The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.
AmeriCorps, perhaps?
MengerSponge
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So, a little background: I'm a recent college graduate, econ major, and have so far been unable to find a "career"-type job. I did some retail temporarily to pay the bills (don't want to go back if I don't have to) and am currently unemployed and not finding much. In fact, I'm close to just going back to the store. I have a friend who's about a year into his two-year PeaceCorps service, and absolutely loves it. Another friend of ours is applying. I think it sounds interesting, but devoting two years and living halfway around the world seems like a bigger step than I'm willing to take right now.
Enter AmeriCorps. From what I've read, it has generally shorter terms of service (10-ish months), and is obviously within the US. All around it seems like a great fit; something to do to gain experience while I think about what I'd like to do with my life. Has anyone done this before? When and where did you volunteer, and what did you do? Would you do it again? Did it help you get a job/get into grad school afterwards, either by teaching you skills, giving you connections, or just by looking good on a resume? Any major good or bad points I may be overlooking? Anyone do a similar program that they'd recommend?
I'm really torn on this. Part of me thinks it would be an amazing experience, I'd meet tons of great people, do some good work, then have an easier time finding a job at the end of it; the other part is pessimistic and thinks I'd be making less-than-optimal use of my time at best, and be stuck in a job that I hate while being separated from my family and friends at worst. Any advice from former volunteers?
Enter AmeriCorps. From what I've read, it has generally shorter terms of service (10-ish months), and is obviously within the US. All around it seems like a great fit; something to do to gain experience while I think about what I'd like to do with my life. Has anyone done this before? When and where did you volunteer, and what did you do? Would you do it again? Did it help you get a job/get into grad school afterwards, either by teaching you skills, giving you connections, or just by looking good on a resume? Any major good or bad points I may be overlooking? Anyone do a similar program that they'd recommend?
I'm really torn on this. Part of me thinks it would be an amazing experience, I'd meet tons of great people, do some good work, then have an easier time finding a job at the end of it; the other part is pessimistic and thinks I'd be making less-than-optimal use of my time at best, and be stuck in a job that I hate while being separated from my family and friends at worst. Any advice from former volunteers?
MengerSponge on
0
Posts
I have friends in AmeriCorps who love it and they work right here in Boston. They're very happy with it but I'm not really sure what they do to be honest.
That is a good description of my situation two years ago. At that point I was 25, two years out of school with an English BA. I was sick of not being able to find work that required me to have a brain. Enter AmeriCorps.
It sounded like interesting work, with good potential to lead to something more long-term. I looked through the listings on the web site (recruit.cns.gov) for specific postings that sounded like they fit me. I was in Kentucky at the time, and it turned out that the most attractive service posting I found was a VISTA spot in Texas, in the DFW area. I interviewed by phone, was accepted, and took a chance - I took it.
I've been here for two years now (I chose to extend my service for a year in order to see my project, which suffered some delays, through to completion). It's definitely been a good move for me. My work has been interesting, my boss is smart, patient, and doesn't mind letting me have flexible office hours, and I have two years of experience that can only help my resume. My term of service ends in two weeks, and I am moving to Kansas to take a different position as a VISTA Leader (slightly better compensation, more responsibility).
In Texas, I served as a tech liaison at a community college. I helped one of their offices set up, test, and document a new web application for managing their service-learning program. In Kansas, I will be helping to direct and support 8 VISTAs who are serving in higher education throughout the state.
As an insider, I can tell you a couple of the biggest things that can keep it from being a good experience.
One advantage that doesn't get mentioned often is that (at least for VISTAs) relocation is covered. When I moved from KY to TX, they reimbursed me a base amount plus mileage. The same will happen when I go TX-KS. Don't get greedy - if you want to move four carloads of stuff halfway across the country, you'll probably end up eating at least half the cost. But if you just bring essentials with you, and purchase furniture later, you can get moved to the state of your choice for free.
If you're still interested after weighing the above info, you will probably do well in AC. Register at recruit.cns.gov and look through the database of service openings. Most of them include a contact who is willing to answer your pre-application questions. And the application process is not binding, so feel free to submit applications to anywhere you are seriously interested in.
My experience has been excellent, I've met a lot of great people, done good work. All that has been so good that I haven't minded committing two more years to AC while I build even more experience. I can't say that it's gotten me a great long-term position yet, but I can say that at the end of these three years, I'll have some great connections and my new resume will make my old one look like burger-flipper material.
If you are proactive at the start, you can avoid getting stuck doing work you hate. And if you don't want to relocate, you may still be able to find something in your current area. I chose to be wide open to relocation because it was that important to find a spot I could be sure I'd fit into. Just keep in mind that if you want to be sure of getting something good without making a big move, you may have to wait for a new position to be posted, or a recurring one to open up again.
PM me if you'd like any more advice on this.
However, it might help you get into grad school, especially if you show some sort of outstanding accomplishment that you made while on the job.
*unless the employer or the recruiter used to be a PeaceCorps member as well, in which case you might actually be considered
AmeriCorps NCCC which is a 10 month community service based commitment where you work on a team and do four rounds of projects. In NCCC they cover all your expenses and give you a living allowance of 300 after taxes. Thats a place to live, food and 300 a month.
NCCC differs from Vista in its much more team oriented and less individualistic. You will have a home campus and from there you will shoot off to different project sites in your region or during times of catastrophe. You have four different projects rounds and the projects can be drastically different. My first project round I was doing low income family taxes in Chicago, for my remaning rounds I was a Wildland Firefighter in Colorado.
Right now a heavy concentration of people are doing disaster releif in the gulf coast area, and I mean like 90% of AmeriCorps. It might be letting up soon but its not really fun work, its not fun living conditions and overall working down there tends to be sucky.
A huge advantage for AmeriCorps NCCC is you meet a whole lot of people and make friends with a whole lot as well. It can be an absolute blast and a fun adventure. You will make many different network connections that can easily help you land a job in the future.
I had a lot of fun, its kind of like delaying real life for a year for you college grads, but ultimately its a good time and I highly recommend it.
In reality employers generally don't have the faintest idea what Peace Corps does. They generally think you do good things abroad and don't look at it as a crutch. So if you want to find a job after donating a few years of your life, make sure you stick to a field of work similar to your PC experience. That's likely going to be State Dept, USDA, or some international non-profit.
Shark, your tech position sounds almost exactly like what I'd ideally like to do, and I'm open to relocation pretty much anywhere in the country. As low as it is, the 11k is actually more than I was expecting from their "modest living allowance" and shouldn't be a problem. I'll keep searching for good positions.
As for Ameri/PeaceCorps looking like a crutch on applications, I guess maybe some employers see it as a bit of a cop out, but on the other hand you're donating a huge amount of time for good causes with little monetary compensation, so I think it can only help you in the long run.
If anyone else has other experiences or advice, I'd love to hear it. Thanks again everyone.