Applying Online for Government Jobs in Central Virginia

If you are seeking a state or local government job, in central Virginia, you may not need paper and pen. I am a six year veteran state employee who is always on the lookout for a better paying state or local government job in my area. Let me share some of what I have learned about the complicated world of online government job searching.

For those seeking state and local government jobs in central Virginia there is both good and bad news. The good news is that the Commonwealth (that is the State of Virginia) and several of the local governments have an online application process and searchable job listings. The bad news is that, while several of them use practically identical software, they do not cross link their applications so you have to fill out virtually identical applications several times. This is not so bad as it first may seem.

First let us look at the Commonwealth of Virginia's "Jobs" website, which was once known as the "Recruit" system. From its home page one can create an application, login to their account and search the jobs data base.

The first thing I recommend for any job seeker at this site is to go ahead and create an application. The job listings are extensive and you are wasting your time to search them if you do not have an application ready to submit. You will need to have detailed records of your work and educational history as well as any military and applicable training records on hand prior to starting. You will definitely want to know the start and stop dates for each job you have held as well as your duties there and why you left as well as a point of contact. You will also need your college course credit information. Once you have this information click, "create application" and follow the easy online instructions.

Once you have created the application, it will be saved and you can use it any time. You simply search the job data base and, when you see a job you like and for which you think you are qualified, you click "apply here," answer the supplemental questions, attach any additional documents you wish (such as a resume or cover letter) and you are done.

The site will then give you a confirmation number and you can track the status of your application on your login page.

As far as searching the site, this is fairly straightforward and easy. The only complication is the shear volume of jobs. Therefore the trick is in knowing how to narrow your search so as to get manageable results. First, click "search postings," in the upper left hand column. You will then be presented with the "Search Postings" screen which offers you a variety of ways to trim down your results or to screw up and cut out that perfect job for which you are looking. Let us assume you are not looking for a particular job title or a particular agency but that you are looking for full time work in the central Virginia area. Yes, I know this is kind of broad but work with me here. Select "full time" from the "Job Type" drop down list. Then look at the "Location" list. Select the first location you wish to search. I recommend you search several locations at one time. You may do this by holding down your "ctrl" key, on your keyboard, while clicking on multiple locations. For example, I will usually go down the list in alphabetical order for the central Virginia region. I will click on "Amelia" then scroll down to "Ashland," "Chester," and "Chesterfield." I caution you not to select too many localities at one time or you will come up with 20 pages of results to look through.

Having too many pages of results is a bad thing because, if you decide to apply to one job, on the third page of your results, and you go through application process you come out on the other end at your "status" page not back on the search results. You have to redo the search, from the beginning. So it is a bit annoying to have amassed a huge amount of search result only to only get through just the first little bit of it and then have to go back over it again to try and get back to where you were. If it sounds complicated, that is because it is. Take my advice, keep your search results small by choosing no more than four localities at a time.

I should mention that a very few state agencies post their job listings on the site but require mailed in hardcopy applications. For those you can download a PDF version of the state application and fill it out using the information from your online version. Unfortunately, you cannot copy it directly over.

Fortunately, the Commonwealth (state) and two of the main counties, Henrico and Hanover, use identical styled websites. Therefore, the process for filling out an online application, keeping an application on file, searching for job openings, keeping track of jobs to which you have applied is nearly identical. In fact, you will need the same materials for the application process.

The main difference in these two county sites and the Commonwealth site is in the searching. The Counties do not have "Locations" since they are a "location." This makes them simpler to search but they have far fewer jobs.

Another major local government employer, in central Virginia, is Chesterfield County. Chesterfield uses a totally different system but it is still simple to utilize and, perhaps, the easiest to search.

Let us start with the searching. Go to here and scroll down. That is it. All of the Chesterfield County jobs will be listed here. No muss, no fuss. They tend to update this site every Friday afternoon. Full time positions are at the top, part time positions are in the middle, and continuously listed positions are at the bottom (Police officers and firefighters go straight there). Easy.

Now for how to apply. It is a little more difficult to find but I will get you there. In the left hand column and slightly above the center of the page, you sill see "apply online," click here. Then click, "Create a new Gateway account." I know, you aren't interested in a county "Gateway account" but it gets you to where you are going. Once you have done this you will be given the option to fill out an online application and it will be kept online.

When you see a job, on the Chesterfield job listing page, which you like and you believe you meet the requirements for I suggest you open a separate window, on your computer and go to the main Chesterfield government page. Then hover your curser over "Gateway Chesterfield," the brown tab, to the left across the top of the page above the picture of the bridge. A drop down list will appear. Click on "log in" and enter your information to login. Then select "Apply for Jobs Online." Your application status page will come up. You may review the status of previous applications, which are still active. From this page you may also update you application. To move on to applying for a current job click on "Apply for a Job." This will take you to a page with a drop down list and a selection of options for "how you heard about the job." Click the down arrow on the list and all the current listed jobs will drop down. CAREFULLY match it up to what you saw on the Job listing page. I say again, CAREFULLY. Sometimes they do not look quite the same here as they do on the job listing page. This is why I recommended keeping the job listing page open in a second window. Match up the listing number. Make certain you are applying to the correct job. Select the job then select how you heard about it and, finally, click on "Apply for this job." You will then have the option of adding a resume or cover letter and may have to answer supplemental questions.

You may notice that I do not include the cities of Richmond or Petersburg in my article. My apologies I tried to use the Petersburg site quite some time ago and gave up on it. Plus it is a little out of my area. As for Richmond, I found it very user "unfriendly." When I tried to use it I somehow ended up looking at jobs in Harrisonburg Pennsylvania as well as other cities. I have tired to use the Richmond site several times and have finally written it off entirely. Maybe I just do not get it but I have better things to do with my time that work on that virtual Rubik's cube.

As for the rest of them, good luck to you and happy job hunting.