5 job interview questions Peace Corps will help you ace

Service provides a unique opportunity to learn about a different culture while gaining real-world experience. But it also helps you develop transferable skills and a robust professional network that will continue to support your career long after you complete service. One way in which service does that is by equipping you with memorable stories that make an impression on employers.

We help you apply your service experience to ace common interview questions with examples from Returned Volunteers.

1. Describe a time when a project didn’t go as planned and how you handled it. 

Volunteers learn to adapt and be resourceful when things don’t go as planned. Share an anecdote of a time in which living in a different culture and navigating a new language resulted in miscommunication with counterparts or, a time when unavoidable factors like power outages delayed a project. Then explain the alternative solution that you and the local community developed and what you learned from the experience.

Example: “Everything changed when I was reassigned to a new site. I felt like I had to work twice as hard to break through that outsider label, and language was the bridge I needed. I went all in on the language, practicing sentences over and over, memorizing vocabulary, and drilling phrases in my head until they stuck. With my strong language skills, I was able to do more than I ever imagined at the radio station. Learning Russian taught me that the toughest challenges can lead to the most profound changes,” Drake M. (Kyrgyz Republic 2013–2017).

2. How do you tailor your communication style to speak to a diverse team?

Whether you’re presenting a marketing campaign, collaborating across internal departments, or pitching a new public policy, understanding your audience is key. Your Peace Corps service likely taught you the benefit of being curious to identify your audience’s needs, unique challenges, and possible resources.

Tell the employer how you modified your communications to gain the support of different community members or resonate with students at different proficiency levels. Did you incorporate or accommodate local customs? Then share how that experience helped shaped how you communicate with others today.

Example: “Ensuring that students understood my lessons was an early challenge. English is the primary language of instruction in secondary schools. This can pose a problem for form one students as this is their first year away from primary school. In lower primary education (grades 1-3), Kiswahili is the primary language of instruction. The influence of Kiswahili, and sometimes local languages, often persists into the upper primary grades, so students may struggle to comprehend English, which is the primary language of instruction in secondary school. To overcome the language barrier, I spoke more slowly and wrote most of what I said on the board.” Hannah W. (Kenya 2023-2025).

3. What’s your biggest professional achievement?

Your resume features many career highlights, including completing your Peace Corps service! If you plan on citing your service as your biggest professional achievement, get a bit more granular with your answer. For instance, if you served as an Education Volunteer, your biggest achievement may be observing your students become more proficient and confident communicating in English. Provide quantifying metrics that demonstrate your effectiveness if you can and relate the achievement to the company or role you are interviewing for.

Example: “The crowning achievement of my service was a collective effort to secure a USAID grant, aimed at bringing solar-powered lighting to our school community. This project was a testament to our community's cooperative spirit, exemplifying how fostering sustainability can significantly improve the learning conditions for both students and teachers.” Keevon B. (Vanuatu 2017-2019).

Example: “My first project was to demonstrate a soil restoration technique. I would spend hours hacking 30-centimeter-wide holes at slightly less than one-meter intervals into the concrete-like soil. A local farmer, Abdu, offered to help me dig the final rows of about 100 zai holes. Two months later, to our amazement, the first green shoots of millet stalks emerged from those holes. I’ll never forget the awe we felt as we looked out over that field.” Emily J. (Niger 2000-2001).

4. What’s your leadership style?

If you extended your service for a third year to mentor new Volunteers, you may identify as a coaching leader. A role on a committee supporting your fellow in-country Volunteers may indicate you possess a servant leadership style.

You can also think outside the box for a time when you inspired action—something all great leaders do. Did you encourage physical fitness with a lead-by-example approach, running through your village a few times each week? How did you empower others to professionally grow?

You can always emphasize that the Peace Corps taught you flexibility, meaning you can adjust your approach based on the team and company culture. No matter what you choose to highlight, be sure to include why your leadership style will support the company’s success.

Example: “The first thing I realized when I started managing people is that it’s not that different from overseeing a classroom full of students. To encourage learning, I use the same approach with my staff as I did with my students. I want people to feel comfortable making mistakes and not feel that they are doing something “wrong.” I believe this approach helps my team embrace challenges and have a lot of success.” Aparna J. (Lesotho 2011-2013)

Example: “I could have done it for them, but the goal is for GRAPHE’s team to be able to maintain and develop the site themselves. They are learning how to use the tool and now know how to edit pages and create content.” Chris H. (Togo 1973-1975; Mali 1975-1976).

5. Why should we hire you?

Your answer will demonstrate if you did your homework on the available position and company. Explain how your background sets you apart and how your skills—including your intercultural competency—align with the position’s expected duties. Discuss your genuine desire to support the company’s mission. If the hiring manager mentioned a current company challenge, now is a good time to demonstrate why you have the tools to help them solve it.

Example: “The power skills I learned in Peace Corps—adaptability, influence without authority, intercultural communication—have been far more instrumental in advancing my career than any textbook or classroom. Long before I ever had “manager” in my title, those skills helped me gather resources, gain buy-in, and build momentum behind ideas that mattered. I learned how to lead from the middle, to move things forward without waiting for permission.” Bri S. (El Salvador, 2002-2005)

Check out our blog to prepare more talking points on why employers should hire Peace Corps Volunteers like you.