Virginia Health Services Senior Recruiters Colleen Reynolds and Renee Turner will host quarterly Recruiting Roadshows at our seven nursing and rehabilitation centers in 2025. The first Roadshow of the year is January 27-30. The next event will be held in April, and virtual events are also in the works for 2025.
The Recruiting Roadshow gives applicants a chance to apply and interview in person at our locations in Newport News, Hampton, York County, Gloucester and Kilmarnock. Job candidates can see our centers and get a feel for where they are applying.
“I want to make myself more visible to team members and applicants in each building,” Colleen says.
The increased presence should better support new hires and identify team needs.
Schedule
January dates:
- York Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and The Hamilton Assisted Living, 9 a.m.-noon Monday, Jan. 27
- Coliseum Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, 1-4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 27.
- James River Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28.
- The Newport Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and The Huntington Assisted Living, 9 a.m.-noon Wednesday, Jan. 29.
- Northampton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, 1-4 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 29.
- Lancashire Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, 9 a.m.-noon Thursday, Jan. 30.
- Walter Reed Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, 1-4 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30.
How to be a successful applicant
Colleen shared ways to stand out among job applicants to Virginia Health Services. She sees hundreds of applications and conducts about 15 phone interviews a day. Make yourself standout.
“I’ll take a chance on people for a phone interview if the application looks like a professional effort was made. If you’re not making the effort in the application, hard to think you’ll put an effort into the work. Put your best foot forward to get to the interview process and sell yourself,” Colleen says.
Application tips
- Complete all application questions.
- Spelling and grammar should be correct.
- Create a professional email address to use when applying. Use your correct contact information so you are reachable.
- Have a professional resume (regardless of work history).
- List any transferable skills
- Be professional (avoid personal details)
- List work experience
- For those with limited or no work history, such as high school students, please list any part-time work experience or have an objective statement with a career goal listed. Be sure to include school and graduation date.
How to successfully interview by phone
- Research Virginia Health Services (information is easily accessible at vahs.com). Colleen says, “Tell me why you want to work for VHS and what you know. Take the time to visit the website. I always ask, ‘why do you want to work for Virginia Health Services?’”
- Ask questions about the job and company.
- Read the job description so you can best speak to how your qualities and skills make you the right fit for the job to which you are applying. Talk up your skills – hard (like clinicals) or soft (such as organization and time management).
- Be on time. Answer the phone. Give advance notice if possible to cancel. “Life happens, but keep it at a professional level at all times,” Colleen says.
- Know your resume. Clarify when you were licensed. Colleen says, “Know your own work history and those important dates.”
- Send a thank you message to follow up to everyone you spoke to.
How to successfully interview in person
- Be professional.
- Be on time.
- Dress business casual for an in-person or virtual interview.
- Be prepared. Know your work history.
- Present yourself in a professional way.
- Be prepared with questions. Ask about the position or VHS. “You have to make sure it’s a good fit for you the same as we need to make sure it’s a good fit for the company. … You have to make sure you know where you’re going,” Colleen says. (This applies to phone interviews as well.)
- Send a thank you message to follow up.
“Everyone serves a purpose on the team,” Colleen says. “Tell me how you think you’ll fit in the organization and what you bring to the team.”
Join our team
Explore career paths with Virginia Health Services and apply online at vahs.com/careers.
