In-depth information and candid discussion about the Presidential Management Fellows program.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
2011 PMF Finalists: Open Thread 2
Would you look at that? One of you (or all of you) must have broken the last thread, because it stopped paginating properly at around 800 comments. So I'm opening a new thread to catch the overflow. Comment here instead of the old one.
I am with you on the 31st. (Not that it's much of a bet at this point.) Still, why give us the "mid to late March" line if they planned to send them out at last minute regardless? I hope next year they choose a date and stick to it.
Is it his PMF power? His University of Phoenix pedigree? His transition lenses, or his bristly beard? Or just his brassy, "do-me" attitude? I CAN'T DECIDE.
"Wheeler is nothing if not empathetic toward young people trying to join the federal workforce. It took her eight years to get into government, deterred at first by a federal hiring freeze. She eventually landed that first job as education specialist intern at Fort Carson in Colorado. She was overqualified for the position, but willing to take the job in 1989."
Even our "champion" at OPM took 8 years to get a federal job and that was one she was overqualified for. This process has killed my optimism about federal employment.
@8:59 The word irony doesn't even fit here. What is irony times 945,374,394?
"'She has pulled off five major events in her first nine months on the job,' said Bailey. This has included a graduation ceremony and a revamping of candidate assessments online."
Even though I'm certain everyone in my lab is sick of hearing me talk about these comments, it would be selfish to not share little gems like "Hakeem bumpin' to Sade".
Oh, no, I get that Sade isn't a TV reference. I mean that both music and television references are things I likely won't get, since I stay away from both popular music and television.
Yeah, Metro shows about 40 minutes from Rockville Metro station to Metro Center. How long it actually takes you to get to work depends on where exactly you live (guessing you'd like to live in Rockville) and where exactly you work. Those two variables alone introduce a great deal of uncertainty in any calculations we could do for you. Do you have any ideas about which agency you are looking to work for?
PPS posted a couple interesting positions located in Rockville. Ideally I'd like to live in DC, but it might be more fiscally responsible to live in Rockville if working there...unless I then transfer to another position located in DC.
Since we are already asking for commute times, how far is it from Austin to Antarctica and do you think it is feasible to make the commute? I haven't seen a position in Antarctica listed on PPS, but I am hoping some federal scientific research position will be posted shortly.
does anyone have a feeling that the finalist list has already been distributed to the hiring managers and they are seeing what candidates they are interested in before they are harassed by hundreds of phone calls... i found a current pmf on my linkedin (as a friend suggestion) but I have not ties to her/him. I can be way off but who knows
@12:12 Did you think that he'd get things done quickly? I rather thought he'd take it slowly, and not give any signs of enjoyment, so you'd feel like it was never ending.
All the while he's writing frantically and not once making eye contact. But you did get an extremely awkward handshake as he ushered you into the room and there was a pitcher of ice water. Damn that ice water!
Serious question though- does anyone know if all semi-finalists should expect to receive an email whether they are selected for finalists or not. Meaning, did those who were not selected as semi-finalists last round receive an email telling them they were not selected or did they just look at the list later, not see their name and connect the dots.
Just wondering if I should prepare myself for the possibility of opening an email excitedly only to find out I wasn't selected as a finalist.
Well, he's a member of the Army Wife Network... which says it's "A collaborative effort of over twenty military spouses and family members all blogging about the journey of military life. They are truly Loving A Soldier, Living The Life."
No, no people! Sorry, I was answering a question above (12:43). In the round that moved us to semi-finalist status, those who didn't make it did receive 'rejection' letters. I don't know of anyone who has gotten any form of letter at this stage.
Ah, sweet reminiscence - the days when this blog began we were coherent and professional. Now I can't wipe away the tears fast enough between fits of laughter and pressing F5.
So do you all think we'll hear tomorrow? Technically (and I know I'm an idiot for even trying to apply logic to any of this) tomorrow would be "before April 1st"...
Do you know what I love about this whole process? That our applications had such extremely strict and specific deadlines ("no later 11:59:59 on date x with a/b/c attached and signed") but they were completely content with responding back to us by mid-late whenever.
I sympathize with all the compulsive email checkers out there. I've been checking and sorting my email for so long that for the first time in my online existence I have zero emails in my box.
I like that all we are really waiting for is an email to tell us to book an extraordinarily expensive flight to see Hakeem to spend three days at an expensive hotel for the 50/50 chance we will get a job, preferably with Hakeem.
I called the PMF office this morning. I asked when the list would go out because I have another offer pending. The gentleman who answered the phone said the "goal" was this week, but maybe next. He said once the list is posted and notifications start to go out, it will be posted as "news" on the PMF site. Uug...
We need to RISE AS ONE! What's the game plan if we don't get news tomorrow. Coup d'etat!?
In all seriousness, we deserve to know tomorrow and if they cannot notify for whatever reason, we need to be respected as competent adults (although, they probably shouldn't read these comments if we want to prove we are adults...)!!
I guess the key is that they said the EXPECT to announce the finalist by the end of March, not that they WILL announce the results by the end of March. Nice little hedge in their wording.
With you there. How about camping out in front of OPMF until results are released. (This is also my plan should the gov. shut down before the job fair is confirmed.)
Can someone update this blog on posts on Facebook. I'm trying to finish my thesis, so deactivated it. This blog takes up too much of my time as it is... haha. Thanks!
Susan Johnston I have another job offer pending and have been delaying my response, with hopes that I am a finalist. Is it possible to let us know if you still plan to release the list before April 1st? 22 minutes ago.
Based on the guy's tone this morning when I called, tomorrow didn't seem very likely. He seemed to emphasize the "or next week". Maybe I just perceived it that way because I want the results NOW, but don't logically think he would have given the caveat if they had solid plans for this week...
Personally, if I had another job offer, I wouldn't hesitate to take it. There is no guarantee I'm going to become a finalist OR get a job if I do. Turning down another job is basically throwing guaranteed money out the window.
I think we should all call the PMF office tomorrow (202-606-1040) and inquire about the results. You could give a reason if you felt it necessary, such as need to coordinate with professors, other offers, going out of town, etc. From my experience with government agencies, they do respond to public pressure. It wouldn't get us an immediate response, but will likely put a little fire under them.
Hello everyone. I want to start out by saying that I know where you're all coming from. I've been exactly where you are - super stressed about the results of the selection process and frustrated about the lack of information coming from the PMF office. It's a small office and is quite busy right now, I can assure you. If it makes all of you feel better, in my year I found out I was a finalist 10 days before the job fair. Yes, it sucked to make the trip to DC but given the choice I'm sure everyone would rather make the last minute trip than not be a finalist. Just calm down, take a deep breath, and remember that there are a lot of opportunities out there.
That being said, I think some of you should be ashamed of yourselves for what you're saying about this Hakeem guy. He's just the man who appears when you load up the OPM page and some of you are saying needlessly vicious and hurtful things about him. I imagine many of you would not appreciate it if someone were mocking essentially every piece of information available about you. It's fine to whine about the opaque and seemingly arbitrary selection process, but it is quite another to make personal attacks on another human being who has done nothing to any of you. Knock it off. He doesn't deserve it.
Calling them isn't going to change anything. Most likely the decision to release the list of finalists is out of their hands at this point. They are simply waiting for final approval from the power that be.
I agree. As I was reviewing this new thread, I wondered why everyone was attacking Hakeem. Commenting about Ehab or Susan Johnstone was funny, but this Hakeem stuff was over the top and without reason. Particularly when PMF Fellow's data shows that some people at OPM read this blog.
Were people attacking him? I thought the general tone (at least on this thread) was that people were intrigued by him.
Until March 30, 2011 5:43 PM 's comments, I did not even realize he was on the PMF front page. Someone mentioned talking to him when calling the PMF office with questions.
Guess that's what I get for taking anonymous comments at their face value.
I thought the results would come last Friday (like someone's career lady said), then I thought yesterday for sure, then definately today....still no. I will keep faith that OPM will hold to it's March 31st deadline. Not sure what I will do on Friday if we still don't know. It sure will feel good to get back to normal life without all of this waiting/wondering.
I am defending on Friday and I still have not decided if this whole PMF waiting game distraction has been a good thing or a bad thing. I am leaning toward it being a good thing since I really have not have much to work on once my presentation was finished.
A. I wish I could "like" some of the comments on this blog. B. Maybe I need to learn from Susan Johnston's pushiness - clearly it worked for her if she has another job offer pending and I don't. However, if I worked at OPM, I would take her out of the running for finalist just for being irritating. C. How much value should we give to a post from PMF if it is on April 1st? It might just be one big, fat April Fool's joke on all of us!
While waiting I have played my performance at the assessment over in my mind about a million times. Was my presentation long enough? What did I leave out/include from my essay that I shouldn't have? Was I a total bitch to my team in the group assessment? Did this whole thing even happen, or was it some strange dream that I had this weird assessment at the Embassy Suites of all places?
I thought Susan Johnson wasn't even a real person...more like another Ehab. I guess I just thought she was fake because she doesn't have a picture. Maybe she is just a unique looking individual and prefers to go sans photo?
At any rate, she knows how to get a response from OPM, which is something few people have been able to pull of on a consistent basis.
I've gone over in my mind so many of the things that I wish I had said during the group portion that I can no longer even remember what actually happened.
Also, it was just 3 days ago (Sunday night) that PMF commented on their Facebook page that we should "fully expect the announcement will be before April 1." That leaves only tomorrow unless something has changed in the meantime.
I also think it might be time to find another topic besides Hakeem jokes. Many of them are probably derogatory enough to violate my comment policy (see the About link above for more). Anyway I am not trying to stifle the conversation, but we probably don't want a bunch of negative attention. Thanks for your understanding.
Not to count my chickens, but assuming the results do come out in the next day or two, what is your take on ordering (expensive, non-refundable) travel before the shutdown issue is cleared up?
Does anyone have reason to believe that individuals with past Federal experience through internships, etc. will have a huge leg up? How about foreign experience? Do you think it matters, or do you think they are looking for a solid history of achievement in general?
Not sure why you are asking PMFellow that one considering he/she doesn't work for the Congressional Leadership and thus doesn't have any more info then the average person.
Looks like things are starting to come together: http://thehill.com/homenews/house/152833-white-house-gop-edge-closer-to-spending-cut-deal
I think we're screwed if results come in soon and we have to buy tickets immediately with a shutdown looming. How much more expensive will things be if we wait until the 8th?
I mentioned this earlier in the other thread since I have also spent a lot of time thinking about the group exercise and I think I may have misjudged the best way to go about getting people to see things my way.
I totally bullied the other members of my group. I made the one girl cry and I told her there was no crying in government. The other girl started screaming at me about what a terrible person I was so I told her to shut her pie hole and let me know when she had something of value to share. The other guy in the group got up and was coming around the table to hit me when one of the assessors got up to stop him. I was actually going to let him hit me as I figured it might get me some bonus points while eliminating him from the competition.
It appears as though I made a serious miscalculation as to the best way to conduct myself.
It is going to be very depressing for anyone who has been eagerly awaiting results and isn't accepted. The worst part will be telling friends/family. Oh well, life goes on.
Mabye those who are selected as finalists and need to stay in a hotel could find a way of communicating and split a room. I would be up for it if selected.
I second the delete request. We are claiming to be professional and have don't significant complaining about the unprofessional behavior of OPM. The Hakeem comments are helping anyone.
Her profile says she's from U Mich. The only Johnston on the semi-finalist list is from University of Oregon. And Susan has 1 Facebook friend. And her only activity is writing on the PMF Facebook wall. I sense a shell. But I like it.
Someone outed Ehab as not being a semi-finalist. I hope no one does that to Susan. She is annoying, but very effective. Imagine how little information we would have without her...although we really still don't have any information :-)
What's wrong with only having 1 friend and no picture? Wait, I wonder how she answered questions on the initial assessment like, "how many times did you go out in highschool?", "how many times per week do you workout?", "if we asked your supervisor, would they say you are talkative?".
Why doesn't someone just send her a friend request? I bet we could get to the bottom of this. I mean, we have nothing else to do until they post the dang list!
When I went to my assessment in DC opted out of the Embassy Suites and stayed at the Ritz instead. It was across the street and I was much more comfortable.
the Ritz was ok but it was restaurant week and there were a lot of commoners there... I just told them where I went to school and they gave me the requisite amount of deference, just like in the assessments*...
*nothing in this post is meant to demean, defame, or disparage anyone who may or not be the face, back, or side of the PMF program.
The case for keeping the Hakeem comments: In this country we have a general tendency, for better or worse, to mock people in power. While this starts with the president, it doesn't stop there. Hakeem is a high-ranking (GS-14 as of 2009) government official who is a manager of national programs. He has met the president, drafted executive orders, etc. He works for OPM, so it's not too far fetched to think he had something to do with putting himself on the home page of the PMF website. When I worked for my high school newspaper, we had a rule not to quote others in the newsroom or our friends in stories, since it would seem self-serving. OPM could have chosen any of the PMFs, the vast majority of whom do not work there, yet they went in-house, and so, by showing his face, Hakeem gave up any hint of privacy to which "faceless bureaucrats" may otherwise possibly be entitled to. You will notice that the blogger impersonating Hakeem, who arguably has broken the law by doing so (although he has sarcasm as a nontrivial defense) is no longer posting since that statute has been pointed out. Everyone else has been exercising their first amendment rights, even if in ways I would never do and personally disapprove of (and people should stop, I mean after a while it gets old), like all the sex jokes (but U of Phoenix is fair game!). Of course PMFellow retains the right to delete any post, but I would urge him not to, if only to maintain the flow of the blog, since some of the responses to the Hakeem comments are tied to other topics.
I have found some of the comments on here quite entertaining! Its "nice" to see that I am not the only person agonizing over these results and checking my email a little more often than the norm.
So, here are my thoughts on what might be going on. I find it hard to believe that they wouldn't have the list of finalists already. In fact, I would bet that they have had it for a few days now. I think that the problem with releasing this list actually has more to do with the looming government shutdown. Not necessarily because of any budget issues, but more so due to the fact that if they put the list out and plan the job fair, there will not be any agency personnel around to attend if the government is shut down. Thus, no fair (pun intended)! So, my guess is that they have decided to take all of their allotted time (and hopefully not more) in hopes of congress passing a budget (which would also generate more energy and focus from the agencies if they know what funding they have) and possibly coming up with a "Plan B". What "Plan B" is is anyone's guess! Your thoughts?
I'm pretty sure everyone reading these posts knows how to take things with a grain of salt and understands that none of these comments could possibly considered insulting since you can't say they are personal (we actually know nothing about hakeem and every post is anonymous), and they are all light-hearted. As for 5:43 PM or whatever (I don't really care to check) chill out, lighten up, and calm down. We've chose this thread as OUR release from the stress of waiting on possibly the most obnoxiously inefficient and slow selection process ever devised/executed. Reading the thread has been the only enjoyable part of this process, and you're really going to take that away from us because someone commented on Hakeem's misspelling of Philadelphia and love for SADE (who I have expressed my personal admiration for)? You need a thicker skin. Come on guys, no more overly sensitive, whiny, BS. Two more days, let's keep this thread fun.
I think until after March 4 they didn't even decide how many finalists they wanted, because anything could happen. After the short term extensions they realized they couldn't wait for a definitive budget and had to publish the list anyway. Concerning the job fair, they should just publish the list and wait until after the 8th to announce the fair. There's no need to hold the list until then since people can start looking for jobs on PPS or contacting agencies directly. That's my best guess. Maybe it has to do with a contractor (I still find it silly they couldn't tabulate in-house) What is really happening, who knows? . Maybe someone can file a FOIA request for all non-confidential documents related to the PMF program, and we'll get to the bottom of this some day (these requests take at least a month). For now, all we can do is wait.
I cried. I disagreed with some girl and she decided to assert her dominance by smacking me in the face. After that no one would even make eye contact with me.
Do you think this gives me a better shot at being a finalist, though?
the first time the "bully" posted, I could have sworn it was sarcasm. The second time, I'm not so sure. Someone might actually be that much of an idiot, possibly. The fact that an assessor actually intervened is quite ...hmm I'm at a loss for words... but not exactly in a good way. The guy who got up to punch has NO chance (physical violence is probably the only thing that can actually get you fired from the bureaucracy), the bully ...yeah, no chance neither, and probably not the girl who cried either, or the screamer... I must ask how the meeting proceeded. Did you reach consensus? ROFL
Hey @8:44, I think I may be that girl who smacked you in the face! Congrats on rolling with the punches. Did you test in Atlanta on the 23rd? If so, tell me,
Were we or were we not told that maybe we could mention our area of study? I'm really worried that I didn't mention that I have a dual degree, and will be DQ'd.
I think pissing off your group is seen as a positive in this process. OPM is looking for leaders, and if you lead a fist to your face, that's a start. Well done.
OMG! I did test in ATL on the 23rd. I'm sorry I crossed you. Can we be friends now? We don't even have to be friends, you could just roll your eyes at me every once in awhile and spread nasty rumors about me. YES!
We were allowed to mention our area of study. however, you had to do so in palindromic haiku form in a way that flowed with your paper. Also, you weren't allowed to use the letter E.
Here's the deal: I'll acknowledge your existence, you'll set up all my interviews at the job fair and obtain a signed picture of Hakeem. He should address it to Snugglebunny.
I am waiting on the email on April 1st that says "Due to extenuating circumstances....the list of Finalists will now be posted in Mid to late April"!!! lol
They really do not HAVE to do anything. They said they EXPECT to release the list by the end of March, not that they WILL release the list. Don't get your hopes up.
This is long, but please do read it. I've spent a good deal of time last night and this morning thinking more about the state of the comments on this blog. I understand the objections to deleting comments, and I agree with some of them, but let's not pretend that the First Amendment is applicable here. This is my blog, and I do have the right to delete anything I see fit. It is my job to weigh the consequences of doing so, just as it is your job to weigh the consequences of your words before you post them. There is a reason this blog is run anonymously, and there is a reason I allow people to comment anonymously, not to protect trolls, but to foster the kind of discussions that might be awkward or uncomfortable were they attributable to us. The price for me allowing anonymity is that some of you are going to do and say stupid and unprofessional things. The price of you being a troll, then, is that sometimes I will have to delete some of these stupid and unprofessional things. To date, I have been reluctant to do so. I will spend a portion of the day reviewing comments, deleting those outside my tolerance levels; I think you might be able to predict which ones have to go. I am not going to delete all of the comments in question, because not all of them are tasteless enough to warrant such a fate. However, I do not buy the argument that the conversation flow will be affected. Sure, reconstructing the conversation later becomes more difficult, but we all know that the real power and value in something like this is what is happening at this moment. Just like probably few of you have bothered to browse through the archived posts on this site, you can bet that most of next year's class of PMF hopefuls will cheerfully ignore the narrative you've constructed here on these posts. And honestly, how many of you plan to sift through 1000+ comments after all of this is over, just to reminisce about the ordeal? Will you even find them entertaining anymore? So I don't think conversation flow is a very good argument. The only argument left is the reputation of this site as a place to which you might later return, and which I hope stands as a beacon for future PMF hopefuls. So I ask you to consider this site in terms of the larger picture, and in terms of the legacy you would want to leave for those who come after you. After all, what you say and do here may only matter to you in the moment, but you do leave a lasting impression once you move on, and I can assure you that it matters to me long after this year's process is completed. Now I will leave you with some other thoughts, before I start the task of chucking out the handful of bad apples. Consider Hakeem for a moment. Like many current and former PMFs, I have met Hakeem. Should you become a finalist and secure an appointment, and should you participate in the increasingly numerous PMF-centric events (like a future job fair, orientation, etc.), there is a good chance you will get to meet him too. Now, it is true that Hakeem works for OPM, but I never got the impression he worked for the PMF Program Office. He is just a former PMF who, like myself and any number of other PMFs, are interested in the fate of this program. It is likely, because of how these things work, that he was simply contacted by the PMF Program Office along with a long list of other current and former PMFs and asked if he wanted to volunteer for any part of this new site they were working on. I bet any number of you would have done the same. The apparent price for his having done so is impersonation, mockery, and the like. Is that a fair price for him to pay? Would you want to pay it? What if he really does have no connection to the results you are waiting for, and is only connected to PMF by way of having been a PMF himself? Does that still make him fair game for this kind of treatment? And finally, while there is a clear intent to the anonymity I grant here, do stop and ask yourself whether you would say the same things you are saying if those words could be attributed to you.
Do we still think the finalist tally will be in the 900 range (give or take)?
ReplyDeleteWho wants to setup squares for the number of finalists? I'll take 750.
ReplyDeleteI'll take 695.
ReplyDeleteSo who's betting the results will be out on the 31st?
ReplyDeleteI've been operating under the assumption that if no one has received word by noonish, the notices are not going out. Any thoughts on timelines?
ReplyDeleteAn email they sent me in response to my question said the results should "probably" posted by weeks end. Who knows anymore....
ReplyDeleteI'd like to announce my intentions of taking a shot, as soon as the list is up, whether I make it or not. Anyone with me?
ReplyDeleteAnyone besides me think this is ironic?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/federal-player-of-the-week-opening-the-door-for-federal-job-seekers/2011/03/29/AFyk80uB_story.html
Cheers to the D-Day shot!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete@8:38
ReplyDeleteI am with you on the 31st. (Not that it's much of a bet at this point.) Still, why give us the "mid to late March" line if they planned to send them out at last minute regardless? I hope next year they choose a date and stick to it.
To christen the new thread: is the website down?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteIs it his PMF power? His University of Phoenix pedigree? His transition lenses, or his bristly beard? Or just his brassy, "do-me" attitude? I CAN'T DECIDE.
ReplyDeleteHahahaha
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteDo we have a pic of Hakeem?
ReplyDeleteWhere is Ehab?!
ReplyDeleteRE: the WaPo link at 3/30 8:50 AM
ReplyDelete"Wheeler is nothing if not empathetic toward young people trying to join the federal workforce. It took her eight years to get into government, deterred at first by a federal hiring freeze. She eventually landed that first job as education specialist intern at Fort Carson in Colorado. She was overqualified for the position, but willing to take the job in 1989."
Even our "champion" at OPM took 8 years to get a federal job and that was one she was overqualified for. This process has killed my optimism about federal employment.
i have a belly button.
ReplyDeletesorry- had to
@8:59 The word irony doesn't even fit here. What is irony times 945,374,394?
ReplyDelete"'She has pulled off five major events in her first nine months on the job,' said Bailey. This has included a graduation ceremony and a revamping of candidate assessments online."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/federal-player-of-the-week-opening-the-door-for-federal-job-seekers/2011/03/29/AFyk80uB_story.html
I just checked and I too have a belly button!! It's an innie.
ReplyDeleteI like...Nachos. YES!
ReplyDeleteIf I have a belly button, do you think that will increase or decrease my chances of becoming a finalist?
ReplyDeleteIt depends...did you mention your school or area of study during your in person assessment?
ReplyDeleteHow do I explain my new PMF blog friends to my husband and family? My husband keeps asking me why I am softly chortling to myself.
ReplyDeleteIf I become a finalist, I will enlighten my friends as to what this blog is. If not, I'll go cry by myself over the lost opportunity to meet Hakeem.
ReplyDeleteAlso, to those people wondering about Hakeem, you can look at his facebook profile.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.facebook.com/people/Hakeem-Basheerud-Deen/100001523070761
My belly button is an outtie. Does that give me a better chance at being a finalist?
ReplyDeleteHe is a fan of the "Philidelphia Eagles". Seriously.
ReplyDeleteI am dying because Hakeem "likes" Sade. Let us all picture Hakeem sitting on a leather couch in a dimly lit room, puffing a cigar and bumpin' to Sade.
ReplyDeleteanybody friend him yet? I bet you could get the scoop why he is holding the process up?
ReplyDeleteEven though I'm certain everyone in my lab is sick of hearing me talk about these comments, it would be selfish to not share little gems like "Hakeem bumpin' to Sade".
ReplyDeleteOmg...I wrote about Sade inspiring me to do public service in my personal essay. I'm totally gonna be a finalist. Hakeem and I are like soulmates.
ReplyDeletei don't know who/what sade is? am i disqualified?
ReplyDeleteI Like Lamp!
ReplyDelete@ 10:11 AM - Don't worry, I don't either. TV references most likely sail right over my head as well.
ReplyDeleteSade-hope this helps!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WcWHZc8s2I
Not TV. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sade_Adu
ReplyDeleteOh, no, I get that Sade isn't a TV reference. I mean that both music and television references are things I likely won't get, since I stay away from both popular music and television.
ReplyDeleteShould get Ehab to ask Hakeem what the deal is with the list.
ReplyDeleteHow far is Rockville from DC on the train?
ReplyDeleteDepends on where you're coming from. Anywhere from 25-45 minutes on the metro.
ReplyDeleteYeah, Metro shows about 40 minutes from Rockville Metro station to Metro Center. How long it actually takes you to get to work depends on where exactly you live (guessing you'd like to live in Rockville) and where exactly you work. Those two variables alone introduce a great deal of uncertainty in any calculations we could do for you. Do you have any ideas about which agency you are looking to work for?
ReplyDeletePPS posted a couple interesting positions located in Rockville. Ideally I'd like to live in DC, but it might be more fiscally responsible to live in Rockville if working there...unless I then transfer to another position located in DC.
ReplyDeleteSince we are already asking for commute times, how far is it from Austin to Antarctica and do you think it is feasible to make the commute? I haven't seen a position in Antarctica listed on PPS, but I am hoping some federal scientific research position will be posted shortly.
ReplyDeleteDo you think the email notification will include the "Vacancy ID" subject line that the semi-finalist email had?
ReplyDeleteIt did when I received mine.
ReplyDeleteWhat font do we think they'll use when they post the list finalists? Size?
ReplyDeleteMy money's on Comic Sans.
due to budget cuts, they are only allowed sans serif 6 font... they say it saves ink
ReplyDeleteHakeem, show me favor! Let me in!
ReplyDelete@ 9:43 AM I told my wife "it's a PMF thang you wouldn't understand."
ReplyDeleteHakeem's favorite food: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhUgsPn3hyI&feature=related
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete@March 30, 2011 12:09 PM A whole hour?
ReplyDeletedoes anyone have a feeling that the finalist list has already been distributed to the hiring managers and they are seeing what candidates they are interested in before they are harassed by hundreds of phone calls... i found a current pmf on my linkedin (as a friend suggestion) but I have not ties to her/him. I can be way off but who knows
ReplyDeleteY'all are killing me. I'm trying to keep a straight face in class.
ReplyDelete@12:12
ReplyDeleteDid you think that he'd get things done quickly?
I rather thought he'd take it slowly, and not give any signs of enjoyment, so you'd feel like it was never ending.
Pillowy mounts of mashed potatoes - perfection! Hakeem and I are going to have so much in common...
ReplyDeleteyes, you are way way off...
ReplyDeleteI keep thinking of Hakeem rapping Notorious lyrics: "Federal agents mad cause I'm flagrant;
ReplyDeleteTap my cell, and the phone in the basement..."
@12:24 except he's the federal agent
ReplyDelete@12:15 et al EVERYTHING in government is slow
All the while he's writing frantically and not once making eye contact. But you did get an extremely awkward handshake as he ushered you into the room and there was a pitcher of ice water. Damn that ice water!
ReplyDeleteIf anyone ever asks me to be the new face of PMF, I am so turning it down.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Hakeem is reading this?
ReplyDeleteand if he's married!
ReplyDeleteHakeem is omniscient, he doesn't have to read this. But he knows...
ReplyDeleteYou guys are hilarious :)
ReplyDeleteSerious question though- does anyone know if all semi-finalists should expect to receive an email whether they are selected for finalists or not. Meaning, did those who were not selected as semi-finalists last round receive an email telling them they were not selected or did they just look at the list later, not see their name and connect the dots.
Just wondering if I should prepare myself for the possibility of opening an email excitedly only to find out I wasn't selected as a finalist.
I know my classmates got 'rejection' letters. I think my heart will stop when I finally have the news in my inbox...you know, in a couple weeks...
ReplyDeleteYeah, I would think they notify everyone. Since it's electronic you can't even go with the big envelope little envelope thing.
ReplyDeleteRE: Anon 12:37 "If anyone ever asks me to be the new face of PMF, I am so turning it down."
ReplyDeleteNow we know why government is made up of faceless bureaucrats.
Yeah, this is exactly why the government is so hesitant to really get into social media.
ReplyDeleteI want more info on these "rejection letters" please. Who got them, when did they get them, are they real, is Hakeem married, etc.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone gotten any rejections or acceptances online yet?
ReplyDelete@12:40
ReplyDeleteWell, he's a member of the Army Wife Network...
which says it's
"A collaborative
effort of over twenty military spouses and family
members all blogging about the journey of military life.
They are truly Loving A Soldier, Living The Life."
does that count?
WINNING!
ReplyDeletePeople seriously need to stop sending me emails if they are not informing me of my PMF application status.
ReplyDeleteI think I wore out the refresh button on my Outlook.
ReplyDeleteI'm serious re: rejections. Oh wise PMFellow, have you heard of these rejection letters before?
ReplyDeleteDammit LivingSocial, I don't want to buy your wonderful deals! You tricked me into thinking I had an important email!
ReplyDeleteNo, no people! Sorry, I was answering a question above (12:43). In the round that moved us to semi-finalist status, those who didn't make it did receive 'rejection' letters. I don't know of anyone who has gotten any form of letter at this stage.
ReplyDeleteWe need shots now, people, NOW!
SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS
ReplyDeleteIs this shots thing in reference to the 8:46 comment about shots as soon as the list is out? Does this mean the LIST IS OUT?
ReplyDeleteEverybody freakout!
It would be great if the list had been posted a week ago and we all just forgot to check.
ReplyDeleteAh, sweet reminiscence - the days when this blog began we were coherent and professional. Now I can't wipe away the tears fast enough between fits of laughter and pressing F5.
ReplyDeleteCoherent is a generous term... we degenerated into Lord of the Flies pretty quickly.
ReplyDeleteSo do you all think we'll hear tomorrow? Technically (and I know I'm an idiot for even trying to apply logic to any of this) tomorrow would be "before April 1st"...
ReplyDeleteThe day is not over...I got my semi-finalist notification email at around 7 pm EST...I should nap for a few hours and then check my inbox...
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteCorrection to March 30 2:23 entry...I got my semifinalist notice at 9:15 EST...
ReplyDeleteIs it just my computer, or is the PMF website down?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete@2:36
ReplyDeleteaffect
Do you know what I love about this whole process? That our applications had such extremely strict and specific deadlines ("no later 11:59:59 on date x with a/b/c attached and signed") but they were completely content with responding back to us by mid-late whenever.
ReplyDeleteFunny. Sigh. I'm over it.
If a government position is anything like the military, you will want to prepare for your experience by remembering this line...'hurry up and wait'.
ReplyDeleteAnyone in the military will tell you this is way things are done.
I sympathize with all the compulsive email checkers out there. I've been checking and sorting my email for so long that for the first time in my online existence I have zero emails in my box.
ReplyDeleteFriday is my birthday. Really. Am I going to be laughing with the winners or crying in my beer? Either way, alcohol WILL be involved!
ReplyDeleteYou seem to have forgotten option 3: laughing in your beer at all the fools joining this program.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI like that all we are really waiting for is an email to tell us to book an extraordinarily expensive flight to see Hakeem to spend three days at an expensive hotel for the 50/50 chance we will get a job, preferably with Hakeem.
ReplyDeleteRemember: option 4 comes with purple silk.
ReplyDeleteI vote we all friend Hakeem on facebook tonight.
ReplyDeleteI haven't even "liked" the PMF site on FB yet. I do not want to be embarrassed if I am not selected as a finalist. :-p
ReplyDelete@4:10 hahaha! same here.
ReplyDeleteHey-- while you're waiting, vote for my friend (also a PMF hopeful) to win a dream wedding:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ultimateweddingcontest.com/entry/158830
Maybe this will give you something to do and if she doesn't get the job, maybe she'll get a sweet wedding.
I called the PMF office this morning. I asked when the list would go out because I have another offer pending. The gentleman who answered the phone said the "goal" was this week, but maybe next. He said once the list is posted and notifications start to go out, it will be posted as "news" on the PMF site. Uug...
ReplyDeletePMF = Pulling My Femur.
ReplyDeleteThe last news posted on the PMF website was "Posted on 3/15/2011 9:08:51 PM". There is still hope for news tonight :) (ha....ha.....)
ReplyDeleteGAH
ReplyDeleteLooks like Susan Johnston has us covered on FB, lets hope they miraculously reply with something meaningful...
ReplyDeleteWe need to RISE AS ONE! What's the game plan if we don't get news tomorrow. Coup d'etat!?
ReplyDeleteIn all seriousness, we deserve to know tomorrow and if they cannot notify for whatever reason, we need to be respected as competent adults (although, they probably shouldn't read these comments if we want to prove we are adults...)!!
Dude, Susan is getting AFTER it! Every time she posts I have to peek at it between my fingers. awkwaaaard!
ReplyDeleteI guess the key is that they said the EXPECT to announce the finalist by the end of March, not that they WILL announce the results by the end of March. Nice little hedge in their wording.
ReplyDelete@5:00pm
ReplyDeleteWith you there. How about camping out in front of OPMF until results are released. (This is also my plan should the gov. shut down before the job fair is confirmed.)
Can someone update this blog on posts on Facebook. I'm trying to finish my thesis, so deactivated it. This blog takes up too much of my time as it is... haha. Thanks!
ReplyDelete@ 5:08
ReplyDeleteSure, here is Susan's latest inquiry:
Susan Johnston I have another job offer pending and have been delaying my response, with hopes that I am a finalist. Is it possible to let us know if you still plan to release the list before April 1st?
22 minutes ago.
Ballsy, Susan (although, I wish she would have just said TOMORROW)!
ReplyDeleteSomeone keep me posted on the results! =)
Well its safe to assume it isn't coming tonight, and I think it's doubtful they release it tomorrow. Friday, maybe.
ReplyDeleteBased on the guy's tone this morning when I called, tomorrow didn't seem very likely. He seemed to emphasize the "or next week". Maybe I just perceived it that way because I want the results NOW, but don't logically think he would have given the caveat if they had solid plans for this week...
ReplyDeleteI dare someone to send Hakeem a FB message and ask him for the inside scoop on the results ;-)
ReplyDeleteThis next week crap is just plain unacceptable.
ReplyDeletePersonally, if I had another job offer, I wouldn't hesitate to take it. There is no guarantee I'm going to become a finalist OR get a job if I do. Turning down another job is basically throwing guaranteed money out the window.
ReplyDeletePlus, if you are a finalist you have an entire year to look for a job. If you don't love the job you take now, you could still quit and be a PMF.
ReplyDeleteI think we should all call the PMF office tomorrow (202-606-1040) and inquire about the results. You could give a reason if you felt it necessary, such as need to coordinate with professors, other offers, going out of town, etc. From my experience with government agencies, they do respond to public pressure. It wouldn't get us an immediate response, but will likely put a little fire under them.
ReplyDeleteWho's in??
Hello everyone.
ReplyDeleteI want to start out by saying that I know where you're all coming from. I've been exactly where you are - super stressed about the results of the selection process and frustrated about the lack of information coming from the PMF office. It's a small office and is quite busy right now, I can assure you. If it makes all of you feel better, in my year I found out I was a finalist 10 days before the job fair. Yes, it sucked to make the trip to DC but given the choice I'm sure everyone would rather make the last minute trip than not be a finalist. Just calm down, take a deep breath, and remember that there are a lot of opportunities out there.
That being said, I think some of you should be ashamed of yourselves for what you're saying about this Hakeem guy. He's just the man who appears when you load up the OPM page and some of you are saying needlessly vicious and hurtful things about him. I imagine many of you would not appreciate it if someone were mocking essentially every piece of information available about you. It's fine to whine about the opaque and seemingly arbitrary selection process, but it is quite another to make personal attacks on another human being who has done nothing to any of you. Knock it off. He doesn't deserve it.
Hakeem, if my allusions to you looking like Uncle Phil from Fresh Prince were hurtful, I apologize. You do kinda look like him though... just sayin...
ReplyDeleteCalling them isn't going to change anything. Most likely the decision to release the list of finalists is out of their hands at this point. They are simply waiting for final approval from the power that be.
ReplyDeleteI agree. As I was reviewing this new thread, I wondered why everyone was attacking Hakeem. Commenting about Ehab or Susan Johnstone was funny, but this Hakeem stuff was over the top and without reason. Particularly when PMF Fellow's data shows that some people at OPM read this blog.
ReplyDeleteIf some of them do read this blog I hope they take home the message that more open and informative communication would be greatly appreciated.
ReplyDeleteWere people attacking him? I thought the general tone (at least on this thread) was that people were intrigued by him.
ReplyDeleteUntil March 30, 2011 5:43 PM 's comments, I did not even realize he was on the PMF front page. Someone mentioned talking to him when calling the PMF office with questions.
Guess that's what I get for taking anonymous comments at their face value.
I thought the results would come last Friday (like someone's career lady said), then I thought yesterday for sure, then definately today....still no. I will keep faith that OPM will hold to it's March 31st deadline. Not sure what I will do on Friday if we still don't know. It sure will feel good to get back to normal life without all of this waiting/wondering.
ReplyDeleteI am defending on Friday and I still have not decided if this whole PMF waiting game distraction has been a good thing or a bad thing. I am leaning toward it being a good thing since I really have not have much to work on once my presentation was finished.
ReplyDeleteA. I wish I could "like" some of the comments on this blog.
ReplyDeleteB. Maybe I need to learn from Susan Johnston's pushiness - clearly it worked for her if she has another job offer pending and I don't. However, if I worked at OPM, I would take her out of the running for finalist just for being irritating.
C. How much value should we give to a post from PMF if it is on April 1st? It might just be one big, fat April Fool's joke on all of us!
While waiting I have played my performance at the assessment over in my mind about a million times. Was my presentation long enough? What did I leave out/include from my essay that I shouldn't have? Was I a total bitch to my team in the group assessment? Did this whole thing even happen, or was it some strange dream that I had this weird assessment at the Embassy Suites of all places?
ReplyDeleteHa ha ha....is everyone else going through this?
I did the assessment and promptly forgot all about it. Doesn't do any good to relive things that you can't change.
ReplyDelete@ 6:02
ReplyDeleteI thought Susan Johnson wasn't even a real person...more like another Ehab. I guess I just thought she was fake because she doesn't have a picture. Maybe she is just a unique looking individual and prefers to go sans photo?
At any rate, she knows how to get a response from OPM, which is something few people have been able to pull of on a consistent basis.
I've gone over in my mind so many of the things that I wish I had said during the group portion that I can no longer even remember what actually happened.
ReplyDeleteAlso, it was just 3 days ago (Sunday night) that PMF commented on their Facebook page that we should "fully expect the announcement will be before April 1." That leaves only tomorrow unless something has changed in the meantime.
I also think it might be time to find another topic besides Hakeem jokes. Many of them are probably derogatory enough to violate my comment policy (see the About link above for more). Anyway I am not trying to stifle the conversation, but we probably don't want a bunch of negative attention. Thanks for your understanding.
ReplyDelete@PMFellow:
ReplyDeleteNot to count my chickens, but assuming the results do come out in the next day or two, what is your take on ordering (expensive, non-refundable) travel before the shutdown issue is cleared up?
Shall we re-hash the assessment one more time?
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone have reason to believe that individuals with past Federal experience through internships, etc. will have a huge leg up? How about foreign experience? Do you think it matters, or do you think they are looking for a solid history of achievement in general?
Not sure why you are asking PMFellow that one considering he/she doesn't work for the Congressional Leadership and thus doesn't have any more info then the average person.
ReplyDeleteLooks like things are starting to come together: http://thehill.com/homenews/house/152833-white-house-gop-edge-closer-to-spending-cut-deal
Just read The Hill ....
I think we're screwed if results come in soon and we have to buy tickets immediately with a shutdown looming. How much more expensive will things be if we wait until the 8th?
ReplyDeleteI mentioned this earlier in the other thread since I have also spent a lot of time thinking about the group exercise and I think I may have misjudged the best way to go about getting people to see things my way.
ReplyDeleteI totally bullied the other members of my group. I made the one girl cry and I told her there was no crying in government. The other girl started screaming at me about what a terrible person I was so I told her to shut her pie hole and let me know when she had something of value to share. The other guy in the group got up and was coming around the table to hit me when one of the assessors got up to stop him. I was actually going to let him hit me as I figured it might get me some bonus points while eliminating him from the competition.
It appears as though I made a serious miscalculation as to the best way to conduct myself.
The Congress will pass a CR for the remainder of the year. I don't think it will be an issue.
ReplyDeleteIf you wait till August 8th to purchase your tickets you will be closing in on the two week margin when airlines really jack up the ticket price.
Sorry, I mean April. (If you waited till August you would really be screwed).
ReplyDeleteWait...why would we wait till August???
ReplyDeleteIt is going to be very depressing for anyone who has been eagerly awaiting results and isn't accepted. The worst part will be telling friends/family. Oh well, life goes on.
ReplyDeleteI expect the plane ticket to be pricey, but I'm more worried about the hotel costs since we have to be there for 3 nights.
ReplyDeleteDo we really need to go all three days?
ReplyDeleteMabye those who are selected as finalists and need to stay in a hotel could find a way of communicating and split a room. I would be up for it if selected.
ReplyDelete4 nights at a hotel near the convention center would cost nearly $1200 before tax. Add airfare and food, and it will be about a $2000 trip.
ReplyDeleteI traveled to the assessment from Texas and it cost me about $800...
PMFellow, is there any way to delete the comments about Hakeem? These comments are offensive and embarrassing and they make us all look bad.
ReplyDeleteI second the delete request. We are claiming to be professional and have don't significant complaining about the unprofessional behavior of OPM. The Hakeem comments are helping anyone.
ReplyDeletePlus, OPM deletes comments after the fact, so we should too!!!
ReplyDeleteIs Susan Johnston a semifinalist?
ReplyDelete@ 7:04 PM I thought for sure she wasn't, but I checked the list and she actually is. Go Susan!!!
ReplyDeleteHer profile says she's from U Mich. The only Johnston on the semi-finalist list is from University of Oregon. And Susan has 1 Facebook friend. And her only activity is writing on the PMF Facebook wall. I sense a shell. But I like it.
ReplyDeleteOMG they're going to find Hakeem comments, trace back the IP addresses of everyone here, and disqualify us all! Chill out, guys. Open a beer.
ReplyDeleteSomeone outed Ehab as not being a semi-finalist. I hope no one does that to Susan. She is annoying, but very effective. Imagine how little information we would have without her...although we really still don't have any information :-)
ReplyDeletemaybe that one friend might be a link to the real person behind "Susan"
ReplyDeleteWhat's wrong with only having 1 friend and no picture? Wait, I wonder how she answered questions on the initial assessment like, "how many times did you go out in highschool?", "how many times per week do you workout?", "if we asked your supervisor, would they say you are talkative?".
ReplyDeleteWhy doesn't someone just send her a friend request? I bet we could get to the bottom of this. I mean, we have nothing else to do until they post the dang list!
ReplyDeleteThey should have hosted this thing at the Mayflower instead of Embassy Suites. I had a Groupon with the Emperors Club VIP that I could have redeemed.
ReplyDeleteGroupon? Just wrack up some credit card debt and stay at the Mayflower anyways.
ReplyDeleteWhen I went to my assessment in DC opted out of the Embassy Suites and stayed at the Ritz instead. It was across the street and I was much more comfortable.
ReplyDeleteI retract my earlier comments about Susan Johnston. Thanks for being the bad guy on the facebook page so we don't have to!
ReplyDeletethe Ritz was ok but it was restaurant week and there were a lot of commoners there... I just told them where I went to school and they gave me the requisite amount of deference, just like in the assessments*...
ReplyDelete*nothing in this post is meant to demean, defame, or disparage anyone who may or not be the face, back, or side of the PMF program.
Just drive to DC! You can rent with unlimited mileage for about $20 a day most of the time.
ReplyDeleteThe case for keeping the Hakeem comments:
ReplyDeleteIn this country we have a general tendency, for better or worse, to mock people in power. While this starts with the president, it doesn't stop there. Hakeem is a high-ranking (GS-14 as of 2009) government official who is a manager of national programs. He has met the president, drafted executive orders, etc.
He works for OPM, so it's not too far fetched to think he had something to do with putting himself on the home page of the PMF website. When I worked for my high school newspaper, we had a rule not to quote others in the newsroom or our friends in stories, since it would seem self-serving. OPM could have chosen any of the PMFs, the vast majority of whom do not work there, yet they went in-house, and so, by showing his face, Hakeem gave up any hint of privacy to which "faceless bureaucrats" may otherwise possibly be entitled to.
You will notice that the blogger impersonating Hakeem, who arguably has broken the law by doing so (although he has sarcasm as a nontrivial defense) is no longer posting since that statute has been pointed out. Everyone else has been exercising their first amendment rights, even if in ways I would never do and personally disapprove of (and people should stop, I mean after a while it gets old), like all the sex jokes (but U of Phoenix is fair game!). Of course PMFellow retains the right to delete any post, but I would urge him not to, if only to maintain the flow of the blog, since some of the responses to the Hakeem comments are tied to other topics.
Geeeeze we are all too stressed out over this.
ReplyDeleteWhen will it just be over....
I know. I tried watching Intervention thinking it would of course make me feel better. Fail. Now watching Top Chef. DON'T RUIN IT East Coasters.
ReplyDeleteHahaha. Just watched. Marcel wins, don't worry.
ReplyDeleteI have found some of the comments on here quite entertaining! Its "nice" to see that I am not the only person agonizing over these results and checking my email a little more often than the norm.
ReplyDeleteSo, here are my thoughts on what might be going on. I find it hard to believe that they wouldn't have the list of finalists already. In fact, I would bet that they have had it for a few days now. I think that the problem with releasing this list actually has more to do with the looming government shutdown. Not necessarily because of any budget issues, but more so due to the fact that if they put the list out and plan the job fair, there will not be any agency personnel around to attend if the government is shut down. Thus, no fair (pun intended)! So, my guess is that they have decided to take all of their allotted time (and hopefully not more) in hopes of congress passing a budget (which would also generate more energy and focus from the agencies if they know what funding they have) and possibly coming up with a "Plan B". What "Plan B" is is anyone's guess! Your thoughts?
I'm pretty sure everyone reading these posts knows how to take things with a grain of salt and understands that none of these comments could possibly considered insulting since you can't say they are personal (we actually know nothing about hakeem and every post is anonymous), and they are all light-hearted. As for 5:43 PM or whatever (I don't really care to check) chill out, lighten up, and calm down. We've chose this thread as OUR release from the stress of waiting on possibly the most obnoxiously inefficient and slow selection process ever devised/executed. Reading the thread has been the only enjoyable part of this process, and you're really going to take that away from us because someone commented on Hakeem's misspelling of Philadelphia and love for SADE (who I have expressed my personal admiration for)? You need a thicker skin. Come on guys, no more overly sensitive, whiny, BS. Two more days, let's keep this thread fun.
ReplyDeleteEND OF RANT
Where's the tylenol?
yeah. it's not our fault our government is driving us slowly insane. :(
ReplyDeleteWe're all in this together! Keep the comedy coming!
ReplyDeleteI have philosophical question:
ReplyDeleteIs it possible for Hakeem to make a SADE mix so awesome that even he can't resist dancing to it?
i want to hear more from the person who bullied/made people cry in their group assessment. did anyone else have similar experiences?
ReplyDeleteI think until after March 4 they didn't even decide how many finalists they wanted, because anything could happen. After the short term extensions they realized they couldn't wait for a definitive budget and had to publish the list anyway. Concerning the job fair, they should just publish the list and wait until after the 8th to announce the fair. There's no need to hold the list until then since people can start looking for jobs on PPS or contacting agencies directly. That's my best guess. Maybe it has to do with a contractor (I still find it silly they couldn't tabulate in-house) What is really happening, who knows? . Maybe someone can file a FOIA request for all non-confidential documents related to the PMF program, and we'll get to the bottom of this some day (these requests take at least a month). For now, all we can do is wait.
ReplyDeleteI cried. I disagreed with some girl and she decided to assert her dominance by smacking me in the face. After that no one would even make eye contact with me.
ReplyDeleteDo you think this gives me a better shot at being a finalist, though?
I think Hakeem has challenged congress to Mortal Kombat over the PMF budget and now we'll have to wait until monday to know the results.
ReplyDeletethe first time the "bully" posted, I could have sworn it was sarcasm. The second time, I'm not so sure. Someone might actually be that much of an idiot, possibly. The fact that an assessor actually intervened is quite ...hmm I'm at a loss for words... but not exactly in a good way. The guy who got up to punch has NO chance (physical violence is probably the only thing that can actually get you fired from the bureaucracy), the bully ...yeah, no chance neither, and probably not the girl who cried either, or the screamer...
ReplyDeleteI must ask how the meeting proceeded. Did you reach consensus? ROFL
Not that it seems to really matter at this point, but ... March 31st in DC!
ReplyDeleteHey @8:44, I think I may be that girl who smacked you in the face! Congrats on rolling with the punches. Did you test in Atlanta on the 23rd? If so, tell me,
ReplyDeleteWere we or were we not told that maybe we could mention our area of study? I'm really worried that I didn't mention that I have a dual degree, and will be DQ'd.
I think pissing off your group is seen as a positive in this process. OPM is looking for leaders, and if you lead a fist to your face, that's a start. Well done.
ReplyDeleteOMG! I did test in ATL on the 23rd. I'm sorry I crossed you. Can we be friends now? We don't even have to be friends, you could just roll your eyes at me every once in awhile and spread nasty rumors about me. YES!
ReplyDeleteWe were allowed to mention our area of study. however, you had to do so in palindromic haiku form in a way that flowed with your paper. Also, you weren't allowed to use the letter E.
@9:13 PM
ReplyDeleteHere's the deal:
I'll acknowledge your existence, you'll set up all my interviews at the job fair and obtain a signed picture of Hakeem. He should address it to Snugglebunny.
Counting the first thread, we passed the 1000 comment point like five posts ago.
ReplyDeleteStrangely, that makes me want to both giggle and cry.
ReplyDeleteTick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
ReplyDeleteSleeping will be difficult tonight, but not as much as staying awake will be tomorrow! :/
I am waiting on the email on April 1st that says "Due to extenuating circumstances....the list of Finalists will now be posted in Mid to late April"!!! lol
ReplyDeleteOMG! Is the PMF site down for y'all too? This is it!!
ReplyDeleteIt's not down for me, which link is down for you?
ReplyDeletenope still works. (nice try though)
ReplyDeleteThe finalist page is working just fine.
ReplyDeletethey have to tell us today, right?
ReplyDeleteThey really do not HAVE to do anything. They said they EXPECT to release the list by the end of March, not that they WILL release the list. Don't get your hopes up.
ReplyDeleteI have been thinking of writing my career adviser to see if she can solicit more definite information. Has anyone else had luck with this angle?
ReplyDeleteOn the official page, they say WILL:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.pmf.opm.gov/FinalistSortByName.aspx
Also, on their Facebook page on Sunday they wrote: "Fully expect the announcement will be before April 1."
This is long, but please do read it. I've spent a good deal of time last night and this morning thinking more about the state of the comments on this blog. I understand the objections to deleting comments, and I agree with some of them, but let's not pretend that the First Amendment is applicable here. This is my blog, and I do have the right to delete anything I see fit. It is my job to weigh the consequences of doing so, just as it is your job to weigh the consequences of your words before you post them. There is a reason this blog is run anonymously, and there is a reason I allow people to comment anonymously, not to protect trolls, but to foster the kind of discussions that might be awkward or uncomfortable were they attributable to us. The price for me allowing anonymity is that some of you are going to do and say stupid and unprofessional things. The price of you being a troll, then, is that sometimes I will have to delete some of these stupid and unprofessional things. To date, I have been reluctant to do so. I will spend a portion of the day reviewing comments, deleting those outside my tolerance levels; I think you might be able to predict which ones have to go. I am not going to delete all of the comments in question, because not all of them are tasteless enough to warrant such a fate. However, I do not buy the argument that the conversation flow will be affected. Sure, reconstructing the conversation later becomes more difficult, but we all know that the real power and value in something like this is what is happening at this moment. Just like probably few of you have bothered to browse through the archived posts on this site, you can bet that most of next year's class of PMF hopefuls will cheerfully ignore the narrative you've constructed here on these posts. And honestly, how many of you plan to sift through 1000+ comments after all of this is over, just to reminisce about the ordeal? Will you even find them entertaining anymore? So I don't think conversation flow is a very good argument. The only argument left is the reputation of this site as a place to which you might later return, and which I hope stands as a beacon for future PMF hopefuls. So I ask you to consider this site in terms of the larger picture, and in terms of the legacy you would want to leave for those who come after you. After all, what you say and do here may only matter to you in the moment, but you do leave a lasting impression once you move on, and I can assure you that it matters to me long after this year's process is completed. Now I will leave you with some other thoughts, before I start the task of chucking out the handful of bad apples. Consider Hakeem for a moment. Like many current and former PMFs, I have met Hakeem. Should you become a finalist and secure an appointment, and should you participate in the increasingly numerous PMF-centric events (like a future job fair, orientation, etc.), there is a good chance you will get to meet him too. Now, it is true that Hakeem works for OPM, but I never got the impression he worked for the PMF Program Office. He is just a former PMF who, like myself and any number of other PMFs, are interested in the fate of this program. It is likely, because of how these things work, that he was simply contacted by the PMF Program Office along with a long list of other current and former PMFs and asked if he wanted to volunteer for any part of this new site they were working on. I bet any number of you would have done the same. The apparent price for his having done so is impersonation, mockery, and the like. Is that a fair price for him to pay? Would you want to pay it? What if he really does have no connection to the results you are waiting for, and is only connected to PMF by way of having been a PMF himself? Does that still make him fair game for this kind of treatment? And finally, while there is a clear intent to the anonymity I grant here, do stop and ask yourself whether you would say the same things you are saying if those words could be attributed to you.
ReplyDelete