They don't just keep your clients and team members safe, background checks are a requirement. Under the Serve America Act, the law requires national service programs to conduct for each grant-supported member or staff member:
In a national service environment, it is helpful to let recruits know about the history checks ahead of time, as this will discourage "red flag" prospects from following through on their applications.
While VISTA conducts checks on candidates, it is often the responsibility of AmeriCorps state and national programs to run checks on their recruits. For programs running sex offender, state, and national checks, it is important to know:
The process
The timeframe
What to expect and what you'll get
Things that can go wrong
A resource on conducting criminal history checks is available to download as a Word document. The resource covers the four items listed above.
Connect with older members through a press release Your press release may pack a bigger punch if you combine a recruitment pitch with a human interest story about an older member. That AmeriCorps members over 55 can give their Segal...
Connect with older members through a press release
Your press release may pack a bigger punch if you combine a recruitment pitch with a human interest story about an older member. That AmeriCorps members over 55 can give their Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards to a child, grandchild, or foster child provides an added incentive for retirees to serve (this benefit is not available to VISTAs).
This sample release was adapted from interviews with members of the ESD 112's Washington Reading Corps (Vancouver, WA). Some things to remember about creating your own release are:
Include clear contact information
Use active voice
Describe a person or job that would interest your target audience
The Ready to Learn Providence AmeriCorps program serves children, families, and child care providers in Providence, Rhode Island where many families speak Spanish (and other languages) in their homes. In their child care centers and schools, children are learning English, but parents are often uncomfortable or unable to talk with the teacher because of a language barrier. Having AmeriCorps members who can bridge that gap provides much needed support for the children, so that they are not the ones always translating for their parents.
The first step towards recruiting diverse members was to create and distribute bilingual recruitment materials. To do this they:
Reached out, in person, to the Spanish-language churches, the Spanish radio station and newspaper, and the Latino leadership program in their community
Created and distributed English and Spanish posters at partner sites, libraries, and grocery stores
In addition, trainings were conducted in Spanish and English during the second year of the program. Use of their native language created a more comfortable atmosphere for Spanish speakers to express their opinions in discussions.
After the first year of the program, word-of-mouth from the members spread the word to the Spanish-speaking community.
Laura Firtel of Notre Dame AmeriCorps in Apopka, FL also recruits bilinugal members. The program tutors and mentors children and youth, offers youth and adult education classes, and works with survivors of domestic violence.
Click the play button to hear her talk about the importance of personalizing bilingual pitches, and not just plastering a community with flyers.
Experienced AmeriCorps and VISTA staff agree: "To recruit an ethnically diverse team, it's important to learn about other cultures!"
Addell Anderson, Program Director of the Michigan AmeriCorps Partnership in Detroit, MI works with many cultures in her city. This program has grown to include at least eight graduate and undergraduate programs at the University of Michigan that annually serve nearly 40 diverse nonprofit organizations, primarily based in Detroit.
Click the play button to hear her talk about the importance of building relationships with members of different communities.
Part of learning about a culture is "getting" how it talks about volunteering. Not all languages have a word for "service," but most have a tradition of volunteering.
Khouan Rodriguez is the Project Director at the AmeriCorps ACCESS Project in Greensboro, North Carolina. ACCESS Project seeks to help refugees and immigrants gain better access to human services, build bridges with mainstream society, and become economically self-sufficient. For the 2007-08 service year, their 67 members represented 14 countries and spoke 14 different languages.
Click the play button to hear Rodriguez talk about how different cultures define volunteering.
Research is another way to learn about a new culture. Anderson's program serves a population that is one fifth Arab and Chaldean. After she realized that many of her staff and corps members were not familiar with these cultures (and made false assumptions about them), she did some research and put together a fact sheet on recruiting members from the Arab and Chaldean communities.
In some communities, it can take extra effort to recruit members from ethnic and cultural minority groups. However, building a multicultural corps increases the perspectives of your team and provides a model of diversity for the community.
Linda Burkholder, of the Youth Development Project at the Folsom Cordova Community Partnership in Rancho Cordova, CA, has created a multicultural VISTA team. Her program works to mobilize and integrate resources that enhance the education, health, and well being of the children and families in the community.
Click the play button to hear Burkholder talk about the benefits of having an ethnically diverse VISTA corps, and about how members can be leadership models for others in the community.
Making it on the living allowance is a challenge. Help members before they get in over their heads.
For starters, provide a realistic introduction to the living allowance before starting service. Learn how one program provides An Early Introduction to the Living Allowance. Some members can apply for food stamps as a way to supplement the stipend and gain experience with accessing assistance.
Early on, provide members with the basics of setting up a reasonable budget and sticking to it. See one program's guidance: Intro to Budgeting (PDF).
Create a tip sheet on saving money in your area. See tips assembled by other programs:
Help members struggling with debt. See strategies and resources adapted from a program's training:
Getting Out of Debt includes a step-by-step process for addressing financial problems with tips for dealing with creditors and staying positive. - (PDF)
The first few weeks are one of the toughest times for new members. During this period they are learning the ins and outs of your program, your community, and their assignment. At the same time, they are learning to live in a new environment and face new personal challenges.
Set members up for success with tools that will help them understand their roles and anticipate challenges before their service begins.
Use the following
Pre-Orientation Retreat is a pre-service assignment designed to prompt members to think about program-related topics before service begins.
Create a program handbook: Find tips for creating program handbooks and view sample handbook content on the Handbooks 101 page in the Supervise section.
"Because there's a long time between when we select AmeriCorps members and when they start their service, we plan to have contact with them at least once a month in the intervening time. Something as simple as an e-mail or a postcard can keep them engaged and get them excited about what's to come." --Bethany, Admission Possible, St. Paul, MN
Helping members make ends meet—Download tools and trainings to help members save money, develop a budget, and even get out of debt while living on the living allowance.
The type of interview you choose will depend on your program needs, number and location of applicants, and the people in your program who need to participate in the process.
Phone Interviews Phone interviews are usually much shorter than in-person interviews and primarily offer you the chance to find out if applicants meet the minimum requirements for the position. They are also appropriate for out-of-area applicants. The phone interview gives applicants a chance to hear more about the position and decide if they are still interested. If the phone interview goes well and your position and the applicant are a good match, an individual or group interview may be the next step.
Individual Interviews In the individual interview, a single candidate is interviewed by one or more staff members. It's a good idea for candidates to interview with more than one person. This gives everyone who will be working together an opportunity to evaluate fit. It also gives candidates a balanced introduction to your program and the position. While it may be intimidating for a candidate to be interviewed by several people at once, this is the most time-efficient way to conduct an individual interview. Another option is to have candidates come back for multiple interviews with different people. This can be less intimidating, but can draw out the interview process and requires a larger time commitment from the applicant.
Group InterviewsGroup Interviews provide an opportunity to interview several candidates at the same time. It's important that the candidates have the same interview experience no matter who facilitates their group.
No matter which interview type you choose, these resources and sample interview questions will help you get the most out of each interview:
Pre-screen Applicants by Phone is a script for phone interviews that can help you reduce the number of face-to-face interviews
Interview Questions are a collection of tried-and-true interview questions organized by topic and purpose
Group Interviews is a "cheat sheet" for conducting group interviews
Phone Interview Checklist is a sample list to use during a phone interview to make sure candidates meet all the position requirements
CONNECT (Orange, CA) asks partner sites to recruit their own members. But, it provides a series of pre-screening meetings to give potential members an introduction to VISTA service, answer questions, and conduct interviews.
Click the play button to hear CONNECT's Kristi Piatkowski describe what happens at a pre-screening, which attracts from 10 to 25 applicants.
Piatkowski invites VISTA leaders and members to the pre-screening so they can provide an on-the-ground view of what VISTA life is like.
Click the play button for an explanation of what current VISTAs add to the session.
Since CONNECT started the pre-screenings, fewer than 10 percent of applicants have opted out of service. The sessions also are a huge timesaver for CONNECT.
Click the play button to hear Piatkowski explain the benefits.
Kristi Piatkowski of CONNECT (Orange, CA) knew she had to provide support when she turned recruitment over to the 36 VISTA sites in her First 5 Service Corps program.
To make the process less intimidating, Piatkowski developed a recruitment timetable that's part of a marketing toolkit for partner sites. Here's what the toolkit contains:
Click the play button to hear Piatkowski talk about how her program introduces the toolkit to the sites.
Click the play button to hear how this process has turned partner site staff into effective recruiters and resulted in more local applicants.
In addition to providing resources, CONNECT helps its partners by holding pre-screening sessions for applicants throughout the 10-week recruitment period.
To learn more about how these sessions are structured and the related resources, click here.
"Agencies that do their own recruitment are more likely to secure AmeriCorps members for their agencies versus the ones that wait for referrals from our program." --Khouan Rodriguez, ACCESS Project (Greensboro, NC)
The AmeriCorps ACCESS Project at University of North Carolina Greensboro (Greensboro, NC) used this process in working with 30 site agencies in a dozen counties during 2007-08:
Agencies submit an application and proposed member service descriptions to the AmeriCorps program
AmeriCorps program director allocates member positions and approves service descriptions
Agencies recruit and identify prospective members
Agencies conduct initial interviews with eligible candidates
Agencies instruct prospective members to schedule an appointment with AmeriCorps staff to complete paperwork and final interviews
AmeriCorps program director approves the member site placements and offers positions to the selected members
Almost 90% of RurAL CAP's 59 VISTA and AmeriCorps members come from the rural and remote Alaska villages where they serve. These tribal members help their communities develop environmental protection, energy education, and wellness programs.
RurAL CAP puts recruitment in the hands of traditional hosts such as tribal and city councils, but they provide everything the sites need to do the job.
Click the play button to hear Ellen Kazary describe the resources sent to local contacts.
Since inclusion is a guiding principle of national service, it makes sense to seek members who represent various age groups in your community.
Recent High School Grads Offering service opportunities to young recruits, fresh out of high school, can be especially fruitful. Often, service programs can be more understanding and flexible than a traditional employer.
When working with recruits fresh out of high school, consider this advice from Notre Dame AmeriCorps (Apopka, FL):
In educational programs, place these members in structured settings, preferably working with children at least 4-5 years younger
Provide additional support in completing routine reporting such as timesheets, data collection, and progress reports
Offer counseling on work habits and topics such as appropriate professional dress
Family Service Corps AmeriCorps (Butler, PA) has members ranging from recent high school graduates to senior citizens. Director Karen Zapp says she recruits service recipients from partner sites as well as volunteers in those agencies.
Click the play button to hear more about attracting teen members.
College Students Many service programs draw their recruits from the ranks of college students.
The Iowa Campus Compact VISTA program distributes postcards at college fairs, in campus placement offices, and campus mail rooms.
Download a copy of the postcard that introduces VISTA, the specific program, and has room for potential candidates to provide contact information.
Enlist your local college's design program to create a postcard and/or brochure as a service-learning project. Consider producing materials in different languages and targeting different age groups.
Members 55 and Over
This tutorial on Recruiting and Engaging Older Members helps you identify where to find older members in your community and discusses why national service is such a good fit.
The opportunity for AmeriCorps members 55 and older to transfer their education award to a child, grandchild, or foster child may enhance your recruiting efforts (this benefit is not available to VISTAs). Recipients have ten years to use the award (a child must meet citizenship requirements for AmeriCorps).
Recruiting members with disabilities can be a powerful win-win arrangement. Such an individual can bring a unique perspective and life experience to your team. In return, service can boost the member's self-esteem, provide valuable experience, and (in some cases) supplement a Social Security disability payment. Service can also be the gateway to long-term employment for people who have had difficulty breaking into the job market because of their disabilities.
Marea Hunter of Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation AmeriCorps (Incline Village, NV) advises programs that want to attract members with disabilities to:
Be flexible and know up front what hours a disabled member may need to devote to therapy or medical appointments
Realize that transportation to and from sites can be an issue
Ask members (if they're willing) to share about their disabilities and the struggles they encounter
Consider establishing a mentor program, pairing new and old members
Other successful programs offer the following advice:
Identifying potential members: Often the best way to recruit members with disabilities is from agencies serving disabled clients. Some of these agencies may already be partner sites.
Click the play button to hear how Karen Zapp, director of Family Service Corps/AmeriCorps (Butler, PA), approaches sites.
Once these members are on board, you'll find that they are a great resource for recruiting additional individuals with disabilities from among their circle of friends and contacts.
Interviewing potential members: It's important to remember that disabilities are visible and invisible; disclosed and nondisclosed; diagnosed and nondiagnosed. Zapp, stresses that you need to treat everyone with respect and resist making assumptions. When interviewing candidates, Zapp always asks if they need an accommodation.
Click the play button to learn how she frames the question in a nonjudgmental way.
Placing members with disabilities: Making sure your workplace is accessible can be beneficial not only to members with physical handicaps, but to everyone. Sam Castello, of TWC Youth Service Corps (Silver City, NM), says "universal design" elements are important in both the environment and in how positions are structured.
Both Castello and Zapp find that Corps members benefit greatly from serving in a diverse team and often need little, if any, coaching in how to interact with the disabled member. However, you may need to pave the way with staff at partner sites.
Click the play button to see how Zapp approaches this issue.
Service recipients are often motivated to "give back" and may also benefit greatly from the support available through the coaching and leadership of a national service program.
Peggy Friedenberg of Virginia Community Corps (Richmond, VA) has a number of members who are "TANF" (Temporary Aid to Needy Families) recipients and clients of her Corps' partner sites.
Click the play button to hear how she recruits these members.
Members will often refer other service recipients who are friends, relatives, or people they've come in contact with through public assistance programs.
If you recruit from this population, you may find it helpful to build basic job training into your member development. Click the play button to hear Friedenberg explain why.
Vicki Ginda, director of AmeriCorps Polk Reads (Bartow, FL), recruits parents and caregivers of the children served in her tutoring program, as well as older students in a special education program.
Like Friedenberg, she finds that these members are able to add an insider perspective and help other program staff see service recipients in a new light.
Click the play button to learn how everyone benefited when she created a job share position for a young man who received special education services.
Encouraging members to sign up for another term has a number of advantages. These experienced members:
Serve as a bridge of continuity for the program
Are able to mentor first-term members
Can help plan orientation, emphasizing the information that's stayed with them during their service term
Become a resource in recruitment efforts
Be aware that a participant is only eligible to serve a subsequent term of service if he or she received a satisfactory performance review for any previous term of service in an approved AmeriCorps position.
Recruiting Members to Serve a Second Term Marea Hunter, director of the Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation AmeriCorps (Incline Village, NV), says recruiting second-term members often is as simple as letting them know it's a viable option.
Notre Dame Mission Volunteers-AmeriCorps (Baltimore, MD) sends letters (in mid-March) to members recommended by site supervisors, asking them to join again and also thanking them for their service.
They also have a panel of second-term members present at their annual midterm conference. The panel allows second-term members to openly discuss what they have gained and how they have grown in their second term. It is very inspiring for current members to hear advice from their peers on the benefits of staying for a second term as well as a great way to recognize the people who've stayed.
Placing Second-Term Members The Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation AmeriCorps (Incline Village, NV) finds that second-term members do well when they're given new assignments, rather than continuing with the same work.
Click the play button to learn more about this practice.
Firtel recommends building reflection on service into monthly meetings, so members are aware of the impact they're having emotionally, socially, and intellectually. When they realize all they've accomplished, "it's hard [for them] to turn
down a second term."
If VISTA applicants have a realistic idea of what it's like to survive on the living allowance, there's a greater chance they'll stick with the program. Dustin Speakman of The Ohio Benefit Bank (Columbus, OH) encourages new recruits to apply for food stamps, if appropriate.
Members see how food stamps may help them stretch their stipend
First, Speakman gives new members a Sample VISTA Monthly Budget with and without food stamps. He explains that applying for food stamps before PSO can increase the amount of their total benefit.
Click the play button to hear Speakman describe how this process gives new members insights into their clients and their VISTA service.
Members reflect on their experience applying for assistance
Members fill out a survey about applying for food stamps. At their first meeting after PSO, they talk about what they experienced. Click the play button to hear Speakman discuss what a typical debriefing reveals.
"Sell service first, benefits second [when recruiting new members]. Remember that VISTA is not a job but a service opportunity. Ensure that candidates have an understanding that they'll be part of AmeriCorps*VISTA and not an employee of your organization." --Emily Kubiszewski, American Red Cross of Indianapolis (IN)
A good way to "recruit for retention" is to recognize red flags when screening applicants. If they're looking for a "job" rather than a unique service opportunity, they may quit as soon as a better "paying" opportunity comes along.
Emily Kubiszewski, VISTAs for American Red Cross of Indianapolis, says she doesn't recruit at unemployment offices or job fairs because "a majority of attendees want a far more lucrative opportunity." Instead, she targets university service and career fairs.
Linda Burkholder, Folsom Cordova (CA) Family Support Services, says she looks at the applicant's motivation during screening. Press the play button to hear why she thinks this is the most important factor.
Coleman Smith, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps (Steamboat Springs, CO), also focuses on motivation in interviews. Check out this list of screening questions, which can be adapted for your program.
Sometimes it's better to avoid using words like capacity building and sustainability that can be somewhat intimidating. Try to break down the assignment with concrete examples and phrases like program coordination and resource development.
One issue VISTA supervisors face is helping people understand how capacity building differs from direct service. Knowing how "hands on" the job is could affect an applicant's decision to serve. It also may impact whether a new member successfully carries out the VISTA mission over the long term.
Kristi Piatkowski of CONNECT(Orange, CA) has both VISTAs and AmeriCorps members in her First 5 programs. She tries to determine if an applicant will be a better fit for one program or the other.
Click the play button to hear her remarks.
Rebecca Tedford of the Louisiana AmeriCorps*VISTA Program (Baton Rouge, LA) often uses a playground example to explain how direct service and capacity building differ.
Click the play button to hear her description.
This description also comes in handy when recruiting partner sites. For more on that topic, go to the Working with Host Sites section of Supervision.
One way to help applicants understand what service is all about is to let them go straight "to the source." Several programs incorporate member testimonials on their Web sites.
See how applicants can find out exactly what they'll earn as a VISTA in the Terms, Benefits, and Conditions section of the Montana Legal Services Association VISTA program (Helena, MT) Web site.
Ask a few key members of your team if they'd be willing to talk with interested applicants about their own experience. Share contact information, when appropriate. Be sure members know they should only talk about their experience—questions about stipends, placements, and other programmatic topics should be handled by project staff.
When Sandra Hansen recruits members for her multi-site VISTA program, she helps applicants understand how all parts of the program fit together. Hansen gives them a 3-page document about the Iowa Campus Compact that describes:
What the umbrella organization does
What VISTA is and how it works with her program
What VISTA living allowance and benefits are
What VISTA members do in each of her 8 sites
Having all the facts in one handy place saves time, makes the program more transparent, and opens up conversations. "It allows members to have a better picture of what they are getting involved in and make informed decisions so that we retain them for the entire year," says Hansen.
Seasoned program directors offer these tips about responding to applicants:
Send the applicant a response within 24 hours of receiving an application or inquiry
When applicants call, answer their questions fully and make them feel you'll give them all the time they need—after all, they're considering a big decision
Give them info that tells them what your mission is and what their role would be
Send applicants an assignment description that details responsibilities and needed skills
Ask current team members to review the applicant materials to see if they cover what they would have wanted to know
Click the play button to hear seasoned program leaders talk about:
Why retention matters to the member—Ellen Kazary of RurAL CAP VISTA (Anchorage, AK) explains that service lays the ground work for an entire career.
Why retention matters to the community—Linda Burkholder, of Folsom Cordova (CA) Community Partnership believes retention is more about retaining a lifelong desire to service.
Once you know who you are looking for, you can target your advertising and marketing efforts to reach the most qualified and diverse applicants. Keep the following tips in mind:
Determine target populations. Identify potential populations for the types of members you want. Along with target populations you identify, note that the Serve America Act calls for expanding service opportunities for veterans, disadvantaged youth, college students, retirees, and individuals over 55 years of age as well as continued service of national service alums.
Research communication channels. There are many ways to communicate your opportunities to potential applicants—choose strategies and media used by your target populations.
Use your partners. Identify individuals, organizations and networks that can reach out to your target populations.
Don't limit yourself. Develop varied recruitment tools and introduce them over time to build momentum.
Look for opportunities to increase diversity. Working with people from different cultural, ethnic, educational, and socio-economic backgrounds is one of the most important aspects of service. Look for ways to increase diversity to make a richer team for everyone.
Make retention a recruiting goal. Understanding the vital connection between how you recruit and the experience your members will have helps
you recruit members who embrace service for the duration of the position and beyond.
The following pages include information and tools to help you advertise and market your position:
Recruiting for diversity—Learn strategies and gain tips for increasing the diversity of your team.
Choosing outreach channels—Discover outreach channels and download tools and resources to help you use members to help you recruit, recruit online, recruit at community events, and many, many more.
Creating marketing materials—Gain tips for creating marketing materials, and download sample posters, flyers, press releases and more.
Understanding what you expect your members to be able to do and what they will get out of the position will help you find and evaluate candidates.
Start by identifying:
The number of members needed
The role of each member
Service dates for each member
The skills, knowledge, attitudes and aptitudes needed for each position
The opportunities and benefits a member will get through the assignment
Then use this information to create a position description that clearly identifies the tasks and responsibilities of the member. For VISTA programs, this is called the VISTA Assignment Description (VAD).
Basic requirements
As you're planning your recruitment effort, keep in mind these basic member requirements for your program.
AmeriCorps
VISTA
• Members must be at least 18 years old. (Some programs allow 17-year-olds to serve, with parental permission, or 16-year-olds if they are out of school and participating in a youth corps program.)
• VISTA members generally serve full-time for 12 months. Members must be at least 18 years old.
• Members must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents. Members must have a high school diploma/GED or be willing to earn one while serving. A high school diploma is required for all members serving as tutors.
• Members must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents. Some programs require VISTAs to have college degrees or at least three years work experience.
• Most AmeriCorps programs require members to serve a minimum number of hours (commonly 1,700 for a full-time member), participate in trainings and service projects, and successfully complete their term to be eligible for an education award.
• Members generally serve full-time for 12 months. Because they must be available to their communities regardless of regular work hours, VISTA members are also prohibited from accepting outside employment. All
VISTAs attend a Pre-Service Orientation prior to enrolling, and must successfully complete their service terms to be eligible for an education award or stipend. All VISTAs must also be fingerprinted and complete a criminal history background check.
For new members, programs must conduct 1. National Sex Offender Registry check, and
2. Either a state criminal records check or FBI fingerprint check. (After October 2011, members with recurring access to children or the elderly will need all three checks.)
For new members, programs must conduct 1. National Sex Offender Registry check, and
2. Either a state criminal records check or FBI fingerprint check. (After October 2011, members with recurring access to children or the elderly will need all three checks.)
Click here for a sample of one AmeriCorps program's placement requirements and recommendations.
For new members, programs must conduct 1. National Sex Offender Registry check, and 2. Either a state criminal records check or FBI fingerprint check. (After October 2011, members with recurring access to children or the elderly will need all three checks.)
For new members, programs must conduct 1. National Sex Offender Registry check, and 2. Either a state criminal records check or FBI fingerprint check. (After October 2011, members with recurring access to children or the elderly will need all three checks.)
Build in time to develop and document the processes you will use to identify the best candidates—before you market your position.
Application acceptance process—Gather the materials required to complete an application and set up processing procedures and deadlines.
Interviewing process—Schedule times for screening applications, conducting interviews, and checking references. Create forms to document these activities to keep in applicants' files.
Selection strategy—Decide the criteria for accepting a candidate, who will make the final decisions, and if there are any other people (staff or project partners) who need to have input on the final decision. Make sure you build in time to check references.
You can learn more about handling applications, interviewing and member selection in the Screen and Interview Applicants section of Recruitment and Placement.
It can be difficult to set aside the time needed for recruitment. A timeline can help you establish outreach windows, application deadlines, interview times, and clear targets for staff members.
When creating your timeline, consider these tips:
Move backward from the date your program starts.
If other staff or project sponsors are involved, make sure to coordinate schedules.
Read through the rest of this Recruitment and Placement section to understand all the tasks involved and the amount of time you will need to perform them. Important tasks include:
Writing a position description
Creating an outreach plan
Establishing processes for handling applications, interviewing candidates and selecting and placing new members
Developing a welcome letter and program manual
Establish processes for conducting required criminal history and background checks
Allow enough time for successful applicants to give two weeks' notice to their current employer.
After you have filled all your positions, create a waiting list. Cancellations happen frequently, and a back-up plan is critical.
Be prepared for unexpected issues and the time it will take to resolve them.
Use the following samples to help create your recruitment timeline:
Prompt members to think about topics with pre-service activities
Give new members program-related questions or topics to think about, research and even write about before they arrive. Also consider providing newspaper articles and other materials on your program, the communities they'll serve, and other relevant issues. New members will arrive at program orientation ready to engage!
This pre-orientation assignment was contributed by Minnesota Alliance With Youth Promise Fellows Program (Minneapolis, MN), an AmeriCorps*State program whose Promise Fellows work with schools and communities managing tutoring, mentoring and service-learning programs.
Jump-start the service year by connecting with new candidates before they arrive
Consider sending a welcome letter and information packet like this one to new candidates before they arrive. It will:
Help notify your VISTAs of next steps
Learn more about your new candidates
Get new members thinking about the coming year
This resource was contributed by Family-School-Community Partnerships (Madison WI), a VISTA program that works to close the achievement gap in schools serving low-income families by developing family-school-community partnerships.
Get a written commitment from your candidate with this simple letter
You have selected a candidate for your VISTA or AmeriCorps program. After calling the candidate to present the offer, send two copies of this letter to formalize the offer. To get a written commitment from the candidate, ask him/her to sign and return one copy of the letter.
This letter was contributed by PCC's AmeriCorps (Oak Park, IL), an AmeriCorps*State program that provides intensive outreach and health education to individuals and families at high-risk for poor health and social outcomes.
Send members a letter to inform them they've been selected for your program. Modify this letter to fit your program.
This resource was contributed by Peace Corps Fellows Program (Macomb, IL), an AmeriCorps*State program that recruits and trains returned Peace Corps volunteers who provide community and economic development in small communities across the state.
Be consistent with a script, tracking information, and standard questions
You have reviewed applications and have interviewed a potential candidate. Now you want to call his/her references before offering the position. This form provides a script for the conversation and helps you:
Keep track of details such as who you called and when
Introduce yourself and your program
Ask the same questions of each reference
Rate the potential candidate with a 1 to 4 point score
Checking References was contributed by Admission Possible (St. Paul, MN), an AmeriCorps*State program that helps promising, low-income young people in the Twin Cities gain admission to college. They check the references of applicants who have scored average to high in the interview process.
While VISTA conducts a centralized background check on applicants, it is often the responsibility of AmeriCorps state and national programs to perform their own searches. For general information, please visit the Conducting Background Checks page.
Here are some pointers for AmeriCorps programs running checks:
An individual found to be on the National Sex Offender Public Registry (NSOPR), or has been convicted of murder, is ineligible to serve.
If an individual is found on a state criminal registry, and not the NSOPR, that individual's eligibility is left for the program to decide, but the grantee program must document consideration of the background check results prior to selection.
Programs may adopt other disqualifying offenses (e.g., felony convictions, DUI convictions, etc).
Individuals for whom the state criminal registry results are pending may be enrolled, but may not have unsupervised access to vulnerable populations until the results are complete.
An individual who refuses to consent to a criminal registry check is ineligible to serve.
You must obtain permission to conduct a background check from the applicant. Adapt the form below to obtain consent from applicants to conduct a background check. An individual who refuses to consent to a criminal registry check is ineligible to serve.
This resource was contributed by Illinois Public Health AmeriCorps (Springfield, IL), an AmeriCorps*State program that supports health and community preparedness programs and conducts community outreach across the state.
Quickly rank and compare candidates on key attributes
Use this form to assess how well candidates meet your most important qualifications and attributes.
This resource was contributed by Peace Corps Fellows Program (Macomb, IL), an AmeriCorps*State program that recruits and trains returned Peace Corps volunteers who provide community and economic development in small communities across the state.
Adapt this basic interview form for your own VISTA program. Use some or all of these questions and add questions that are specific to your site. This form includes:
A simple 1 to 4 point rating system for each answer
Space for comments and examples
The interviewer's recommendation
This VISTA Interview form was contributed by Minnesota Literacy Council (Saint Paul, MN), a VISTA program that provides VISTA members to community organizations, schools, and non-profits to work on eliminating poverty through literacy.
A well-informed candidate will make a good decision about service
Candidates who understand the benefits and limitations of service are more likely to complete their service year. The interview is a good time to explain the terms of service. Use this checklist to remind you to talk about various topics, including:
Review the checklist information with the candidate either during the interview or when you offer the position.
Sadie O'Connor of the Minnesota Literacy Council says this checklist "has reduced the number of early terminations due to financial hardships or VISTAs saying 'but nobody ever told me about …'"
This VISTA Interview Checklist was contributed by Minnesota Literacy Council (Saint Paul, MN), a VISTA program that provides VISTA members to community organizations, schools, and non-profits to work on eliminating poverty through literacy.
Clarify roles in the interview process with this information sheet
In this multi-site model, both the fiscal host and the service sites are involved in the interview process. The fiscal host clarifies roles and outlines the process for service sites with this information sheet. The interview process includes:
Group interviews
On-site interviews
Recommendation by service site
Final decision by fiscal host
This interview process was contributed by the Minnesota Reading Corps (Saint Paul, MN), an AmeriCorps*State program that provides trained literacy tutors for children age three through grade three throughout Minnesota.
A step-by-step guide to conducting group interviews
This "cheat sheet" outlines what to do before, during and after a group interview, helping ensure interviews are the same no matter who facilitates them.
This resource was contributed by the Minnesota Reading Corps (Saint Paul, MN), an AmeriCorps*State program that provides trained literacy tutors for children age three through grade three throughout Minnesota.
Interview Questions with a Descriptive Rating System
Ask these questions and rate the candidate in five categories
Get a clear picture of your candidate by using the form's unique descriptive rating system. Use this form to:
Ask questions that are divided into categories
Score the candidate with the rating system
Indicate the next course of action
Document calls to references
Adapt this interview form for use in your program. Include some or all of the questions and add questions that are specific to your site.
This interview form was adapted primarily from a document contributed by Jumpstart Wisconsin (Eau Claire, WI), an AmeriCorps*State program that pairs college students with preschool children in one to one relationships to build language, literacy and social skills.
Adapt this basic interview form for your own AmeriCorps program. Use some or all of these questions and add questions that are specific to your program. This form includes:
A simple 1 to 4 point scoring system
Space for interviewer comments and candidate answers
The interviewer's hiring recommendation
This interview form was contributed by PCC's AmeriCorps (Oak Park, IL), an AmeriCorps*State program that provides intensive outreach and health education to individuals and families at high-risk for poor health and social outcomes.
Evaluate your candidate with questions from four categories
Adapt this basic interview form for your own AmeriCorps program. Use some or all of these questions. Add questions that are specific to your program. This form divides the questions into four categories and includes:
A 1 to 10 point scoring system for each answer
Space to record your comments and the candidate's answers
A hiring recommendation based on total points
This interview form was contributed by YES AmeriCorps (La Crosse, WI), an AmeriCorps*State program that focuses on helping youth experience success, assisting in public safety, reducing hunger, promoting literacy, and expanding volunteer services.
Narrow the number of face-to-face interviews by pre-screening
Use this script to pre-screen applicants by phone. Pre-screen phone interviews:
Take 10 minutes or less
Help you narrow the list of those you or host sites will interview face-to-face
Help applicants decide if your program is a good fit for them
This resource was contributed by Illinois Public Health AmeriCorps (Springfield, IL), an AmeriCorps*State program that supports health and community preparedness programs and conducts community outreach across the state.
Use required application forms to screen candidates
Forms can be your friends! In fact, they can help you find and select high-quality VISTA members. This resource details required forms and how to use them to full effect:
VISTA application
Required references
What to know before beginning service
This resource was contributed by Minnesota Literacy Council (Saint Paul, MN), a VISTA program that provides VISTA members to community organizations, schools, and non-profits to work on eliminating poverty through literacy.
Prescreen Potential VISTA Recruits for Your Host Sites
If you are a sponsor organization, use this form to prescreen VISTA applicants who apply to your program on-line. Send the completed form to your host sites to supplement the on-line application. Though you recommend the candidate, the final decision rests with the
host site.
Look at a completed sample form to see how DPI completes the form. Then look at an uncompleted form that you can adapt for your own use.
This VISTA Prescreening Form was contributed by Family-School-Community Partnerships (Madison WI), a VISTA program that works to close the achievement gap in schools serving low-income families by developing family-school-community partnerships.
Maximize the effectiveness of application to get information you need
Whether you use an online application system or paper, develop questions like those in the samples below that help draw out information important to your program. If you use a standardized application, consider creating a supplement with program-specific questions or topics.
The first sample was contributed by Admission Possible (St. Paul, MN), an AmeriCorps*State program that helps promising, low-income young people in the Twin Cities gain admission to college.
This second sample application was contributed by YES AmeriCorps (La Crosse, WI), an AmeriCorps*State program that focuses on helping youth experience success, assisting in public safety, reducing hunger, promoting literacy, and expanding volunteer services.
A diverse team makes for a richer experience for both the team members and the community that's being served. But, how do you build diversity into your recruitment and placement? Use the following resources and strategies from successful programs to attract a diverse team.
Building a Diverse Team—Reflect on the many dimensions of diversity and assess how you could diversify your team with this 10 minute tutorial.
Low-income and service recipients—Find tips on recruiting members whose personal experience can enrich your corps and provide deep insights into the people you serve.
People with disabilities—Learn how successful programs identify potential members in this group; what interview and placement tactics they use; and some special considerations to make the service experience successful for members of all different abilities.
Members from a wide age range—This section offers resources and personal stories from programs that have members from 18 to 80-plus! A tutorial on "Recruiting and Engaging Older Members" helps you identify where to find older members in your community and discusses why national service is such a good fit.
Whatever your diversity goals are, here are a few points to keep in mind from the University of Wisconsin Extension VISTA* AmeriCorps program (West Allis, WI):
Start with your mission statement. Set a goal to become at least as diverse as your state.
Throw out fancy brochures and ads. Use fliers with culturally sensitive images and language.
Immerse yourself in the community. Become a part of the community. Actively network with community leaders and organizations serving the people you want to reach.
Build trust. Get to know the people, their culture, and their food. For example:
Ask a young male Hmong to take you into the Hmong community to talk to a potential candidate.
Serve ethnically appropriate foods at community gatherings.
Identify individuals with the qualities you want. They may not have a college degree, but they have drive and dedication. Focus on skills or characteristics they do have, not on qualifications or experience they may not (yet) have. Take the initiative to call; don't wait for them to call you.
Develop an educational plan. Skills can be taught after you identify the right people for your program. For example, they may need computer skills or writing skills.
Tell them "This is what you need to succeed"
Provide the necessary training
Schedule the training before Pre Service Orientation
At the University of Wisconsin Extension VISTA*AmeriCorps, 40% of the members are people of color, while the statewide minority rate is only 20%. The program connects resources to low-income communities in rural, urban, and tribal settings to address youth dropout, agricultural sustainability, and community safety issues.
Click on the play button to hear what Project Director Mary Thiry has to say about diversity and VISTA.
A Recruitment Guide From a Sponsor for VISTA Affiliates
Help affiliates recruit VISTA members from their communities
A VISTA sponsor program developed this guide to help their affiliates recruit members. Sponsors who want to develop a similar document can use this guide as a model. This guide provides a lot of useful and important information, including:
The recruitment role of the sponsoring organization
How to "get the word out"
Supervisor to supervisor recruiting advice
Acceptable and unacceptable interview questions
A step-by-step outline of the selection process
An enrollment paperwork chart
This Guide Book was created by Habitat for Humanity (Minneapolis, MN), a VISTA program that helps the 34 Habitat affiliates in Minnesota accomplish their goal of eliminating poverty housing in their communities.
Keep everyone up to date on member recruiting activities
When you and your staff fan out across college campuses to recruit new members, use this spreadsheet to keep everyone up to date on what's happening, where, and when.
This resource was contributed by the Minnesota Reading Corps (Saint Paul, MN), an AmeriCorps*State program that provides trained literacy tutors for children age three through grade three throughout Minnesota.
These postcards were developed for current AmeriCorps and VISTA members to mail to friends and acquaintances they think would make great new members.
This postcard template was contributed by Admission Possible (St. Paul, MN), an AmeriCorps*State program that helps promising, low-income young people in the Twin Cities gain admission to college.
Get members' perspective on where to find the best candidates
Use this worksheet at a meeting or roundtable with current members. The ideas generated can help you refine recruiting tactics, develop new marketing approaches and find the ideal candidates for your program!
This worksheet was contributed by Peace Corps Fellows Program (Macomb, IL), an AmeriCorps*State program that recruits and trains returned Peace Corps volunteers who provide community and economic development in small communities across the state.
An effective approach is for former members to describe the benefits they received from service, and then "invite" friends, family, and other acquaintances to explore this option.
Enlisting former and current members to "spread the word"
Some programs find that members and alumni are one of their best recruitment resources. Besides providing referrals, this practice has other benefits:
It's a great way to involve members/alums beyond their usual scope of work
It shows confidence in their recommendations and judgments
However, seasoned program directors offer this advice:
Don't use members' recommendations alone
It's important to conduct the same rigorous candidate review process for everyone
Ask for references in addition to the former or current member
One program has had success using member contacts to recruit on college campuses.
This sheet was created by Admission Possible (St. Paul, MN), an AmeriCorps*State program that helps promising, low-income young people in the Twin Cities gain admission to college.
Read some tasks, goals, and deadlines for this practice.
Get free advertising for your national service program
Many small community newspapers print press releases (for free) while
other news media may be inspired to do their own article based on your
press release. Use press releases as a way to recruit members and
increase support for your program. This sample press release gives some
basic information about the:
National VISTA program
Local VISTA program
Available position
This press release was contributed by Youth Conservation Corps (Waukegan, IL), an AmeriCorps*National program whose mission is to guide and mentor youth and young adults to develop them into productive citizens using community service, work and education experiences.
Use an FAQ document to answer applicants' most common questions
A handout or flyer like this one answers potential members' most common questions. Create your own and:
Use at recruiting or tabling events
Post on your Web site
Include in an information packet given to interested applicants
Post at career centers or other recruiting locations
This flyer was contributed by Admission Possible (St. Paul, MN), an AmeriCorps*State program that helps promising, low-income young people in the Twin Cities gain admission to college.
A concise, accurate assignment description is one of the best ways to attract the right members for your program. Use these samples to help find VISTA members with the interests and skills you need.
The VISTA volunteer coordinator assignment description was contributed by Schools of Hope project (Madison, WI), a VISTA program that trains and coordinates academic tutors for low-income students and students of color in the primary grades to improve academic achievement.
The VISTA family-school-community partnership coordinator assignment description was contributed by Family-School-Community Partnerships (Madison WI), a VISTA program that works to close the achievement gap in schools serving low-income families by developing family-school-community partnerships.
The Serve America Act identifies requirements for tutors and tutoring programs. For example, in general, the law requires AmeriCorps members who serve as tutors to have a high school diploma. Click here to access the legislation on the CNCS website and then click on Subtitle C and then select Section 1302.
Please note that there is a CNCS approved assignment description for VISTA. Please visit the Resource Center for additional information on the VISTA Assignment Description (VAD) including a samples and a blank form that you can download below.
Use these samples as a starting point when writing your own AmeriCorps position description.
This first position description was contributed by Easter Seals Wisconsin AmeriCorps Partnership (Madison, WI), an AmeriCorps*State program that addresses critical needs faced by people with disabilities and their families by providing respite care, volunteer management, and aquatic programs.
The Jumpstart position description was contributed by Jumpstart Wisconsin (Eau Claire, WI), an AmeriCorps*State program that pairs college students with preschool children in one to one relationships to build language, literacy and social skills.
Summarize service opportunities for potential members
Does your program offer many different VISTA and AmeriCorp positions? Develop a flyer like this one to hand out at job fairs and post on job boards — both real and virtual — to let people know about the variety of service opportunities available.
This flyer was contributed by Admission Possible (St. Paul, MN), an AmeriCorps*State program that helps promising, low-income young people in the Twin Cities gain admission to college.
The first step in creating an inclusive national service program is to review your program's current position descriptions (VADs for VISTA). Before you can begin to recruit, be certain about the tasks that need to be accomplished, where the participant will serve, and other important details of the position.
During the recruiting process, a properly prepared position description will aid you in:
Crafting your recruitment message to target potential members who possess the skills your program needs
Writing appropriate interview questions
Determining whether a person is qualified to perform the essential functions of the position
Identifying reasonable accommodations to enable a person with a disability to perform the essential functions
Later, you can use the position description or VAD as a performance measurement tool, so you can look back and see what the member has accomplished.
Seven steps to a great position description The best position descriptions are concise, use action verbs, and avoid jargon. Include these seven elements, and you'll be on your way to attracting the right members for your program:
Ensure an accurate service assignment title is included.
Write a 1–2 sentence summary of the assignment's general purpose and primary service assignment functions.
List 5–8 essential duties in descending order of importance.
Identify skills, interests, methods, and tools member will need or use to complete the work.
Explain the position's relationship with others in the organization; address supervision and collaboration with partners.
Provide other pertinent facts, such as required travel, physical requirements, working conditions, etc.
Include other responsibilities or requirements, such as mandatory training, hours of service, etc.
Use these resources as a starting point for your own position descriptions:
You may have more outreach avenues than you realize!
Order AmeriCorps recruitment materials from CNCS.
Piggyback on existing community efforts. For example, if you're planning a community literacy fair, raise awareness about AmeriCorps and VISTA opportunities in all press materials and make recruitment materials available at the event.
Enlist the help of local public relations/design firms or design students to create visually compelling AmeriCorps and VISTA specific recruitment material.
Now that you have decided on a recruitment strategy, you're ready to create specific materials to advertise and market your position.
Begin by developing an effective two-line position description to be posted on the Recruitment section of My AmeriCorps. You can get the process rolling by visiting the Resource Center's page on MyAmeriCorps Training and User Support Services
You can then "tweak" it for different uses. For example, a press release can be converted into a brochure, a Web listing, or a public service announcement. Also, if there's continuity in your materials, there's a better chance the message will stick.
Here are some general guidelines for creating recruitment materials:
Be sure to include the AmeriCorps or VISTA logo in all outreach materials. Download the logos in several formats here. You can also print a copy of the AmeriCorps media kit which has great tips for extending your outreach.
Keep it simple: Use basic language and avoid program jargon, acronyms, and more detail than is necessary.
Make sure contact information is up-to-date.
Include important deadlines.
Don't assume everyone has access to a computer or computer skills: Advertise in traditional venues as well as electronic ones and allow for "snail mail" and phone communication.
Recruit for diversity; for more information, see the Recruiting for
Diversity section of this site.
Use these sample marketing tools and guidelines as a starting point for your program:
Reaching the most qualified and diverse applicant pool leads to more successful placements. You'll want to get the word out in a number of different ways to reach many different audiences.
In addition to traditional job boards, consider these outreach channels:
Your existing network. Identify community leaders who can help you spread the word about your service positions to different constituencies. This could include members of professional associations, religious leaders, local politicians, and community activists.
Partner organizations and networks. Identify individuals and groups that can help you reach out to specific populations. Inform similar programs about your program's position and look for opportunities to post the opening on free listservs and job boards. Make sure you provide clear and concise information on how to use "My AmeriCorps" for prospective members. Click here for tips on tips and instructions on using My AmeriCorps.
AmeriCorps/VISTA alumni. Tap your alumni network for recruiting ideas and testimonials to use in outreach. One way to find AmeriCorps alumni is through the AmeriCorps Alums Web site. Interested in connecting with Peace Corps alums? Click here.
Current VISTA and AmeriCorps members. Your current members can be some of your best recruiters. They can help you identify program needs, refine recruiting materials and tactics, and even recruit their own friends and acquaintances for open positions.
Click the following topics to learn more about specific outreach channels and strategies, and download helpful examples and resources:
If you take a systematic approach to screening and placing new members, it will pay dividends. You'll be more likely to match good candidates with the positions that fit best.
To see samples and successful strategies, click on the topics below that
address various stages of recruitment:
Designing an effective and efficient recruitment timeline is a cornerstone of success for recruiting members. A timeline can help establish outreach windows, application deadlines, interview times, and clear targets for staff members. It can be challenging to find time for each phase of recruitment and selection and stick to your deadlines. For a sample 6-month recruitment timeline, click here. To see an example of a recruitment process,
click here.
When creating a recruitment timeline, consider the following:
Create an outreach plan Consider informing other similar programs about your program's position, posting the position on free listservs and job boards, and advertising the position in other media. Use the CNCS recruitment web site–click
here for tips, information and a direct link to AC*RPS.
Establish an application acceptance process Gather the materials that will be required to complete an application and set up processing procedures and deadlines.
Outline the steps in the placement process Schedule times for screening applications, conducting interviews, and checking references. Create forms to document these activities to keep in applicants' files.
Develop a selection strategy Decide on the criteria for accepting a candidate, who will make the final decisions, and if there are any other people (staff or project partners) who need to have input on the final decision. Make sure you build in time to check references.
Basic requirements
As you're planning your recruitment effort, keep in mind the basic member requirements for AmeriCorps programs:
Members must be at least 18 years old. (Some programs allow 17-year-olds to serve, with parental permission, or 16-year-olds if they are out of school and participating in a youth corps program.)
Members must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.
Members must have a high school diploma/GED or be willing to earn one while serving.
While each AmeriCorps program likely has other requirements, most require members to serve a minimum number of hours (commonly 1,700 for a full-time member), participate in trainings and service projects, and successfully complete their term to be eligible for an education award.
Click here for a sample of one AmeriCorps program's placement requirements and recommendations.
VISTA members generally serve full-time for 12 months with these basic member requirements:
Members must be at least 18 years old.
Members must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.
Some programs require VISTAs to have college degrees or at least three
years work experience.
Because they must be available to their communities regardless of regular work hours, VISTA members are also prohibited from accepting outside employment. All VISTAs attend a Pre-Service Orientation prior to enrolling, and must successfully complete their service terms to be eligible for an education award or stipend. All VISTAs must also be fingerprinted at their Pre-Service Orientation and have a background check completed.
LISC is an AmeriCorps National Direct Program based in New York City that focuses on increasing affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate income families.
This checklist, used by Northwest Service Academy (NWSA), outlines what staff members need to do before offering a position to an applicant. It also lists the information and documents to be provided to the person considering the offer.
NWSA addresses critical environmental and educational needs, partnering with 125 community agencies, with members serving in individual placements or on field teams.
Northwest Service Academy (NWSA) uses this set of recommendations to help guide staff members in making placements. It includes a checklist of minimum member requirements set by AmeriCorps, as well as standards established by the program.
NWSA addresses critical environmental and educational needs, partnering with 125 community agencies, with members serving in individual placements or on field teams.
RARE (Resource Assistance to Rural Environments) uses these questions when checking applicants' references. The goal is to see if the candidates will be a good match for the communities RARE serves.
RARE helps rural communities increase their capacity to improve economic, social, and environmental conditions. Members—college graduates with individual placements—live in the communities they serve.
RARE (Resource Assistance to Rural Environments) uses these questions when interviewing applicants for its sites. The form includes several "scenarios" that help determine whether the candidate is a good match for the communities and situations RARE deals with.
RARE helps rural communities increase their capacity to improve economic, social, and environmental conditions. Members-college graduates with individual placements-live in the communities they serve.
The Federal Way Public Schools (FWPS) AmeriCorps program uses these questions when interviewing prospective members. The form also has tips for the interviewer on what to look for in rating the answers and the candidate's suitability for placement.
FWPS provides tutoring and civic leadership training to school children through individual placements; many members are age 50 and above.
LISC is an AmeriCorps National Direct Program based in New York City that focuses on increasing affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate income families.
The Northwest Service Academy Lower Columbia Center (NWSA/ LCC) uses this form when screening and interviewing applicants. It includes questions that help the interviewer determine if there's a good match and whether the candidate is better suited for a field or individual placement.
NWSA addresses critical environmental and educational needs, partnering with 125 community agencies, with members serving in individual placements or on field teams.
This resource, from the Northwest Service Academy (NWSA), outlines procedures to follow before, during, and after an applicant interview.
NWSA addresses critical environmental and educational needs, partnering with 125 community agencies, with members serving in individual placements or on field teams.
Get to know your applicant before in-person interviews
The Washington Reading Corps (WRC) uses this checklist when conducting phone interviews of applicants. It helps them track whether applicants:
Meet the basic requirements for national service
Have appropriate expectations for their service term
Have the necessary skills and experience
The Serve America Act identifies requirements for tutors and tutoring programs. For example, in general, the law requires AmeriCorps members who serve as tutors to have a high school diploma. Click here to access the legislation on the CNCS website and then click on Subtitle C and then select Section 1302.
WRC provides tutoring services and collaborates with community partners to improve student achievement. It uses VISTA and AmeriCorps members in team placements.
This applicant screening form is used by Northwest Service Academy (NWSA). The form makes it easier to:
Evaluate applications across several dimensions like flexibility, motivation, maturity
Capture reviewers' initial impressions
Make sure the same criteria are applied to all applicants
Decide who to interview for member positions
NWSA addresses critical environmental and educational needs, partnering with 125 community agencies, with members serving in individual placements or on field teams.
Figure out what qualifications the candidate needs
This resource, from the Northwest Service Academy (NWSA), offers tips on establishing criteria for a position and evaluating whether a candidate meets those qualifications.
NWSA addresses critical environmental and educational needs, partnering with 125 community agencies, with members serving in individual placements or on field teams.
Northwest Service Academy (NWSA) uses this list of questions to help screen applicants and determine if they have what it takes to be successful members.
NWSA addresses critical environmental and educational needs, partnering with 125 community agencies, with members serving in individual placements or on field teams.
You don't have to be a skilled designer to create materials for recruitment purposes. This tip sheet, contributed by Northwest Service Academy (NWSA), has some helpful guidelines on what to say and how.
NWSA addresses critical environmental and educational needs, partnering with 125 community agencies, with members serving in individual placements or on field teams.
Spend your time and (limited) resources efficiently
Community events like job fairs can be a great vehicle for recruiting members. But, how do you pick the ones that make the most of your limited resources?
Use these tips, contributed by Northwest Service Academy (NWSA), to evaluate which events have the best potential to serve your needs. NWSA addresses critical environmental and educational needs, partnering with 125 community agencies, with members serving in individual placements or on field teams.
What's the best way to spend advertising dollars or, better yet, get free publicity that will attract potential members? Find answers in this tip sheet, contributed by Northwest Service Academy (NWSA).
NWSA addresses critical environmental and educational needs, partnering with 125 community agencies, with members serving in individual placements or on field teams.
Check out the AmeriCorps website for more information on outreach and to learn how to create a media kit.
There are lots of ways to reach potential members through the Internet. Use this tip sheet to discover 18 tried-and-true online advertising strategies.
This resource was contributed by Northwest Service Academy (NWSA), which addresses critical environmental and educational needs. NWSA partners with 125 community agencies and has members serving in individual placements or on field teams.
NWSA addresses critical environmental and educational needs, partnering with 125 community agencies, with members serving in individual placements or on field teams.
This tip sheet for creating a program website was contributed by Northwest Service Academy (NWSA). Use it to decide which features and information will be most useful in attracting potential recruits.
My
AmeriCorps is an online space where potential new members can apply
to your program, as well as other programs around the country.
The set of instructions offered here was contributed by Andrea Sieloff,
program officer with the Kentucky Commission on Community Volunteerism
and Service.
The below instructions can be placed on a website or copied into emails or a new document to share with potential applicants to your program. Note: If you are adapting this for your own use, you can write the name of your program into Step 6. (You can learn more about creating and managing your program's MyAmeriCorps listing through this Resource Center support page.)
For applicants unable to access the online system, a paper form
is available. You can print this out to share with potential applicants.
Instructions for Potential Applicants
To apply to be an AmeriCorps member, you will need to create an account with the AmeriCorps Recruitment System / My AmeriCorps
Go to MyAmeriCorps. Click on "Register to Create a New Member/Alum Account."
Complete the requested profile information. (You will need a Social Security number and valid address, telephone number, and email.)
Once you receive your account information via email, log into the MyAmeriCorps portal and use the navigation pane on the left to complete your application and reference information
When your application is complete, click "Search Listings"
Type "Name of your Program" into the Program Name field (ignore all
the other fields)
Click "Search"
Click the listing to view program information
Read the program information and then click "Apply Now" at the bottom of the page.
Notes to Applicants
With the MyAmeriCorps system, you need to select the program(s) you are applying for after you complete the general application, not before.
Watch your email after you submit your application. When your application status changes from "Submitted" to "Under Review," you will receive a message. You will also receive an email if your application is rejected. Here is a sample of what this email looks like:
***PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE*** Dear (name of applicant): A change has been made to your account regarding the status of your
application. To view this status change please log into your MyAmeriCorps account at https://my.americorps.gov/mp Please do not reply to this message. If you have any questions or need further assistance please click on "Contact My AmeriCorps" on the
MyAmeriCorps website or call 1-800-942-2677.
Setting guidelines for successful placements Northwest Service Academy (NWSA) uses this set of recommendations to help guide staff members in making placements. It includes a checklist of minimum member requirements set by AmeriCorps, as well as standards established by the...
Northwest Service Academy (NWSA) uses this set of recommendations to help guide staff members in making placements. It includes a checklist of minimum member requirements set by AmeriCorps, as well as standards established by the program.
NWSA addresses critical environmental and educational needs, partnering with 125 community agencies, with members serving in individual placements or on field teams.
Outline all the steps in the recruitment/placement process
Detail the responsibilities of each staff member
Clarify procedures and documentation needed for new member applications, placements, interviews, and offers
Specify the responsibilities of the umbrella organization, individual programs, and sponsors
This is an example of one program's internal process for recruiting new members. It was created by the Northwest Service Academy/Lower Columbia Center (NWSA LCC), which addresses critical environmental and educational needs, partnering with 125 community agencies, with members serving in individual placements or on field teams.
A six-month calendar tracking recruitment activities
NWSA uses the timeline to organize its recruitment activities, working backward from a member orientation that begins in October.
This timeline was created by Northwest Service Academy (NWSA), an environmental service and leadership development organization that partners with more than 125 community agencies and has members serving in individual placements or on field teams.
Go on to Making Decisions
