This will be my 3rd and final time applying. Not because I'm aging out, but more because I'm trying to switch careers. This has been my first option after finding out I hate accounting, but the ATSA is brutal (and I passed all 4 CPA exams on the first try). Unfortunately, I can't keep putting all of my eggs in this one basket and pushing back my career change every time I don't score well enough. Definitely hoping I am able to get it this time, but if not, my life can't be on hold. Good luck to all, especially those that have been here for a few years!
Hiring Bid FAA-ATO-21-ALLSRCE-73599
-
#221 -
#222 BravoWhiskeyTwoThree said:
This will be my 3rd and final time applying. Not because I'm aging out, but more because I'm trying to switch careers. This has been my first option after finding out I hate accounting, but the ATSA is brutal (and I passed all 4 CPA exams on the first try). Unfortunately, I can't keep putting all of my eggs in this one basket and pushing back my career change every time I don't score well enough. Definitely hoping I am able to get it this time, but if not, my life can't be on hold. Good luck to all, especially those that have been here for a few years!
Good luck to you!
-
#223 BravoWhiskeyTwoThree said:
This will be my 3rd and final time applying. Not because I'm aging out, but more because I'm trying to switch careers. This has been my first option after finding out I hate accounting, but the ATSA is brutal (and I passed all 4 CPA exams on the first try). Unfortunately, I can't keep putting all of my eggs in this one basket and pushing back my career change every time I don't score well enough. Definitely hoping I am able to get it this time, but if not, my life can't be on hold. Good luck to all, especially those that have been here for a few years!
You can always change careers AND keep applying to OTS bids. This process is slow enough that you shouldn't put other thing on hold for it. But if you end up in a career that's going to be better for you than ATC, then best of luck to you.
-
#224 robertvmarshall said:
You can always change careers AND keep applying to OTS bids. This process is slow enough that you shouldn't put other thing on hold for it. But if you end up in a career that's going to be better for you than ATC, then best of luck to you.
I’ve thought about it, but the change of careers involves going back to college. I don’t want to “waste” the money on the schooling and then find out I actually did well enough on the ATSA to get a bid. Idk I’m sure some people would still take that risk, but I gotta keep my wife’s future in mind too.
-
#225 How do I ensure I don't miss these application next year? I have been waiting since April to apply for this job and missed it because I wasn't religiously checking the usajobs website and didn't know this website existed until checking reddit tonight. Can someone tell me how to make sure I don't miss it next year?
-
OP #226 Missedapplicationwindow said:
How do I ensure I don't miss these application next year? I have been waiting since April to apply for this job and missed it because I wasn't religiously checking the usajobs website and didn't know this website existed until checking reddit tonight. Can someone tell me how to make sure I don't miss it next year?
It was all over social media... NATCA, FAA, you name it. NBC Nightly News even did an piece about the upcoming posting. It was announced there was going to be a bid about a week before the actual announcement came out.
-
#227 BravoWhiskeyTwoThree said:
I’ve thought about it, but the change of careers involves going back to college. I don’t want to “waste” the money on the schooling and then find out I actually did well enough on the ATSA to get a bid. Idk I’m sure some people would still take that risk, but I gotta keep my wife’s future in mind too.
I'm in the same boat, started going back to school to get into programming while simultaneously trying for ATC (this is my first bid).
-
#228 Missedapplicationwindow said:
How do I ensure I don't miss these application next year? I have been waiting since April to apply for this job and missed it because I wasn't religiously checking the usajobs website and didn't know this website existed until checking reddit tonight. Can someone tell me how to make sure I don't miss it next year?
You can create a saved or archived job search on your USA jobs account and have it send you email notifications every time anything under that specification pops up. You just have to make sure you have the right specifications or else you may not receive an email.
-
#229 Missedapplicationwindow said:
How do I ensure I don't miss these application next year? I have been waiting since April to apply for this job and missed it because I wasn't religiously checking the usajobs website and didn't know this website existed until checking reddit tonight. Can someone tell me how to make sure I don't miss it next year?
Search "2152" on USAjobs then filter "open to the public" then save the search. You'll get email on when new listing shows up.
You'll just have wait for the actual OTS bid to come out since you may get experience and DoD bids notification too. -
#230 Missedapplicationwindow said:
How do I ensure I don't miss these application next year? I have been waiting since April to apply for this job and missed it because I wasn't religiously checking the usajobs website and didn't know this website existed until checking reddit tonight. Can someone tell me how to make sure I don't miss it next year?
I subscribed to NATCA and the FAA on Twitter and Facebook. They will post ahead of any bids.
-
#231 Shockie said:
I'm in the same boat, started going back to school to get into programming while simultaneously trying for ATC (this is my first bid).
Same here. I started learning to code in November of last year. Hoping to make a career change soon until ATC. Good luck to you.
-
#232 robertvmarshall said:
You can always change careers AND keep applying to OTS bids. This process is slow enough that you shouldn't put other thing on hold for it. But if you end up in a career that's going to be better for you than ATC, then best of luck to you.
This. I applied to the 2020 bid while a sophomore in college and now im gonna be a senior this year. It helps that I'm a commuting student with some scholarships, relatively little student loans, and no obligations to an apartment lease or anything like that. With how slow the FAA is, I'll have my degree before I get a class date since I'm Tier 2. I'll have a degree in something that's in high demand and be steady middle class in case ATC doesn't materialize. Of course, I still want to join the FAA if I manage to pass the long process. The bids are so long that you can just live life like normal until you get a class date.
-
#233 Anyone else closer to aging out and applying for the first time? Seems like everyone is early 20s or applied several times already. Just turned 28 and this was my first time applying. Especially with covid it seems like this is potentially my last window!
-
#234 Sampson712 said:
Anyone else closer to aging out and applying for the first time? Seems like everyone is early 20s or applied several times already. Just turned 28 and this was my first time applying. Especially with covid it seems like this is potentially my last window!
They open a bid every year.
-
#235 Typeass said:
They open a bid every year.
Was just being dramatic with covid potentially delaying things again.
Real talk though by the time the next OTS bid would open, all current applicants would likely have taken the AT-SA and either received a TOL or received notification they were not "referred" correct?
-
#236 Sampson712 said:
Anyone else closer to aging out and applying for the first time? Seems like everyone is early 20s or applied several times already. Just turned 28 and this was my first time applying. Especially with covid it seems like this is potentially my last window!
I turn 29 this year. only applied once. I'm definitely one of the lucky ones. As slow as this process is it's hard to FEEL lucky, but I know things could've been much harder for me. I can still wash out of the academy or my first facility, so there's plenty of time for misfortune to catch up with me.
Sampson712 said:
Was just being dramatic with covid potentially delaying things again.
Real talk though by the time the next OTS bid would open, all current applicants would likely have taken the AT-SA and either received a TOL or received notification they were not "referred" correct?
almost certainly
-
#237 robertvmarshall said:
I turn 29 this year. only applied once. I'm definitely one of the lucky ones. As slow as this process is it's hard to FEEL lucky, but I know things could've been much harder for me. I can still wash out of the academy or my first facility, so there's plenty of time for misfortune to catch up with me.
Just curious, how old were you when you applied? And it sounds like you're beginning academy soon or at least have a date?
-
#238 Sampson712 said:
Anyone else closer to aging out and applying for the first time? Seems like everyone is early 20s or applied several times already. Just turned 28 and this was my first time applying. Especially with covid it seems like this is potentially my last window!
I think they're likely go back to posting the bid once a year. I applied for the January 2020 bid and due to COVID this will be my first and only shot. Got the TOL which is the hard part as I understand it. Good luck!
-
#239 Sampson712 said:
Just curious, how old were you when you applied? And it sounds like you're beginning academy soon or at least have a date?
I was 28. so young and naive back then. I do not have a class date. see signature.
edit: wait no. I was 27... Geeze this process is long.
-
#240 robertvmarshall said:
I was 28. so young and naive back then. I do not have a class date. see signature.
edit: wait no. I was 27... Geeze this process is long.
Hmm I'll have to check my preferences, I don't see anyone's signature.
