E-resume Myths

[BMCM Stuart S. Slesh]

Just came back form an AtoN conference and I have a list of some of the Myths about your next E-resume.

If you don't get anything on your list the detailers have to call you. Not true. The detailer only have to cut you orders. Though they try to get you some from the top of your list, if they can't, they can't.

Limit your picks, don't give them too many opportunities to screw you. False. Only put down jobs that you want to fill. If you want a billet, pick it. They won't neccessarily send you to a billet lower on your list, even if your the only one that asked for if. There are billets that remain open, or get filled by the people that didn't give the detailer enough to work with.

If the detailer gives you one set of instructions and your command gives you another set, go with the detailers. Several people are being sent to "what's left" because their commands told them not to submit another e-resume after the detailer requested a new one.

Command visits help to ensure a better pick next year. False. The detailers ensured us that there is no difference in a visit and a phone call. Personnel visits don't go into anything that isn't on the e-resume.

People who know the detailers get higher priorities. Apparently false. There are means in place to ensure that all transferred have to be justified. People are not given special consideration based on who they have sailed with in the past.

Low cost, no cost transfers take priority over everything else. False again. People are being transferred out of certain areas to allow others an opportunity to serve there, and assignment priority and current qualifications, and service needs, will always take the first seat. Some people will be transferred in an attempt to help them round out their career.

Fleet ups are almost guaranteed. False again. If the command isn't explaining the benifit, the need isn't there. They look at everyone records, and pick the candidate they see as best qualified.

Married member get the higher priority when transferred. False. Where married members are trying to get co-located, the system works more like the higher priority person is treated like their lower priority spouse when the picks are slotted. Someone isn't given special treatment and allowed to bump someone else, just because their spouse is a higher priority.

Just thought that you'd like to know, there were others that I'll post if they come to me.

[MSTCS Jerald P. Motyka]

A Priority X is a Priority X. False. There is a sliding scale when it comes to billets. If two 270's are in the same homeport, and NOBODY wants the USCGC Ickypoo and never has... if you get the Ickypoo, next time around, you will have a SLIGHTLY higher priority than the folks that went to the cutter Whoopdeedoo across the pier. Remember Governor's Island? Nobody wanted it. If you got there, you ended up with a higher priority than if you had been at Group Long Island Sound in New Haven. It is a way to say, "Thanks" to people who end up in hard to fill jobs/locations. I have been told this by two sitting detailers and one former detailer.

Now, I REALLY want to know the truth on this one. Why ask someone to submit a new dreamsheet? If you can't get choices 1 through 15, why give a second chance? Why is it that in the past, I have seen people get calls to have them REORDER their picks so that instead of reading 1,2,3,4,5, they read, 5,2,1,4,3... then they get #5. Why? :confused:
How exactly are detailers marked?? Could it be the number of HIGH CHOICES are considered (I detailed 99% of first two picks, I get a 7!!)?? I have been told "No" by a couple detailers, but they immediately changed the subject as well... so I have my doubts. :rolleyes:

[BMCM Stuart S. Slesh]

Remember Governor's Island? Nobody wanted it.

Nobody you talked too. There were people who spent their entire career on GI. GI hasn't gone away or gotten better. It's now called Staten Island, and you get to deal with traffic. The cutters that were attached there are now located in Bayonne NY and you get to spend $6.00 a day in tolls for the priveledge of going back home to Wadsworth. One detailer will tell you that they have hard to fill billets, the next will tell you that everyone is asking for your job. I was stationed there, and almost everyone who worked for me asked for those billets. I knew lots of people extending or demanding a follow on tour.
Show me the person who rearranged five picks and still got one of those five. That sounds like one of those urban legends. The reason the detailers had people resubmit an e-resume was because all of their picks had already been slotted. They needed to resubmit from what was left.
As far as getting a slightly higher priority 3 ?????? I don't know what three detailers you talked too.....but there are about 4000 people that transfer every year that are priority three. People that historically choose one 270 over another in the same homeport, are choosing it strictly for the name. A cutter changes based on the command.
Someone might have done a favor for the detailer and that detailer put something in their record so they could be remembered next time they transferred, but I would still need to see the cases were to buy into the slightly higher priority theory.
I don't know how the detailers are marked, but I change the subject if people are asking how I'm marked also. It's a boring topic. My marks are a reflection of how my boss thinks that I'm doin my job, nothing more. There are only so many people that can get their number 1 picks. It would be unfair if the detailers were marked, based on that. But let's try that amoungst ourselves....I've never been sent to anything lower than my fourth pick. I list the jobs that are open and that I want first. Then I put the ones that I want that are filled, just in case. How many people are losing out on their top choices to people who are a lower priority than them ?

[ETC Joe Jester ret]

There were those that liked GOVIS and those that despised GOVIS.

GOVIS was a hard to fill spot, so if it appeared on your dream sheet, you got it. GOVIS was at the top of the list every time someone published the least desirable duty station list, I believe the Navy Times published that list. The Needs of the Service will always rule the roost when it comes to assignments. Nothing over rules that, not even PQS based assignments.

When the Training Center was on GOVIS, there were plenty of instructors who didn't complete the interview requirements of COMDTINST M1000.6 for that special assignment as a first time instructor. I don't remember if any of those who worked for me who completed it.

I don't know how it is at Petaluma or the other training centers, or if everyone shows up with those requirements completed or how hard it is to fill those billets.

I've had people, in retirement, thank me for the time I put in at GOVIS, they looked at it as ... if I'm there, they wouldn't have to be.

[AMTCM John Long]

The Airdales have been very fortunate to have some excellent AO's over the past few years. The CMC's/CSC's/LCPO's work very closely with them on assignments. We are also fortunate to have the opportunity to get face time with them at the Aviation LCPO Conferences every year. We can usually get most everyone's assignments penciled in at one meeting.

COMCON's are a great way to let EPM know your unit concerns.

The PERSMAN lists all the "written" rules for assignments. Pretty straight forward.

The "unwritten" rules are the latitude the AO's have when they have to get down in the weeds when trying to fill billets. The weeds are deep with competitive billets and billets no one puts in for. They have to be able to justify all assignment decisions if called out.

It's not a fun job, I wouldn't like it. Hats off to the folks that do it.

John :)

[BMC John Phillips III]

Getting in the weeds is why we have detailers, otherwise we could have a computer program or a YN3 to sort it out. You have to trust that they are doing the best job possible.

All of the BM detailers have at least one Command pin.

Detailers definitely do not get marked on how many happy assignments they issue orders for. So the rearrangement of billet order is an urban legend.

They do keep a history on everything you have ever asked for or any deals they may have made with you. But that has only been since direct access has come on-line. They are also obligated to keep a promise if that may have been made by their predecessor.

Every year you see messages with comments about submitting realistic E-resume's and every year people send in "un-realistic" ones. Those are generally the same people complaining about where they are getting sent and having to rearranged their picks, not to give them their new #1 but to list what's left.

One more thing from the conference you left out SSS, was people putting "resumes" in their comment block. I can't imagine who would type in there job history, but the detailer said he had seen it on more than one occasion. Don't waste their time with comments like I am currently stationed on so and so blah blah blah. Tell them why you are asking for what you are asking for. If you are smart, you can make it look like the CG makes out in the deal, not just you. Chiefs and command cadre, make sure your people are being realistic and help them with the comments if they need it.

[LT Arthur Nelson (MKC) (Ret)]

Getting back to Governors Island, when I got orders to the DALLAS in 1992 I didn't know what to expect. I had hears the horror stories and all, both of GI & Dallas. Dallas turned out to be a great tour for me and my family. Yea, long underway patrols, but two OOH trips to Europe. Most reasuring while underway, my family had everything they needed on the island; medical, school, commissary, movie, bowling and good neighbors. During our three years on the island, we put maybe a thousand miles on our car. The only time we drove anywere was when we we're going out of the city, like on vacation.

[CWO Chris Sparkman (BMC)]

I can't imagine who would type in there job history, but the detailer said he had seen it on more than one occasion. Don't waste their time with comments like I am currently stationed on so and so blah blah blah.

John...I have to disagree with you on this one. I can see where your coming from if it's a bunch of blah, blah, blah ness. "I would like this, I would like that, my wife is from there, so that's what we would like type stuff", but...if it's done professionally, and you put down in bullets your quals, service schools, and why you think you can benifit the Coast Guard if you get the job, I would think the detailers would like this.

I guess I try to put myself in thier shoes(and I have no idea how that is) but if I can look at a well put together resume', detailing thier qualifications and background, where they have been stationed, on one comment screen, rather than having to go click on Compentancies, Career Background, etc. (heck, maybe they don't have to do that, then it all really does not matter I guess) To me, that would be much easier. If a job is open and two members are competing for it, one has a detailed list of their career and quals, and the other has in their comments, "This is my dream job" and that's it. If it's me, I'm more likely to place the member who took the time to sell themselves to the detailer.

When I submit my E-resume', I copy paste my resume from my formatted OIC package. I think it's very professional, you have bullets of quals and places you have been. Direct Access is driven off of compentacies and qualifications. I understand that those are all in DA, but if the detailer uses DA like we all do, you have to go and click, and wait for all that to come up. Again, maybe they are looking at something else. Maybe quals/compt, they don't matter to much,(hope not). Not sure if it matters to the detailers, (hope so) but every job I have clicked on outlines what quals/compt are needed. If I can help the detailer by having those in one package and in one place, then I'm throwing it down.

I also encourage all my members who are submitting resume's to do this. These guys need to sell themselves to the detailers to get the jobs. Once your resume is filled out like the example I gave above, now it's just a matter of maintaining it. Copy paste your resume', then give a from the heart reason why you think the Coast Guard would benifit by you getting this job.

I have had my times with the detailer, from being a member looking for a job, to trying to explain my needs on my COMCON. I think overall they do a good job. That's one hell of a balancing act, someone is not going to be happy, others will be thrilled.

From the Guardian;
Using the positions currently available on the published shopping list, a member’s most recent e-Resume positions are placed into the system. From the list of candidates requesting available positions, the AOs review e-Resumes and pool candidates initially using assignment priorities and competency skills as the two primary driving forces for building the slates. When two members are competing for the same position and have the same Assignment Priority (AP), discriminating tie-breakers such as better qualifications, performance evaluations, and/or rated sea time are used

I guess my question on the above is when the AO's review the E-resumes, are they only reviewing the jobs? What if, the two members are mirrored closely on their quals, evals, rated sea time, then what. They fall back to the comments and see who sold themselves the best?

Proactive members always weigh the positive and negative aspects of each assignment choice and ensure they market themselves for continued career opportunities and advancements. Please be proactive instead of reactive when planning your career

I guess if they are looking at the comments, maybe a well put together resume' may leave an impression with the detailer when the market opens. Sell, sell, sell :D

Who know's maybe that's not the case. Just my two cents'

Question, did this detailer flat out say that all these resume's folks are putting in don't get read? :( Just curious. Maybe I'm the only one out there doing this. Oh well, I been know to do stranger things. :rolleyes:

Sparky

[DCCS Todd Holcomb]

The biggest problem I've seen is that members don't submit "realistic" E-Resumes. IE; the DC2 who went from a land billet as a nonrate to DC School then to a housing or other support job on land, then asks for 8 independent duty billets on a river tender or 175'. I tell the member they are not going to get any of those billets because (1. they are priority 5. (2. they have no sea time and the detailer isn't going to send them to an independent duty afloat billet with no seatime. Some actually can't understand that :confused:

I see a lot of junior DC's who haven't planned ahead and don't have the required seatime to make E-6 then worry when it comes time to pay the piper. Our rate doesn't have the same requirements as the BM's do; OIC, Coxn, DWO, etc required for certain positions and advancements but the seatime requirement is there for advancement.

I try to tell all my junior members to look to the future and try to plan accordingly, at some point you are going to sea and it's better to go on your terms rather than, "here's what I have left, priortize and send back to me". I have gotten billets I asked for, were they always my first pick? For me actually yes, But I have always asked for billets that are shopped, granted I have put in my dream billets, but was realistic knowing they were exactly that, "dream billets". I have never been told I can't give you anything on your dreamsheet.

I have also ran into the old " I got screwed". I ask, how did you get screwed did you get sent here not wanting to? "yes" is usually the answer, but as most times the more I check into it it was actually #7 and said member is pi$$ed that they didn't get their #1 thru #4 picks. Then I get "well, I just put this on there I didn't think I would get it, I was just filling in the spaces. I thought for sure I would get one of my top 4, but I didn't".

"worldwide deployable" means just that. Some members seem to think that doesn't apply to them and they can stay in one geographic area, in my rate the higher you go the fewer and farther between geo stability is an option.

I see the E-resume as a great thing, It's simple just submit a "realistic E-resume" and you'll do fine. I agree with the posts about the AO's job, wouldn't want it. So far in the DC world I have been satisfied with the job the detailer has done.

I guess people's interpretation of "realistic E-resume" is as varied as our personalities.

Todd

[AMTCM John Long]

Hey Chris,

Howgozit in DB?

Our AO's advise the folks to enter into the comments block anything that the member feels the AO should be aware of. Could be the possiblity of a future HUMS, Special Needs or anything that might be a hardship down the road and require an unsched transfer. Also, the idea of listing a dream billet is valid too. The rational there is down the road if an unexpected vacancy pops up, the remarks block can qualify as "having it on your dreamsheet". I'm sure each AO has their expectation of what they'd like to see in the remarks block. Much of the other info.....evals, past unit assignments, quals, etc. the AO's already have access to. That was supposed to be one of the supporting points of e-Resumes....using all that info for quals based transfers. Also, if you didn't know, at the end of the AY, EPM will run reports on the past transfer season and see how things stack up for the respective folks. I know some of the things observed are # of fleet-ups, early transfers, RILO's, SILO's, etc. I'm speculating that has to do with AO performance and money.

Again....hats off to the folks that have to do that.

John :cool:

[BMCM Stuart S. Slesh]

Chris, some people were putting in their High School history, past employment at Walmart, etc...... And it rarely comes down to the members' comments. The quals, and priority usually comes first. If two members are closely matched, the command's comments, or lack thereof usually decides after that. It was brought up in another thread, and confirmed at that meeting, some Commands are giving poor recommendations and hoping the detailer doesn't send the person to that billet. Selling yourself is important, but if your Command isn't listing you as a product worth buying, you'd better hope no one else wants the jobs you're asking for.
One thing that was brought up is explaining why you're the best person for the jobs that you're seeking. What's in it for the CG.

[CWO Chris Sparkman (BMC)]

Well, if folks are putting stuff like that on thier resume', then I could see where the detailers are coming from. That's crazy!

E-resume' myth: When a member submits an E-resume' after following the 12 or 13 step process, the detailer is notified that the E-resume' has been subitted. Similiar to notification that a PR is ready for submission, an eval is awaiting your approval.

Now, I have been told no, this is not how it works. So, I follow up with an email, (received receipt) to the perspective detailer indicating a member has submitted thier e-resume.

Command endorsement; For the Command Cadre on the board. Have you heard of not putting a Command endorsement on someone's e-resume. Your Command positions obviously have to have a command endorsement. Other jobs do not require them. I have heard of resume's being submitted without command endorsements. With DA, it's a simple method of not clicking the "command endorsement" box and wham, blam, there it goes. Just curious. I review and endorse every e-resume.

some Commands are giving poor recommendations

Or no endorsement. :( There's no stopping a e-resume from being submitted by a member without an endorsement if the jobs they are shopping for don't require an endorsement. I believe that the system will actually hault and stop you if you attempt to submit for a job that requires Command endorsement.

Huh???

[MSTCS Jerald P. Motyka]

I have witnessed TWO E-resume's that were REQUIRED to have endorsements - and had a single period (".") in the field. Both were from the same CO, and I think it was his way of saying "Not endorsed or recommended" without having to say anything bad.

Chris, how do you FORCE review of all E-resume's when all they have to click is "No endorsement required" and hit the submit button to get around that?

On a side note, I am a big proponent of 'dream billet' E-resume's. I have seen several cases where people who are NOT tour complete, but had an E-resume' on file with a dream billet, get a call from the detailer when there was an unexpected vacancy. I've talked to two dealers that were also big supporters of them as well. It never hurts to have that ONE special place or billet on your list...

Senior Chief Slesh, yes, you are right - nobody "I" talked to wanted GI. Problem is, same goes for the three detailers also - to inlcude a former BM-East detailer. Heck, even I didn't want to go there until I spent a tour in Long Island... now, any time the detailer wants to throw me into that briar patch, I won't complaing a bit. ;)

My point was that the BMs from Station GI had a "slightly" higher assignment priorities than those at Station Cape May, as GI was harder to fill, and the detailer was saying "Thanks for filling a hard to fill billet."

If the BM2 detailers sent out e-mails to EVERY BM2 to tell them that EVERY BM2 was being transfered this year, and to submit an E-resume', there would be a number of billets that were VERY popular - and a number of billets that didn't appear on ANYONE's dream sheets. Its the people that go to those unwanted billets that get the benefit of a slightly higher assignment priority.

[ETC Joe Jester ret]

I have a question ....

We all know you have to have Command endorsements for certain billets.

When someone is currently in, or have previously been in, a billet requiring command endorsements, does the e-resume know the person has already had a successful assignment in that type of billet and no command endorsement is required per CIM 1000.6(series)?

The last time I came across this situation, prior to e-resume, I just quoted that CIM 1000.6(series) doesn't require a command endorsement for this person because they are currently serving in a similiar billet.

[CWO Chris Sparkman (BMC)]

Chris, how do you FORCE review of all E-resume's when all they have to click is "No endorsement required" and hit the submit button to get around that?

Jerald...I have a pretty small crew with only 4-6 PCS in a year. I know who is going. I guess I compare it to the old ADC. If I remember correctly, it had to be signed by the command before it went out. I guess I have always just told everyone to send the E-resume' to me for review. I feel by looking at and endorseing(sp?) all E-resume' I can discuss with the member if thier E-resume' is not realistic or if it needs some tweaking.

When someone is currently in, or have previously been in, a billet requiring command endorsements, does the e-resume know the person has already had a successful assignment in that type of billet and no command endorsement is required per CIM 1000.6(series)?

Joe...as far as I know a command endorsement must there be. I'm not sure how it works for other billets needing an endorsement, but the OIC position, if I'm not mistaken must have the endorsement everytime. One never knows what could happen in 3-4 years.

[MSTCS Jerald P. Motyka]

Well Chris, after remembering what detailers have told me in the past, you may well be doing these people HUGE favors.

Two equally qualified people put in for a job - one has an endorsement, one doesn't - as long as the endorsement isn't craptastic, the endorsed person gets the job.

Good on ya!

[BMC John Phillips III]

Chris,

BMCS Slesh kinda covered part of what I was talking about as well as what the detailer said, but what I was getting at such things as listing what unit you are at, which ones you have been at and qual codes and such. That's all just extra reading for them as they can look at your career summary and qual codes to determine if you can take the jobs you are asking for. You are better off selling why you are the best person for that job as opposed to putting in a lot of extra reading. Of course you should also use the comments blocks to explain why the job works for you too, but the CG needs are almost always going to come before yours.