12/16   Dear Economics Department Chair, Placement Officer, and/or
        Placement Assistant:
          Please pardon the impersonal nature of this cry for help.  As you
        may know, the Federal Communications Commission is experiencing
        major mail delivery problems as we deal with the possibility of
        contaminated mail.  We have received very little mail since early
        October.  This has made it difficult for interested job
        candidates, either graduate students or faculty in transition, to
        respond to our advertisement in Job Openings for Economists.  I
        am therefore writing to request that you disseminate to any
        interested parties the attached "broadside" explaining our
        situation and providing email and fax contacts to be used by
        anyone interested in submitting information to us.  I know that
        interview schedules in Atlanta are filling up rapidly, so I hope
        that you or someone in your department can post this information
        soon.
          Thanks in advance for your help and best wishes for a happy
        holiday season.
          Sincerely,
          Jonathan D. Levy Deputy Chief Economist FCC
        The Federal Communications Commission will have several positions
        for Ph.D. level economists  (GS-12 to GS-15) beginning in 2002.
        We seek candidates with expertise in a field of applied
        microeconomics such as industrial organization and candidates
        with expertise in statistics or applied econometrics.  Experience
        in telecommunications and/or regulatory policy is a plus, but not
        a necessity. These positions will primarily involve the domestic
        and international telecommunications industry, the broadcast, and
        cable industries, and the development of policy recommendations
        for the FCC. The current salary range for a GS-12 to GS-15 is
        $53,156 to $114,224.  The beginning salary will be based on
        background and research accomplishments.  Interested individuals
        should submit a vita, 3 references or letters of recommendation,
        and a writing sample to Director of Recruiting, Office of Plans
        and Policy, 445 12th St.  SW, Washington, DC 20554.  Any of this
        material available in electronic form should also be sent to
        jlevy@fcc.gov. Other material, including letters of
        recommendation, may be faxed to (202) 418-2807. The FCC budget
        has been approved by Congress and signed by the President, but
        the total number of positions available has not yet been
        determined.  We plan to interview at the Allied Social Science
        Meetings. U.S. citizenship required.  The FCC is an equal
        opportunity employer
        \_ another reason to go to grad school even if it's not in CS.
           \_ Hardly. Non-CompSci BA.  $120k.  GS15 = 114k with PhD and all
              that other crap?  And I get to play with millions of dollars of
              cool toys in between surfing marathons and I'm not a government
              employee.  That last part is the most important.