How to Apply To AmeriCorps--Like A Boss

If you've read my previous entries, you know that I'm a fan of waxing philosophical about AmeriCorps, volunteerism, and in general, just being an awesome citizen.  But today, I'm going to give you something that you can really use...I'm going to give you some insider information on how to apply to an AmeriCorps program.

1. Do some soul-searching
   So, you've decided you want to be a national service volunteer.  Good for you.  Now you need to figure out what how you want to serve.  What kind of experience do you have?  What are your interests?  Make sure that you are genuinely excited about what you would hypothetically be doing.  I can tell you right now, if you don't have a passion for the issue area that the position concerns, you're going to get burned out quickly, possibly making your AmeriCorps experience a negative one.  Your interest and genuine investment in a project is going to drive you when things get rough.  Also, you're going to want to figure out which branch of AmeriCorps you would like to be involved in.  If you like working with the population you serve, State and National is the program for you.  If you like working with a team and seeing immediate impact (and you like camping), you might want to look into NCCC (the National Civilian Community Corps).  If you are more of a liaison or a coordinator type and you like being in an office environment, VISTA is probably right up your alley.
   
   Not only are you going to want to think about what you want to do, but also, where you want to be.  Some people are adventurous and adaptable, finding it easy to enter and integrate themselves into a new community socially.  If you aren't that kind of person, you are going to want to take this into consideration when deciding where to serve.  This is kind of odd, but you also might want to take...weather patterns...into account.  I've found that weather can really get people down if they aren't used to it.  So, if you are coming from the South to say...Michigan, you're going to want to mentally prepare yourself for 4 months of terrible, sad weather in the winter (oh, no--I'm not a bitter Michigander at all...).
2. Search Through My AmeriCorps
   Now that you've decided what you want to do and where you'd like to be, it's time to see what's out there.  If you already have a program or issue area in mind, use the advanced opportunity search on the right side of the screen.  When you search, try and use synonyms if you can because the search engine can be difficult to work with sometimes.  If you're having a hard time refining your interests, browse service opportunities by category--that's the default search.  Remember, if you want to stick close to home, be sure to mention which state(s) you would like to serve in when you search.
   
   When you are searching through the various opportunities out there, take note of the ones you like, note who the contact person is and jot down their name and email in case you want to ask any questions about the position.  When you've exhausted your list, divide your list of projects based on issue area and rank them--This will be important for the next step.  If you were specific in your searching to begin with, you probably won't have to do this.
3. Write Your Application
   If you have seen all that you need to see, it's time to write that application.  The AmeriCorps application is kind of the bane of my existence because it is so general, but it really couldn't be any other way.  So, the reason you divided up your list of projects is so that you can combat the vagueness of the application.  Those of us who read applications really value it when people get really specific and frame their experience in a way that shows that their experience is applicable to the project they are applying for.
   
   So, let me give you an example of what I mean by this.  Say that you are passionate about education.  How have you demonstrated that passion?  What volunteer experience do you have that relates to education?  What is it about education that motivates you?  These are questions that you're going to want to ask yourself as you are writing your application.
   
   Now I also told you to rank your preferences--this is because you are allowed two applications in your My AmeriCorps portal.  That means two issue areas.  Pick and choose based on what your highest ranked projects are and write each application accordingly.  When you're done writing your application, go back to each program page and apply for the positions, being careful to select the proper application.
   
   This is important--DON'T SKIP ANY SECTIONS.  What does leaving your "Why I Volunteer" section or your motivational statement blank say about you?  Well, as a reviewer, it tells me that you weren't really serious about finishing the application.  I read those, you know--I make sure that you've made a coherent thought and I make sure you spell-checked and edited your statement too.  These two paragraphs are essential for me as I'm trying to understand who you are--don't deny me that!
4. Follow Up
   When you send your AmeriCorps application off, it can seem like you sent it into outer space.  Some programs contact applicants quickly, some don't contact applicants at all if they aren't interested (MCC follows up every Thursday or Friday, depending on my schedule so people don't get that my-application-went-into-a-black-hole feeling).  If you want to learn more about the program or you want to make sure that your application was received, get a hold of the contact that was listed on the program page in the AmeriCorps portal.  They will be able to determine if your application was received and they will be able to answer any questions and give you more information about their AmeriCorps projects(s), their agency, etc.  Personally, I like it when people follow up--it shows to me that they are really excited about the position.

From there, it's anyone's guess.  If someone's interested in you, they'll contact you.  If not, then they'll call you after all of the positions have been filled.  That can take a long time so you might want to ask project contacts what their timeline is.  Regarding the MCC*VISTA program, applicants that we do not place won't know until...probably late May, since I likely won't be interviewing until mid to late April.  In the meantime, for all of you MCC*VISTA applicants, ***shameless plug*** you can get involved with us via Facebook and Twitter!  

-Liz-

What Makes A Great VISTA?

AmeriCorps is facing some tough times right now--At best, we're looking to dodge budget cuts left and right, but there is still a very real worst-case-scenario of it getting zeroed out in the budget.  However, there's another problem that we have that is a little more uplifting, if that makes any sense.  Since today's job market has proven difficult for recent college graduates to navigate, more and more of them are considering national service  as a way to gain real-world experience and become more marketable when they search for jobs somewhere down the road.  I still have a lot of friends that are in college, so I try to encourage them to spread the word about the opportunities that AmeriCorps has to offer, using that professional experience bit as the biggest focus.    So, for those of you who want that sort of experience, great.  You've come to the right place.  But before you apply or sign on, I want you to know exactly what you're getting into.  National service, much like any other major decision in your life, is not to be taken lightly--In fact, I think it's even more serious than a job with the one-year term functioning as your commitment to the betterment of your community.  You could quit I suppose, but by doing so, you would effectively be leaving that community high and dry since AmeriCorps positions left vacant are rarely filled.  So, before you sign that year of your life away, I want you to read the following to see if you really have what it takes to be a great VISTA.

The way I see it, being a great VISTA can be boiled down into four C's: Compassion, Creativity, Commitment, and Character.

1. Compassion: Compassion is the capacity to feel empathy or sympathy for others.  The mission of AmeriCorps*VISTA is to end poverty in America.  In order to serve that goal, you need to have a deep understanding of those who are in poverty in our country.  You need to know what low-income individuals face on a daily basis: the stigma, the oppression, the hunger, the need.  Beyond that, you need to be able to internalize those hardships; see through their eyes, walk in their shoes, feel what they feel.  If that's not something you feel comfortable doing, the road to the end of your term will likely be a rocky one, since that's what we deal with every day.  It's not so much being a "bleeding heart" as it is having the drive that you need to do this work.
   
2. Creativity: Sometimes when I reflect on my first year of VISTA, I think of it as some sort of survivalist scenario.  When you become a VISTA, many members are placed in an unfamiliar environment with nothing but a VISTA assignment description, and that's about it.  Often times, it can be helpful, but just as often it will likely be vague, so you can't rely on the assignment description alone.  You need to be able to come up with creative solutions to the complex societal problems that you will face as a VISTA in order to both be successful and to gain anything from the experience.  That being said though, we aren't expecting you to be able to create those solutions off the bat--it takes some time being immersed in your new environment and understanding it before you can decide how to best serve your community, but the important thing is to have that ability to think out of the box, because clearly, whatever's in the box isn't working for us.
   
3. Commitment: Great VISTAs are committed both personally and professionally to what they do.  On the personal side of things, they are drawn to a cause that each position hopes to aid, whether that's affordable housing, education attainment, financial literacy, whatever.  That passion is what drives VISTAs to achieve and what keeps them from becoming overwhelmed.  Professionally, great VISTAs feel a bond with their community, the organization they serve, the population they serve, and strive to do anything they can to strengthen those relationships.  Even in the most dire situations, one's commitment can be that ember that keeps burning when the rest of the fire has died out.
   
4. Character: The strength of one's character is the greatest indicator for a successful service term in more ways than one.  I know that character is one of those sort of catch-all terms, so let me explain...They need conduct themselves in a manner that is both professional and accessible, they need to be comfortable enough with themselves to be able to go outside of their comfort zone in order to change their community for the better.  They need to be able to shine through adversity they face and be resilient enough to bounce back and power though, and when they're done, they need to recognize that as much as they did for the community, the community gave back to them ten-fold.

...But that's just how I see it.  What do YOU think makes a great VISTA?  Leave me a comment--I'd love to hear from you!

-Liz-