How long between Phase 1 and 2 to start working?

[Jello62]

In your experiences, how long did it take to get hired between Phase 1 and 2. I graduate this quarter and I have yet to get hiring paperwork or a return email from my SF POCs. I'm assuming smart stipends stop after you graduate? Did you guys consider getting an internship between graduating and starting with your SF?

[Broccoli]

This appears to be how it's done in the past. Variable start date, grad stipend until phase 2 begins: viewtopic.php?p=14792#p14792

[Bitter]

I graduated May 2020. I started working for my SF in March 2021.

[Bitter]

I graduated May 2020. I started working for my SF in March 2021. I still got my stipend the same as grad school. SMART told me I couldn’t work elsewhere between graduation and starting.

[former grad student]

I completed all my degree requirements in late December 2021. My start date wasn't until May 2022. In the months in-between, SMART paid me monthly stipend payments, so I wasn't without income over that time period (not looking forward to figuring out how to report that income on my taxes). Finding some other employment in the meantime would have been wise, but at least in my experience, no one is going to have any clue how long it is going to take to hire you on. I regret not at least doing substitute teaching or something to supplement my SMART stipend payments. I don't think there's anything in the SMART agreement contractually preventing you from working in the meantime (but don't take my word for it), and I can't imagine someone being dismissed from the program for it, as long as you are ready to start work when your sponsoring facility is ready for you. Do avoid work for the US federal government or defense contractors though; you don't want to run afoul of "double-dipping" rules, since you are still being funded by the SMART program.

I believe my lengthy gap time was anomalous and that shorter gaps than that are more common. It really just depends on what government entity has to process some of the paperwork to get you started, and how quick they are about it. (Hopefully, you already have a clearance... I could see that causing some delays too.)

Keep in mind if SMART believes the hiring delays are your fault, the monthly stipend payments might cease, so be sure to be timely with all your government-and-SMART-related correspondence.

[malarious]

In your experiences, how long did it take to get hired between Phase 1 and 2. I graduate this quarter and I have yet to get hiring paperwork or a return email from my SF POCs. I'm assuming smart stipends stop after you graduate? Did you guys consider getting an internship between graduating and starting with your SF?

SMART will pay you until you start and usually you get 1 more payment after starting. This is not 100%, but for all of the people who started with me, we did, so it could be tied to dates. We started before the check came in.