Is the Peace Corps a Legit Alternative to Getting a Job?
Could a Peace Corps job be for you?
Despite nearly a 4.0 GPA at a respected university, resume counseling, and mock interview practice, I had a very hard time finding a job upon graduation. At least 100 resumes and applications and many months in I was able to find ’something’. Not an ideal job, but a springboard to another job. It seemed like every job out there was looking for someone with at least 2 to 3 years of experience.
This was in the first half of the decade when the economy was expanding. I can only imagine the challenge and frustration that job market holds for those who just graduated earlier this month. In times of economic contraction, it goes beyond saying that there is a lot of very talented people competing for fewer jobs these days. So, what is one to do after months and months of nothing but rejection letters come?
Get experience. There are some legit volunteer opportunities out there that can provide you with character building, unbelievable experiences. Some even pay you beyond covering your basic livings needs.The first such experience that we’ll cover is the Peace Corps.
What is the Peace Corps?
The Peace Corps is a U.S. federal agency that reports to Congress. There are currently close to 8,000 Peace Corps Volunteers worldwide. The Peace Corps has 3 goals in its mission:
1. Helping the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
2. Helping promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
3. Helping promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.
Volunteers typically serve 27 months – 3 in training, and 24 on their assignment.
How do I Apply for the Peace Corps?
You can apply on the Peace Corps site. Essentially, the steps are:
- Submit the application.
- Interview.
- Get medical and legal clearance.
- You qualify based on skills and suitability.
- Get contacted with a placement.
What Areas of Focus Does the Peace Corps have?
Right now, the Peace Corps focuses in the following areas:
- Education, youth outreach, and community development
- Business development
- Environment
- Agriculture
- Health
- HIV/AIDS
- Information Technology
- Food Security
What Benefits Does the Peace Corps Provide for Service?
1. Professional Benefits
- Global marketplace skills: you get up to 3 months of training prior to your assignment in addition to the incredible experience that your assignment will provide.
- Job placement support.
- Non-competitive eligibility for federal jobs. If you serve two years, you get 1 year of non-competitive eligibility. This means that for federal jobs seeking prior federal service, you could be eligible to be hired before the general public without any prior federal experience.
- Credit towards federal retirement if you decide to go into federal employment.
2. Educational Benefits
- Credits and financial incentives for Master’s degrees at over 50 colleges and universities.
- Fellows/USA scholarships.
3. Financial Benefits
- Two days of vacations per month (24 per year).
- Living allowance so that you can live a lifestyle ’similar to locals’.
- $6,000 upon completion of the program.
- Deferment of federal student loans. Can’t pay back your loans because you can’t get a job? Defer them while working in the Peace Corps!
- If you have a Perkins loan, you can actually 15% of your student loans in each of the first two years, and 20% in each of the last two years in a four year term. That’s 70% of your student loans!
4. Medical Benefits
- Comprehensive medical.
- Comprehensive dental.
- Affordable health insurance for up to 18 months following service.
Final Thoughts on the Peace Corps:
With all of these nice benefits, the time that it buys you, the respect that it carries on a resume, and above all else the experience that it provides, the Peace Corps seems like a great alternative for those who can’t find a job right out of school, or those who have been laid off recently. It also seems like a great way for those who are mid career who need to ‘reset’. But having not gone through or knowing anyone who has, I can only speculate, and want to hear about your experiences, so please comment below.
We’ll cover a few more post-grad alternatives in upcoming posts, so stay tuned!
Peace Corps Discussion:
- Have you or anyone you’re close with volunteered with the Peace Corps? How did it go?
- Would you consider the Peace Corps if you couldn’t find a job or were laid off?
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i think the peace corps is a great option if you have an interest in a career that they serve. plus, there’s really no other time in your life where you can take 3 years to work/live in some random country. plus, i would imagine it looks pretty good on a resume! i actually looked into peace corps myself recently, and they also offer several programs where you can obtain a Masters Degree while working in the corps.
would love to hear from anyone who’s actually done it.
I was ready to do Peace Corps, but my wife was was Canadian and we were not allowed to finish the paperwork. We had already prioritized our assignments and countries and everything. By the time she was able to naturalize, our window had passed and we had moved on… job and kids. We often think of how we would have loved to serve in the peace corps. I think it is a great opportunity to get out of the states and see/understand the world a bit and serve others! And so much more if you are able to earn more credit/degrees doing so!
I didn’t do the Peace Corps (although I have a lot of friends who were or are currently in the Peace Corps), but I was a corps member of Teach For America (TFA). TFA is sometimes referred to as a domestic Peace Corps, although the programs are in reality very different. Service initiatives like the Peace Corps, Teach For America, and Americorps, among others, are an excellent option post-graduation. And these experiences don’t limit your ability to get another job, they substantially increase it.
For example, check out TFA’s list of employer partnerships that features companies like Goldman Sachs, McKinsey, and Google:
http://teachforamerica.org/alumni/employer_partnerships.htm
I would absolutely not encourage using a service program for the sole purpose of boosting a resume because you can’t find another job. But if you believe in the program mission, you’ll be given a great opportunity to contribute to society and you’ll take a lot from it yourself. Disclaimer: you’ll probably never be the same and will probably tie your future career to service.
And to address the financials since this is a finance blog, I taught in a rural region, so the salary was ample for a single guy. I was able to save enough to buy a house upon heading to grad school (and got $9,500 for educational expenses from Americorps on top of it).
@ Greg – I agree, and should have emphasized in the post – don’t volunteer b/c you have no other options if your heart is not in it. TFA is another good one that I’ll also be highlighting.
I think more people will be open to it now given the state of the economy. I didn’t know much about the Peace Corp – their mission statement is pretty cool.
Roommate served in the Peace Corps and was at Peru. She speaks highly of it, and I’m sure most people that have served in the Peace Corps will also speak highly of the experience. Having said that, as Greg and others mentioned… you definitely need a heavy dose of commitment. 27 months, regardless of the vacation time allotted to you, is still pretty heavy duty. Beyond dealing with your job responsibilities, you’ll have to deal w/ potential solitude issues. The application process seems like long winded steps too (Peace Corps suggested applying 9-12 months time frame before you’re ready to serve). For anyone that’s interested, visiting Peace Corps’ site and digesting all the information (including their core expectation) should be a must.
Personally, I don’t really think its a legit alternative to getting a job. You should only serve because you feel that you will be able to get something legitimate out of this, and have legitimately something to contribute (though I imagine most people will be able to contribute in one form or another).
Oh to add, “The Insider’s Guide to the Peace Corps” appears to be a good book for anyone interested. There’s lots of good/bad to Peace Corps, as with most things in life.
Dont have any Peace Corps experience myself, but I would definitely look favorably upon it on someones resume.
The area I live in has a lot of current and retired military personnel, so I’ve seen firsthand how much weight military experience carries in a job search. All else being equal, if given the choice between a 22-year-old with a 4.0 from Harvard and a 22-year-old with four years of enlisted military service, I’d hire the candidate with four years of military service. Why?
Like the Peace Corps, I think it shows a level of emotional maturation that naturally comes from making a long-term commitment, leaving family and friends, and tackling a series of tough challenges. Can you get that while burying your nose in a book in college? Maybe ¦ But it’s rare.
I’d say the Peace Corps is a great suggestion. I’d also suggest the military as well as the idea of just getting a minimum wage day job and running a part time business at night (for instance, a network marketing business or affiliate-based Internet business).
I did Peace Corps right out of undergrad, and it was amazing, but also hard, frustrating, it took me about 3 months to recover from the medical issues after I got back. If you believe in the mission, and you understand that the impact you have on your country of service will likely be very different than what you expect go for it. If you need a job _right now_ well it was about 9 months from the day I submitted my application to when I landed in my country of service…
I will say that employers look very favorably at Peace Corps service in interviews, as do grad school admissions boards.
Britt already covered the Military but didn’t mention the service options.
Active Duty – Full time job
Guard – Part time job (Full time positions available)
Reserve – Part time job (Full time positions available)
Auxiliary – Volunteer
People in school or not able to go away for your (peace corps) or can’t commit to active duty should consider the Guard, the Reserve or an Auxiliary.
- This will allow you to serve most* of the time in the state of your choosing.
As a volunteer in an auxiliary, you do only what you commit to do, just be sure not to over commit yourself.
Personally, I server in the Air National Guard and I have done so proudly and successfully within the 3 states I have chosen to live thus far in my life(26 yrs). I also volunteer with the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) which is the Auxiliary of the Air Force. http://www.gocivilairpatrol.com
CAP has given me tremendous opportunity simply because I was willing to step up. At the start of the new fiscal year (October) I will be the Commander of my local squadron consisting of almost 35 members from age 12 – well… the oldest active member is for sure over 70. My leadership and management skill has been tested in military and civilian settings and my success shows through awards, promotions, etc… My resume is never empty.
The hardest thing is trying to choose which quality bullet point is the best one to highlight for a given job application or internal promotion at my full time civilian job. (By the way, I work for the leading online retailer in the world… well at least the US I’m sure… but yea… probably the world
Peace Corps – I think a good place if you do not find work.
But if you need to provide a family it is a variant will not go. This is for the young and single is a good option to start a career.
Was a follow up article ever written on other alternatives besides the Peace Corps?
@ Alisa, Josh – Thanks so much for your volunteer efforts. I applaud you.
@ Alex – not yet, but on the way.
Is Peace Corps only in US or they have some branches in other countries? BTW, thanks for posting this article, this is very informative!
I’m a graduating senior and interested in the Peace Corps. The recruiter has suggested to go to informational events that they hold in your area. Right now I’m trying to get a hold of 2 people I know who have just left to serve in the Peace Corps this past year.
The Air Force is tempting though because of the idea to work around jets/planes and action cause that type of environment is what satisfies my need for physical labor but also a challenge to the mind and an opportunity to be creative.
Any returning Peace Corps volunteers?
I am a current Peace Corps volunteer in Azerbaijan (close of service is December 2010). I have completed my first year of service and have one more to go. From my experience, if you are considering applying to the Peace Corps then you should have a few qualities: flexibility (every site placement within my country and every other PC country is different so be ready for anything), patience (the pace at which things will happen and you will accomplish things will be much slower than in America and you may never see the results of your work), a sense of humor (cultural differences are often shocking and frustrating so being able to laugh at yourself and the situation is very helpful), and persistence (you will encounter many roadblocks in your application and service with the Peace Corps but if you push through them then the rewards can be sweet).
Also, it is my personal opinion that if you cannot handle one night sleeping in a tent then you shouldn’t apply to the Peace Corps (a lot of money goes into training each volunteer so if you are not serious about at least giving it your best shot then don’t bother).
And to specifically answer the question that this blog raises: yes, Peace Corps is a legitimate alternative, but it’s one that you will be working 24/7 for 27 months.
I hope this helps.
what are the rewards for you? I mean everything from seeing stuff, experiencing, and results. Not what is on the website about dental plans and stuff like that.
The rewards for me include living in and learning about a country and part of the world that I knew very little about before coming to (you are able to learn about a culture in a way that a tourist never could), getting to know individuals and being able to debunk myths about Americans (to the Azeris) and about Muslims (to my family and friends), being able to travel around to other countries in my region (I recently went to Turkey and Greece), making a difference in the lives of people that most of the world knows nothing about (there are worthwhile people everywhere and every little bit helps), growing as a person (I have definitely changed for the better; I’ve become more patient, understanding and outgoing), gaining skills like grant writing, working with people of different ages, and organizing projects, and when I return to the U.S. my experience with the Peace Corps will hopefully help me get a job(I hear Peace Corps looks great on the resume but I wouldn’t recommend doing it just for that reason).
Don’t get me wrong, this is the hardest job I’ve ever had but when you add up the good and the bad, in the end there are more good things than bad ones. It does get hard at times but remember that it is really a volunteer experience and you can leave at any time. Let me know if you have any more questions.
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