USAJobs is not an actual job site. I have known a lot of people, including myself who have applied to dozens of jobs, even applying to jobs we are overqualified for to see if there was any actual merit to the site existing. None of us have ever so much as gotten a response of any kind, let alone an interview.
That is only in certain area and actually a pretty small piece of the island. As an MA level therapist there is no way I could afford to live on Oahu. The only people in my position I know who live on other islands other than the Big Island have spouses that make most of the money coming into the household. I'm in this by my lonesome.
I've used USAJobs to apply for multiple positions and, having also worked in VA and been involved in hiring to a small extent, can say it is very much a functioning job site. The issue is that depending on the VA, HR usually receives and screens the applications first before ever sending them along to the particular service (e.g., Mental Health) that posted the ad. Thus, HR may screen out applications because, in their minds, a candidate does not meet requirements when, if the service had seen the application, it would be clear the applicant is qualified. HR may also screen out applications that they deem to be incomplete for whatever reason. And there can also be significant lag times between when a site receives an application and when they communicate with applicants/setup interviews; for example, I've heard of folks being contacted 6 months after applying. There's often an email address listed in the job postings (sometimes an HR person and sometimes not), and it can be worthwhile emailing that person to see if materials have been received, where they are in the process, etc. I'd probably wait at least a few weeks after applying before doing so, though.
I have never and don't know anyone who has applied through USA jobs for a position in Hawaii. Pretty much every other state and with all sorts of agencies. They are tell the same story I do-it's not a functioning job site. If it actually is according to you, an actual job site, it is the least functional such site I have ever heard of and is not attracting the best candidates as they all know not to even bother.
I can't speak for Hawaii specifically, but I know USAJobs is the primary means of receiving applications in multiple states elsewhere, and it would be unusual (although not unheard of) for VA to use a system everywhere but one state. But you could always potentially ask folks who actually work there, if you haven't already, and see if they applied for and/or got their jobs through the site. Maybe because positions in Hawaii are so sought after, they're able to direct hire for pretty much everything, which could then possibly allow them to circumvent USAJobs.
Yeah, sounds like in Hawaii specifically, the positions may never make it to USAJobs in most cases, and when they do, they may still already have someone in mind for the position (or it goes to an internal hire). And yes, sometimes they're required to post positions even if they do already have someone specific in mind.
There is a 95% chance you and others you know were one of the already selected folks who were told to just put in the app. on USAJobs, and are then claiming they got hired off of that site, and a 5% chance you actually got hired off of that site.
You can believe what you like. I was hired for a position at a VA I'd never visited by people I'd never met or spoken with; one or two of them knew a few of my training supervisors, but that's the extent of the familiarity. When I was later involved in hiring at that same VA, I think only one of the various positions that was posted over the years had someone already in mind for it, and that one was only ever posted locally/internally. I also personally know other psychologists brought on at that and other VAs who went into positions that weren't specifically set aside for them. And beyond all that, I have nothing to gain from lying about the circumstances of my hiring.
I don't believe, I know. For what you said here to be true you represent 5% of applicants on the USA Jobs site, meaning for you to be giving advice that makes people believe it is a legitimate site is a lie. It works for 5% of applicants, which if you are one, is great for you, but don't go around telling people it's a legit site when it is not and only the 5% lucky few get hired through it. That's like telling 95% of the work force they just need to get lucky like you did and not to worry about only having a 5% chance of getting hired. 95% of the job postings will be internal hires, meaning the job posting is useless and a complete sham, and that is ALL jobs, which means most of that 5% represent jobs no one wants so there are no internal hires. Then there is the elephant in the room here with a Neuropsychologist applying with the VA-I know several neuros, none of whom worked for public agencies past their internships so... yeah.
I'd appreciate seeing some form of evidence supporting this 95% / 5% number you keep referencing. Again, I can speak only from my personal experience and the experience of other psychologists and managers (some of whom are involved in posting jobs and hiring)--in some instances, the jobs have internal applicants already in mind, but that was not the case for the majority of positions. Maybe things are much different in Hawaii; I don't know about any sites there specifically. I think I know one person who applied for, and obtained, a psychologist job in HI. I don't remember which site it was. There's also generally a different process for posting positions that are intended solely for internal hires, and there's a whole system for posting positions to VA trainees to try to retain them once they complete training (or at least there was before the recent budget issues).
