Secret Service SA hiring process

[sylnc218]

Waiting for medical clearance after having to send some follow up information; background is next.

For those of you who are waiting to get the call for poly, hopefully y’all don’t want to wait the 2.5-3 months that some of us had to wait until we took it!

[WarDog01]

I am assuming you passed the poly if you made it this far?

[sylnc218]

Yeah, I passed poly.

[ASecretSquirrel]

I have never listened to this podcast and I haven’t even listed to this one, but it features Evy Poumpouras on it. I’ll be giving it a listen during my workout tonight and I’ll report back if someone else doesn’t have input by then.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6-BzSYUjK4o

[2september]

Her book Becoming Bulletproof was a good read too

[Yak]

For those that have taken polys from multiple agencies, was the USSS the toughest? Been following multiple forums like I'm sure most do, and the failure rate appears to be very high.

[2september]

Toughest is subjective and would differ based on the individual... but Evy Pompouras talks about her experience as a polygraph examiner in her book “Becoming Bulletproof” and she did say the USSS were the “best” at it if I recall correctly

[Sb2475]

Had my poly today. Examiner said I passed but it will go off to HQ for a final look. Definitely nervous but glad it's over.

[ASecretSquirrel]

Congrats, dude. That’s awesome.

[Sb2475]

Thanks! Not out of the woods yet though.

[Mamba Mentality]

Would having a large number of foreign relatives negatively impact an application? I'm filling out the eQUIP/supplemental forms and I need to provide sensitive information for almost 20 relatives, such as SSN and naturalization history. My relatives are understandably hesitant to provide this info without a direct request from a government agency. For those who went through the Background Investigation process, will the investigator contact my relatives directly for this info or am I basically screwed if I can't obtain the required info from them myself?

[Eliteforce]

You can only list what you can. If they don’t want to provide it, you can’t make them. When you sit down with your b/I, you can explain the situation.

[hktrip8]

Have my home interview scheduled for Wednesday! Still haven’t completed my medical and reached out to the SA support email. Has anyone had any luck getting reply’s from the SA support email?

[ASecretSquirrel]

Still waiting to schedule my SUPER. I am getting antsy! I crushed the FBI interview a year ago. Is USSS going to emphasize the STAR method as well?

[griffinlocke]

Yep I’m getting anxious too, in the same boat as you, tested and passed Monday (MLK day). Waiting to schedule the SUPER. By any chance do you know what acronym ELAC stands for that people have been referring to on this forum?

[hktrip8]

ELAC is entry level assessment center. You do the SUPER, get a conditional offer, and do the security interview all at one time.

[Yak]

It may be just for one step as well. I was invited and required to attend short of "exigent circumstances" and all that was scheduled and conducted was the SAEE.

[griffinlocke]

Ohh I see thanks hktrip. Well yea just waiting for SUPER now. I’ve taken and passed four other panel/structured interviews (BPA, CPBO, State LEO, and CSO) before so I’m assuming they’ll be similar.

[hktrip8]

Just got scheduled for my medical for Wednesday at 8. I have my home interview also Wednesday at 11:30

[Appdin]

Is that going to be enough time? I have heard sometimes medical is long about ~4 hours.

[hktrip8]

I hope it is. I already contacted the BI investigator to let her know that it got scheduled for that day and she didn’t have a problem with it

[Eliteforce]

Received my eQip a few days ago and was able to submit it the same day, and now I’m waiting to be contacted for the SI.

[Eliteforce]

For those with VA ratings who have gone through the process, is it best to get a letter from your PCP in reference to any ratings prior to going into medical along with rating PW?

[Yak]

Interested in this as well. I contemplated getting letters and exams prior to this, but I wasn't sure if they give you specific forms they want you to take to an appointment or mandate you see specific doctors or doctor offices. Wanted to get ahead of the game as I'm sure I'll be requested to get additional documentation and exams but I also don't want to waste my time and money.

[Eliteforce]

Yak, I usually use my personal insurance, but I just had my annual with my VA PCP, and I let her know I’m looking into various agencies. She told me she has written letters before for vets going into fed LE positions. I just wanted to be proactive since I know medical should be right around the corner.

[specialagentblog]

As a similar veteran with a 10% rating, I saw the same process across the board with all my 1811 applications. Once I submitted the medical info with a VA Rating; they came back with an *Agency Specific* list of follow-up questions for your Primary Care Provider. I did in fact try to get my MD to address those issues in advance; it did not seem to matter. Each agency wanted EVERY single question on their custom checklist answered in order to satisfy their own internal HR requirements. Hope that helps.

-Special Agent Blog

p.s. Based on all the VA related questions, I will likely do a post on the matter.

[Eliteforce]

@specialagentblog appreciate the insight! Back when I was first going through the process with CBP, they said they wanted my VA rating PW, and I only had to have my PCP fill out the agency specific PW for 1 item. Looking forward to seeing your post on the topic.

[WarDog01]

Waiting on my poly. Did my SI last week. Told it’ll be 2-3 months most likely. Anyone else recently hear anything when they will do their poly?

[griffinlocke]

Getting anxious just to be contacted just to schedule my SUPER, been two weeks since I tested and passed. Based off of what you guys have said that it depends on your FO, could one assume the Miami FO would be much busier and slower than say, the West Palm Beach one? I was considering switching that to my FO to hopefully speed up the process as I live in between the two.

[NYC1175]

griffinlocke, don't switch field offices because you think one field office is not moving fast enough. 2 weeks is not a long wait time. Just sit tight, they'll get to you. A big part of this process, and I have learned this repeatedly, is patience. The agents doing the SUPER, the S.I., the poly, etc are all field agents who do applicant coordination as a collateral duty. They'll get to you, but definitely don't go to another FO. These FOs all talk to each other and last thing you want to do is burn bridges.

[griffinlocke]

NYC1175 , thank you for that info. Probably saved me from a world of trouble.

[user2]

Stay with the larger office. Larger offices like Miami, New York, WFO have dedicated HR squads that deal with applicant hiring. Agents at smaller offices process applicants on top of there protective/investigative work

[jkufen]

Dropped my app last Tuesday and I received the emails today confirming my app for 7 and 9 are under review. I have been in the process for 2 years with DEA and I have completed everything just waiting on an academy date basically. Been waiting 5 months for an academy date so I made the decision to go ahead and start the USSS process. A guy from the neighboring police department got hired in 6 months for the USSS from date of application to academy date which is in February. I figure if I get as lucky as him either in 6 months I’ll be at the DEA academy or maybe close to the USSS academy. We shall see!

[big_bob_69]

Yes, it can go very fast. Since the election is over and COVID isn't as big of an issue (USSS is very serious about wearing their masks), I imagine it will get very fast again. Good luck!

[jkufen]

Thanks I’m hoping so. I kinda prefer DEA because it’s what I know ( 5 years in narcotics) but I’m actually kinda excited about trying something different. Learning a new skill set and also bringing my experience in dope work/ undercover to these type of investigations. It should be fun especially since every criminal organization revolves around money!

[ChrisPKreme93]

Well made it through to the end, just was waiting on the call. Got my BQA email this morning a little over a week after the HI. Definitely at a loss for words at this point since it has always been a dream of mine to be a USSS SA. Good luck to everyone though. Hopefully it works out for you all.

[Eliteforce]

Dang, sorry to hear that brother. What do you think led to the BQA?

[ChrisPKreme93]

No clue. Really confused on it. Everything was going well and then that.

[Eliteforce]

ChrisPKreme93 That is so strange.

[sylnc218]

Sorry to hear man. I do know that they reevaluate applications at every step, so unsure what could have happened. Best of luck in the future.

[Sb2475]

Looks like I have another poly. Not sure what happened....

[Eliteforce]

Hope it goes well! Sucks you have to do another one after they told you that you passed.

[Sb2475]

Better than be dq'd I guess.

[Eliteforce]

This is true. Hope it goes well!

[Femalehopeful]

Hey guys first time poster,

made it all the way until the eye exam and didn’t pass. Had lasik last week now I have wait for 3 months until I can apply again. I was told that the hiring process will be changing feb 1st. Anyone have any clues on what could be happening?!?

learning how to be patient and working on my physical stuff so I can be ready. I am wondering if they will bring back the PFT before FLETC.
Thanks all! Looking forward to this journey.

[NYC1175]

Interesting bit about the hiring process changing. I have not heard anything personally.

[Femalehopeful]

Hey I heard from a recruiter I was talking too about my waiting period. She said a new roll out would be coming soon. So that would effect my reapply