Veterans Affairs interview questions follow a set format. VA uses Performance-Based Interviewing (PBI), which asks about your behaviour in past situations, or what you would do in a hypothetical one. Everyone interviewing for the same role gets the same questions and the same rating process. VA encourages you to answer in STAR form.
Everything below comes from VA's own careers pages and regulations, linked as we go. Where VA doesn't say something, we say so.
The VA hiring process at a glance
| Step | What happens | What VA says about timing |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Find a job | Search job opportunity announcements (JOAs) on USAJOBS. | Not published |
| 2. Apply | Complete the USAJOBS steps, attach your resume and required documents, then finish in VA's application system. | Before the announcement closes |
| 3. Review | After the JOA closes, applicants are rated "minimally qualified" or "highest qualified". The highest qualified go to the hiring manager. | Status email normally within 10 to 15 business days of closing |
| 4. Interview | VA invites you by phone. Phone, video or in person; one-on-one or panel; possibly more than one round. | The facility has 30 days to use a referral list, extendable by up to 60 |
| 5. Tentative offer | You complete a background investigation, other security checks and new hire forms. | Not published |
| 6. Final offer | VA confirms the offer and sets a start date. | The whole process "may take a while, anywhere from 60-120 days" |
What is the VA hiring process?
You apply for a specific announcement on USAJOBS, VA rates every applicant once it closes, the best-qualified are referred to the hiring manager, and some of them are interviewed. VA's job application process page warns that it is often longer than in the private sector and "can be affected by factors like number of applicants and urgency of hiring".
VA hires across health care, benefits, cemeteries and support functions. Its careers site lists health care providers, administrators, technical staff and support staff.
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How do you apply for a job at VA?
Through USAJOBS. VA posts every opening there as a job opportunity announcement. VA's advice is to read the whole announcement, especially these sections:
- This job is open to and Who may apply, which tell you whether you're eligible.
- Clarification from the agency, which can narrow who may apply.
- Qualifications, which you have to show in your resume.
When you apply, USAJOBS takes you through a five-step process to attach your resume and required documents, then sends you to VA's application system to finish. VA warns that "without all required documents, your application could be deemed ineligible and rejected", and its FAQ adds that you generally can't send missing forms after the announcement closes.
A few other rules from VA's applicant FAQ:
- Apply to each announcement separately, even for a job like one you qualified for before.
- Copies of transcripts are fine when you apply. VA asks for originals only if you're selected.
- VA generally hires US citizens, with some exceptions; ask the hiring facility.
- Track your status in Application Manager, not USAJOBS. VA says they are two different programs, and asks you not to call to check.
If you served, VA's page for veterans suggests selecting the Veterans hiring path on USAJOBS to find jobs open to those who have served.
Does VA have an assessment?
Yes, as part of the application. VA's FAQ says Application Manager shows "the date your assessment was submitted" alongside the date your documents arrived. The questions depend on the announcement, and VA doesn't publish them. Answer honestly, and make sure your resume backs up the experience you claim.
How does veterans' preference work at VA?
Qualified veterans and transitioning service members can get preference. VA's FAQ says preference adds 5 or 10 points to a score, that "Only 3-5 names are referred for each vacancy", and that some veterans with preference are placed at the top. Follow the instructions on USAJOBS to claim it.
What is VA's interview process like?
VA calls you to invite you to interview. The interview can be by phone, video or in person, with one interviewer or a panel, and there may be more than one round. VA's FAQ says the facility "is not required to interview all names that are referred".
Every interview uses PBI. VA's interview process page describes two kinds of question:
| Question type | What it asks | VA's own example |
|---|---|---|
| Behavioural | What you did in a past situation | "Tell us about a time when you had to deal with an upset co-worker, patient, or other customer." |
| Situational | What you would do in a hypothetical scenario | "A family member approaches you and has questions about the care their loved one received." |
VA says PBI measures job-related competencies such as leadership, teamwork, communication and customer service. VA says the competencies listed in the announcement are likely to guide the questions. VA doesn't publish how answers are scored.
How should you answer VA's performance-based interview questions?
Use STAR: situation, task, action, result. VA recommends it, and names similar structures you can use instead: PAR (problem, action, result), SOAR (situation, obstacle, action, result) and CCAR (context, challenge, action, result). Our STAR method guide walks through it, and our page on structured interview questions explains why panels ask everyone the same thing.
VA's own advice for the interview:
- Be specific. VA contrasts strong, clearly structured answers with vague ones about "trying my best".
- "Be honest but not modest." Say what you did, in "I" statements.
- Don't take sole credit for work that was clearly a team effort.
- Cover anything you missed at the end, and ask about next steps.
VA interview questions and how to answer them
VA publishes its format and a few examples. It says the competencies in the announcement will likely guide the questions. The first three below are VA's published examples. The rest are questions to prepare for, chosen to match VA's I CARE values, set out in 38 CFR 0.601: Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect and Excellence.
1. Tell us about a time when you had to deal with an upset co-worker, patient, or other customer.
Pick a real case. Set out what upset them, what you did to calm things and fix the problem, and how it ended. Show respect: VA's values say employees treat everyone they serve and work with "with dignity and respect".
2. A family member approaches you and has questions about the care their loved one received. What would you do?
This is situational, so walk through your steps: listen, acknowledge their concern, answer what you're allowed to, and bring in the right person for the rest. Mention privacy if the role involves patient information. If you've handled something similar, add it briefly.
3. Tell us about a time you briefed a supervisor or senior management official about bad news.
VA uses this to test communication. Show that you raised the problem early, gave the facts plainly, came with options and followed up.
4. Why do you want to work at VA?
Make it about the mission. VA describes its work as "serving those who have served". Connect that to your own reason, whether you're a veteran, a military family member or someone who wants their work to help veterans.
5. Tell us about a time you stood up for the needs of someone you were serving.
This is Advocacy. VA's values ask employees to be "truly veteran-centric". Describe noticing what someone needed, pushing to get it and what changed for them.
6. Tell us about a time you made a mistake at work.
This is Excellence. VA's values ask employees to be "willing to admit mistakes, and rigorous in correcting them". Own the mistake, explain how you fixed it and say what you changed afterwards.
7. Describe a time you had to do the right thing when it would have been easier not to.
This is Integrity. Choose an example where you followed a rule or professional standard under pressure, and explain why it mattered for trust.
8. Tell us about a time you worked with a team to deliver something difficult.
Teamwork is one of the competencies VA names. Say what the team did and what you did, without claiming the whole result.
9. Tell us about a time you led others through a change or a problem.
Leadership is another named competency, and you don't need a manager's title to answer. Describe how you set direction, kept people informed and what the result was.
10. Describe a time you had several urgent tasks at once. How did you prioritise?
Commitment means fulfilling your responsibilities. Explain how you decided what came first, who you told and how you made sure nothing was dropped.
11. What would you do if a Veteran told you they'd been waiting too long for help?
Situational again. Acknowledge the frustration, find out what they need, act on what you can and escalate the rest, then follow up so they aren't left waiting.
12. Tell us about a time you improved a process at work.
Excellence includes "continuous improvement". Describe what wasn't working, the change you made or suggested, and the measurable or visible effect.
For more practice prompts, see our behavioural interview questions and situational interview questions.
What questions should you ask a VA interview panel?
VA suggests these:
- What does a typical day look like in this role?
- How is performance measured and reviewed?
- What do you enjoy most about working here?
- Do you have any concerns about my experience that I can address?
- What are the next steps in the hiring process?
What happens after the VA interview?
VA's advice is to email your interviewers within two days, keep your references up to date and tell them the competencies you discussed. HR will contact you with the result.
If you're selected, you get a tentative offer. You then complete a background investigation, other security checks and new hire forms. VA then makes a final offer and sets your start date. VA doesn't publish how long the checks take.
How long does the VA hiring process take?
VA's FAQ says the hiring process "may take a while, anywhere from 60-120 days". Along the way:
- After an announcement closes, you'll normally get an email within 10 to 15 business days.
- If you're not selected for an interview, VA says you'll be told by email within a few weeks of the closing date.
- The facility has 30 days to use each referral list and can extend it by up to 60 days.
How to prepare for a VA interview
- Read the announcement again and list the competencies it names.
- Write five or six STAR stories, one per competency, and rehearse them out loud. VA itself suggests writing examples out in STAR form.
- Map each story to an I CARE value, so you can draw on the right one when a question comes.
- Prepare for situational questions by thinking through how you'd handle an upset patient, family member or veteran.
- For video interviews, test your internet, audio and video, and use a quiet, well-lit room. For in-person interviews, plan your route and arrive early.
- Practise with someone who will ask follow-up questions. Our mock interview guide shows how.
- Email your interviewers within two days afterwards.
Practising realistic work tasks
Performance-based interviews reward specific stories, and the job rewards sound judgement in real situations. Both improve with practice on realistic tasks. Cohesyve, which publishes this guide, runs practice job simulations for your role, with a scored report on where you lost marks. Cohesyve isn't affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs and doesn't use VA's questions or hiring materials.
FAQs
What is a performance-based interview at VA?
A structured interview where every candidate for a role gets the same questions about past behaviour or hypothetical situations, scored by the same rating process. VA uses it because it holds that past behaviour is the best predictor of future performance.
Are VA interviews panel interviews?
They can be. VA says interviews may be one-on-one or with a panel, by phone, video or in person, and there may be more than one round.
How long does it take to get hired at VA?
VA says anywhere from 60 to 120 days, and that the process is often longer than in the private sector.
How do I check my VA application status?
Sign in to Application Manager. VA says USAJOBS and Application Manager are separate programs, and that only Application Manager shows your status.
Do veterans get preference for VA jobs?
Yes, for qualified veterans and transitioning service members. Preference adds 5 or 10 points to your score.
Can I apply for VA jobs if I'm not a US citizen?
VA generally hires US citizens but makes some exceptions. Contact the hiring facility named in the announcement.
Sources
Checked 27 October 2026:
- vacareers.va.gov: Job application process
- vacareers.va.gov: The interview process
- vacareers.va.gov: Applicant FAQ
- vacareers.va.gov: Veterans and transitioning military
- vacareers.va.gov: People and culture
- 38 CFR 0.601, Core Values, via Cornell Legal Information Institute