etiquette of pursuing a within-agency transfer?

[Anonymous]

I work for a small federal agency. A division I am interested in transferring to just posted a job listing. A friend of mine told me I should not alert the hiring official (who knows me even if she's not necessarily familiar with the work I've done here) that I intend to apply because that could be seen as unduly influencing the process. My friend says she's seen people be denied jobs for that reason. Is she right? Are there other reasons I should or shouldn't speak to the hiring official? Should I wait first to see if I made the HR cert? As it is, I fear the awkwardness of being rejected by people I interacted with regularly and/or having my boss (whom I like) know I tried to switch.

[Anonymous]

I would wait and see if you made the cert, but in my agency, it is all about the networking. If you would be open to a non-competitive transfer I would tell the hiring manager that, even if you dont make the cert. If the cert is full of duds that gives him/her an easy alternate route.

[Anonymous]

In my agency we can't just transfer. You have to make the cert and be interviewed like everyone else. Basically a huge hassle.

Same for promotions. I'm sick of competing for my own promotion that I earned

[Anonymous]

10:37. Truth. Although I can't even apply to compete for my own promotion since we're under a hiring freeze. Womp womp.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In my agency we can't just transfer. You have to make the cert and be interviewed like everyone else. Basically a huge hassle.

Same for promotions. I'm sick of competing for my own promotion that I earned

Tell me about it. Such a waste of time.