VA Nurses... how were you hired?

Gennaver, MSN · Dec 16, 2006

I went back to posts from 2004 and couldn't find one on this. Just completed and interview today at my local VA. This is a job that I'm drooling over. They practically told me everything that I wanted to hear about a place of employment. The hospital's about a 40 min drive,but all in all a dream job. But anyway, I feel as though it was your basic interview. I made a good impression, sold my self pretty well, but no comfirmation that the job is mine yet. I was told that the way it works is that someone usually calls and says that they want to offer you the job with such and such pay rate according to the scale, and then they let you know what the next step is. She said the whole process could take 3 weeks. Maybe I'm just freaking out because I want this job so much, but I feel like the nurse manager would have told me right then and there if the job was mine. They are interviewing for several positions though (they're opening a new floor).
I don't know what do you think. How were you offered a position with the VA? Should I be worried?

Hello,

You know, I do not know but, if you are feeling so uncomfortable about it why not send her a thank you note for the interview?

I have heard from some people who make it a standard practice to bring thank you cards with them and then fill them out immediately after the meeting/interview while words are still fresh and to relate to them. Then they mail the card before they even get home.

This is multi purpose, it does show your appreciation, your conscientiousness and also reminds the manager that you are out there waiting for news.

That or else you could call with appreciation.

Good luck,

Gen

wefdm21 · Dec 16, 2006

I think I will do that. Good advice. You know, it was a good interview. I prepared by rehearsing my answers to some common questions and I even came with questions in hand. I did stumble on a couple of the questions they asked, but she said there were no right or wrong answers. They had to notice that I was tearing up as I talked about how enthusiastic I was about the job. Sigh... We will see. I'll send the thank you note this Monday. How long was it before you heard from someone after your interview.

Gennaver, MSN · Dec 16, 2006

I think I will do that. Good advice. You know, it was a good interview. I prepared by rehearsing my answers to some common questions and I even came with questions in hand. I did stumble on a couple of the questions they asked, but she said there were no right or wrong answers. They had to notice that I was tearing up as I talked about how enthusiastic I was about the job. Sigh... We will see. I'll send the thank you note this Monday. How long was it before you heard from someone after your interview.

Hello again,

I should have been clear that I am not a VA nurse. I am waiting to hear from my Army Nurse Medical recruiter to see if the December 1st Army review boad accpted my application or not.

Not sure why the hold up but, there is one.

An Air Force recruiter suggested to me that it may be due to the fact that I will be a new nurse graduate this June 2007 and said that the AF wasn't taking new graduates until September 2007. Slight possibility that is the Army case.

Depending on what happens I may end up switching to applying through the Air Force.

I thought I was too old for the Air Force Active duty but, surprisingly they also take nurses for AD up to 41!!

Hanging in here, good luck to you too!

Gen

p.s. any time that I did send a post interview thank you I usually did hear from the interviewer, either then or later after hired, about it.

athena55, BSN, RN · Dec 17, 2006

Hello there Wefdm21

When I went in for my interview at the VA (VISN3) I initially saw the nursing administrative assistant, handed in my paperwork, then waited to hear from them. Got a date to interview with two nurse supervisors (PCTC), got the call of a job offer, then got a date for the drug exam. Passed that, then found out which unit they had an opening for, then got my orientation date. Been with the VA since October, so I am a newbie, but so far I am very happy with my decision to enter into the VA system.

It took a really long time before I even heard from them after I had faxed in my resume. I do hope you hear from them in the near future. Waiting is so stressful.

Good Luck to you, let us know when you are offered a job!

athena

Trauma Columnist · Dec 17, 2006

I worked for the VAMC in Indy and loved it! I have veteran's preference so it was pretty easy to get hired. However, like Gennaver said, I also brought stamped thank you cards with me, filled them out in the car after the interview and mailed them right then. If there was a VA near me, I would choose to work there for sure.

wefdm21 · Dec 17, 2006

Thanks you guys. Athena55...that's kind of how my story's playing out. I had the interview with the 2 nurse supervisors, so now I'm just waiting for the call saying I have the job offer. It didn't take very long after I sent my application/resume in to hear from someone. I just hope it doesn't take forever from this point.

Gennaver, MSN · Dec 18, 2006

I worked for the VAMC in Indy and loved it! I have veteran's preference so it was pretty easy to get hired. However, like Gennaver said, I also brought stamped thank you cards with me, filled them out in the car after the interview and mailed them right then. If there was a VA near me, I would choose to work there for sure.

Hello TraumaRUs,

I am very certain I read of the thank you card idea here AND from nurses in real life but, it was from reading it here that gave me the nudge myself to do it.

Heck, it could have been your very suggestion that I am recalling!

It is a good one I think and I am glad to forward the advice, alwasy crediting "some nurse..."

Gen

jamangel · Dec 18, 2006

I went to an open interview day. Applied, interviewed and unofficailly hired on the same day. I got the official call to hire 2 weeks later and was in orientation 2 weeks after that.

irmaRN · Jan 15, 2007

Hi..... I too had an interview with the VA. make sure that you send a thank you for the interview note. It does take a while for them to get back to you to let you know if the job is yours. ( at least a month) I was told reference letters go out and they are quite detailed from what i heard. nothing is done until all reference letters come back to the VA. I had my interview in mid- september and was offered the job by the end of november. Hang in there and best wishes!

NPAlby · Feb 16, 2007

I put in my app in August thinking I would start some time before school started (1st yr psych NP). Haha! After checking back a couple of times to make sure there wasn't anything wrong or missing with my app I finally got an interview last week- Feb 10th!!! They apologized for taking so long. Apparently they have only one nurse recruiter and she only works part time in that position, two days a week otherwise she's doing NP work. Anyway, I really do want to join the VA. I'm former active duty Navy and have used the VA as a pt while in nursing school and when I had no insurance. They've always been great to me and I went to a couple different ones in the NYC area. So I'm being patient. But now I'm realizing that the VA I applied to only has one psych floor. The one that's actually closer to where I live but an hour and 1/2 from my school is known for it's psychiatric services. I thought working across the street from my school would be better so I wouldn't be late to work/school but now I feel like I should have gone to the other VA. My question to you VA nurses is: how is the transfering within VISNs but different medical centers? I just hope it's not as long as this inital application process.

Larabelle · Feb 25, 2007

I answered the ad in the paper by sending in my resume. I got a call two weeks later for an interview. I was interviewed by a panel of ten people. I was notified by the nurse recruiter two weeks later that I got the job. I started two weeks later.