[killjoywashere]

I have nothing to do with login.gov but as a federal manager who hires, there is definitely a difference between USAJobs and sending an email. Ultimately, all applications have to go through usajobs, but I can work with my hiring manager and a candidate to push-pull them through the system. I still have to compete the solicitation and interview qualified candidates, so if there is another more qualified candidate, the applicant may still leave the process without a job.

That said, having been through various versions of this process since 2004, it is extremely valuable to get visibility on candidates who may feel "stuck outside the system". Not only is it increasingly the case that the best candidates are precisely the ones who feel stuck outside, I can't advocate to fix the system without putting those cases in front of the HR people who are responsible for the system.

If a federal manager is giving you an email inbox for their applications, they are begging for your help. If you want a job, sending email to that inbox is helping them, and they will appreciate it.

[rh24]

I really appreciate the answer--thank you for your time and for trying to make the process better.