A Post-Peace Corps Career

Life as a Peace Corps volunteer can be weird for many reasons, but one of the principal ones for me was knowing that everything had an expiration date.  Ever since the beginning of my service I knew the exact day I would be, all at once, unemployed and internationally relocated away from my friends and community.  When you first move to site, that day feels like a million years away, but, poco a poco, that day marches closer and closer until all of the sudden you’re only a few weeks away from COS (Close of Service.)

Though my experience as a Peace Corps volunteer made me a much more relaxed person overall (Once you spend three years waiting on meetings and public transportation that almost never start on time, there’s really no way not to be more relaxed…), deep down I still feel a sense of satisfaction and relief from having a plan, especially when it comes to my career.  

The great news is, Peace Corps can be great for your career and you actually can plan your next steps and even find your future job while still in your country of service.  

I served as a PCV in Panama from June 2013- August 2016 and signed my dream job offer in May of 2016 (to start in September of that year).  Here’s how I did it:

• My program was extremely relevant to my desired career path- I studied Marketing and International Business in college and worked as an Agribusiness volunteer in Panama from 2013-2015.  My main focus was teaching basic business and financial management practices to cocoa farmers (I always joked that the only way I’d like working in agriculture was if it involved chocolate!), though as is typical in Peace Corps, I worked on a variety of projects including youth development camps, women’s empowerment seminars, and teaching techniques to improve the quality of cocoa.  You will never in your life have as much freedom to design your workday as you will in the Peace Corps, and I encourage you to take advantage of it.  It’s easy to sit around and add 100 books to your reading list, but that’s not going to help your people or your career. 

• I extended for a third year- I chose to extend my service a third year and work as the Regional Leader of the Darien province from 2015-2016.  There were so many benefits to extending and I highly encourage it, but the main reasons I extended were added leadership and coordination responsibilities, the ability to travel more, and the chance to move to an area with amenities (internet!) while still living in Panama.  

• I made a plan- Marketing is such a broad field that I knew I needed a niche in which I could both be happy and best market my Peace Corps experience.  Once I thought about it, it was simple- I love business, I love food, and I worked with cocoa farmers… food marketing!  Food marketing is still a broad field though, and my goal here was to narrow down to the perfect spot for me, so I kept going.  Keeping my personal preferences and experience as a PCV in mind, I knew that I would be a great all-around team player for a small company or startup in which I could have a big impact, that I valued working for a “good” company with a strong mission, and that I would love to work for a company that practices international direct trade (buying straight from the producers and cutting out middlemen), specifically in the chocolate industry.  So there we had it- a small chocolate shop that buys at least part of their beans direct from the source.  That’s about as niche’d as you can get, but with my experience I really felt like it was worth it to pursue potential jobs in that field.  

• I used free time in year 3 to network- Having internet at my house was really what made all of this possible.  I spent hours upon hours researching chocolate makers that bought beans directly from the source (which is actually much rarer than you would expect as almost all chocolate shops instead skip a few steps and buy coverture- essentially pre-made chocolate chips- which they then melt down and mix with various ingredients to make fancier chocolates.) I narrowed my already small list down to locations I’d be willing to live and ended up with about 5 places I was seriously interested in working and checked to see if they were hiring- only one was.  Though I obviously wanted a job, more than anything I wanted to talk to people- some places may not be hiring, but may have great advice and contact info for a different place I didn’t even know about.  Keeping that in mind, I used LinkedIn to find 5 or 6 people who I felt like would be great contacts.  I reached out to them with a short but personalized message and got a response from all but one! Though most of them didn’t have a job opening, reaching out via LinkedIn proved to be extremely useful.  In addition to just making more connections, I had the opportunity to talk with multiple business owners and Skype with the sourcing manager for a very well-known bean-to-bar chocolate maker to learn more about the industry.  Best of all- it turned out that two of the business owners offered me a job (though only one had an opening posted online). 

• I turned down the job that wasn’t right for me- This one was really hard.  As a Peace Corps volunteer, no work sounds like too much work and any salary sounds like a million dollars.  So when I received my first job offer, I was ecstatic.  It was right in my niche of direct-trade, bean-to-bar chocolate makers, and I felt like it was wrong to turn down something that sounded so much like what I wanted.  However, as much as I hate to admit this, I really had to analyze my cost-of-living and work-life balance.  When I did that, I realized that the job actually wasn’t the right fit for me.  Though I eventually turned it down, talking with the company was still a great experience and I hope to meet them at an industry event down the road.  

• I used technology to my full benefit- Sure, it is much harder to find a job when you’re abroad than when you’re already state-side, but it is totally doable with today’s technologies.  I used LinkedIn to contact employers and potential mentors, I interviewed via Skype and Facetime, and I signed my contract on an Adobe pdf. 

• I acknowledged my challenges-  Though technology was essential for my job search, it also gave me so many headaches.  There was the time that my background noise was so loud (thank you, road construction outside my house) that the person I was skyping with asked me to mute myself when not talking, or the time I tried to avoid that background noise by shutting myself in a room with no fans and ended up very obviously sweating through my nice “skyping blouse,” and there was, of course, the moment when my wifi mysteriously went out TWO MINUTES before a scheduled interview.  You can plan all you want, but as we say, Panama happens.  From the very beginning, I was honest with my contacts about where I was and the potential technological problems I had no way of fixing.  It may have felt like I was failing miserably, but you know what- they understood.  

Getting my post-Peace Corps job while still living abroad was hard, but it was so worth it.  I was able to finish my last few months of service without the stress of the unknown and was able to negotiate for a later start date so that I could spend time with my family and friends before moving to my new town.  Though the job search will be different for everyone depending on your background and desired career path, I hope my experience can help give some insight and ease your worries.  If you're a PCV or potential PCV and would like to talk more about job searching post-Peace Corps, send me an email at abbyexplores@gmail.com.  I love Peace Corps, I'm really excited about my new job, and I'm more than happy to talk about them!  

Peace Corps and "Putting Your Life on Hold"

Though I’ve pretty much heard the full range of comments- negative to positive- about joining the Peace corps, a particular one has stuck with me: “It’s so nice that young people like you are willing to put your life on hold for 2 years to join the Peace Corps.”  Every time I’ve heard it, it’s been from well-meaning friends and acquaintances, but since actually experiencing what Peace Corps is, my automatic reaction to these people is to tell them that they’re wrong. 

As I’ve previously written, two years is a long time no matter where you are or what you’re doing.  So when you take into consideration the distance from the known (friends, family, American culture, etc.) as well as the stereotypical Peace Corps conditions of hardship and cultural displacement, I can see how many people would arrive at the conclusion that two years spent as a Peace Corps volunteer is two years of life put on hold. 

However, to those people I ask, what is life to you?  If life is accumulating wealth, living in close proximity to almost any amenity or material good you may desire, or having a corporate-climbing job, then yes, volunteers put their lives on hold. 

It’s only when you’re to look outside the box of a typical American life that you can understand why that statement is wrong.  If to you, life is having a fulfilling career, constantly learning, living around people who love you, and having the opportunity to truly experience a culture different then your own, then Peace Corps service would simply be two more years of living a fun and fulfilling life. 

Of course, I’d be lying if I said there weren’t days where I crave comforts of home and the “life” I left behind.  I miss dressing up for work, running errands in my own car, eating nice food, and not being the most educated person in my town.  Sometimes I love teaching simple business charlas, but sometimes it’s hard not to think about my friends back home working on fancy (to me) advertising campaigns or getting that next promotion. So on hard days in Panama, I too fall into the trap of thinking only of what I’ve left behind, and forgetting all that I’ve gained. 

However, as my two-year commitment was coming to a close and I began to seriously consider my next steps, both personally and professionally, the incredible time I’ve spent as a Peace Corps volunteer really came to light.  These two years, though at times long, hard, and uncomfortable, have been two of the best and most formative years of my life.  I've had all of the sterotypical Peace Corps experiences such as traveling, teaching kids English, and enjoying bastante hammock time, but I've also been able to experience first hand that Peace Corps is so much more than that.  I've added some seriously awesome points to my résumé and had some of the coolest experiences I could have imagined (hiking through the Darién rainforest with an indigenous guide?  It was pretty fun).  On top of all of that, I've made incredible connections, lifelong friendships, and precious memories.  

So, that’s the main reason I’ve decided to stay a third year- because for me Peace Corps hasn’t been “putting my life on hold,” but instead living life to the fullest.  

I'm moving to Panamá.

It's official.  Nine months, an unbelievable volume of paperwork, and a 16-page job description later, I accepted a position as a Sustainable Agricultural Systems Extension Agent for the Peace Corps in Panamá.

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Even though I've been in the application process for close to a year, I'm still wrapping my head around the reality of the events that are going to be unfolding in the next few months.  I'll be moving to Panamá on June 19 and after nine weeks of training I will be assigned to a rural community that will become my home for the next two years.  

As my position will encompass a lot, what I do on a day-to-day basis could vary widely from education on agricultural best practices to business education and farm management.  A large number of volunteers also work to facilitate increased production and international trade with coffee and/or cacao plantations.  Chocolate and coffee: two of my favorite things.  Could there be a better fit?!

Unlike many current and future volunteers, I never planned on serving in the Peace Corps.  It always seemed like an incredible thing for someone to do, but when I thought about my career path it just didn't seem to mesh.  Then, one day this past summer I outlined everything I wanted in a job (similar to this post) and it just clicked.  Travel, education, business related careers, cultural diversity, and philanthropy- the Peace Corps had it all.  Two days later, my application was submitted and something just told me that it was right.  

Now, as I begin preparations to move to Panamá, I am so unbelievably excited and honored to begin this chapter of my life.  As the Peace Corps says, this is the hardest job you'll ever love.

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T-120 Days and Counting

Graduation.  It's in 120 days and for as much as I've prepared through internships, tough classes, and extra-curricular experience, I feel nowhere near ready.  Knowing that I'm definitely not the only one a little nervous about the looming May date is a little comforting, but it's still rough.

Although I definitely have my Type B tendencies, my long term career/life plans had always been very, very Type A.  First I would do X, which would lead me to Y, and then I would end up at Z.  Very simple.  Very scripted. Very... boring.  

As I'm finally approaching graduation, the kick-starter that you simply can't stop, I feel like I'm nearing a fork in the road with about a million different options.  For the first time in quite a few years, I'm honestly not sure which way I'm going to choose come May 11... 

Career Thoughts: American Eagle

Thanks to an amazing professor with equally amazing connections, I had the opportunity to visit the American Eagle headquarters in Pittsburgh this past week.  Although I spent nearly all of high school and college dreaming of working in fashion marketing, I thought that dream had died. 

Boy, was I wrong.  

Our tour and accompanying meetings were set up to compliment a class my school offers on retail marketing, which I was not able to take due to scheduling conflicts.  Since my professor (and just about anyone who knows me well) knew about my passion for the apparel and accessories industry, she invited me to come along.  

To kick off the afternoon, we toured "fake" AEO and Aerie stores within the corporate offices.  Though non-functional for customers, these stores give the visual merchandisers a place to design displays for stores across the country.  Next, we were led to a classroom type set-up where we had the incredible experience of hearing from brand marketers, fashion buyers, allocation planners, and HR personnel.   

The thing that stood out to me most during our visit was the passion and happiness that exuded from every single person we met.  Everyone was genuinely excited to work for American Eagle, which is what seemed to be one of the major factors for company success.  The feelings were contagious, and I've spent the past few days re-vamping my resumé and searching for open opportunities.  

Though it's obviously early on, it seems like this could be the perfect fit company I've been looking for. Now here's crossing fingers that the feeling will be mutual!

In Search of the Perfect Job

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Generally speaking, I'm a procrastinator.  I wait to do things until I absolutely must, and college has been a big lesson in time management for me.  When it comes to things I'm either incredibly passionate or very nervous about, though, I'm the first one to get it done.  Which has brought me here: the job search with over 6 months to go before I'll actually be graduating.

The problem is, I have high standards.  I want to leave work everyday feeling as though I've really accomplished something for my company, and I want to get more than just money or other tangible benefits.  

My ideal, dream job would...

Allow me to live abroad or travel frequently,

Have a focus on marketing, but allow me to do much more than desk work,

Give me lots of diverse and challenging projects to work on,

Be working with a great team who support and challenge each other,

Empower me to make a difference in people's lives,

Work with products or services that I'm personally passionate about,

And have a great pay and benefits package, since we're being honest here.

This perfect job would be a part of a company that...

Has a strong company vision and set of values,

Acts on those values, specifically when it comes back to giving back to the community,

Has locations or branches around the world,

And is focused on global development and cultural diversity.

Know of any jobs like that?  

No?  Me either... yet.  I have, however, begun to map out a few industries and companies, both profit and not-for-profit,  I think could be a good fit.  I'm thinking something along the lines of study abroad programs, TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language), corporate social responsibility, strategic marketing, or travel/tourism management.  Honestly though, I'm open to anything that I could be a good fit for.  

Oh, and I applied for the Peace Corps.