Was contacted by recruiter, was referred to onsite contractor program manager. After on-site interview, I was offered position by phone later that day. About 4 weeks of no contact or replies to emails, calls, and texts, I was given a start date.

Interviews conducted soon after job closing. Pleasant interview, fairly informal, but I got the impression that a final decision had already been made prior to my interview. Applying for Federal positions can be frustrating to those outside the system - VA is loyal to internal applicants. While the local Interviewer and HR personnel provided a positive experience, I would rate the overall Federal Hiring process as a negative experience.