Looking for Fed LEO's, in process of DEA special agent career

Hey all,

Looking to gain some advice from anyone who is a Fed LEO or has good knowledge of it. To make a long story short - I applied for a Special Agent position in the DEA back in December of '08, got a offer of "conditional employment" mailed back to me in July of this year. Sent all my national security clearance paperwork back to them immediately after getting the letter.

The recruiter for Special Agents in my area is hard to get a hold of (he seems really busy so I don't blame him) but was trying to get grasp of how things work. Any general information you'd like to share is much appreciated.

Are these letters of "conditional employment" a rarity? Or do a lot of the applicants receive these? I still have the polygraph, drug test, PT tests, and panel interview but I have no idea when these will take place. Thanks for any help

Big Sexy and Lazy Fed off the top of my head. Bump, bump for ya anyway.

Hannibal, and Switchback also.

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Originally Posted by ChaseSS

Are these letters of "conditional employment" a rarity? Or do a lot of the applicants receive these? I still have the polygraph, drug test, PT tests, and panel interview but I have no idea when these will take place. Thanks for any help

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The conditional letter of employment is something that is sent to all applicants that are continuing the process. Basically it tells you that right now you meet the minimum qualifications and you may be hired based upon certain conditions being met. Those conditions include passing the tests and interviews you already mentioned, job openings, etc.

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Originally Posted by vengeance05

The conditional letter of employment is something that is sent to all applicants that are continuing the process. Basically it tells you that right now you meet the minimum qualifications and you may be hired based upon certain conditions being met. Those conditions include passing the tests and interviews you already mentioned, job openings, etc.

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That is as good as an answer as you are going to get from anyone.

I'm betting you still have a year or two left before ever getting an actual job offer too. Hurry up and wait.

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Originally Posted by Xiphos

I'm betting you still have a year or two left before ever getting an actual job offer too. Hurry up and wait.

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the ole government motto. Exactly what I was afraid to hear. Oh well, I'll just stay the course

Quote:

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Originally Posted by vengeance05

The conditional letter of employment is something that is sent to all applicants that are continuing the process. Basically it tells you that right now you meet the minimum qualifications and you may be hired based upon certain conditions being met. Those conditions include passing the tests and interviews you already mentioned, job openings, etc.

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Conditional offers are standard in most LE applicant process, whether federal, state, or local. They're simply a tool that allows them to do certain steps that, by law, they can't unless you've been offered a job.

Whether or not it means you're looking good for the job is a different question; it just depends. Some agencies send several out for each slot, others send one out until that person either is hired or disqualified.

One thing you have to keep in mind about federal LE recruiters is that they are typically not "full-time" recruiters, but more often than not, agents with their own caseloads that are serve as the regional recruiter as a collateral duty. If the recruiter is out of town working surveillance for a week, that's a week that you (and every other applicant) isn't going to get a return phone call. When they get back from that week TDY, they have to follow up on their cases, reply to case-related emails and voicemails, do any of the thousands of administrative tasks management sends down to the agents in the field, etc.

Also, the best advice I was given when I was applying to become a fed was to live my life as if I had not applied to the agency so that it didn't become somthing I obsessed about. Make yourself available and ready as best you can when the next step in the process comes, but as best you can live your life as if you never applied to the DEA.