Interviews Job vs Internship

[psychfi]

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I am going to start interviewing for VA jobs and I was wondering if there are any difference in the interview style vs the internship or any advice you have for first timer VA job interviews.

 

[Fan_of_Meehl]

Highlight your prior training in (if you have it) structured protocols (esp. from a CBT perspective) such as CBT-I, PE, CPT, ACT, or any other. If you don't have such training/experience, express your passion for wanting to be trained on such protocols. Also, make sure to pepper your speech with 'evidence-based' (this or that) at every opportunity. Make it clear that you're passionate about 'outcomes' in the form of patients reducing their endorsement of sydrome-based symptoms (e.g., PCL-5 for PTSD, GAD-7 for generalized anxiety, PHQ-9 for depression) and that you understand and appreciate the 'whole health' paradigm (which is basically the biopsychosocial model) as a 'revolutionary' and novel approach to conceptualizing physical, psychological, spiritual and communal well-being. And make sure to break eye contact first and keep your head down and don't interrupt (assume a submissive posture).

Only half-kidding. Seriously, have something meaningful and supportive to say about all of the above. And, oh yeah, you're passionate about working with veterans.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

VA typically uses performance-based interviewing, so you can try to find additional information about that. Broadly, as a general interviewing strategy, I typically recommend having specific examples and "hard numbers" available for as many different questions and topics as you can.

 

[cara susanna]

Yup, look up Performance-Based Interviews and be prepared for the questions with possible examples.

FWIW, I found the job application process much easier than the internship or even post doc interview process.

 

[PsyDr]

What’s that stupid security clearance thing you gotta have at the VA?

might be a factor