Letter to the editor
I have been working for the past eight years as an information systems manager, including the past five working for the federal government. I was recruited for civilian service right out of college and into a position helping to manage a multidomain Air Force information infrastructure.
The Air Force personnel system chose to classify my job as an electronics engineer series (GS-0855). Since that time, I have taken and passed several certification exams all on my on dime. I am currently a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer and a Cisco Certified Network Associate.
This year, I was shocked and angered when the Air Force personnel system stated that I was not qualified for an information systems job series (GS-2210) because I lacked the one year experience at the lower grade level.
Basically, because I don't have a number in my career brief, I am not qualified to do a job I have been doing for eight years. Because of this fact, I cannot get anyone in the personnel center to look at my qualifications. I was hired because of my qualifications stated on my resume. Now, that I am part of the system, my resume will only be looked at if the numbers in my career brief match the numbers of the job I am seeking.
I find this kind of hiring practice ludicrous. I wonder how many other qualified civilians have been screwed out of a job because a number was not in their career brief?
The Air Force personnel systems should be scrapped. If a person is qualified for a job, you won't find out by looking at numbers. You will find out by looking at the qualifications posted on a resume.
Robert Cameron Electronics engineer