USFS seasonal wildland jobs?

[guitardemon]

I applied about a month ago for some of the USFS wildland firefighter jobs and was wondering if anybody knew when i should hear back from them? Do you hear back either way or only if you get the job?

[FortechFEO]

First of all. What job announcments did you apply to in Avue? Second, where did you select for duty stations? Should be 9 of them. Third, drop me and Email I may be able to help the process. Fourth, Before the 31st of Jan is usually a good time to apply for FS positions in California. Fifth, have you called forests, districts, Captains, Engineers, and Battalions? Have you gone in to visit where you could? Sixth, when you were done with your app and clicked submit. Did you go into "jobs applied for" and click on the "complete" link after every announcment? Did they all say "tentatively passed qualification"? If they do not then avue dropped you from that particular hiring list. duty stations are also important. If you pick a city where there is no FS fire module the chance of you showing up are slim. An you may limit yourself to one module if any. The trick is calling and talking with people and seeing what duty station they do their hiring from. Some Forests do it from one centralized city for the forest. Others do it from each city that the modules are in. Avue is a crappy system for that reason. It does not let you say I want to be hired anywhere. I've been doing a lot of hiring. Seen a lot of messed up applications.

[guitardemon]

I guess it wasn't the USFS that i applied for but rather the NPS and BLM through USAJOBS. I can check on the application status and it says "Application received" under comments it says "no comment"

[RxFire]

guitardemon, do you remember the individual units you applied to? If so, call them direct and see where things are... budgets are a mess still, and and least on my FS District, we still hadn't hired anyone as of 1 week ago before I left on a fire assignment.

Besides, calling lets them know you are still interested should they get a last minute opening... we want people who are self motivated and willing to work to get a job by calling and begging... it shows how much you want the job vs those who just put in an app and never take the initiative to contact us.

[Ticonderoga]

With a sense of urgency, you should call the forests you applied to. I just drove back from Tuolumne, CA to politic forests along the way. Most of the ones along the way (San Bernardino, Inyo, Santa Monica, Angeles blah blah) have done their initial list for hiring. Get on that phone and get your name out there

[gobears75]

You really need to start early. This was my 3rd year of trying to get in ca. I spent 3 months running and hiking with a hotshot crew,having no fire experience really hurt me, I enrolled into a fire academy and it helped out my resume. I made it to the last 2 people when they pulled thier list, I didnt get it, but I will say that if you bust your *** and show that working for the forest service is what you want to do they will help you find a job. I just got hired on an engine in ventura county, Im totally beside myself now, work starts may 11. The fire comunity is very small, everyone knows everyone, if you get in good with some captains they will help you by giving endorsements. Good luck

[FortechFEO]

Ticon,

You still hunting? Something happen?

[Ticonderoga]

Ticon,

You still hunting? Something happen?

The hunt is still on. I have been to most every forest between Orange County and Tuolumne. I unfortunately missed out on the initial hiring dates for a ton of forests though. And most places I went to recommend coming back to do more face time, but the Inyo NF isn't exactly convenient... CAL Fire T/CU and MM/U interviews just wrapped up as well.

Other than that, Cleveland starts its 80 hour academy Monday, which I will be attending (score!), but after that the crew is on an on-call basis.

Hey, still willing to travel farther up north ;)

[FortechFEO]

Hmm.. Okay.. Lemme see what I can do. I thought you were taken care of. The Inyo is a good forest to learn Intial Attack on. I got my first perm slot there and loved it. Especially if you can get on to the Helicopter after a couple years exp. One of my favorite jobs there. Still have my Email addy? I have a spot open, but it is contingent on some other things happening.

[FortechFEO]

^^^This is what is meant when said you need to get in with someone in the agency. They can help you get miles farther. Sometimes all it takes is an email to someone willing to help.