Hiring in VA: A Guide for Chiefs, Hiring Managers, and Directors of Training

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Derick Weaver
6 years ago
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James Marfield, MBA VHA National Healthcare Recruitment Consultant, National Healthcare Recruitment Service (NHRS) Workforce Management and Consulting (WMC) May 2017 Hiring

1 James Marfield, MBA VHA National Healthcare Recruitment Consultant, National Healthcare Recruitment Service (NHRS) Workforce Management and Consulting (WMC) May 2017 Hiring in VA: A Guide for Chiefs, Hiring Managers, and Directors of Training Stacy Pommer, LMSW Associate Director, Associated Health Education, Office of Academic Affiliations, VACO

2 Hiring in VA: Current State High turnover/growing knowledge-gap in HR Increased competition for talent Shrinking budgets and hiring freezes Changing recruitment landscape mobile and digital

(vacancies) - Access, suicide prevention, mental health hiring initiative 2.

3 Hiring in VA: Current State Reactionary vs. proactive agency recruitment VA has supply (trainees) to meet the demand (vacancies) - Access, suicide prevention, mental health hiring initiative 2.0 VA-wide inefficient and ineffective recruitment practices Psychology consistently in OIG s top 5 critical shortage professions

4 Hiring in VA: Knowledge Check Using your smartphone text JAMESMARFIEL667 TO once to join the Knowledge Check session

5 Hiring in VA: Knowledge Check Poll Question #1 (True/False): Trainees must meet VA qualification standards at the time of recruitment

6 Hiring in VA: Knowledge Check

7 Hiring in VA: Knowledge Check Poll Question #2 (True/False): Hybrid Title 38 vacancies must be announced at USAJOBS to meet local bargaining unit job posting requirements

8 Hiring in VA: Knowledge Check

9 Hiring in VA: Knowledge Check Poll Question #3 (True/False): Non-competitive hiring flexibilities apply to current/former non- VA trainees as well as current/former VA Trainees

10 Hiring in VA: Knowledge Check

11 Hiring in VA: Knowledge Check Poll Question #4 (True/False): When a USAjobs posting has internal VA employees as the Area of Consideration (AOC) current trainees are not eligible to apply online to the announcement

12 Hiring in VA: Knowledge Check

We have tried to non-competitively hire but have been told by local HR that they still needed to post the position per local bargaining union agreement.

13 We have tried to non-competitively hire but have been told by local HR that they still needed to post the position per local bargaining union agreement. Needless to say 2 months later we are still waiting for the posting Selecting Official We are unable to non-competitively appoint because she is no longer a recent trainee Human Resources (HR) One of our sites,, appears to misunderstand trainee hiring authorities and plans to proceed to competitively post positions Director of Training

I just received notification that I have been screened out as ineligible from another VA position this one was the staff psychologist neuropsychology position.

14 I just received notification that I have been screened out as ineligible from another VA position this one was the staff psychologist neuropsychology position. I will be eligible for this position at the completion of my fellowship in August Psychology Resident Licensing had to be completed by the closing date of the announcement - HR Henry has been timely, professional, and a tremendous help and useful resource in navigating employment/recruitment process. He has my continued sincere thanks Psychology trainee regarding NHRS recruiter

VA Hiring Process: Common Barriers Disqualifying psychologists for not meeting qualification standards at the time of recruitment should be evaluated based on projected qualifications at time of hire

15 VA Hiring Process: Common Barriers Disqualifying psychologists for not meeting qualification standards at the time of recruitment should be evaluated based on projected qualifications at time of hire Using USAJOBS when hiring managers already have an interested and qualified candidate Using an area of consideration of Internal VA Employees when using USAJOBS trainees are considered external. Recognize that trainees may still be considered outside of USAjobs

VA Hiring Process: Common Barriers Belief that hiring flexibilities only apply to a VAMC s current trainees Applying Veterans Preference (VP) to occupations listed in the most

16 VA Hiring Process: Common Barriers Belief that hiring flexibilities only apply to a VAMC s current trainees Applying Veterans Preference (VP) to occupations listed in the most recent OIG Top 5 Critical Shortage Occupation list Psychology is exempt from VP in FY 2017 USAJOBS announcements and online questionnaires that include language disqualifying trainees

VA Hiring Process Tips DO encourage psychology trainees to initiate their job search once they are within 6-9 months of program completion DO network with National Healthcare Recruitment

17 VA Hiring Process Tips DO encourage psychology trainees to initiate their job search once they are within 6-9 months of program completion DO network with National Healthcare Recruitment (NHRS) Recruiters, local HR staff, and trainees to maximize noncompetitive recruitment DO ask local HR to consider non-competitively hiring qualified VA trainees before announcing at USAJOBS

VA Hiring Process Tips DO reference Hiring VHA Trainees Flyer and myth-busters DO refer trainees to TACLVA Job Search Guide for CV, interview, and other tips DO contact trainee.recrutiment@va.

18 VA Hiring Process Tips DO reference Hiring VHA Trainees Flyer and myth-busters DO refer trainees to TACLVA Job Search Guide for CV, interview, and other tips DO contact when you encounter recruitment questions/concerns you are unable to resolve locally DO use VA internship and fellowship training director distribution lists and Psychology Student Community of Practice VA Pulse page to share vacancies prior to using USAjobs

19 (TACLVA) (TACLVA) is VA s first agency-wide strategic recruitment initiative targeting VHA Health Professions Trainees Ongoing collaboration between NHRS and Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA) Featured in VA Blogs, agency-wide HR, PAO, and program office calls Special campaign for psychology to match interested trainees with vacancies - requires notification of vacancies by Psychology Chiefs

TakeACloserLook@VA (TACLVA) Marketing efforts: social media presence at Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter

20 (TACLVA) Marketing efforts: social media presence at Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter hosts VA career information for trainees and early-career psychologists

21 National Healthcare Recruitment Service (NHRS) Team of professional healthcare recruiters using private industry best practices to fill VA s critical vacancies Recruiters work directly with clinical hiring managers to learn position requirements to aid in finding the best fit Develops tailored recruitment plans to identify, screen and refer candidates Identifies and finds solutions for obsolete hiring and onboarding practices

22 Clinical Nurse Strategic Recruitment Initiative for NHRS Recruiters Don Rainwater (VISN 1) James Marfield (VISN 12) Julie Torres (VISN 2) Hillary Garcia (VISN 15) Lawrence Larry Elliott (VISN 4, 10) Terrance Terry Anderson (VISN 5) Harold Keith Liles (VISN 6) Kevin Buccola (VISN 16) Samuel Wainscott (VISN 17) Timothy Blakney (VISN 19) Nurse Recruiter (VACANT) Nurse Recruiter (VACANT) Samuel Sam Wright (VISN 7) Michael Naccarato (VISN 18) Nurse Recruiter (VACANT) Shane Stults (VISN 8) David Raines (VISN 9) Henry Hank Laguatan (VISN 20) Eric Snipes (VISN 21) Nurse Recruiter (VACANT) Kenneth Mitchell (VISN 11/12) David Aragon (VISN 22) Charles Long (VISN 23)

TakeACloserLook@VA homepage TakeACloserLook@va.

23 Resources FY17 Hiring VA Trainees Flyer and HR Question and Answers Myth Busters-Special Hiring Authority NHRS Recruiter Search USAJOBS How to Apply Tips homepage for applicants interested in future employment for questions regarding trainee recruitment

Getting a Job in the VA: A Guide for Trainees and Early Career Psychologists

Getting a Job in the VA: A Guide for Trainees and Early Career Psychologists Stacy Pommer, LMSW Associate Director, Associated Health Education, Office of Academic Affiliations, VACO James Marfield, MBA