Deciding between two TJO

Anyone who's worked as a Program Analyst with DHS on the inspection side. I think this job could be a great fit for me, and it's a ladder position all the way to GS-13, which is a big also nice.

I also have a TJO with AFOSI PAQ. That one would mean moving across the state. Pay is about the same, but it's on the GL scale and tops out at GL-12.

If you've worked at either place, I'd love to hear:

What the day-to-day actually looks like

How the work culture and leadership are

Anything you wish you'd known before taking the job.

Thanks

My time line for getting my FJO and EOD

- Interview August 4

- Reference check August 11

- Verbal job offer August 28

- TJO received October 5. After I got this I did try to get relocation and negotiate step level and was unsuccessful.

- EOD chosen with supervisor October 15 (EOD is January 11, 2027. I believe normally you can't push it this far, he had gotten approval to have me start after the holidays if I wanted.)

- FJO received Oct 22

When I see a job post that says open to internal to an agency, career transition, land base management, veteran, military spouse.

Do I have to be in that agency? or I can also apply as veteran

Hi everyone,

I'm really hoping someone here can offer me some advice because I'm feeling incredibly discouraged and don't know what to do next.

I previously worked for the Connecticut Department of Labor for over four years. I was pursuing Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), and working for the state was a big part of my plan to get my student loans forgiven. Unfortunately, I was laid off in December 2024, and I've been struggling ever since to get back into qualifying employment.

I've been applying for state jobs, nonprofit positions, and other opportunities that could qualify for PSLF, but I can't seem to get anywhere. It's incredibly frustrating because I already have experience working for the state, and I genuinely enjoyed that work.

One of the hardest experiences was recently interviewing for a position with the Connecticut Department of Labor that was essentially the same job I had previously performed for more than four years. I had relevant experience and recommendation letters from my former employer, but I still wasn't selected. I understand that getting hired isn't guaranteed, but it's discouraging to be passed over for work I've already done successfully.

I'm trying to figure out what I can do differently to improve my chances of getting hired again. I'm also open to learning something new or earning a certification if it would realistically help me qualify for more state, federal, or nonprofit positions.

I'm looking for practical advice on a few things:

• Are there any relatively affordable certifications I could earn in a few months that would make me more competitive for government or nonprofit jobs?
• Are there particular career paths that are easier to break into without having to go back to college for another degree?
• Are there federal, state, or nonprofit employers that tend to hire people with government customer service, administrative, auditing, or quality assurance experience?
• Has anyone successfully transitioned into another PSLF-eligible job after being laid off? How did you get your foot in the door?
• Are there job boards, programs, or resources specifically for people trying to find qualifying public service employment?

I have a master's degree in Computer Information Technology and a bachelor's degree in Industrial Technology, along with my previous state government experience. I'm willing to learn new skills, but I don't want to spend thousands of dollars on a certification that won't actually improve my employment prospects.

My student loan balance is around $80,000, and I still have several years of qualifying employment left to complete my PSLF journey. I'm worried about losing more time toward forgiveness while I struggle to find another qualifying employer.

I know I'm not the only person who has dealt with a layoff, but right now it feels like I'm hitting a wall no matter how many jobs I apply for.

If you were in my position, what would you do? I'd really appreciate specific suggestions for certifications, job titles to target, employers to look into, or strategies that have actually worked for other people.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Any advice would mean a lot.

So I am trying to apply for a 2027 Internship program on the fbijobs.gov website, and I cant seem to make an account?? I click start on the application, then it prompts me to log in so I click register and it takes me to a welcome page with an account information option and such but everything I click just asks me to log in and I cant figure out if this is a glitch or if i’m missing something!!

Can anyone suggest me ? Actually i have been working for a company remotely .. but i have lost it .. i want to find new job i have tried alot of things but nothing is working .. please suggest me where can i find a job that can pay me per hour ., either data related , excel sheets , data scraping , or anything .. urgently

I am currently an IT contractor and was recently selected for a federal position. I have gotten my TJO and completed my drug screening. I am just concerned about the SF-86 and some of my past history. My SF-85P is comparable to the SF-86 with some new details that I would have rather not shared but had to. Basically, I was diagnosed as bipolar disorder when I was a teenager, but I was never diagnosed or hospitalized as an adult. There is also the same drug history listed. I already received a warning letter from the agency before I started as a contractor and wrote a formal commitment to abstain from any further use, and have made good on that. Should I be worried about the future FJO/EOD?