The Peace Corps and the AmeriCorps VISTA are two of the largest national volunteer programs.
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Volunteers in these associations spent much of their time bettering the lives of others and working towards a greater cause.
Those who have served with the Peace Corps or AmeriCorps VISTA as a volunteer may qualify for non-competitive eligibility for a federal position.
USAJOBS.gov is an official federal government website with many job listings that the United States needs urgently to be filled.
They have a special hiring path for volunteers with the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps VISTA to get jobs.
To summarize, the Peace Corps is a federal agency supporting Americans volunteering abroad to work on public projects.
These projects can be in different fields, such as education, agriculture, community development, health, and environmental conservation.
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These volunteers will typically work for 27 months in another country.
In contrast, AmeriCorps VISTA, which stands for Volunteers in Service to America, is a national program that belongs to the bigger AmeriCorps system.
VISTA members work in local United States communities to help fight the harms of poverty and build up nonprofit organizations and public services.
These volunteers serve for a year and focus on long-term solutions to poverty.
Both organizations work hard to contribute to the greater good of the communities around them, and their volunteers develop a lot of practical skills.
Members provide a positive change at both international and domestic levels.
For individuals who have volunteered with the Peace Corps or AmeriCorps VISTA, the federal government provides a special hiring path with a non-competitive eligibility process.
If the applicant is eligible for this, it means that a federal agency can hire them without going through the typical competitive application screening.
Applicants will have a special status when applying for federal government jobs.
NCE is also granted to other volunteer programs, but they broadly fall under the main Peace Corps and AmeriCorps VISTA organizations.
When volunteer service is over, individuals will gain NCE status for a limited period.
The primary benefit of the NCE status is applying to federal vacancies without going through the competitive process.
Individuals are not mandated to compete with outside applicants through merit-based exams or other forms of competitive rating.
Instead, they can apply directly to positions open to NCE hiring.
This process is also much faster than traditional hiring methods, as the system can be quite streamlined.
What Are the Eligibility Criteria for the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps VISTA Hiring Path?
Interested applicants are eligible for this hiring path if they have served as a volunteer or volunteer leader for at least one year in total with the Peace Corps or AmeriCorps VISTA.
Their non-competitive eligibility lasts for one year after the completion of their service.
This non-competitive eligibility status can be extended for up to three years under special circumstances.
An individual must be serving in the military, studying at an eligible institution of higher learning, or involved in another activity approved by the agency for extension.
If an applicant has met the necessary qualifications, they can apply for any job directly on the USAJOBS.gov website.
First, though, they must create an account with login.gov and then make another account with USAJOBS.gov.
Using the USAJOBS.gov website, applicants can look at all the available federal openings under the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps VISTA hiring path.
There are currently, as of June 2nd, 2023, over 2,400 different positions.
In the job announcements, there is a “This job is open to” section with a purple icon that stands for the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps VISTA alumni hiring path.
Applicants can also filter for this hiring path in the search bar.
To apply, individuals will need to click the specific listing they like and then click on the “Apply button.
Once they fill out the required information, they will have to provide additional documentation of service.
One document is the Certification of Volunteer Service.
Anyone who is a returned Peace Corps volunteer (RPCV) will need to request this certification through the RPCV portal.
Another document is the SF-50 form.
This document is a notification of Personnel Action.
Both of these documents and any other required forms can be uploaded and submitted via the USA JOBS portal.
When applying under the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps VISTA hiring path, applicants should include the relevant certification of service documents along with their application and mention their NCE status on their resume.
Volunteers who are returning to federal service in the form of a long-term career should feel encouraged by the many unique opportunities available to them. There are over 2,400 job listings in a variety of fields that they can apply to right now.