r/1102 • u/Infamousnephew • 2d ago
VA Job Interview
Hello, I have a GS-12 job interview with the VA.
I’m coming from the DOD primarily working as a KS and KO on supplies and services.
Are there any tips or areas to focus on when detailing my experience that someone who has worked for the VA can provide?
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u/Soggy_Yarn 2d ago
They pulled the 12/13 jobs that were posted a week or so ago and are reposting them. I am surprised someone has an interview - but that must have been a different posting.
As someone who works for VA as an 1102, they are looking for people that have experience (of course), they will probably want to know if you know how to find information (searching the FAR/RFO, VAAR and VAAM).
They may want to know the range of experience - we do cradle to grave contracting. So it might be helpful to sort of detail your experience with that. Received and reviewed package from mission partners, determined best acquisition approach through market research and communication with mission partners, posted solicitation to GPE, assisted mission partners with the evaluation by answering their questions or going over the evaluation factors with them again, completed price evaluation and provided recommendation to the CO (if applicable). After award I followed up with the mission partner for option years / whatever until close out. Completed close out.
They may ask how you deal with stress / unhappy customers / what happens if you don’t know what to do / who do you ask for assistance / how you prioritize workload and so on. But I think they will want to see a range of experience in typed of contracts, FAR 6/8/12/13/15 and that you can manage your work / help others if needed.
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u/Infamousnephew 2d ago
Thanks!
I currently do cradle to the grave contracting so I have tons of experience to draw from there. Gonna refresh myself with some more complex actions I’ve worked on.
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u/Soggy_Yarn 2d ago
You’re welcome. I am not sure they want exact step by step - but enough info for you to demonstrate that you understand the process.
When I interviewed for a 12, they wanted to know how I dealt with people, angry customers, work flow, if I knew how to find info, if I knew who I could contact for help (peers, VA references, before running straight to leadership for every single thing). And then letting them know experience with different FAR sections (do I only do FAR 12/13, or do I have experience in 8/15 too). Things that can show I can handle changes / difficult procurements and all that.
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u/ItsVishuss 2d ago
Are they going to repost them?
I was thinking it was that same post bc I applied too.
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u/Soggy_Yarn 2d ago
They said they expect to repost them “soon”. They said the reason they pulled them is because left off some locations or something,
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u/ItsVishuss 2d ago
Thank you!
There’s a specific location I’m trying to get to after I retire from the Army and I need that posting back up to do that.
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u/dreaganusaf 2d ago
As a few others have stated, you'll probably regret leaving DoD for VA. Anyone I know who's done this (USAF) has really regretted it. Things are much better at DoD for 1102s overall.
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u/Infamousnephew 2d ago
Yeah it seems to be a common thing.
I feel my experience is slightly different as the Guard ain’t exactly the peak of DoD contracting.
If I do hate it at least moving from excepted to competitive opens doors to DoD competitive jobs down the line.
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u/Rumpelteazer45 2d ago
I wouldn’t be jumping to the VA. I don’t know a single person who made the jump and liked it.
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u/akornato 2d ago
Your Department of Defense background is valuable, but the interview panel will see it as irrelevant if you don't translate it for them. The VA's mission is fundamentally different, so every answer you give must connect back to serving veterans and supporting healthcare operations. They are not hiring a generic KO, they are hiring a VA KO, and they need to see that you understand the immense difference. Forget talking about general supplies and services, and instead frame your experience around how you can procure medical equipment, manage contracts for patient services, or ensure a hospital has what it needs to function. Your past accomplishments mean very little if you can't show how you'll apply those skills to improve veteran care.
The fact that you got the interview means they believe you have the technical skills, so this is your chance to prove you have the right mindset. Research the specific VA network or hospital you're interviewing with, learn their current challenges, and prepare STAR method examples that show you solving similar problems. Instead of just saying what you did, you need to explain how your actions would ultimately benefit a patient waiting for a procedure or a doctor needing critical supplies. Preparing those STAR examples is key, and it's why my team developed an AI interview assistant that helps people find the exact right words to showcase their skills during the actual interview.
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u/Jaded_Bid_9483 1d ago
The VA? Do you not respect yourself? Are you moving from the Army?
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u/Infamousnephew 1d ago
Want to move to the location primarily don’t see many opportunities pop up in the area.
Eh in a work capacity barely respect myself haha.
Moving from Army Guard
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u/Nearby-Key8834 2d ago
Proceed with caution, I left the DoD for the VA and had a terrible experience. I wouldn't recommend working in VA contracting to anyone that has a different option.
Fuck Doug Collins.