FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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FAQs for Applicants - Job Postings

1. How do I find out what jobs are available at Texas AgriLife Research or the Texas AgriLife Extension Service?

The job listing is available 24 hours a day at http://greatjobs.tamu.edu on any computer with WEB access. All positions are also listed at the Texas Workforce Commission.

2. How do I apply for positions?

• You must first complete the online application at http://greatjobs.tamu.edu on any computer with WEB access.
• You may then view open positions and apply to any listed job by answering job-related questions.
• If referred, the application documentation will be immediately viewable by the hiring supervisor.
• You may attach an electronic resume or cover letter as you apply for each position. Please bring your resume/cover letter with you if you plan to use the computers at the AgriLife Human Resources office.  NOTE:  Jobs listed with Texas Workforce Commission also require the GreatJobs on-line application.  The State of Texas application will not be accepted.

3. Can I apply directly to a hiring department?

No. The AgriLife Human resources Office is the central intake point for all vacancies in both Texas AgriLife research and the Texas AgriLife Extension Service. Only those applicants applying through the online application system can be considered.

4. How soon will I hear something?

During the application process, applicants will have an opportunity to answer job-related questions. Applicants will know immediately if they have been referred to the hiring department for evaluation. Hiring departments will contact applicants they wish to interview.

5. How long can I use my application to apply for vacancies?

Applications remain on file as long as you are actively applying for positions. If you do not apply for any position for a full year, you will have to re-enter your application before you can apply again. Applications can be reviewed and updated at any time.

6. Do I have to resubmit a new application every time I need to make changes or additions?

The online application will allow you to update and change your information at any time using your own user name and password.

7. How can I attach a resume, or other documentation such as transcripts, to my application?

After completing the application, you will then be asked if you would like to attach any documents. In order to attach a resume, you will need to have your resume in an electronic format such as Word or a PDF file. If you do not have your resume in one of those formats, you can copy and paste your resume in from another word processing program. You will have to download your resume into the online system.

8. Can I submit a cover letter?

Yes, you can submit a cover letter for each position you apply for as an attachment.

9. I don’t have access to a computer so how can I apply online for a position?

There will be a computer terminal available for you to look at the job listing, complete your application and apply for a position(s) in the AgriLife Human resources Office in Bryan, Texas. If assistance is needed to use the computer, it is also available. The employment office is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 12 pm and 1pm to 5 p.m. Computers are also available at your local library, Texas Workforce Commission site, or other public/governmental entities.

10. How can I find out the status of a position I have applied for?

By logging in under your user name and password, you will have access to all of the positions you have applied for, and there will be information about the status of each of those positions under "Manage Jobs".

11. If I am offered an interview, is there a way for me to go and look at the job description?

Yes, by logging in under your name and password, you will have access to manage your jobs. Under this section, you will be able to view the job descriptions for all of the positions for which you have applied.

12. I have been convicted of a crime. Can I apply for a position?

You are welcome to apply for a position.However, all positions require a background check and your conviction may restrict you from holding some positions. For additional information, please see Background Checks.

13. Where is the AgriLife Human resources Office located?

The AgriLife Human Resources Office is located in the Wells Fargo Building at 3000 Briarcrest Dr., Suite 504, Bryan, Texas.

14. How does the employment office advertise positions?

A list of available positions can be viewed 24 hours a day at http://greatjobs.tamu.edu on any computer with WEB access. Positions are listed with the Texas Workforce Commission. Occasionally positions are listed in the newspaper.

15.I have lost my user name and password; how can I get that information?

You will need to contact AgriLife Human Resources at 458-HIRE (458-4473).

16. How will I know when the position has been filled?

You can check the status of the position online. Hiring supervisors also send letters to all interviewed applicants advising them when the position has been filled.

17. Can I be hired for a position if I don’t have my original Social Security card?

If you are using the Social Security card as one of the required documents to prove employment eligibility on the Form I-9, you cannot be added to the payroll until this is completed. Federal law requires that the documents be furnished within three business days of the date of employment. However, it is a payroll requirement that you furnish the Social Security card for employment (in addition to your I-9 documents). You may be put on payroll if you have a Social Security number but you will have to furnish the Social Security card to the hiring supervisor as soon as possible.

18. How old do I have to be to work at either Texas AgriLife Research or the Texas AgriLife Extension Service?

You must be at least 16 years of age, although not all positions are available for individuals 16-17 years of age.

19. What are the benefits at Texas AgriLife Research or the Texas AgriLife Extension Service?

A brief summary of benefits is available at http://tamus.edu/offices/shro/brochures/highlite.pdf. Links to detailed benefits information can be found at http://aghr.tamu.edu/benefits.htm.

20. What is Selective Service registration?

Registration is a way our government keeps a list of names of men from which to draw in case of a national emergency requiring rapid expansion of our Armed Forces. By registering all young men, the Selective Service ensures that a future draft will be fair and equitable.

21. Who must register with Selective Service?

Virtually all men must register. The exceptions to this rule are very few and include: nonimmigrant aliens on student, visitor, tourist, or diplomatic visas; men on active duty in the U. S. Armed Forces; and cadets and midshipmen in the Service Academies and certain other U. S. Military colleges.

22. How can I register with the Selective Service?

Men 18 through 25 years old can register by completing a form at the post office. Some high schools have a faculty or staff member who serves as a Selective Service Registrar. Most men turning 18 can also register by mail, if they receive a Selective Service form in the mail. Selective Service System offers a comprehensive web page http://www.sss.gov/ that provides further information on how to register online.

23. What is the USA Patriot Act?

The USA Patriot Act is a law signed by President Bush, after the September 11, 2001, tragedy. The full name of the act is the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001. The law makes it unlawful for restricted individuals to work with certain biological agents, toxins or delivery systems.

24. How do you know where biological agents, toxins or delivery systems identified by the USA Patriot Act are used in Texas AgriLife Research or the Texas AgriLife Extension Service?

Whenever a Notice of Vacancy to post a vacant position is submitted to theAgriLife Human resources Office, the form will indicate if the position falls under the provisions of the USA Patriot Act. This will require that the applicant selected must pass a Department of Justice "Security Clearance" review before permitted to begin work in a lab where a select agent(s) is(are) used.

25. Who is a restricted individual under the USA Patriot Act?

A restricted individual under this law is anyone who:

• is under indictment for a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year;
• has been convicted in any court of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year;
• is a fugitive from justice;
• is an unlawful user of any controlled substance;
• is an alien illegally or unlawfully in the United States;
• has been adjudicated as a mental defective or has been committed to any mental institution;
• has been discharged from the Armed Services of the United States under dishonorable conditions;
• is an alien (other than an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residents) who is a national of a country as which the
• Secretary of State has made a determination (that remains in effect) that such country has repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism. As of April 30, 2001, these countries were Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Cuba, North Korea, and the Sudan.

26. What happens if an applicant is identified as a restricted individual under the USA Patriot Act?

If an applicant is identified as a restricted individual under the USA Patriot Act, he or she is not eligible to fill a vacancy in a laboratory that is doing work requiring compliance. However, the applicant can still apply for other positions that do not fall under the Act.

27. What penalties are there under the Patriot Act for restricted persons who work with these dangerous biological agents?

The Act allows for the punishment of those who knowingly violate the law by a fine or imprisonment of not more than ten years, or both.

28.  How can I apply online for a position without a Social Security number?
The AgriLife Human Resources Office can issue a number for you to use in place of the Social Security number.  Please understand that this is not a Social Security number and is only issued so that you may apply online in GreatJobs (http://greatjobs.tamu.edu).   To obtain this number, you may call 979-458-4473 or email employment@ag.tamu.edu.

28. I have a questions not listed here, how can I get an answer?
You can contact AgriLife Human Resources at 979-458-HIRE (4473).

29.  How do I get my transcript(s) or letters of reference attached to my online employment application?
Mail them to the AgriLife Human Resources Office, 2162 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843-2162, fax to (979) 862-4885 or email employment@ag.tamu.edu and we will attach them for you.

30.  I forgot my user name or password for GreatJobs.  Can you help me so I can log in to the system?
If you will call 458-HIRE or send an email to employment@ag.tamu.edu, HR staff can provide you with your user name and reset your password to the same as your user name.  After you log in, the system will require you to change your password again.
 
31. I am applying for a position that requires a Bachelor's degree.  I will have my degree in May.  Can I apply?  Will the GreatJobs system disqualify me if I answer no, that I don't yet have my diploma?
If you will receive your diploma within two months, you may answer the question regarding required degree with "yes".  If you have already responded with "no" and the system disqualified you, you will not be able to re-apply online, but may call the Employment Help Line at 458-HIRE for assistance in reapplying