I'm in the same spot, luckily I have family to live with in Manhattan and pay only a little bit of rent. If not for that I couldn't dream of taking the job for the salary in NYC with rent and loans.
I hope they are not done yet. Also no update on FMS. I hope everyone's doing ok besides all the stress that comes with this waiting process 
Well that's impressive that you received another call back after turning them down the first time. Did you have to make the same decision for when they called you back today?
For those accepted to this years phap class, can one of you ask to see if the class has been finalized yet, if calls are still being made and what criteria they used for selection.
It'd be nice to have some legitimate closure.
Also,
I read that some candidates were offered positions more than once?....I remember my interviewer saying that offers were final/ non-negotiable.
....I never heard anything about being offered multiple opportunities... and the "being put at the bottom of the list" scenario after declining once.. From what I understood, once you decline, you were removed from candidacy.?
Help/thoughts?
Also are any of you Atlanta residents?
It'd be nice to grab lunch or something...
I was an Emory student for undergrad so I know the CDC area quite well and know a lot of good places to eat/ relax.
Let me know! Message me if you like.
hey, i'll be in atlanta on tuesday. I return from overseas. If you're game for dinner, my best friend and i wouldn't mind giving you a holler.
About what you said, your statement has a lot of truth. Closure is needed desperately for many of us. What's puzzling is how everything turned out. Day 5 of selection week and still hundreds of people are still stressing themselves out because they have not been updated on their status. While not updating the masses, the phap has gone as far as to send travel and relocation arrangements to those selected. Even further, they have also been in communication for those lucky enough to have been updated, to make multiple offers to candidates that have rejected placements. It clearly stated that those selected must be willing to relocate wherever is needed, right? And that failure to do so would result in them being placed at the bottom of the list, right? Is this an inaccuracy or is the phap so desperate for candidates that they must negotiate with those who decline offers to fill spaces available? It's not like they have 300 qualified people ready to accept an offer, right? No, they have 500 people ready to be placed but they have not even bothered to update their application status.
I think we forget that the cdc/phap is a 'government' agency. If congress's approval ratings and the current scandals of other federal agencies do not tell you something about the nature of how they operate, then i don't know what will. Such agencies are notorious for their mysterious ways of recruiting and hiring individuals. Maybe it's the sheer volume of applicants that has made the process tedious but why interview 500 (overly qualified people) for 133 spots? I found it strange that they would choose to interview that many candidates but use an informal interview technique to grade their interviews. Everyone was asked the same questions, yet the questions were not rigorous, some did not record information (my interview was informally over the phone) - so who is to say that they did not already have preselected candidates? Who is to say that did not heavily select from within- since many of the people here offered places already had fed jobs and or federal experience?
To me, it all seems a bit disjointed. If they were going to extend the notification date, then why not mass email every saying so? Why not make the interview process transparent? Why not provide us information telling us where we lost points or could have done better? Why not update the system rejecting every candidate except the ones selected? Why so much disorganization for a world class opportunity with the worlds # 1 public health agency? Why have 5 staff members vet 4,400 applicants when you need 10? Why extend the deadline to encourage such as a number of applicants, if you are unequipped to treat them with dignity, handle their applications in a timely manner - when a simple, sorry you were not selected would do? It seems to me this is all a game. The ones selected were selected pre statement of purpose. Too bad we have all had to wait around to find it out.
The problems usually get resolved, but sometimes it takes a while.I did get an error while trying to accept the offer; it was Thursday evening PST so the PHAP office was already closed. I immediately emailed both the PHAP general mailbox and the person who made my selection phone call. I also followed up with a phone message the Friday morning as soon as the office opened. I did get an email back on Friday: the issue was being referred over to the FMS administrators. I assume that they are still working on it.
Welcome to the world of glitchy government software
I also didn't get my info email yet, and I would like to start finding an apartment! Was anyone else placed in LA? Maybe we could be roommates?Good to know I'm not the only one
For those (including myself) who have not been selected yet and updated on their selection process, this may give you a sliver of hope... I contacted PHAP today inquiring if CDC finished the selection process for PHAP's associates last week or if they are still making offers and the PHAP Team said they are still in the selection process. A straight-forward answer with no other comments on when they will be finished, but at least we know we may have the possibility of hearing something this week.Hey, I'll be in Atlanta on Tuesday. I return from overseas. If you're game for dinner, my best friend and I wouldn't mind giving you a holler.
About what you said, your statement has a lot of truth. Closure is needed desperately for many of us. What's puzzling is how everything turned out. Day 5 of selection week and still hundreds of people are still stressing themselves out because they have not been updated on their status. While not updating the masses, the PHAP has gone as far as to send travel and relocation arrangements to those selected. Even further, they have also been in communication for those lucky enough to have been updated, to make multiple offers to candidates that have rejected placements. It clearly stated that those selected must be willing to relocate wherever is needed, right? And that failure to do so would result in them being placed at the bottom of the list, right? Is this an inaccuracy or is the PHAP so desperate for candidates that they must negotiate with those who decline offers to fill spaces available? It's not like they have 300 qualified people ready to accept an offer, right? No, they have 500 people ready to be placed but they have not even BOTHERED to update their application status.
I think we forget that the CDC/PHAP is a 'government' agency. If Congress's approval ratings and the current scandals of other Federal agencies do not tell you something about the nature of how they operate, then I don't know what will. Such agencies are notorious for their mysterious ways of recruiting and hiring individuals. Maybe it's the sheer volume of applicants that has made the process tedious but why interview 500 (overly qualified people) for 133 spots? I found it strange that they would choose to interview that many candidates but use an informal interview technique to grade their interviews. Everyone was asked the same questions, yet the questions were not rigorous, some did not record information (my interview was informally over the phone) - so who is to say that they did not already have preselected candidates? Who is to say that did not heavily select from within- since many of the people here offered places already had Fed jobs and or Federal experience?
To me, it all seems a bit disjointed. If they were going to extend the notification date, then why not mass email every saying so? Why not make the interview process transparent? Why not provide us information telling us where we lost points or could have done better? Why not update the system rejecting every candidate except the ones selected? Why so much disorganization for a world class opportunity with the worlds # 1 public health agency? Why have 5 staff members vet 4,400 applicants when you need 10? Why extend the deadline to encourage such as a number of applicants, if you are unequipped to treat them with dignity, handle their applications in a timely manner - when a simple, sorry you were not selected would do? It seems to me this is all a game. The ones selected were selected pre statement of purpose. Too bad we have all had to wait around to find it out.
