Are you looking for a career where you can make a difference in the lives of the nation’s veterans? If so, working at the Veteran Affairs is a noble, fulfilling option.
Landing a role at the Veteran Affairs (VA) is a noble pursuit. The VA is dedicated to serving the nation’s heroes and offers a range of careers, from healthcare to administration.
In this article, you’ll learn the steps to increase your chances of landing a position with the VA. Learn what VA jobs are, how to prepare to apply for a role, and the hiring process.
Understanding Veteran Affairs Jobs
What are Veteran Affairs Jobs?
Working at the VA can be rewarding, and they’re always looking for dedicated and talented people. Although it’s the nation’s most extensive healthcare system, it needs professionals in many fields outside of healthcare.
Some of the roles at the VA include careers in accounting, human resources, finance, IT, housekeeping, and carpentry.
Benefits of Working at the VA
Many people start a career at the VA because they want to help others, whether by directly working with veterans as nurses or in the facilities as gardeners. When working at the VA, you can also get additional benefits such as an excellent work-life balance, health insurance, paid time off, and broad retirement options.
You can also work in any VA facility nationwide when you receive an active, unrestricted state license. Living and working anywhere means you can work at any VA facility with an open position and transfer to the location without losing any benefits.
Preparing to Apply for Veteran Affairs Jobs
Researching Available Positions
You can start your search by looking through the USAJobs portal to find VA job listings. The site is a job board open to the public that advertises jobs with the federal government. It requires job seekers to create a login and a personal profile.
After creating your account, you can search for job openings that suit your experience and skills.
Building a Competitive Resume
When you find a role suitable for your experience and skills, you should carefully read the job description to understand the available opportunity. Afterward, it’s important to write a competitive resume that will help you shoot your shot for the role.
Ensure your resume is updated with the necessary information, including your relevant experience for the role. You should also consider writing a cover letter highlighting your skills and giving an overview of your potential value to the VA.
Gathering Necessary Documents
The job position you’re applying for may have additional instructions, such as informing you which documents to send along with your resume and cover letter. Remember to add all the required documents when sending an application and stick to the application timeline to increase your chances of landing a role.
The VA Hiring Process Explained
Step 1: Job Search and Application
To start your search for veteran affairs jobs, you can find job opportunity announcements (JOAs) on the USAJobs website and filter for VA positions. You can also use the USAJOBS website to search for positions easily by keyword and location.
After putting together your application, you’ll be directed to the VA application system, where you’ll submit your application and other information they need. Afterward, you can log into the USAJOBS Application Manager to check your application’s status.
Step 2: Application Review
When the JOA closes, your application is placed in the review stage. The VA hiring team will examine all applications for eligibility and will classify your application as either minimally qualified or highest qualified.
Those applications labeled as highest qualified are referred to the hiring manager, who performs a review and starts the interview stage. If your application is chosen for an interview, you’ll receive an email within a few weeks of the JOA closing date.
Step 3: Background Check
After the application review, the VA will conduct a thorough background check for specific roles to ensure the safety and integrity of its services. The VA checks your criminal history for past convictions that may impact your job performance. They review your employment history to see if you have been a model employee.
Also, they want to verify your education to see if you graduated from the school you added to your resume. Additionally, the VA wants to know whether you’re financially responsible, so they’ll look into your credit history for any risk factors.
Drug screening is also a significant check the VA performs because they’re committed to a drug-free workplace. Lastly, the VA will confirm your identity and legal work status to ensure you are who you say you are.
Conclusion
While the VA hires rapidly, there is still stiff competition for job openings. The VA regularly has an influx of applicants knocking on its doors, trying to serve the nation’s veterans.
Preparing yourself for the application and interview process can put you ahead of most other applicants who are interested in the same role you want. But if you get the job, the benefits you’ll receive for the work you put in during the application stage will be well worth it.
