VA- The mysterious on boarding process

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Hey all-

Received a tentative offer via phone call and email today for a position at the VA. Really surprised...and happy....and unsure.

I have read over many of the threads on here about the VA hiring process and still have a couple of unresolved issues....

1. I would love to hear personal stories of how long it took you to go from tentative offer to firm offer.

2. Have you ever heard of an offer being rescinded based on the on boarding process?

3. As an RN with two years of experience (ADN and BS Psychology) I don't expect to be boarded "highly", but I also don't think I will be rock bottom....do you??

What really makes me nervous....I know that as part of the process my current employer will be contacted. What if the VA then rescinds the offer for some reason or I am boarded way lower than my current pay rate? I feel like I will have made my current employer suspicious that I am looking to leave and they may not want to keep me even if I decide not to go to the VA. And truly, I love my current job. The VA is the only place I have applied to...I wouldn't leave my current job to go anywhere but there.

I am rambling because I am a ball of nerves. Help me out, please!!

Jrioja21 Hi. have a tentative offer from the VA CBOC as a nurse practitioner. I was given the Nurse qualification standards to fill out for Nurse III. What I have is about as clear as mud as to what is needed.I have gotten to the part of the VA efo the Nursing Board to determine my salary. I have watched multiple youtube videos and have read tons of documents to try to get what they want to see on this resume. but I am still having a lot of trouble on how exactly to word this. I saw where you have been through this before and offered to give people a copy of yours. I am desperate for some help to see an example to be sure this is what they are looking for! Could you please give me some guidancel. I had to do this for my RN 1 to RNII many, many, many years ago and I do not have the slightest memory of what I put. It has been well over 10 years since any employer has asked me to do anything like this. I feel like a fish out of water. Thank you so very much for being such a great resource for me and all others you have helped.

Hi,

I applied for a total of 36 NP positions for VA. Interviewed for VA in Ga-99K.

Been a nurse since 2003,MSN nsg leadership,FNP, Just finished Psych NP studying for exam.

Current salary at state hospital-90K

She said the offer was firm

Ive never worked at VA and want to know if I can counter her offer

DO you know how many pay scales they have in terms of where mine is. Thanks

Lexi

areasontocare with hot mail is my mail

With a help from a friend who's a current VA employee, I was lucky enough to be interviewed a week after I applied. I asked my interviewers not to reach out to my current bosses due to my position, and they totally understood. Since my interview in late July, I didn't hear back from them until exactly 4 weeks later telling me I have a tentative offer and have to go through the process. Man, I worked on their requirements as soon as I got home from work.

For some reason, and just this week, my current manager also received a document required as a background check. Then I had no choice but to let my boss know that my position is giving too much burden on me and my family. I told her, because of my position, that I would give the hospital as much notice as possible if I get hired by the VA. I understand how hard it would be to find a replacement for my position. It lifted a lot of weight on my end after that conversation because it will come to that point anyway.

I got my ADN in 2002, BSN in 2010 and have been working in this specialty as a nurse for over 10 years, but because of my past (drug recovery), my application is taking longer than it should despite my friend is telling me that the unit's manager and coworkers are saying they cannot wait until I start working there. I must've made a good impression during my interview but the application process is taking way too long! I'm VERY excited to spend more time with my family as a staff nurse as opposed to a supervisor, even though I'm going to get a huge paycut.

Hi,

Ive never worked at VA and want to know if I can counter her offer

DO you know how many pay scales they have in terms of where mine is. Thanks

I know this is probably too late to be of use to you, but the answer is that it really depends on the VA, and maybe even the particular human resources recruiter working with you. If your profile goes before the salary board, and you get a lower offer than is acceptable to you, then you might be able to appeal. Other VA's will have you take it or leave an offer, and that's that. I've seen a recruiter resubmit a candidate without her knowledge once the offer was accepted, resulting in a step increase. There are as many possibilities as there are VAs.

When it comes to money, consider your long-term plans. You're going to get automatic step increases through the VA, good benefits and a pension. How many organizations offer pensions? How many organizations will pay you a full-time salary and send you to CRNA school?

I'd think less about money and more about your NP role at the VA. What will your practice look like, and will you be happy? You'll have full practice authority at the VA, but there may unfulfilling aspects about working for such a large bureaucracy.

In general, people typically onboard at the VA with lower salaries than they would make in the private sector. I personally took a pay cut to get into the VA, and it was the best career decision I could have made.

I had a tentative offer waited 3 months then they rescinded and didn't tell me why

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