CBP officer

[audi0xpl0de]

Yoda,

Are you saying that if there are two people have been sent to tsu at the same time, one has been qualified at gs-5, the other at gs-7, and only gs-5 is available at the port at the time, the gs-5 will get hired first??

If so, can the gs-7 person ask for the gs-5?

I heard that if they don't have a gs-7 available, then they will automatically offer the gs-5, instaed of making that person wait?

I believe in the TO paperwork you have the option of saying you would only accept gs-7, which would mean they would take the gs-5 person next in line.

[GeM168]

My BI is a woman and met with six of my references before I met with her. Now I have guy calling my house wanting to meet with my roommate. Thought maybe the case got transfered to him, but now another one of my references is supposed to me with the woman tomorrow. Is it normal to have two people on one case?

I just met my BI on 2 days ago. He told me that it is normal to have multiple BI working on the same case. I also had a woman BI contact couple of my references last week. My BI on CASS yesterday show "clear". I hope everything went through smoothly.

[yoda]

Sorry, I've been gone a week so this is delayed...

In theory it's a good idea...especially for new grads. But there are some people who, after taking a GS-7, will already be taking pay-cuts and still have to support their families, to take a GS-5 at 10,000 less per year (and yes I know you will work overtime to make up for some of it, but for the same reason I would like to limit my overtime as much as possible). I'm not attacking you, it just doesn't make any sense to me why someone who is better qualified at a GS-7 would have to wait longer for a position than someone with less experience at a GS-5... But, maybe its just me....

Myself, I can wait... It seems like everyone is doing a lot of that anyway

I have stated as well that this would be the best option for those who need the job ASAP, not for those who are employed making good money.
They will take the GS-5 applicant over the GS-7 if there are no GS-7 spots available, that's the dice you role when going for a 7 spot.
As to over time, you have no choice in that, most of it is mandatory... I have a friend in Orlando that spent almost an entire week at the airport, even sleeping there, because of short staffing working OT... He had NO say on this.... plus the money is good!...
Whenever making a decision on going for FLEO you will have to plan accordingly, specially when you're going for an entry level position...

After you draw your TO there is NO "qualifying" in this, you get your spot when you get it... just the way it is...

[sap123]

Interesting. I mean it totally makes sense to only have so many 7 slots, but at the same time I guess it could have made me just go for the 5 slot if I knew it would probably get me hired on faster. To be fair, I'm looking to go to work down at the San Diego border crossings, and there doesn't seem to be any shortage of openings.

[merlin436]

Sadly...they only offer a limited number of GS-07 slots. Once they're gone, they're gone.
I suppose if you're already making decent money...holding on for a 7 makes some sense. The folks I like to laugh at are the ''manager types working at Old Navy making 30K a year" who pass over a 5 and a pretty much guaranteed 38-60K+ to wait a year to until a 7 spot finally opens.

[sap123]

Sadly...they only offer a limited number of GS-07 slots. Once they're gone, they're gone.
I suppose if you're already making decent money...holding on for a 7 makes some sense. The folks I like to laugh at are the ''manager types working at Old Navy making 30K a year" who pass over a 5 and a pretty much guaranteed 38-60K+ to wait a year to until a 7 spot finally opens.

Ugh. Well it probably made less sense for me as a guy making bread crumbs (and now jobless). Knowing what I know now I would have asked for a 5, but what are you gonna do? Failing forward is all that matters.

[merlin436]

Ugh. Well it probably made less sense for me as a guy making bread crumbs (and now jobless). Knowing what I know now I would have asked for a 5, but what are you gonna do? Failing forward is all that matters.

Nothing personal, Sap.

I've just seen it far too often, including from more than a few fellow CBPO's. I could never understand why someone would sit for 8 months in a tiny port in ND arguing over going into the BP as a 5 or 7 when they'd be making 10K more as a PA 5 in Arizona than a CBPO 7 in ND.

Many folks tend to get 'tunnel vision' when applying for these jobs. Sometimes it's better to step back and look it over from another angle.

[sap123]

Nothing personal, Sap.

I've just seen it far too often, including from more than a few fellow CBPO's. I could never understand why someone would sit for 8 months in a tiny port in ND arguing over going into the BP as a 5 or 7 when they'd be making 10K more as a PA 5 in Arizona than a CBPO 7 in ND.

Many folks tend to get 'tunnel vision' when applying for these jobs. Sometimes it's better to step back and look it over from another angle.

For what it's worth I'm waiting for TSU to call me for a PA spot, but for that I've qualified for GL7. But the geo prefs are the same. That is actually I think the only thing I have not asked the San Diego area PAs and CBPOs I've talked to about. I figured that the pay with either would be marginally the same (with CBPOs probably edging out a PA). Personally, I don't think I've asked cause I don't care that much. I don't think people seek out these jobs for the money (even if the money is good in certain locations)

[Orleanian84]

I believe in the TO paperwork you have the option of saying you would only accept gs-7, which would mean they would take the gs-5 person next in line.

I spoke with someone at tsu today and they told me that they call people based on the order their paperwork reached tsu, and that it didn't matter what gs level they qualified for.
In that sense, gs levels do not set hiring speeds?

[sap123]

I spoke with someone at tsu today and they told me that they call people based on the order their paperwork reached tsu, and that it didn't matter what gs level they qualified for.
In that sense, gs levels do not set hiring speeds?

Maybe, but another component is that TSU can only send off applicants to ports when the spots are open. My line of thinking is that the port dictates what it needs and what kind of people it can take on (salary wise). Either way, Merlin is a current CBPO that seems to be on top of this stuff as far as I can tell, so I usually trust his advice or facts on the matter.

[Orleanian84]

Maybe, but another component is that TSU can only send off applicants to ports when the spots are open. My line of thinking is that the port dictates what it needs and what kind of people it can take on (salary wise). Either way, Merlin is a current CBPO that seems to be on top of this stuff as far as I can tell, so I usually trust his advice or facts on the matter.

Merlin, what's your take on this?
The person at tsu told me that the port contacts them when they need people, and they in turn choose the next in line applicant, regarless of their gs grade. I remember that you explained the tsu process really well earlier in the forum, but I don't remember gs level ever being a discriminatory factor when waiting for a call?

[sap123]

Merlin, what's your take on this?
The person at tsu told me that the port contacts them when they need people, and they in turn choose the next in line applicant, regarless of their gs grade. I remember that you explained the tsu process really well earlier in the forum, but I don't remember gs level ever being a discriminatory factor when waiting for a call?

It's a long shot, but I'll see what people say when I visit CBPO offices for my VBT tomorrow morning to see what the port's side of the story is. The info could be second hand or inaccurate (I rather hear from TSU), but I'll see what I can dig up.

[cajuncuban]

My BI is a woman and met with six of my references before I met with her. Now I have guy calling my house wanting to meet with my roommate. Thought maybe the case got transfered to him, but now another one of my references is supposed to me with the woman tomorrow. Is it normal to have two people on one case?

I had two BI's on my file. But the file was transfered to one.

[FreeAgent]

It's a long shot, but I'll see what people say when I visit CBPO offices for my VBT tomorrow morning to see what the port's side of the story is. The info could be second hand or inaccurate (I rather hear from TSU), but I'll see what I can dig up.

Well Good Luck on your Test again, the people in Oakland were veryfull answering all my questions I had there. Except the tester, he seemed like he was tired as hell haveing to read the same thing over. Who knows how many people he did before I got there...Lol They already even called me for my Urinalysis. 1500hrs tomorow. Talk about killing to birds with one stone in a week!

[robeans]

Merlin, what's your take on this?
The person at tsu told me that the port contacts them when they need people, and they in turn choose the next in line applicant, regarless of their gs grade. I remember that you explained the tsu process really well earlier in the forum, but I don't remember gs level ever being a discriminatory factor when waiting for a call?

This is true. Ports do not hire based on either 5 or 7, both are considered "trainee's". If the port has a list of candidates ready for hire they just go down the list.