Social Security Administration reviews

LITERALLY EVERYTHING. SSA is extremely deceptive when recruiting for this position and is very misleading in terms of disclosing what the job function of the BA is during the hiring process. Unbeknown to recent hires, SSA overhires for this position knowing that there is a limited number of BA vacancies that is WELL BELOW the number of newly hired trainees. The turnover rate is extremely high and it is not unusual for only 4-5 trainees out of a class of 25 to make it to the end of training and EVEN FEWER successfully make it through the mentoring process. EVERYTHING you do in the training class is graded and can be used against you. What you're not told during the interview process is that this position requires EXTENSIVE coding on extremely out of date system and knowledge of the most minute technicalities in SSA policy. An accuracy rate of 85%+ is required right off the bat during the mentoring phase. Even the smallest errors as a result of confusion due the many technicalities in SSA policy result in your case being marked incorrect and thus bringing down your accuracy. Management will tell you to take your time to get it right when working on live cases yet hold it against you if you wanted do *exactly that* on the tests and run out of time. If you have a bad instructor management will shrug it off by saying "material is material." You're told that mentoring period lasts 4-8 months, when in reality there are people who spend 1-2+ years in the mentoring phase. There is virtually no career ladder progression in this position and those who do get promoted normally transfer to a field office first. To say that this position is "technical" is a PROFOUND understatement. If you enjoy micromanagement, coding on an arcane and archaic system, learning confusing (if not downright contradictory policies), all while wondering if the next test or live case will be the cause of your termination then this is the job for you.

If you're not able to multi-task and prioritize workloads this not the place for you. You also have to have the ability to adapt and think quick on your feet as laws are ALWAYS subject to change. Promotion from within is non-exsistent. You HAVE to be willing to relocate. This has been the most frustrating job I have ever dealt with for that reason. You literally can have exemplary performance appraisals, be a "leader" and demonstrate you are good at your job only to be turned down for positions/not offered promotions. Management sort of forces you to make "big moves" ie relocate/apply for other positions - only to be upset and become downright hostile when you actually start making those moves. The agency is doing a lot of "outside hires" to get as many bodies in the building - usually the new hires are people with less experience and recent college graduates. College grads seem to burn out the most quickly. Of the 2 recent hires our office had - 1 of them left within 3 months after being hired and the other hire has been on E-PAD (for 2 years now). I had 2 "exemplary" ratings on my last performance appraisal and I asked my District Manager recently how long it will be before the possibility I will be promoted he said at least 2 years with the possibility it could take 5. (I have been working here for 5 years)!!! I literally broke down crying as I have a 2 year old I have to support. It is beyond frustrating to know that you are GOOD at your job and management will hire a recent college graduate rather than promote you....and not only that they further insult you by saying you need more "training" but the person they are willing to hire has ZERO training and job experience. The culture of this agency is really messed up for that reason - most employees are burnt out, hopeless, and frankly don't care about the quality of their work for that reason (after being here for 5 years I understand why). If you can start out in this agency try to start out as a Claims Specialist - they go to a GS-11. A Customer Service Representative only maxes out at a GS-8. I dream of being a Claims Specialist as most of the analytical stuff comes easy to me - but right now I am stuck as a CSR with no end in sight. I literally walk into my office feeling so depressed and negative lately as I feel as though my dreams are being mocked on a daily basis by management. And they continue to pay me poorly - yet expect me to be a "work horse" for my unit in doing most of the workloads.