VA Hiring Process

Specialties Government

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From the previous posts I've read the VA hiring process is pretty long and drawn out. I've applied to two different VA sites. The VA an hour away from my home I can always get in contact with a nurse recruiter and my application status for two posting says "referred to selecting official." The VA closest to my home, I can't get through to the recruiter, she emailed me back once and the status of all the apps just says "application received." I do know a nurse practitioner that works at this VA site and she tried to give my resume to the recruiter, but I had to apply online.

For those of you that are familiar with the hiring process, any idea what the next step is. In all there are around 20 RN vacancies. The two systems have two completely different online application submissions, how will I know if I've completed the application process correctly, its a little confusing :(

I've been applying since I've graduated and earlier this year I found out that I was applying the wrong way so those positions don't count. These positions closed in September.

Thanks in advance ?

Oh my goodness Thank you Jesus..I finally got my start date.. I'm so happy right now.

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Specializes in Hyperbaric Medicine and Wound Care.
Thank you positivenet. I am still working through the process. One big hold up for me is the reference letters! HR does not want me to send in my "packet" until I have my 3 reference letters. I have done everything else, have everything else ready and just waiting on last reference letter. Hoping it will arrive tomorrow :)

I know it can't help you elprup but maybe it will help future readers of this thread. Make sure that you speak to each of your references at least 2-3 times a week after you submit them. Make sure that they understand how important to the process a timely response from them is. When you know that they have received the package to fill out, TELL THEM THAT YOU WILL PICK IT UP FROM THEM PERSONALLY!!!. Then, you go to the Post Office and OVERNIGHT THE PACKAGES TO THE VA!!!!

I didn't know this when I got hired but I have friends who have cut the time in half by just doing those few simple things. I hope this helps someone....

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The salary is given w/the formal job offer. Once Vetpro info.is returned the file goes to a nursing board - salary is determined from your experience, degree,etc. The board meets every wk at some VA's and every other at some VA's. If you don't hear from HR in a month I could contact them to check your status. Good luck.

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I overnight everything to VA! Good idea to remid everybody, it is $15 worth spending. Plus, it creates a paper trail!Me- Just one more reference letter to go....arrgg. Everything else has been done, verified and reverified. Gosh, I just want to work. Hope this is where I am supposed to be for a while.

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Hi,

How long does it take for the VA credentialing and background security clearance? Also, what did the physical include? Just a plain physical, tb test, and urine test for drugs? Someone told me they do a blood test, Ive never had to do a blood test at any of my other hospitals.

Thanks

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The background is done through VETPRO - how long depends on a few things - how many places you've lived/worked and if the references you provide respond quickly. For me, VETPRO came after the physical. You are also finger printed at the time of the physical. Atleast that's how it's done w/the VA I went to work for.The other background check is E-qip and is done after hire most of the time. The physical is eye test, general overview of your health, some bending/movement type things, TB test (they do a two step so if you have proof one a recent TB test then you wold only have to have one other done), EKG, no drug test but the blood work is a full panel and includes Hepatitis screen for Hep C, Hepatitis titer for Hep B, and immunity to chicken pox. After hire, as a nurse, a random drug screen IS done w/in 30 days of your EOD (first day). They will mail you results of all your labs for your own records.

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How far back did they go on work history for VETPRO? And what happens if a business is closed and there's no way to reach the owner?

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You are to list everything for 10 yrs at least. You can notate in the information the business is closed. If there are gaps more than 30 days between jobs you have to list that too. VETPRO is completed online and if there are errors or omissions it will let you know.

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Thank you Marshall1!! This entire thread has been a huge help in getting questions answered.

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Finally my vetpro is almost done! Funny, one of my jobs told VA I only worked there for one day. Ha. Of course I had all my paystubs to prove them wrong! Hoping for some work soon.

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I am so ready to give up! I have everything done except these reference letters.

I got 3 typed ref letters from previous people I worked with. Two were LVN's and one an MA. VA HR is now telling me that they were too much alike, the letters have to be written by the person who signs it. Hello, they were. Obviously, I left HR a message asking nicely, what the heck!

Then I get an email from VETPRO. All 3 of my references, for clinical employment reference where they mail references, did not respond. OK one moved, my problem. But the other two were providers from where I recently worked. So, I called my previous employer and the manager tells me that they were never given the letters from VA because of an employer rule that no current employee(s) can provide references for previous employees! That was not in my employee manual because I read the whole stinkin thing and just went back to check. Is this normal protocol? or am I really losing it?

Yes, I only have this previous employer to get references from, because that is the only place I have worked for these last few years, because of this old grad new grad situation.

Totally sad that I have this job, they want me to start orientation May 7th in San Francisco. Any ideas, I am really getting frustrated. Can I ask patients? I am really at a loss here.

thanks.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

Hey all,

This thread has been great, now that I'm finish with my process; I'll just add to this thread for others. My process has been similar but with some differences. I applied in January, the job closed in February. I was contacted about 2 weeks after the job closed by the hiring manager, she scheduled a phone interview for the next day. After the phone interview, she asked if I can come in for a face to face about a week and a half later. At the face to face, I was interviewed by 4 staff members, they asked the typical PBI type questions. A few days later, I was asked for references. I gave 4 references, all included email and physical addresses.

My references were contacted via email (these references were very slow with getting back in contact with the manager, so I believe this slowed down my process). About 3 weeks later, I was given a tentative offer, I was asked to do my physical and fingerprint ASAP, so I wound up doing these the same week of my tentative offer. I did my physical and fingerprinting the same day (at the VA I will be working for); that same day I received the link to vetpro, I was told I had 48 hours to get it done. Honestly, the vetpro process was not as difficult as I thought it would be. They were very specific about which tabs I should skip and the ones to fill out. It took me about 1 hour (if that) to input the data. The main thing with vetpro from my experience is having your information ready (i.e. reference list and past work experience). One day after inputting the data, my references were contacted via email (the reference form was completely different from the one given by the hiring manager during the first reference check). I submitted 8 references and within 3 days, 4 of my references had email or faxed back the reference form. I knew this by checking vetpro, I was able to log back in a check the status of references submittal, education and work verficication. A week after submitting my vetpro, I contacted the person managing my file to let her know I made an error in one of my entries, she told me that they already know and the dates were corrected. She also informed me that my file was submitted to the board.

I received my final offer about 4 business day after, via email (still awaiting snail mail confirmation). I will begin working in May (I choose my start date). After receiving my final offer, the HR person told me I'll have to do equip, which is an online background investigation before my start date. Overall, the process took about 3 months, from applying to getting a final offer.

My advice is get your references in order, have at least one former/current manager if possible. Make sure your references are checking email, as my VA used email to send my reference form and let them know to respond back in a timely manner. Also, if you can do a face to face interview. I had a few phone interviews prior and I just don't think I did as well as when I did my face to face. I'm so excited to start with the VA, I have a few friends who work for some of the other VA's and most have only pleasant things to say about working for the VA.

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