Which one is right for you?

by Meghan Oakley

categories: Program Fit, Tips for Applicants

Published May 11, 2009 @ 10:01AM PT

So you want to serve in AmeriCorps? Great… You have just narrowed down your search to 75,000 positions.

You know you want to work for social change. You know you want to make a difference, but trying to figure out which of the hundreds of AmeriCorps programs is right for you it a little daunting.

The best position search is a targeted one. You need to know what position you want and what organization you want to work for before you invest all the time and energy in getting the organization to want you. How exactly do you do that?

Consider the “seven circles” of any position.  While I served in AmeriCorps*NCCC, a trainer introduced me to a reflection activity exploring these seven elements:

1. Mission: What is the mission of the organization? What is your personal mission? What issues are you most passionate about?
2. Environment: What sort of environment do you want to work in? Do you want to work outside or inside? Do you want to do a program that travels? Do you want to spend most of your time at a desk, in a classroom, or on a construction site?
3. People: What sort of people to you want to work with? People who share your ideals? People of diverse perspectives? People that are your age? Do you want to work on a team or would you prefer to serve alone?
4. Geography: Where do you want this position to be? In a specific city or state? Near important people in your life? Somewhere you can wear sandals year-round? In the city or in the country? Close to your favorite ski resort? How far are you willing to commute? Do you want to be able to walk to work?
5. Money: Do you want a position that offers the stipend and requires you to find your own housing? Do you want to join a program where housing is provided? Do you need a transportation stipend?
6. Skills: What skills do you have? What skills do you want to use in your position? What skills do you want to learn through your position? What skills do you wish you had?
7. Interests: What do you like to do for fun? What are your hobbies? If you had a completely free day off, what would you do? What interests do you have that you would like to bring into your workplace?

After considering these questions in these seven areas, you should have a better idea of what you are looking for in an AmeriCorps position. Do you think there is a position that fits all your criteria? Is there a position that fulfills your personal mission? That gives you the work environment you want? With the sort of people you want to work with and for? In the place you want to live? For the amount of money you want? In an area of your interest? Using the skills you have and developing the ones you want?

If the answer is yes, you are the luckiest person in the world. If the answer is no, keep reading.

This is where you need to think about the areas that are most important to you. What is negotiable? What is not? Is there a place that you are committed to staying in? Is there an issue that you know you want to work on? Do you know that you want to work with kids? Are you set on working outdoors?

Figuring out which of these areas are most important to you will help you narrow your search to a specific place, organization type, or work environment. Once you have used your “non-negotiables” to narrow your search, it is time to start looking for positions that fulfill your most important criteria and maybe fit into some of your other circles, too.

The start of any successful AmeriCorps position search starts with this personal reflection on what you really value in your work and life as a whole. What do you really want?

Sit and think about these seven circles before you start any position search and invest all that time and effort scouring the globe for your future employment. At the end of the day, you can’t start your search for a position if you don’t know what you are looking for.

Top five reasons NOT to join AmeriCorps

by Meghan Oakley

categories: Program Fit, Tips for Applicants

Published May 11, 2009 @ 10:05AM PT

Okay. You would think that a blog dedicated to promoting AmeriCorps and helping people learn about all the AmeriCorps opportunities out there wouldn't also be highlighting why you shouldn't be joining. But that is what I'm going to do. As some who not only did an AmeriCorps program, but also now directs one, I know that AmeriCorps is not for everyone. This is lesson #1.

One of the unique things about AmeriCorps that sets it apart from other opportunities (like a job or graduate school) is that it is a commitment that impacts A LOT of people. Most AmeriCorps members commit to terms of service of 10 months or one year. If you get into a position and decide.... hmmm... I don't think that this is right for me... I'm just going to leave now... That is not cool. Not only does leaving your service early (or being miserable the whole time) impact you, but it impacts your project site, the staff, the community that you serve, and the people that you serve beside.

I'm not saying that taking a job or going to graduate school is less a commitment or less serious than serving as an AmeriCorps member, but the commitment is of a different sort. Since there isn't a lot of monetary gain in joining AmeriCorps, you really have to want it. It can be a very rewarding experience, but one that can be equally challenging. So how do you know that you are ready to commit to a year of service? Let's start with the top reasons NOT to join AmeriCorps:

1. Because your cousin Taylor did and he loved it and was so happy: A lot of people find out about AmeriCorps opportunities through friends and family. And honestly, getting a first-person account of an experience can be really helpful in deciding whether you want to serve as an AmeriCorps member. But it is really important to remember that there are thousands of AmeriCorps positions out there and each one has its own unique characteristics and not every position is a perfect fit for every person. You and your cousin Taylor could serve in the same position and have totally different experiences. The important thing is that you figure out which (if any) AmeriCorps program is right for you.
2. Because it looks good on your resume: There is a lot of evidence out there that shows that AmeriCorps members go on to do some pretty amazing work in the non-profit sector and that their year as an AmeriCorps member gave them the experience to do just that. However (and this is a big however), I can guarantee you that if you are going into an AmeriCorps position just to put it on your resume or say that you served, you probably won't have a great experience. A year of service can seem like a lifetime if you aren't invested in the work that you are doing in the moment.
3. Because you don't want to get a "real" job: I know that it doesn't come with a fat paycheck and a corner office, but an AmeriCorps position is a "real" as it gets. If you are graduating from school and aren't ready for the 9-5, you probably won't be ready for the (sometimes) 60 hour weeks that AmeriCorps positions can bring.
4. Because you want to live in (insert exotic destination here): When I tell people that my AmeriCorps service brought me to Maui for two months, they say "Ooo.. Ahh.. that is the life!" And then I mention that we spent Tuesday-Saturday from 8am-5pm cutting down and removing (heavy) non-native trees in the hot Maui sun just yards from the beach. It was like watching a Corona commercial on an airport TV when your flight to Detroit is late. Doesn't matter how pretty it looks... you aren't living the commercial. That's not to say that I didn't enjoy my service in Maui or feel grateful that we got a project there. My point is that your experiences tends to be about 96% about what you are doing (i.e. dragging trees through the sand) and about 4% of where you are. So remember... even though San Francisco or Boston or Miami might sound exciting... don't forget what you are going to do.
5. Because you want to change the world in one year: Call me a cynic, but I think that this is some of the best advice that I received before I started my service in AmeriCorps is that although I was probably going to have an impact on the communities that I served and people I served with, I was not going to change the world in one year. If you go in with expectations of overarching social change as a result of your individual effort, you are going to be disappointed. It takes lots of people and time and commitment to positively impact a community, so remember that you are part of a larger process and not going leave having changed the world.

How to Apply for AmeriCorps

by Meghan Oakley

category: Tips for Applicants

Published May 18, 2009 @ 05:42AM PT

Despite the diversity of programs, there is one central location for applying for AmeriCorps positions. No matter which position you are applying for, you need to create a profile, complete an application, and submit it to your program(s) of choice through the My AmeriCorps website. The upside to using this online system is that you can create one application and submit it to multiple opportunities. The downside to the online system is that it has not perfected the service opportunity search functions, so you might have to invest some time in finding programs for you.

How do you know if another application is required? Organizations are required to indicate on their listing in the My AmeriCorps system if they require an additional application and where to find it. Also, in some cases, sending your resume and cover letter directly to the person who is recruiting and hiring the AmeriCorps Member might help you a). Get seen outside the sea of applicants they might see in the My AmeriCorps system and b). Give more detail as to why you are a good fit for the position (the general application in My AmeriCorps can be.... limiting).

The key to figuring out whether you are being helpful or being a bother by sending in your cover letter and resume is knowing whether you are applying through a large sponsoring organization (i.e. City Year, AmeriCorps*NCCC) that is going to place you at a site or if you are applying directly to the site itself. If you are applying directly to the organization that you hope to work for, it doesn't hurt to send along some additional informtion about yourself.

Photo from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/luxography/2036974244/

Hmmm, Argh, Ahhhh... Don't sound silly...

by Meghan Oakley

category: Tips for Applicants

Published May 19, 2009 @ 09:08AM PT

Okay, so this might sound like job hunting 101, but it really needs to be said.... when you are contacting people about AmeriCorps positions that you are interested in, write (or speak!) professionally and formally.

I don't know if it is because AmeriCorps positions don't have traditional compensation packages or what, but I often find that interested applicants think that it is appropriate to email you something like this:

Subject: job

Hey-

Do you have positions open

Mike

Now I hope that it is obvious to you what is wrong with this email. It is lacking: a). A specific, revelvant subject line, b). a "Dear Ms. Oakley," c). an introduction of the person emailing, d). grammactially correct English, and e). the writer's full name.

Just like in applying for a "regular" job, your first phone call, email, or cover letter says a lot to an AmeriCorps hiring supervisor about who you are as an applicant. I can tell you from first-hand experience, people aren't going to take you very seriously if you don't present yourself in a serious manner.

AmeriCorps positions often require a high-level of professionalism and maturity. You will never make it to the interview round (or even get an answer back), if you use the word "Yo" in your greeting line of an email. Communicate your interest in an AmeriCorps position just as you would any other job opportunity, and you will be sure to stave off the "delete" button.

How to Dress for an AmeriInterview

by Meghan Oakley

category: Tips for Applicants

Published May 20, 2009 @ 06:45AM PT

Just because you are planning to commit a year to service in the khaki and gray of AmeriWear doesn't mean that you should treat your interview wardrobe any differently than if you were applying for a full-time job at a non-profit or company. At many non-profit organizations, business casual (even casual) is the norm, but what you will wear each day AFTER you get the position shouldn't influence what you wear to clinch it.

The best rule of thumb? Be the best dressed in the room. Women should wear a pants suit or skirt and blouse, and men should wear a suit or pants, tie, and blazer. At first, you might feel a little weird when you realize that your interviewer is in Crocs, but I'm telling you (from personal experience!), how professionally you are dressed will set the tone for your interview and give off a great first impression.

So yes, wear a suit... even if it is the only time all year!

Photo from: http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=bestdressed

Do you like to play in the dirt?

by Meghan Oakley

categories: AmeriCorps State & National, AmeriCorpsNCCC, Tips for Applicants

Published May 21, 2009 @ 07:09AM PT

Believe it or not, this is a serious question. If you do, there are a ton of great AmeriCorps programs that you might want to consider. Almost every state in the country has its own Conservation Corps, funded through AmeriCorps*State & National. Many of these programs were modeled off of the Civilian Conservation Corps, developed by Roosevelt in the 1930s to ease unemployment.

The modern day Conservation Corps programs have some of the same characteristics of the original: AmeriCorps Members live and work in teams, doing projects like trail building, non-native invasive species removal, tree-planting, and other environmental conservation projects.

Not ready for an entire year in the great outdoors? Consider looking into AmeriCorps*NCCC (for 18-24-year-olds). About 40% of their projects are environmental, and project stints are much shorter... more like 6-10 weeks.

Picture from http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=playing+in+the+dirt

Why Compete When You Don't Have To?

by Meghan Oakley

categories: AmeriCorpsVISTA, Tips for Alum, Tips for Applicants

Published May 22, 2009 @ 11:07AM PT

One of the too-infrequently touted benefits of serving in AmeriCorps*VISTA is Non-Competitive Eligibility for one year after their term of service. What exactly does that mean? Well, it essentially means that you are eligible to apply for federal jobs without having to compete with the general public and that more positions might be available to you.

For example, if you are really passionate about the environment, and you want to work in Obama's administration with the EPA (or one of the many other offices that will be opening to forward social causes), one year of AmeriCorps*VISTA will enable you to apply for positions at the EPA as an internal candidate.

Why does this matter? Because being considered as an internal candidate means that you are competing against a handful of other people, rather than the (literally) thousands of people who apply for federal jobs.

How exactly does it work? If you have completed a full term of AmeriCorps*VISTA service, and you are within a one-year period of your end of service date, complete an application in USAJobs.com and click "I'm a person with non-competitive eligibity."

Very cool.

Picture from: http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=female+boxer+-dog+-puppy&page=2