Hiring process for internal candidates at federal agency

[Anonymous]

I applied for a different job at the agency where I am currently employed. Someone told me that internal candidates get preference and that agencies basically have to at least interview all the internal candidates who applied. It's been nearly two months though, and I haven't heard anything. Does anybody know whether what I heard about preference for internal candidates is true? I'd be surprised if it is, but federal hiring is so strange.

[Anonymous]

This is not true where I work. I've applied for many internal jobs and heard nothing.

[Anonymous]

There's no rule. At my small agency you would get a courtesy interview, but that's more because we're small and everyone knows you already so it would be weird to just ignore your application. At a larger agency or where you don't know anyone in the department where you applied, I could easily imagine that internal candidates do not all get interviews.

[Anonymous]

Regardless of whether they ultimately get interviews, do internal candidates get preference, akin to a veterans' preference?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Regardless of whether they ultimately get interviews, do internal candidates get preference, akin to a veterans' preference?

No they do not receive hiring preferences. If it is an OGC office, an internal applicant will receive a courtesy interview, and still an outside applicant can and have received the appointment.

[Anonymous]

I have been successful several times for applying for new positions within my current organziation. Each time I have gone to the manager that is hiring and made my intentions known. Each time they have told me after they hired me that I was the only internal candidate that did this and it was a factor in choosing to hire me. Just a potential tip. You might also get a feel for where they are in the process.

Go prepared to let them know that you are very interested in the position and that you have applied, discuss why you would like the position, and then be prepared to ask questions about the position (specific reposonsibilities, etc).

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Some jobs are only advertised internally. Some jobs are also announced on USAJOBS. So internal candidates would always have preference in the first situation. Not in the second situation.