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So I was looking at some jobs locally in the Tampa, FL area that the VA had (or has currently) and unless you are doctor or nurse and/or have the medical qualifications and education, it's very slim pickings. Understandable why this is, however some of these would be great opportunities for veterans like a medical records tech, supply and IT jobs however for many of the positions, why do you have to be a current VA employee? Why are there very few to no positions that allow veterans to be hired under the VRA, aka Veterans' Recruitment Appointment? Not to mention I saw one where I had to be currently under VA care...of which I am not.
I see that the VA says they are committed to hiring veterans but am I missing something?
I see that the VA says they are committed to hiring veterans but am I missing something?
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Employment
Transition
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 21
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Ok here goes. I hope I don't get bashed too bad here. I'm responding on official time, as this relates to my office's mission. If you want to report me to the OIG for it go right ahead.
The VA under General Shinseki decided that they want to have a 40% veteran staff on-board percentage by 2020. In November of 2011, the office I currently work for, the Veteran Employment Services Office (VESO AKA VAforVets), was established. The mission is to facilitate the hiring of qualified veterans into the VA through non-competitive hiring authorities. Over the last four years we have gone from 32.04% (101,062) to 32.74% (118,565). Of the available title 5 (non-medical) last month 55% of the jobs went to veterans and for the entire year approx 64% were vets. The VA has grown overall which is why the percentage increase looks so low. My section of my overall office is 4 veterans, 2 Army and 2 Marines. So now you have the numbers.
VAforVets.va.gov is our website. We have Veteran Employment Specialists that can help you with your federal job hunt.
We have featured jobs posted there, that link directly to postings in USAJobs, that are being processed by the HR staffers in my office (mostly veterans). These are positions that the hiring managers have come to us and asked us to post in order to leverage non-competitive hiring authorities. What most fail to realize is that many veterans apply for these jobs. For the one my fellow Marine is now filling in my office, we had 200+ veteran applicants, narrowed to 40 minimally qualified veterans.
As to hiring managers not leveraging non-competitive hiring authorities, a lot of them are unaware that they can, because their HR servicing offices don't fully understand them. One of the missions of my office is to help bring awareness to these options and to then market the positions to the veteran population in order to find a vet for these guys. That said, right now we are in a hiring freeze for most non-medical positions (this from the Asst. Sec. for Human Resources and Administration Ret. General Gina Farrisee) and one way around that is to to internal hires, because there is no net gain of employees, you're just moving one from bucket A to bucket B.
Hope this helps some. Happy to answer questions here, or via PM.
Best,
Tina
The VA under General Shinseki decided that they want to have a 40% veteran staff on-board percentage by 2020. In November of 2011, the office I currently work for, the Veteran Employment Services Office (VESO AKA VAforVets), was established. The mission is to facilitate the hiring of qualified veterans into the VA through non-competitive hiring authorities. Over the last four years we have gone from 32.04% (101,062) to 32.74% (118,565). Of the available title 5 (non-medical) last month 55% of the jobs went to veterans and for the entire year approx 64% were vets. The VA has grown overall which is why the percentage increase looks so low. My section of my overall office is 4 veterans, 2 Army and 2 Marines. So now you have the numbers.
VAforVets.va.gov is our website. We have Veteran Employment Specialists that can help you with your federal job hunt.
We have featured jobs posted there, that link directly to postings in USAJobs, that are being processed by the HR staffers in my office (mostly veterans). These are positions that the hiring managers have come to us and asked us to post in order to leverage non-competitive hiring authorities. What most fail to realize is that many veterans apply for these jobs. For the one my fellow Marine is now filling in my office, we had 200+ veteran applicants, narrowed to 40 minimally qualified veterans.
As to hiring managers not leveraging non-competitive hiring authorities, a lot of them are unaware that they can, because their HR servicing offices don't fully understand them. One of the missions of my office is to help bring awareness to these options and to then market the positions to the veteran population in order to find a vet for these guys. That said, right now we are in a hiring freeze for most non-medical positions (this from the Asst. Sec. for Human Resources and Administration Ret. General Gina Farrisee) and one way around that is to to internal hires, because there is no net gain of employees, you're just moving one from bucket A to bucket B.
Hope this helps some. Happy to answer questions here, or via PM.
Best,
Tina
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SGT Shannon Wasielewski
CPT Amy Jennings - Yes. A manager can select off of a schedule A cert without considering others. Schedule A is another great reason to talk to the HR at the facility you are looking at, since they can refer your application to managers who might be in the planning stage of an announcement. It becomes a win win for everyone, you get selected and the hiring manager and HR don't have to do as much paperwork.
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SGT Shannon Wasielewski
CPT Amy Jennings - Yes. It also gives you a chance to review openings and share with them the skills you have.
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SGT Detra Dennis
I know this is an old post but I was wondering if you still work for this agency? I am looking to apply for a job with the VA and its also listed on your website and would like some assistance. Thanks in advance. Detra Dennis
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Because the VA is the 'good ole boy system'...the jobs posted are already being filled by someone the hiring manager knows.
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SPC Christopher Perrien
SPC(P) Jay Heenan - Well I walked into a GS-7 position with the Commerce Dept. in the Census Bureau. But I didn't like being in a big city(gov pay don't really make it there) so I deferred to stay after two years leaving as a 9. Though I haven't done it lately , I could rip though a Federal jobs listing for an area or a type of position fairly quick and tell what are actual openings and which ones aren't. Might take me a couple week to get back into the swing, But once you have been on the "inside" and/or have seriously studied the government hiring process , the walls are not as Byzantine as you might think.
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SGT (Join to see)
I can personally attest that this has happened to me. I deployed as a Radiology Specialist 2008-2009 to Iraq. Came home to pass the ARRT licence. Put in an application to our local VA. I received no response-no interview. I lucked out and got a 1 year Job as xray-tech in Afghanistan (This was as a civilian, and i though the experience couldn't hurt). I applied again in 2015 when position was available. I received an interview, but the final word was they hired someone else. Just this Month, May-2016, I applied to the same VA ( they had a 1 year part-time position. I thought just to get my foot in the door would be great. I received an email stating they would like to set up an interview-I responded the same day to ask them what day they would like. I received no response. I look on the site and see the position was closed several days prior to the interview invite. I am very disappointed in the way I have been treated. I personally don't think the Hiring Human Resource person deserves the job she has when it is being performed so poorly. I cannot say for sure if it is a case of "the good old boy/girl club", but it does seem that way. I am still looking for work, so if there is any suggestions please post. I certainly emphasize with those going through this.
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Are you smart? Capable? Organized? A self-starter? Dedicated? Care for vets? Concerned? Have a desire to make the VA a better place? If you answered "Yes" to any of those questions -- the Administrators at the VA don't want you -- hiring you will simply wind up with them looking like incompetents. Call Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema (AZ) or Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth (IL). They are fighting to improve the VA and you sound like the kind of guy they are looking for.
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SPC James White
I salute you Maj. And Yes on Tammy. As a licensed advocate, in my past meeting with Hon Tammy on matters of concern has always helped design my Advocates mapping-navigation of solutions! Yes, she is a bit busy today..yet salutes to her staff as well, they can make the difference! Maj Mike..Voted Up!! jw, Sf, Ca.
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