VA Careers hosts monthly Twitter Chats that afford candidates the opportunity to chat directly with VHA recruiters, as well as answer questions about the application process. Various areas of employment opportunities and specialties are covered, and the most recent chat on April 16th focused on the transition from VHA trainee to employee.

Below, we’ve included six frequently asked Twitter Chat questions, that we hope you will find a useful resource throughout your VA job search:

Q: I see that all jobs are posted on USAJobs, when available. Is this the correct place to look for VA jobs?

A: You must apply via USAJobs for all government positions; however, VACareers.va.gov can be used to explore opportunities specific to VA. On the home page, you will find an interactive map that allows you to search by various criteria including specialty, city and state.

Q: What opportunities are available for recent graduates?

A: VA has an initiative aimed at health care trainees called “Take a Closer Look at VA. Explore VAcareers.va.gov/TACLVA for more information for recent graduates – opportunities are available by specialty. Specific qualifications are listed on each job posting.

Q: How can I get automatic e-mails for VA positions?

A: To receive these alerts, job seekers must set up a job search agent which will send daily emails when opportunities are advertised that match the candidate’s search – set up a profile at USAJobs.

Q: How long is the hiring process?

A: The length of the hiring process varies by position, but be sure to check the “Open Period” on the job posting. We also recommend that you follow up directly with the Point of Contact (POC) from the Vacancy Announcement after you submit your application.

Q: I am a Veteran and was told about the Veteran’s preference. Can you provide additional details?

A: Veterans’ preference applies to virtually all new appointments in both the competitive and excepted service. Veterans’ preference does not guarantee Veterans a job. If you are not sure of your preference eligibility, visit the Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Preference Advisor.

We encourage you to chat with VHA Nursing Recruiters on our next Twitter Chat on May 28th. To participate, just sign in and tweet your questions or comments to @VACareers using the hashtag #workatVA. If you have questions about Twitter and how VA Twitter Chats work, check out this blog post to learn more.

Tweet you then!

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