Beyond the Service Year

• Looking at the Individual
• Education Award
• Planning a Career
  • Everything to Know About Getting a Job
  • Everything to Know About Getting a Job, Part 2
  • Providing Career Development Training
  • Not Your 9 to 5 Gig
• Moving On

Home > Beyond the Service Year > Planning a Career

Planning a Career

Help members identify their career interests and skills, plus offer practical advice on how to land a job

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

…