Volunteer with Veterans to gain valuable experience

We frequently discuss the benefits of working at VA, but part of making a job into a career is finding the right fit for you. So, how could you know if you really do want to work at VA? Volunteer!

Across VA, the Voluntary Service strives to meet the needs of America’s Veterans in many different ways, and there are numerous opportunities for you to participate, assisting with recreational, operational or even clinical needs at VA.

Professional possibilities

With over 1,300 facilities in our network, medical expertise is always in high demand. Through the Volunteer Service, we recruit and place fully licensed physicians and clinicians in a health care team at a VA hospital to serve Veteran patients in various clinical areas.

The Physician Ambassador Program is a without-compensation program that provides you with an opportunity to give back to the Veteran community. Many facilities are looking for expertise in emergency medicine, primary care, mental health and cardiac care, but contacting your local VA facility is a great place to start.

Student support

Student volunteers can be an important part of a VA medical center’s treatment team and provide a valuable element of caring for Veterans.

The VA Voluntary Service program offers you excellent opportunities for:

• Exploring health care career options
• Gaining experience in a health care environment
• Learning new skills
• Expanding your network and even making new friends

In addition to receiving valuable experience and training that will benefit you in applying for college and jobs, volunteering with VA can also assist you in applying for multiple college scholarships, including our own James H. Parke Memorial Scholarship.

Virtual volunteering

An interesting facet of our Volunteer Service is the Compassionate Contact Corps, a virtual social prescription program for Veterans who may be experiencing loneliness or are socially isolated.

You’ll be matched with a Veteran and typically call your new friend about once a week to provide socialization and companionship over the phone or through video calls.

Many volunteers for this program come from Veteran service organizations, and others are Veterans themselves, but neither is a requirement to volunteer for the program.

And so much more

Depending on the needs at your local facility, there are so many ways that you can explore what it means to work at VA. Whatever your expertise, you can take time to assist with arts and crafts projects, prepare and serve refreshments, run errands, or help our Veterans get around the building.

Not sure what opportunities are available in your neck of the woods? Search our directory of VA facilities and reach out to the volunteer coordinator in your area.

An experience that will matter

Aside from providing valuable assistance to our Veterans, the experience of working as a volunteer at VA can have a lasting impact on your pursuit of a career. In response to a question from a member of our “Talk About It Tuesday” audience, host Mike Owens noted that volunteer service is an important piece of your resume.

“You should always include volunteer service, especially if the volunteer experience relates to the position that you’re applying for,” he said. “Even though it’s not something that you got paid for, you should add that to your resume, because it shows that you have the experience.”

He added that, even if the experience is not directly related to the job announcement, you should still include it, because it may demonstrate something positive about yourself that would catch the eye of a hiring manager.

“We all know that there are job description requirements that a hiring manager wants you to have, but there’s also a list of attributes they want you to have,” he explained. “Your paid experience may not show those attributes, but your volunteer service may show some of those attributes.”

And what better place to gain that experience than right here at VA?

Work at VA

Volunteers provide much-needed help throughout our facilities and make patients’ experiences more enjoyable. Bring your talents to our team.

• LEARN more about the VA Voluntary Service.
• EXPLORE opportunities in your area.
• READ about our mission of service.
• SEARCH for openings at VAcareers.VA.gov.