Monday, February 25, 2013 - Thursday, February 28, 2013

Peace Corps Headquarters 1111 20th St., NW, Washington, DC 20526

Online registration for this event is now CLOSED.  We do accept walk-in registrants, but please note that due to record numbers of registrants, our Thursday evening Career Fair has reached maximum capacity.  If you are interested in being placed on the waiting list for the Career Fair, please email RVSevents@peacecorps.gov, but note that admittance to the Thursday evening Career Fair will occur only if/when space becomes available as we must remain in compliance with fire safety code regulations.

Monday Feb. 25, 2013:  Transitioning Back Home

8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Registration

9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Welcome and Overview
The opening session will introduce the structure and goals of the RPCV Career Conference. We will also review the schedule for the event, and you will be introduced to the staff and volunteers on-hand to assist throughout the week.

9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Where Do I Go From Here? Making a Smooth Transition
It is not unusual for RPCVs to find the return to the U.S. more challenging than or just as challenging as entry into the Peace Corps country.  This session will examine the challenges of transition from your Peace Corps service so that you are more likely to move forward with energy and purpose.  You will examine, reflect, analyze, and share your experiences in order to create and shape a plan of action for this new phase of your life. 

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.                                                                                        
Positioning Yourself as an Interculturally Effective Professional
Explore the intercultural skills developed during your Peace Corps service to position yourself as an experienced professional committed to diversity and inclusion. 

12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch Break (lunch is not provided)

1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Maximizing Your Graduate School Options
Learn about graduate school opportunities through the Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program, get tips from various local colleges and universities, discover how to navigate through graduate school program choices, and learn how to utilize your Peace Corps experience to gain admittance.

3:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.
Break

3:15 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Third Goal Open Mic
Have you been waiting to tell your story to people who will listen? Here is your chance. Share your service vocally, creatively, to a captive audience who speaks and understands the language of Peace Corps! Make it funny, poignant, or ideally both. This activity will allow you to have fun and unwind with your fellow RPCVs while learning the art of telling your story in short sound bites as well as in different creative forms, including stories, poems, and songs. This session sets the stage for Tuesday’s sessions on storytelling in the job arena. Time limit will be 5 minutes per person.
 

Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013: Sharing Your Story

8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Registration

9:00 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.
Welcome and Day One Review

9:15 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Storytelling Your Way to a Job
Learn how to talk to others about your Peace Corps experience in a professional manner through the art of storytelling while honing your narrative skills and meeting other participants in this interactive session. Gain first-hand experience in communicating the many benefits and skills you’ve developed, succinctly and confidently, through effective storytelling, an integral part of an effective job search.   

10:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Identifying and Translating Your Peace Corps Skills
This session invites you to engage in self-assessment to identify transferable skills gained from Peace Corps service. Self-assessment is a critical first step in achieving your career goals. Using various methods to bring forth accomplishments, you will identify skills used/developed and generate a summarizing list of qualifications. Please review your Description of Peace Corps Service (DOS) and other service records (e.g., journals, blogs, letters home) before the workshop to facilitate reflection.

12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch Break (lunch is not provided)

12:45 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Special Lunchtime Session:  Peace Corps Response
Attend this session to learn more about exciting opportunities to serve overseas again in high-impact,  short-term assignments that put your professional expertise to work while making a difference. In this brown bag lunch session, you’ll hear from guest panelists who previously served in Peace Corps Response and have the opportunity to ask questions following the short presentation. Bring a drink, your lunch, and your questions!

1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Your Written Story I: Effective Resumes
One of the most useful things RPCVs can do for their job search is learn how to present their professional qualifications articulately and succinctly. This session will help you develop a tightly-focused resume, and discuss dos and don’ts for resume-writing.

3:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.
Break

3:15 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Your Written Story II: Engaging Cover Letters
This session will help you develop a tightly-focused and well-structured cover letter. You’ll learn why a cover letter is so important as a self-marketing tool and why it should not be skipped!

4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Q & A – general resumes and cover letters


Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013:  Sharing Your Qualifications 

8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Registration

9:00 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.
Welcome and Day Two Review

9:15 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.
Elevator Pitches: Your 30-Second Story
What would you say if you found yourself waiting for the elevator with a senior manager of an organization you’d love to work for? Attend this workshop to learn how to make a quick connection that gets you the follow-up.

10:15 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
The Power of Networking
Getting a job is not only about what you know but who you know. As a result, more than half of your job search time should be spent on networking. You will gain pointers and have a chance to practice in this session.

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Leveraging Social Media in the Job Search
Used effectively, social media can help you maximize the benefits of Peace Corps service by tapping into the Peace Corps community and alumni network. This session will focus on how to utilize social media for Third Goal and job search purposes.

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Lunch Break (lunch is not provided)

1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Informational Interviews: Getting Your Foot in the Door
An informational interview is an excellent way to find out more about a career field that interests you, to get the inside scoop on working for a particular organization, or simply to get constructive feedback about your resume. Here you’ll learn how to collect candid, substantive information for making important career decisions.

1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Acing Your Job Interview
Composure and professionalism are critical for the interview phase of the job search. So is practice! This session will address the dos and don’ts of interviewing and set the foundation for the Mock Interviews breakout session occurring immediately after this session.

3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Mock Interviews: Breakout Session
In this session, you’ll have a chance to hone your skills in brief mock interviews and share best practices with other RPCVs.

4:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Q & A

5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Networking Happy Hour with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Washington (off-site)
Join us for a happy hour dedicated to professional networking. RPCV participants are invited to our networking event to practice their new-found skills.  Direct questions to Mariko.
*Please note that this event has reached its maximum capacity.

Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013:  Sectoral Employment and Career Fair

8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Registration

9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Welcome and Day Three Review (Tips for Making the Most of Tonight’s Career Fair)
The RPCV Career Center Coordinator will share some quick strategies on successfully navigating a modern career fair, and making the most of your limited face-time with participating employers. Time will be allotted for general questions to make sure you’re prepared to succeed.

9:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Making Noncompetitive Eligibility Work for You
RPCVs should be pleased to know that the job application process for some federal vacancies can be quick and easy. Learn how NCE works and how you can use this special hiring authority to find NCE-specific jobs in the federal sector.

10:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Strategies for Navigating Your Federal Job Search
Have you ever applied to a federal job and then heard nothing back from the agency? How do you know whether your application was received, or whether you qualify for an interview?  This presentation will provide a basic overview of the way the federal hiring process works, including what happens once an application has been submitted, and how you can showcase your skills to stand out to federal employers.

10:45 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
The Path Well Traveled: RPCV Panel and Dialogue
Successful transitions from Peace Corps to life and work in the U.S. carry special opportunities and challenges. RPCVs working for federal agencies (including Peace Corps), organizations, and sectors around the DC metro area have been invited to share information about the resources and services they offer, discuss how they transitioned into their current positions, and answer your questions about employment after Peace Corps.

1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Break

4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
RPCV Career Fair
Representatives from approximately 40 employers will be on hand to discuss current and future job opportunities with RPCVs.


Friday, March 1, 2013:  Peace Corps Anniversary
Go out there and Third Goal!  Friday's theme is "Champion RPCVs as Global Professionals."  Check out the Peace Corps Week website for further information by visiting www.peacecorps.gov/pcweek.

 

Employers registered to attend the Career Fair as of February 28, 2013:

• ACDI/VOCA
• Ashoka
• buildOn
• Chemonics International
• CityStaff
• Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) - AmeriCorps NCCC and VISTA
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)
• EF Education First
• Envision EMI
• Epic
• Global Employment Solutions
• International Relief and Development (IRD)
• International Resources Group/Engility
• John Snow, Inc
• M Powered Strategies
• Macfadden
• Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC)
• Nathan Associates, Inc.
• Pact, Inc.
• Population Services International (PSI)
• S & P LLC
• Save the Children
• Smithsonian Institution
• Teach For America
• The New Teacher Project - Teaching Fellows
• The Cloudburst Group
• U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) – Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, Office of Transition Initiatives
• U.S. Department of Agriculture
• U.S. Department of Education
• U.S. Department of Justice - Bureau of Prisons, Criminal Division
• U.S. Department of Labor - Wage and Hour Division
• U.S. Department of State - Bureau of Consular Affairs, English Language Fellows Program
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development - Office of General Counsel
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration - Center for Veterinary Medicine
• U.S. General Services Administration - Federal Acquisition Service
• United Nations Employment Information and Assistance
• University Research Co., LLC

Office of Third Goal and Returned Volunteer Services
rvsevents@peacecorps.gov