Potential Job Switch ?

[donh]

Hi folks,

I'm currently working with the Federal Government on the Gatineau side of the river.

I'm wondering if there are any members of the forum who currently work in the Bells Corners area (CRA maybe?), and who may be able to help me out.

Thanks,
Don

[Weazl]

Send me a PM I'm with CRA downtown but may have some connections depending on who you are with and what you want to do.

[Hacker]

I'm with Health Canada at Tunney's.........let me know if you have any interest here and I'll see what I can do

[Chieflongtee]

weazl. Today 09:18 AM
hacker. Today 09:55 AM
you guys are working hard

[Hacker]

weazl. Today 09:18 AM
hacker. Today 09:55 AM
you guys are working hard

I start at 7:30 so 9:55 would be right around break time don't you think

[Weazl]

As do I. 7:30-3:30

[justsomeguy]

weazl. Today 09:18 AM
hacker. Today 09:55 AM
you guys are working hard

Chieflongtee. Today 10:19 AM

[Chieflongtee]

Chieflongtee. Today 10:19 AM

australian time

[jvincent]

I work for a living, just saw this post at 6:44PM.

Just curious for you federal gov types, is it "easy" to get people from outside the PS in these days? Can people on the inside refer people or does it all have to go through the PS HR machine?

The wife is looking to get back into the workforce now that the kiddies are bigger and I've always been a private sector guy.

[Weazl]

Next to impossible to get someone in long-term from the outside. Casual or short-term sometimes but even thats tough under the Harper regime.

[jvincent]

I figured as much. Thanks for the confirmation.

[jonf]

Yep, I'm experiencing that first hand right now. Next to impossible to get in without going through the HR machine, and even more impossible for someone with no relevant work experience. Considering they will be losing a major chunk of their workforce over the next few years, they certainly are making it extremely difficult for new blood to get their foot in the door. Seems experience counts a lot more than potential.

[Hacker]

I think that impossible is a tad strong......we've had luck getting people in from the outside - you just need to have some HR people who are willing to take full advantage of the flexibilities that the new PSMA provide hiring managers........the words "Best Fit" are your friends

[jvincent]

Yeah, for all of the talk about the impending retirement bonanza of the baby boomers you would think there would be more opportunities.

The problem is that the very nature of the PS will prevent it from being able to be agile when it comes to hiring. A large, bureaucratic entity with layers upon layers of procedures does not make for a nimble organization.

[jvincent]

I think that impossible is a tad strong......we've had luck getting people in from the outside - you just need to have some HR people who are willing to take full advantage of the flexibilities that the new PSMA provide hiring managers........the words "Best Fit" are your friends

More good info. What does "PSMA" stand for?

[Hacker]

More good info. What does "PMSA" stand for?

PSMA = Public Service Modernization Act

[Weazl]

Oddly enough the "baby boomers" are not retiring at the rate people though, plus, many of them are still as much as ten years away from retiring so really the mass exodus is not happening.

[Big Johnny69]

OK, totally off topic, and as a moderator I should know better. But I just read Weazl's signature. One of the best I've ever seen.

[Weazl]

Thanks.

[justsomeguy]

Next to impossible to get someone in long-term from the outside. Casual or short-term sometimes but even thats tough under the Harper regime.

You've got that right.

First of all, getting a permanent job in the federal gov't from outside is virtually impossible in this town if you're not bilingual. If you're in a specialized field, the language requirements aren't as strict so you might have a chance. If you're looking for an entry-level or mid-level position - forget it. You'd be better off moving to Toronto or Vancouver and applying there.

However, casual or short-term contracts are possible and these are getting to be more and more common. The work still needs to get done - and usually the gov't HR department is not involved in these so the language requirements are relaxed. However, the job will usually be through a personnel agency rather than directly with the gov't department - so that means less pay, no benefits and you can be let go at any time without notice or severence.

I'm speaking from experience - my wife has been trying to get a job with the federal gov't since we moved back here. She had both a university and a college degree, and several years experience as a library technician/cataloguer prior to coming here. Well, she has now worked off-and-on for various gov't departments on short-term contracts for almost 6 years and has not been able to get a permanent position. Lots of glowing references from her supervisors and some have even tried to keep her permanently - but as soon as their HR department gets involved it becomes almost impossible.

[Chieflongtee]

You've got that right.

First of all, getting a permanent job in the federal gov't from outside is virtually impossible in this town if you're not bilingual..

Mister T. I beg to differ on that one. I know tons of CS that can not carry a conversation in French. In some posiitions maybe but you would be surprised by the numbers if a test was taken today.

[Weazl]

The CS category is unique though as computer language is English and only those front line support CS's usually need to be bilingual. If you do not speak French in Ottawa it is tough to get nto the Fed gov.

[Chieflongtee]

May be tough . I don't know. I am in the private sector. All I am saying is that there are a LOT of people who can't carry a conversation in both languages.

[Hacker]

I guess every department is different.....but I know that we regularly get new people in from the outside.....then again we are hiring specialized staff like BIs, CHs, MOFs etc. not CRs ASs and so forth

[jvincent]

I guess every department is different.....but I know that we regularly get new people in from the outside.....then again we are hiring specialized staff like BIs, CHs, MOFs etc. not CRs ASs and so forth

Man you guys have you own language. What do all those stand for?

Of course I shouldn't really throw stones, my particular field is full of acronyms as well.

[LobWedge]

PSMA = Public Service Modernization Act

John, you'll find this listed in your thesaurus under Oxymorons.

[Indio]

PSMA = Public Service Modernization Act

Is that the bill that was written in 1867 and finally passed final reading in 2008 without any modifications?

Dan, really this isn't a political discussion

[hoolio]

Man you guys have you own language. What do all those stand for?

Here's some of the acronyms and their pay scales.

[justsomeguy]

Mister T. I beg to differ on that one. I know tons of CS that can not carry a conversation in French. In some posiitions maybe but you would be surprised by the numbers if a test was taken today.

So do I Andre - in fact both of my parents worked in the gov't at one time and they didn't speak French either. However, almost ALL of these people were hired a long time ago. Times have changed A LOT since then.

My wife works in gov't libraries that are not open to the public. As a cataloguer she deals almost exclusively with books and documents that are either in English or in BOTH official languages - she doesn't even interact with people very much. Her French is pretty good - she was allowed to take the language test once and got her B level in reading and writing but failed the oral test by 3 marks. In that particular instance she was applying for the exact job that she was doing (after 6 months through an agency), but when it became a permanent position the HR department made it bilingual B/B/B. She was disqualified from the competition and her supervisor was not happy about that - but there was nothing that could be done. She cannot take the language test again unless she applies for a bilingual position and the hiring department agrees to the re-testing.

Check out the PS "Jobs open to the Public" website some time. About 90% of the permanent positions available in Ottawa are listed as bilingual-imperative. That's just the way it is.

[Hacker]

Here's some of the acronyms and their pay scales.

Thanks Hoolio!