Category Archives: Advice

This blog features several types of advice, such as careers and grad school.

03.06.09
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How to Talk about Your Service Term during a Hiring Process

A recently returning China Volunteer wants to know how to discuss her experiences during the job search. These are my two cents.

Talking about your experience in a service corps in the first year — or five — after completing your term, you may notice a wide range of responses among your listeners: anything from the dazed-over blank stare, to the nervous, fidgety “please change the subject now” glare.

To avoid either response while you are building your professional network or chatting in a job interview, prepare ahead of Continue reading →

03.05.09
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Reminder from the Corporation’s General Counsel

In this time of hyper advocacy for national service, the General Counsel for the Corporation for National and Community Service gently reminds Corporation-supported grantees, corps members, and sponsoring organizations what not to do.

In a memo issued March 2nd, Frank R. Trinity urges national service folks to: Continue reading →

03.05.09
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Why It’s Wrong to Assume that All Service Participants are Young

How branding national service as an opportunity only for young people does more harm to the movement than good.

Christian Witkin for TIME Magazine

Christian Witkin for TIME Magazine

While many service corps do have upper age limits — City Year, AmeriCorps*NCCC, Public Allies, and many other team-based programs — most programs do not have an upper age limit.

In fact, several programs specifically recruit professionals — Experience Corps, Atlas Corps, CUSO-VSO (the Canadian VSO), Volunteers for Prosperity, and United Nations Volunteers just to name a few. Others like Peace Corps and AmeriCorps*VISTA recruit almost entirely college graduates because of the skill required in carrying out service.

And yet when people speak of service they almost always describe it as an opportunity for young people to give back, receive scholarship money, develop leadership skills, and go an an adventure before settling down with a real job.

What difference does it make if most people think of national or international service as a pursuit for the young?

Here are some reasons:

Recruitment:

If we assume only young people will enlist in a citizen service corps, we won’t recruit new corps members as creatively Continue reading →

02.24.09
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Committing to a Second Term of National or International Service?

During the term of any successful corps member, the question comes up: should I sign on for another go-round?

Most programs allow you to serve a second (and even a third, or seventh) term of service. Your options may include:

02.24.09
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House Committee Holds a Hearing to Examine Need for Service

Wednesday morning the House Education and Labor Committee will hold a hearing “examine the importance of national and community service in meeting critical economic needs” across the country.

According to a press release from the office Rep. George Miller—the chair of the committee—the hearing will focus on “re-invigorating” civic engagement, expanding national service opportunities for young people, and greening the United States with the help of national service programs.

Witnesses who will testify include: