What is the “Real Deal” about the 180-day DOD Civilian Hiring Restriction?

Military retirees who want to enter civil service in the Department of Defense (DoD) now require a waiver if they are within 180 days following their official date of retirement. The 180 day time period begins the day following the official date of the service member’s retirement (terminal leave time does not count towards the 180 day time period as the service member is not considered retired during the period of terminal leave). Exemptions include personnel who fall under a special salary table (air traffic controllers, information technology managers, etc.) and members of the military who are separating but not entitled to receive retirement pay from the armed services.

 

This DoD requirement took effect in December 2016 when the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of FY 2017 was signed into law, effectively eliminating the language in the law that allowed for previous hiring flexibility. Following 9-11, a retiree could be appointed immediately after retirement (without a waiver) if a state of emergency existed and this was common practice until a few months ago.

 

All retiring military members CAN apply to federal civilian DoD jobs within the 180 day time period following retirement. Full consideration must be given to eligible and qualified applicants (this includes retirees) as they have the right to seek and be considered for federal civilian employment. The selection process needs to be equitable and in compliance with merit system principles (based on knowledge, skills, and abilities after fair and open competition). If it is determined that the retiree is clearly superior to other referred candidates, a waiver may be sought.  Do not let the waiver requirement deter you from applying if you are well-qualified for the position! 

 

Keep in mind that departments and agencies outside of DoD are not affected by any part of the waiver process. For information on developing your Federal or corporate job search strategy, visit us on the web at www.FedJobResults.com.

Networking Your Way to a New Job Through the Summer Season

Use the summer flutter to network your way to a hiring official. What is networking and can it work for you? Networking is the ability to leverage your constellation of friends, professional colleagues, neighbors and people you know to obtain advice, information and referrals. Can it work in the Federal arena? Of course it can! It can be beneficial to have someone on the inside looking for your application to come through the system, but there are several steps that you want to master first:

-Research - learn about the field (agency) / company and how you fit in 

-Targeting - determine who to target and with whom you should meet (start at modest level and move up)

-Presentation - learn about agency's /company's needs and how you could fit in. 

Once you're confident in your approach, practice what you say so that it is clear and concise. Set a goal for the number of contacts you'll make each week and follow through. Determine a specific time of day during which you can make your networking calls. If the phone seems overwhelming, start face-to-face with those you know, then move to the phone with some practice under your belt. 

Most importantly, have your 30 second commercial ready and rehearsed

- What can you can tell someone about yourself in 30-60 seconds?

- What differentiates you from others? 

- Think of a unique perspective that they will remember.

As a gift to you we are offering  FREE access 

to our NETWORKING webinar through 8/31/17

FJR Academy has packaged the Federal contractor/private sector hiring processes into easy- to- understand training modules.

For more information on developing your job search strategy to attract the attention of the HR hiring team, visit us on the web at www.FedJobResults.com.