Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), based in New York City, has programs around the country that help promote community development. A typical one-day career development session for LISC members begins with an overview of nonprofit career opportunities, gives practical advice on the steps involved in getting a job, and ends with a career panel.

Check out the sample agenda for a LISC training. Many of the handouts used in this training are available in the Everything To Know About Getting a Job toolkit.

One group exercise LISC has found useful–either as a stand-alone or as part of a full-day session–is "Applying for a Volunteer Coordinator Position."

Steps for the activity:

1. Print the Job Opening announcement.

2. Ask members to individually identify:

• What skills and experiences do you have for the position?
• What questions do you think the interviewer will ask?
• What questions would you want to ask about the position and the organization?

3. Discuss your answers as a group.

4. Now, ask members to pair off and do practice interviews using the Volunteer Coordinator questions or creating their own.

5. Come back together as a whole group and share the experience.

For another example of how to approach career development, see Plan a Life After AmeriCorps Training.

Go on to Not Your 9 to 5 Gig

Members who are new to the job market may need some basic help in considering career options and researching and applying for positions. A handy toolkit provides handouts for career development member trainings.

Research shows that AmeriCorps and VISTA members tend to pursue careers in the nonprofit and public sectors after their service. Taking this 10–20 minute tutorial will help you learn ways to prepare members for taking on community service opportunities.

Find resources on how to organize those trainings. And, provide support for members who want to volunteer for another term or pursue parenthood, the military, or life abroad.

Remember, there are also great resources in the career section of the What's Next online tutorial.

For additional resources, check out these websites:

• Washington Employment Security Department
  Washington is one of many states with comprehensive labor market information, such as wages, careers, and education, as well as available state programs and workshops. Check out your state's site.
• Jobweb
  This site provides excellent career development and job search advice for new college graduates including links to university/college career centers.
• America's Career Resource Network
  This site features a six-step decision cycle that counselors and educators can use to help students (or in this case, members) look at careers and educational needs.
• National Career Development Association
  Part of the American Counseling Association, NCDA's site offers links to online career planning tools, occupational information, career trends, and salary data.
• University of Waterloo
  This site contains a career development manual with information on how to conduct a complete self-assessment and why that's important.
• Worklife
  This site allows the user to construct an individualized (free) account and portfolio with industry-specific career information.

Other useful sites: www.monster.com (online career center); www.idealist.org (starting a career in the nonprofit sector); www.cns.gov/jobs (field opportunities in human rights); www.ajb.dni.us (a U.S. Department of Labor site with job vacancies from state employment offices); and www.doleta.gov (a U.S. Department of Labor site with sections on planning and starting a new career).

Go on to Everything To Know About Getting a Job

Transitioning to full-time parenthood

It's important to support members who choose full-time parenthood. Jenni Ethington, a former AmeriCorps and VISTA leader in Spokane, Washington, left service to become a stay-at-home mom. She said having a support network was critical: "I talked to other members who were also parents, and that really helped me," she says. "Getting together with other members for playdates was something we did a lot. I also looked for kid-friendly volunteer opportunities in my community as a way to stay connected."

Volunteering for another term of service

First term members may want to consider enrolling in a second term. Because policies about re-enrolling vary among programs, members should check with their State Commissions or CNCS State Office. Remember, program directors have no obligation to re-enroll any AmeriCorps member, although second terms are possible.

To be eligible for a second term, members must satisfactorily complete their first term (which means meeting expectations). If members wish to sign up for a different program, they'll need to do the legwork to find out about the various opportunities. The best place to start is www.americorps.gov, which is helpful in outlining the differences among AmeriCorps, VISTA, and AmeriCorps*NCCC. The site also explains how to apply to each program.

Choosing the military

Joining the armed forces may be the right choice for members who are looking for a challenge, job training, and help in paying for their education. More information on the different branches of service can be found at local recruiting offices or online at www.navy.com, www.army.com,www.marines.com, www.airforce.com and www.uscg.mil

Working or doing service abroad

Many members may be attracted to the idea of working or serving abroad. The Peace Corps is one option. It can be a natural extension for service-oriented members who wish to seek a new challenge.

Other possibilities might include teaching English or other courses overseas. See ESL Café, FrenchCulture.org, or the Japanese Exchange and Teaching Programme (JET) for a few ideas on teaching overseas.

Go on to Moving On

As members consider life after service, they face a weighty decision: Where do I want to live? Do I want to go back to school? Should I seek other kinds of training? Do I want to enter the job market? And, that age-old dilemma: what do I want to be when I grow up?

Helping members figure out what types of careers best suit their personality, interests, and skills can assist them in making both short- and long-term plans. The following self-assessment tools, adapted from the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) in New York City, can serve as a starting point.

Use these tools separately or in combination for training sessions.

• Completing a career development self-assessment
• Creating a five-year career plan
• Translating AmeriCorps or VISTA service
• Crafting a résumé
• Writing a cover letter
• Conducting an informational interview
• Interviewing for a job

Completing a career development self-assessment

This tool asks members to reflect on their strengths and weaknesses, accomplishments, likes and dislikes, and goals. It can serve as the starting point for a workshop on career development and help members identify next steps-whether they lead back to school or to the workplace.

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Creating a five-year career plan

Using this form, members create a personal plan, mapping out things to accomplish and action steps on a year-by-year basis.

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Translating AmeriCorps or VISTA service

This form helps the members reflect on their leadership and volunteer accomplishments. The information can be edited for use in a cover letter or a résumé, and can help members organize their thoughts for potential job interviews.

Pam Rechel, a former human resources manager and currently head of Brave Heart Consulting in Portland, Oregon, (www.braveheartconsulting.com) adapted another translation tool from Working with Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman and from Behavioral Technology. It asks members to identify and reframe their life and work skill competencies.

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Crafting a résumé

Here are some basic pointers you should pass along to résumé writers.

Résumés MUST include:

• Complete, current contact information
• Work experience
• Volunteer and leadership experience
• Education

Résumés may include a personal objective (for example, "to work with youth in the nonprofit sector"), but be sure the objective matches the job you're applying for! Other optional elements include:

• "Other" experience
• Research/publications
• Interests/hobbies
• Computer skills
• Language skills

Do NOT include references in your résumé. Remember, a résumé should serve to:

• Highlight your skills
• Show off your accomplishments
• Show how you are qualified for the job
• Show where you want your career to go

Try to tailor the résumé to the job or type of job you're seeking: You may find yourself creating a new, slightly different résumé for every position you apply for–depending on what the employer requires. The résumé should be one page in length, unless you have a substantial amount of work experience. Above all, remember HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY. Always tell the truth about your experience and education.

Résumés can be formatted chronologically or functionally:

• The chronological résumé shows what jobs you held, starting with the most recent. This is the preferred method of presenting your information since it's the most straightforward for the employer.
• A functional résumé highlights your skills and accomplishments, rather than presenting a linear description of where you've been and what you've done over the years. You should consider using a functional résumé if you lack real work experience or are attempting to change fields.

You can also create a résumé that mixes both functional and chronological elements.

Be mindful of these important stylistic considerations:

• Use succinct language
• Use a consistent tense (past tense is usually best)
• Always double-check your spelling and have another set of eyes proofread your work
• Make it clean, well-organized, and legible with ample white space
• Use action verbs that quantify your accomplishments

For an example, AmeriCorps objectives or "skill clusters" describe jobs in active ways.

Download a template that members can use to create a résumé. See some examples of résumés here.

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Go on to Everything To Know About Getting a Job, Part 2

• Writing a cover letter
• Conducting an informational interview
• Interviewing for a job

Writing a cover letter

Remind members that a cover letter should accompany a résumé to provide more information and showcase skills. The cover letter also demonstrates writing ability, knowledge of the organization, and what they might bring to the job.

Here are some general guidelines for cover letters:

• Tailor the letter specifically to each job/organization
• Address the letter to a specific person in the organization; BE SURE TO SPELL THE NAME CORRECTLY
• Limit the letter to one page
• Do not repeat the résumé but highlight certain areas and provide more detail
• Do not list salary requirements
• Proofread the letter carefully–another set of eyes is always helpful

The letter should contain the following paragraphs:

• Why I'm interested in this job
• How it fits into my career plans
• My relevant skills and experience
• Some ideas I have for the job
• Why I support the organization's mission and values
• How I can contribute to the organization
• Close with a request for an interview, how to contact you, and the fact that you will follow up within a specific time period (for example, "I will call you next week to see when we can meet to discuss this opportunity")

Send your cover letter and résumé as soon as you learn of a job opportunity (fax or snail mail; e-mail if they specify). Follow up to make sure the materials were received. If you have a contact in the organization, let him/her know you've applied and mention that person in the cover letter. Follow up one more time to find out the timelines for the hiring process.

Check out a sample cover letter.

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Conducting an informational interview

Going on an informational interview has many benefits:

• Meet people in the field
• Learn about different organizations, the work they do, and the types of jobs available
• Get advice about career options and paths
• Find out about any potential openings at this organization and others
• Make a good impression to be considered for a job later
• Get referrals of other people to interview

Here are steps in setting up and completing an informational interview:

• E-mail, phone, or write to the organization
• "Name-dropping" helps (for example, "_____referred me to you because you're such a good source in this field")
• Ask for a 20–30 minute meeting: be flexible
• Send a résumé in advance to the person you're meeting
• Prepare questions
• Bring paper and pen
• Dress professionally
• Be on time for your appointment
• Pay if you're meeting at a coffee shop
• Ask if they know of any job openings
• Ask for referrals for other informational interviews
• Send a thank you note immediately after the interview
• Stay in touch

Check out these informational interview handouts.

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Interviewing for a job

The next stage in the process is the job interview. Here's how to prepare:

• Research the organization: talk to anyone you know who already works there (or has in the past); look at their website and any printed material; do an Internet search for any news articles pertaining to the organization and/or the field they're in
• Think in advance about what you want the interviewer to know about you: come up with some key "talking points" about yourself
• Anticipate questions they're likely to ask
• Develop questions you want to ask them
• Bring another copy of your résumé and anything else they asked for; if pertinent, bring some samples of your past work
• Bring paper and pen
• Dress professionally
• Arrive early

For a list of typical interview questions, see sample questions. Also, see questions divided by job fields here.

For a list of illegal job questions–and how to handle them–see questions you shouldn't have to answer.

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Go on to Providing Career Development Training

Preparing to become a volunteer coordinator

For members who are seeking future employment as volunteer coordinators, this list of sample interviews questions might come in handy.

These sample questions were contributed Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC, New York, NY), an AmeriCorps National Direct program that focuses on increasing affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate income families through housing development and counseling first time homebuyers.

See what agencies hiring volunteer coordinators might look for

Use this position description to illustrate to members what a position description looks like and what skills and experience an employer might be seeking.

This position description was contributed Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC, New York, NY), an AmeriCorps National Direct program that focuses on increasing affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate income families through housing development and counseling first time homebuyers.

Plan a career training day for your members

Are you doing an in-house career training for members? This outline can show you a model for how to set it up. It also includes a number of related participant handouts.

This curriculum outline was contributed Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC, New York, NY), an AmeriCorps National Direct program that focuses on increasing affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate income families through housing development and counseling first time homebuyers.

Spotting possible discrimination

It is illegal to discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin or handicap in making personnel decisions. This resource helps members identify potentially discriminating or illegal interview questions.

This document was contributed Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC, New York, NY), an AmeriCorps National Direct program that focuses on increasing affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate income families through housing development and counseling first time home buyers.

A resource for job seekers in the education, environment, and social service fields

Use this resource to help exiting members who are job seeking.

Helping members know what to expect

Job interviews are competitive by nature, and the better prepared members are, the better chance they have of converting a job interview into an offer of employment. These sample questions can help members know what kind of questions they might hear during an interview and help them prepare their answers ahead of time.

This document was contributed by Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC, New York, NY), an AmeriCorps National Direct program that focuses on increasing affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate income families through housing development and counseling first time homebuyers.

Open doors for job seekers

How do you find the best sources for informational interviews? How do you set up interviews and, once you're in the door, what do you ask? This resource provides some answers. Use it to assist members who are forming a job-hunting strategy.

This document was contributed by Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC, New York, NY), an AmeriCorps National Direct program that focuses on increasing affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate income families through housing development and counseling first time homebuyers.

Fine-tuning members' introduction to potential employers

How can members get noticed when competing for a job? Help them create cover letters for job applications that pack a punch. This sample letter uses action language to clearly highlight the member's enthusiasm and accomplishments.

This handout was contributed by Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC, New York, NY), an AmeriCorps National Direct program that focuses on increasing affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate income families through housing development and counseling first time homebuyers.

See examples of incorporating service experience into a résumé

These sample résumés were contributed Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC, New York, NY), a AmeriCorps National Direct program that focuses on increasing affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate income families through housing development and counseling first time homebuyers.

Use them as examples as members set about the task of creating their résumés

Creating a résumé from a blank sheet of paper is not easy to do. These sample résumés can make the process easier by providing an example that members can draw from in creating résumés of their own.

A form that gathers the information members need to create their résumés

This form was contributed by Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC, New York, NY), a AmeriCorps National Direct program that focuses on increasing affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate income families through housing development and counseling first time homebuyers.

Use it to guide members through a résumé-creating process.

By using this document, members can write out specifics of their résumé by hand. When they are finished, they are ready to type and format their résumé and send it out.

Word groups that help translate real experiences into résumé language

This handout is used in résumé writing exercises by the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) an AmeriCorps National Direct program that focuses on increasing affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate income families through housing development and counseling first time homebuyers.

Use it for members as they prepare to write a résumé.

Action verbs are often an element of successful résumés and cover letters. Grouped by job type, these action verbs can assist members in matching their past experiences with their desired job type. Tools like this can make résumé writing a less daunting task.

Tips and an activity to get the notice of employers

Members can use this quick resource to put together a list of competencies they have developed while serving and translate them into the type of language that enhances résumés and cover letters. Use this to prepare members for post-service job hunting.

This resource was created by Brave Heart Consulting and contributed by the Northwest Service Academy.

Members benefit when recording accomplishments

This one-page self-explanatory form asks members to describe their leadership qualities, experiences and greatest volunteer accomplishments. It can be used for a wide range of purposes, including reflection, self-assessment, program evaluation, and résumé building.

This document was contributed by Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC, New York, NY), a AmeriCorps National Direct program that focuses on increasing affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate income families through housing development and counseling first time homebuyers.

Organize thoughts and experiences around job seeking

A thorough self-assessment, this document asks members to reflect upon their values and past work experiences to create a vision of what they would like to do next. In addition to assisting members before they embark on a job search, it is both a reflective and visioning activity.

Use it to assist members early on when they begin to think about finding a job after their AmeriCorps service.

This resource was contributed Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC, New York, NY), an AmeriCorps National Direct program that focuses on increasing affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate income families through housing development and counseling first time homebuyers.

Members create an action plan for where they want to be in five years

This self-explanatory form asks members to create a personal mission statement and career goals, as well as the action steps they would need to take over the next five year to get where they would like to go. It can be used as a reflection and visioning tool.

This resource was contributed Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC, New York, NY), an AmeriCorps National Direct program that focuses on increasing affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate income families through housing development and counseling first time homebuyers.