Hiring in VA: A Guide for Chiefs, Hiring Managers, and Directors of TrainingStacy Pommer, LMSW Associate Director, Associated Health Education,Office of Academic Affiliations, VACO

James Marfield, MBA VHA National Healthcare Recruitment Consultant, National Healthcare Recruitment Service (NHRS)Workforce Management and Consulting (WMC)

May 2017

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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

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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

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Hiring in VA: Knowledge Check

Using your smartphone text JAMESMARFIEL667 TO 22333 once

to join the Knowledge Check session

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Hiring in VA: Knowledge Check

• Poll Question #1 (True/False): Trainees must meet VA qualification standards at the time of recruitment

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Hiring in VA: Knowledge Check

Strategic Recruitment Initiative for VHA Health Professions Trainees | 2013

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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

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Hiring in VA: Knowledge Check

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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

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Hiring in VA: Knowledge Check

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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

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Hiring in VA: Knowledge Check

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• “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

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• “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

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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

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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

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VA Hiring Process Tips

• DO network with National Healthcare Recruitment (NHRS) Recruiters, local HR staff, and trainees to maximize non-competitive recruitment

• DO ask local HR to consider non-competitively hiring qualified VA trainees before announcing at USAJOBS

• DO encourage psychology trainees to initiate their job search once they are within 6-9 months of program completion

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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.gov when you encounter recruitment questions/concerns you are unable to resolve locally

• DO use VA internship and fellowship training director e-mail distribution lists and Psychology Student Community of Practice VA Pulse page to share vacancies prior to using USAjobs

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TakeACloserLook@VA (TACLVA)

• TakeACloserLook@VA (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

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TakeACloserLook@VA (TACLVA)

• Marketing efforts: social media presence at Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter

• TakeACloserLook@VA hosts VA career information for trainees and early-career psychologists

http://www.vacareers.va.gov/taclva

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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

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Clin

ical

Don Rainwater (VISN 1)

James Marfield (VISN 12)

Julie Torres (VISN 2)

Hillary Garcia (VISN 15)

Lawrence “Larry” Elliott (VISN 4, 10)

Kevin Buccola (VISN 16)

Terrance “Terry” Anderson (VISN 5)

Samuel Wainscott (VISN 17)

Harold “Keith” Liles (VISN 6)

Timothy Blakney (VISN 19)

Samuel “Sam” Wright (VISN 7)

Michael Naccarato (VISN 18)

Shane Stults (VISN 8)

Henry “Hank” Laguatan (VISN 20)

David Raines (VISN 9)

Eric Snipes (VISN 21)

Kenneth Mitchell (VISN 11/12)

David Aragon (VISN 22)

Charles Long (VISN 23)

Nu

rse

Nurse Recruiter (VACANT)

Nurse Recruiter (VACANT)

Nurse Recruiter (VACANT)

Nurse Recruiter (VACANT)

NHRS Recruiters

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Resources• FY17 Hiring VA Trainees Flyer and HR Question and Answers

• Myth Busters-Special Hiring Authority

• NHRS Recruiter Search

• USAJOBS How to Apply Tips

• TakeACloserLook@VA homepage

• TakeACloserLook@va.gov for applicants interested in future employment

• Trainee.recruitment@va.gov for questions regarding trainee recruitment

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Trainee.recruitment@va.gov