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NFT: Anyone on here have any experience with Peace Corps?

montanagiant : 1/9/2018 6:59 pm
Daughter graduated in Dec with a degree in International Marketing and a minor in Non-Profit Leadership. She applied for a job with the Peace Corps and just went through the initial interview process which was a pretty grueling 1.5 hours.

The question I have is if anyone has knowledge of how long the next steps take. I have heard anywhere from 1 month to a year but it's all second-hand info. Any experience or knowledge is greatly appreciated
I interviewed in  
OBJXIII : 1/9/2018 7:21 pm : link
December and got an offer in march. Then soon after they informed me my assignment program had been cancelled and placed me into another country. Long story short I decided not to go due to the country(Remote location in africa). I guess I got a little nervous about truely leaving for 2.5 years. And the new assignment was the most extreme type of peace corps assignment, (i.e. Living in a hut boiling well water and eating bush meat, working agriculture in a field).

There are obviously many types of assignments and definitely encourage her to go for it if that's what she wants.
Wanted to do it right after high school  
SFGFNCGiantsFan : 1/9/2018 7:25 pm : link
But old man squashed that dream. I'd love to have done it, a big regret of mine.
Also just make sure she knows  
OBJXIII : 1/9/2018 7:26 pm : link
to not get to attached to what exactly her assignment is or the location. I've had two friends who actually went and one got their assignment changed like me, and both said that there's not always a lot of guidelines once you get there. They said while they did do some work towards the assignment, most of the experience is exactly that, an experience of a different culture and way of live. Their advice is to go with no expectation of yourself or the program, and hope for the best.
My wife and I did it 20 years ago right after we got married  
STL Gman : 1/9/2018 7:47 pm : link
biggest challenge is waiting for an assignment. As previous poster said may get a place that does not fit with your daughter, it which case she can turn it down, but may get placed at back of the line again. We thought we would get sent to eastern europe, but ending up going to a tropical paradise (Solomon Islands) It was an amazing experience and we hope to give it another shot when I retire
Has she seen  
Bill in UT : 1/9/2018 8:33 pm : link
Book of Mormon?
RE: I interviewed in  
montanagiant : 1/9/2018 9:10 pm : link
In comment 13780759 OBJXIII said:
Quote:
December and got an offer in march. Then soon after they informed me my assignment program had been cancelled and placed me into another country. Long story short I decided not to go due to the country(Remote location in africa). I guess I got a little nervous about truely leaving for 2.5 years. And the new assignment was the most extreme type of peace corps assignment, (i.e. Living in a hut boiling well water and eating bush meat, working agriculture in a field).

There are obviously many types of assignments and definitely encourage her to go for it if that's what she wants.

She is being interviewed more for field office work. Advertising, community relations etc..
I don't blame you for passing on that
RE: Also just make sure she knows  
montanagiant : 1/9/2018 9:11 pm : link
In comment 13780765 OBJXIII said:
Quote:
to not get to attached to what exactly her assignment is or the location. I've had two friends who actually went and one got their assignment changed like me, and both said that there's not always a lot of guidelines once you get there. They said while they did do some work towards the assignment, most of the experience is exactly that, an experience of a different culture and way of live. Their advice is to go with no expectation of yourself or the program, and hope for the best.

Excellent advice thanks
RE: Has she seen  
montanagiant : 1/9/2018 9:11 pm : link
In comment 13780832 Bill in UT said:
Quote:
Book of Mormon?

No, but she says she wants to.
RE: My wife and I did it 20 years ago right after we got married  
montanagiant : 1/9/2018 9:13 pm : link
In comment 13780794 STL Gman said:
Quote:
biggest challenge is waiting for an assignment. As previous poster said may get a place that does not fit with your daughter, it which case she can turn it down, but may get placed at back of the line again. We thought we would get sent to eastern europe, but ending up going to a tropical paradise (Solomon Islands) It was an amazing experience and we hope to give it another shot when I retire

The job is in Columbia (she's fluent in Spanish and has done two embedding internships in Ecuador and D.R.) but they told her the S. American countries are some of the more desired ones so she said she was open for other places. Solomon Islands would be a great assignment
question  
giantfan2000 : 1/10/2018 9:06 am : link
isn't Peace Corp stint like a huge gold star for your resume?
Interesting...  
Dan in the Springs : 1/10/2018 10:04 am : link
don't have much to add, but curious how an hour and a half long interview is "grueling". Any reasons given? Perhaps because she is new to the interviewing process or only familiar with lower-level positions?

I admit it's been a while since I last was in any kind of interview I would consider grueling, but that one lasted a day and a half.
Interested in any experiences or comments also  
Chris in San Diego : 1/10/2018 1:35 pm : link
one of my sons will finish his masters in regenerative medicine in june. Wants to go into the PC and do something totally unrelated. He is a bit concerned as to what potential employers will think when he returns. He's 23 so I thought that it would be a great thing to have on a resume.....granted I know almost nothing about today's job markets and culture! As a dad though I am just mad proud that he is considering it....
RE: Interesting...  
montanagiant : 1/10/2018 8:15 pm : link
In comment 13781261 Dan in the Springs said:
Quote:
don't have much to add, but curious how an hour and a half long interview is "grueling". Any reasons given? Perhaps because she is new to the interviewing process or only familiar with lower-level positions?

I admit it's been a while since I last was in any kind of interview I would consider grueling, but that one lasted a day and a half.

Well, it's her second interview since graduating and she was nervous because she really wants this. They do it over skype and the whole theory is to get the prospect out of any comfort zone and see how they react to questions outside of the norm. They have multiple people giving it.

It's great experience for her but I can understand how it was also tough seeing as she has such little experience
RE: Interested in any experiences or comments also  
montanagiant : 1/10/2018 8:18 pm : link
In comment 13781666 Chris in San Diego said:
Quote:
one of my sons will finish his masters in regenerative medicine in june. Wants to go into the PC and do something totally unrelated. He is a bit concerned as to what potential employers will think when he returns. He's 23 so I thought that it would be a great thing to have on a resume.....granted I know almost nothing about today's job markets and culture! As a dad though I am just mad proud that he is considering it....

What I have been hearing as I gather more info is that Employees view the PC as a big feather in the cap because they know you are put into situations and experiences most kids in their 20's will never have.

Best of luck to your son
RE: question  
montanagiant : 1/10/2018 8:18 pm : link
In comment 13781130 giantfan2000 said:
Quote:
isn't Peace Corp stint like a huge gold star for your resume?

That is what I am starting to hear
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