CHAPTER 14Waiting for a Response to Your Application

“Between the wish and the thing lies waiting.”—ANONYMOUS

How long will the wait last? Granted, the federal hiring system is generally not known for its need for speed. Nevertheless, it has—in recent years—greatly accelerated its selection processes. I know from my own experiences and those of my clients that more and more agencies are meeting or beating new guidelines to complete each selection within 80 days of its closing date.

Here’s an example of federal efficiency: I recently received an e-mail confirming that I ranked among the “best-qualified applicants” for a Labor Department opening the very same day that it closed, and then was invited to interview for the job two weeks after that. ...

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