Federal Jobs for Veterans: Preference and Special Hiring Paths

Veterans' preference comes from the Veterans' Preference Act of 1944, now in Title 5 of the U.S. Code. Veterans who are disabled, or who served on active duty in certain periods or campaigns, get preference over others when hired from competitive lists and are retained ahead of others in a reduction in force.

• You must have been discharged or released under honorable conditions or with a general discharge.
• Preference also goes to certain widows and widowers of veterans who died in service, spouses of service-connected disabled veterans, and mothers of veterans who died under honorable conditions on active duty or have permanent and total service-connected disabilities.
• Enrolled veterans can print a preference letter from VA.gov.

Agencies can appoint eligible veterans without competition up to GS-11 or the equivalent. After two years of satisfactory work, the job can be converted to a career or career-conditional position. Apply directly to the agency. USAJOBS on VRA.

Any federal agency can appoint, without competition, a veteran who retired from active service with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more, or who has a VA rating of a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. The appointment starts temporary but can be converted to career or career-conditional at any time, with no grade limit. Apply directly to the agency.

VEOA lets preference-eligible and certain other veterans apply for jobs otherwise open only to current federal employees ("status" candidates), with no grade limit. Preference is not added as a factor, but you can compete. A veteran selected this way gets a career or career-conditional appointment.

• VMSTEP: VA's Veteran and Military Spouse Talent Engagement Program helps veterans and military spouses get jobs at VA, with training on federal resumes, USAJOBS, and interviewing. vaforvets.va.gov.
• State employment offices: job counseling, workshops, and resume help, often with specialists for disabled veterans. Recently separated veterans and those with disabilities or other barriers can also use the Veterans' Workforce Investment Program.
• Unemployment compensation: veterans who do not start a job right after leaving the service may get weekly payments for a limited time; amount and duration are set by each state.
• VR&E: veterans with a service-connected disability and an employment handicap may qualify for Veteran Readiness and Employment. See VR&E vs. GI Bill.

• To compete for federal contracts set aside for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB), a firm must be certified by the U.S. Small Business Administration: veterans.certify.sba.gov.
• For VA's Vets First Contracting Program, firms must hold SBA-certified SDVOSB or VOSB status. VOSB-only contracting opportunities are unique to VA.
• VA's Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) offers free training, outreach events, and technical help: va.gov/osdbu. Veteran small business support: 866-584-2344.