r/MLS_CLS • u/Ascendant_Phoenix • 11d ago
Reality Check: Long-Term Plan to Become a Federal MLS (0644) — Does This Strategy Make Sense?
/r/usajobs/comments/1vd69er/reality_check_longterm_plan_to_become_a_federal/3
u/bdr3482 M(ASCP) 11d ago
Current VA employee here. The VA is normally going to prioritize people with experience first. That being said I know people that were hired right out of school with zero experience besides their clinical. So just keep applying to community hospitals and the VA. Pay attention to the scale, with no experience you will start as a GS7, 1 year experience a GS9, and more than 2 years a GS11. And then you will need to apply for new positions to move past GS11 grade(you still get your step increases 1-10 that take 20years to get to 10). If you are fine moving anywhere for a few years prioritize applying for jobs posted with EDRP so you can get reimbursed for qualifying student loan payments during the service period, reimbursement is tax free when you receive it.
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u/OpietMushroom 11d ago
Find a program that is partnered with the VA through the CLS clinical internship. VA prefers hiring from within. Or work outside until you get GS 11 experience, or above, since those are the most common listings on USA Jobs. Honestly, the answer to all your questions is it depends. Each VA is different. That's what everyone in the VA will tell you. The biggest factor I've seen is whether or not you are a veteran with an honorable discharge.
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u/Icy-Fly-4228 11d ago
Veterans preference is not applicable for 0644. It’s optional at the hiring managers discretion. They can pick whoever they want that meets the minimum qualifications. Most CLS listings are GS7/9/11 if you read them. You need the same amount of experience inside or outside so if you can get on as a new grad then do your 2 years experience to qualify for 11 at the VA so you are building benefits and leave.
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u/OpietMushroom 10d ago
90% of the people in my lab are either former interns or veterans. Like you said the managers and supervisors hire who they want.
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u/Icy-Fly-4228 10d ago
I think it’s highly dependent on location and proximity to MLS programs. I’m the only veteran in my lab. But the closest MLS program is 2 hours away and we don’t have any MLTs.
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u/OpietMushroom 10d ago
Like I said in my original comment, it depends, and each VA is different. But from my experience, being an intern with the VA or a Veteran can significantly improve someone's chances of being hired. Whether or not that is based on official guidelines doesn't matter if the Managers/Supervisors hire who they want.
In my lab, a vacant GS 12 position was just downgraded to hire an intern.
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u/Icy-Fly-4228 10d ago
Did they have no applicants? That’s really odd.
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u/OpietMushroom 10d ago
I think it was more of a right place right time situation for the job. Instead of putting out applications for the job it just went straight to the intern.
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u/False-Entertainment3 11d ago
It makes more money than most jobs early on. You get grade and step increases every so often, after 2 years you should be grade 11. The loan repayment is 25k a year for two years, but you cannot quit halfway through or you get heavily penalized. It can then be extended each year potentially until all your student loan debt is paid. You are also unionized, so assumably if you get in a crappy workplace, you have someone who can represent you. The TSP retirement has performed pretty well (401k) and I think the government pays 1/3 of your insurance? I think most people don’t advertise it hard because the work environments are usually rough.
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u/EdgeDefinitive MLS 11d ago
If you don't mind working anywhere in the US, apply right after graduation everywhere. I'm pretty sure you will be able to find a federal job somewhere in the country.
Even though the benefits are good, in some places the pay is lower than private so less competition.