Applying online? PLEASE HELP

DLS_PMHNP, MSN, RN, NP · Mar 25, 2009

you may want to check out the Government/Mllitary Forum. There are a lot of posts on that very subject.

Good luck to you!

-Diane

vanessaarj · Mar 25, 2009

As a former VA employee it is only hard to get in if you don't try. I had an administrative position at the VA for several years until my husband who is in the military rec'd orders so I had to resign and relocate to a very rural party of the country. The great thing about the VA is that depending on where you apply it is much easier to get in the VA health care system than it is any other department from my experience. The key is persistence with any job apply apply apply.

If you are in the Indiana area and are applying to a job in California or any other location the only thing that may count against you is your mailing address. They may see that and automatically flag the app/resume because you are out of state. A lot of employers don't like to deal with that and the VA very rarely pays for relocation expenses. Plus you should also remember that places like CA and major cities sometimes have a very high cost of living expenses. Depending on your license it may be hard to get the pay you sometimes need to relocate to a place like that. But like I said keep applying and fill out the entire application the VA is very particular with the application process. Good luck and don't give up!!! The VA is a great place to work and the benefits are wonderful! GOOD LUCK :)

Prettyladie · Mar 25, 2009

i worked at the VA hospital as a nursing assitant in the human resource department in dallas texas. and i can tell you that when i went through applications and grades from transcripts there were so many out of state and from what i seen they didnt have a problem where you lived.

RNLola035 · Mar 25, 2009

also just so you know California is having budget issues as well..some residents have been unemployed since last year

noahsmama · Mar 25, 2009

I don't know anything about VA hospitals specifically, but I can tell you that I applied online to my first choice hospital, a local pediatric hospital that only accepts online applications (at least in theory -- more on that later), and eventually got an interview and was hired. But "eventually" for me was 5 months worth of applying to every single new grad position listed on their website -- about 45 openings in all -- before I got one interview (and then, thankfully, the job). I guess one lesson is that persistence may pay off in the end. But, another lesson I've learned from talking to fellow graduates, is that sometimes you can actually get a job by breaking the rules -- e.g., by contacting nurse managers directly either by phone or better yet, in person if possible. Also, by exploiting any "in" that you have -- for example, if you know someone who knows someone who works at the VA, see if that someone will hand your resume directly to the nurse manager. Some of my fellow grads got jobs through cousins, friends, neighbors, etc, and some got jobs by walking in the door and asking to see the manager (but this will also get you some doors slammed in your face, or so I hear). It sucks that this works, but apparently it does (at least for some people).

Good luck!

Diane