIS, but frankly, no longer have the desire to stick around this agency, or the Feds for that matter. I then applied to TSA as a screener, but they lost my application. To be honest, I think TSA's days are numbered as it is. I have started applying to local and state agencies. One I applied for even called me notifying me of a test date.

  Harry Posted August 19, 2004 2:01 PM
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  As a current SA w/ICE, I would advise *against* applying for a position w/in this agency, as it is a complete mess. Not only are applicants left in the dark, but so are current employees (no information comming from the leadership - no new badges/credentials after 16 months, budget woes persist, no mission focus, etc). I am hoping to move to another federal agency (previously an SA w/Customs and happy). The new hires are also very upset with the merger and they too are looking to get out. In light of the aforementioned, ICE is not the place to be unless you prefer uncertainty, confusion, low moral, outdated and inaccurate badges/credentials, multiple agency name changes, and immigration-centric enforcement.

  If the public only knew...

  Chris Posted June 21, 2004 8:22 AM
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  Unfortunately I have had the same basic experience as the previous reader. However, I was persistent and found out at DHS CIE at the Twin Cities Center Hiring Center (both from the security and hiring office) they only said "We can not confirm nor deny" anything about the hiring freeze other than "We have not been told anything about when the hiring freeze will end." They did try to apologize for the inconvenience though I know it is not anyone's fault.

  This is plain dumb to treat people who willing to leave a well paying position (in my case a union CCNA position with SBC) to go to government department that from the beginning is treating a future hire like a mushroom, keeping me in the dark and feeding me fertilizer.

  It is my hope Congress investigates the amount of funds that are lost because a person like me just gives up and goes to other job opportunities.

  Al Leiva Posted June 16, 2004 12:02 PM
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  I?d like to make a general comment on the hiring freeze and the entire hiring process for the DHS. I think the way that the DHS makes their applicants wait months upon months without divulging the slightest bit of information regarding the status of their application is an outrage! I would definitely love to know the statistic of how many well qualified and sometimes overqualified individuals apply for jobs within the federal government and lose interest in the job after waiting for extended periods of time. I realize that there are many steps that applicants have to go through before being hired such as medical, physical and background tests but I?ve been speaking with several agents that are now on the job as well as several agents that are waiting to get on the job and they say that the average waiting period is two and a half years???.as far as I?m concerned that?s absurd, the Federal Government cannot expect anyone to wait that long.

  A concerned citizen and individual that is willing to leave a six figure salary to pursue a job with the DHS

  P.S---I would also like to know what the statistic is for the amount of money that the Federal Government loses every year due to the fact that applicants decide during the 2.5 year waiting period that no job is worth waiting that long to get and accept other opportunities in the private sector after several thousand tax paying dollars are exhausted on medical exams and background investigations.

  GovExec.com reader Posted June 11, 2004 10:43 AM
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  I have been dealing with ICE specifically and it is UNBELIEVABLE how unprofessional they are. I have 2 contacts within ICE. One works for Human resources and one is the Agent in Charge of the area I was going to go into. I was told I had a job, I was then told that this person would contact me within 1 week. It has been 10 weeks since they told me that. I have e-mailed the agent in charge and the HR representative over 20 times, and have received ZERO responses. I have called them also at least 10 times and left V-mails, again ZERO responses. I realize the agent in charge is busy, but isn't it a HR representatives job to contact me and answer my questions!

  GovExec.com reader Posted June 11, 2004 10:41 AM
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  I've got less than seven years to go, I'm waiting for the retirement exodus to come in the next five to ten years. I know many who are already eligible but trying to build up their creditable time. We've been hearing about the retirement wave since the early 90's and the gov't is still fooling around.

  And the education requirements for new hirees is absurd, an MBA for a GS-7, a PhD for a GS-9, come on, get real...no wonder they're considering student loan amnesty. Who's eligible anymore?

  GovExec.com reader Posted June 10, 2004 6:26 AM
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  What I find most interesting is all the articles about OPM and hiring and how we in the agencies aren't doing it right- and sandwiched between all these article is an article about a hiring freeze at DHS that has negatively impacted many job applicants. I find this all very ironic.

  I don't quite understand how OPM can demand on the spot hiring and in the same breath we see a freeze on hiring in the 2nd largest federal employer in the government. There is something not right with this picture from an overall federal employee relations standpoint.

  GovExec.com reader Posted June 9, 2004 12:20 PM
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  Why are these people surprised? This is the federal government and they don't care about the employees (unless they are military). I had this same problem back in 1990 - HUD offered me a job and the hiring person interviewed me and his boss interviewed me and then I waited and waited and waited - I finally called the guy and they told me that there was no job so they were sorry - they didn't even call me to tell me and if there was no job why did I see a posting, apply, go through two interviews and get told I had the job? This is crap and the government should be held accountable for this type of ridiculous behavior! In this case it is Homeland Security (a Dept that should not even exist) and its major purpose is to make the corrupt administration look good politically - not to do anything. For three years all we have gotten is a color code for the level of risk (boy that took a PhD to determine).

  federal employee Posted June 9, 2004 6:44 AM
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  I passed the exam with 90 rating in December 2002 and went through other steps. I met the federal investigator in late Feb. 2004. I was told to select locations for the job appointment in April 2004 and was also advised that CBP will contact me soon after the budget review.

  I am truly disappointed.

  weilin Posted June 8, 2004 10:09 AM