va interview questions for social workers

Most interview questions are going to start with “tell me about…” What the interviewer is looking for is for you to tell them a story. Make sure when you answer this question that you avoid military jargon and use plain English. Nothing will ruin your chances faster than forgetting who your audience is.

For example, in the United States Navy, they use terms like “head” instead of the bathroom. They use “ladder” instead of stairs, “port” for the left, and “starboard” for the right.

So assume you’re asked a question like: “Tell me about a time you had a disagreement with a co-worker?” A Navy veteran might answer the question like this:

“Well, I was heading up the port side ladder to go the head when I ran into seaman Smith. Smith had been gone for over 45 minutes. The reason, he decided he wanted a smoke break and was out on the smoking sponson.”

Can you see how you would totally confuse your audience if they had never been in the Navy before? In short, avoid military jargon. Period.

Practice translating your military experience so that a civilian is able to understand. You’ve worked in very specialized environments. These environments create very specific military cultures.

For example, you may have lived on bases, ships, or subs. You ate in chow halls, or in the galley… or even M.R.E.’s. You shopped in commissaries or exchanges.

You’ve deployed to unique locations; you’ve enjoyed a tight-knit sense of community. The skills you developed as a service member are truly valuable and in high demand. Never forget that. But, it’s your job to translate those skills to a prospective employer, as difficult as it may be. It is essential to bridge the culture gap that exists between military and civilian workplaces.

In fact, according to the Military Benefits Association: “research shows that more than 70 percent of hiring managers find it difficult to ascertain recent veterans’ skills based on their resume alone.”

Go through this list and ask yourself: “how will I answer this question”. Practice with friends and family that have NO military experience. Have them stop you when you use words or phrases they don’t understand.

Not sure how to translate your military experience into a civilian application? According to the Military Benefits Association, you should use one of the numerous online military skills translators that are available. This will help you describe your experience in a way that hiring managers can better understand.

There are a wealth of websites and books that can help you prepare for a job interview. However, nothing works better than practice. Don’t forget; you are there to get a job, not to make friends. Remember, just like you learned in the military, you perform what you practice.

6 Social Worker Interview Questions AND Answers (How to NAIL Your SOCIAL WORKER Interview)

Interviews for Top Jobs at US Department of Veterans Affairs

Social Worker Interview

Social Worker Interview

Now that you have an idea of what kinds of questions to expect, the next step is how to answer them. To give a complete answer to a behavior-based question, you must, first, reflect on specific situations that you faced while working (include any volunteering or internships), then, describe the specific action you took, and, finally, the outcome as a result of your actions. The interviewer will be looking for concrete examples not generalities. A helpful hint would be to remember the initials “PAR” for “Problem, Action, and Results” such as “PAR for the Course.” Heres an example: Problem: Local newspaper subscriptions were declining for the area residents and large numbers of long-term subscribers were not renewing contracts. With the majority of the newspapers revenue generated from subscriptions, this reduction in renewals would have an enormous affect on the future of the paper, especially employment.

Action: Evaluated original subscription rates and designed a new promotional package that offered special rates for all renewal subscriptions. Results: Increased renewal subscription by 25 percent over the same period last year. This promotional package not only increased renewal subscriptions and maintains job security for the staff, but also enabled the office to replace a badly needed piece of equipment that could no longer be serviced.

He is recognized as an NASW “1,000 Experts” transgender topic expert, and serves on numerous committees, including the NASW National Committee for LGBT Issues, the NASW CA Chapter Diversity Committee, the CA Reducing Disparities Project Transgender Advisory Committee, and the Veterans Affairs Transgender Education Workgroup. He was also awarded a two-year fellowship through the Rockwood Leadership Institute’s LGBTQ Advocacy Fellowship program. Zander Keig was compensated to participate in this interview.

Any course that covers or focuses on Trauma and Stress Related Disorders (DSM V) ought to provide students with an introduction to the PTSD that wartime veterans suffer from. In addition, the prevalence of Military Sexual Trauma (MST), incurred by both female and male service members, means that getting training in working with sexual assault recovery would be beneficial to working with veterans.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this interview are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States government.

[OnlineMSWPrograms.com] Can you give an overview of your core responsibilities as a social worker for the Veterans Health Administration? What types of clients do you work with, and what kinds of challenges do they face? How do you help them manage/overcome these challenges?

It’s no secret that military culture is not the most conducive to dealing with difference. The point of basic training (boot camp) is to strip away individuality to build a cohesive team. Sexual orientation of service members has been a hot topic for many decades in the United States and until recently was used as a barrier to entering service or required the individual to not disclose their sexual orientation. That same scrutiny and secrecy follows the individual from military service to VHA settings. Thankfully DADT was repealed and out service is now, legally, permitted.

Go through this list and ask yourself: “how will I answer this question”. Practice with friends and family that have NO military experience. Have them stop you when you use words or phrases they don’t understand.

In fact, according to the Military Benefits Association: “research shows that more than 70 percent of hiring managers find it difficult to ascertain recent veterans’ skills based on their resume alone.”

So assume you’re asked a question like: “Tell me about a time you had a disagreement with a co-worker?” A Navy veteran might answer the question like this:

Most interview questions are going to start with “tell me about…” What the interviewer is looking for is for you to tell them a story. Make sure when you answer this question that you avoid military jargon and use plain English. Nothing will ruin your chances faster than forgetting who your audience is.

There are a wealth of websites and books that can help you prepare for a job interview. However, nothing works better than practice. Don’t forget; you are there to get a job, not to make friends. Remember, just like you learned in the military, you perform what you practice.

FAQ

What interview questions does the VA ask?

• Tell me about a time you had a disagreement with a co-worker.
• Tell me about a time you had to complete a job with inadequate resources.
• Have you ever had to commit an unsafe act in order to get a job done?
• What is your vision for your future here at this company?

What questions do they ask in a social worker interview?

• Tell me about yourself.
• Why are you interested in this agency?
• How does the work in this organization fit your professional mission or experience?
• Why do you want this job? …
• What are your experiences with the target population?
• Why do you want to work with this target population?

How do I prepare for a VA interview?

1. Practice your interviewing skills well before you are called for an interview. …
2. Look professional. …
3. Think positive. …
4. Be sure you have the correct time and clear directions to the interview. …
5. Arrive early.