An official website of the United States government
You've been selected for an interview. Now what?
You’ve made it to the interview stage in the Peace Corps application process. Congratulations!
Not everyone gets asked to interview, so take advantage of this great opportunity and be prepared to demonstrate why you are the best fit for this position.
Some of the more obvious advice about interviewing you may already know, such as be on time and wear professional clothing. But what does that mean when you are doing video conference interview? Follow these three tips to be on top of your game.
1. Prepare ahead of time
Luckily, there is no reason you can't be prepared for your interview, because the Peace Corps gives you the topics for our questions ahead of time. Haven’t researched your country of consideration yet? It's time to get started with your homework. We want to see that you are serious about working with a community overseas, and demonstrating knowledge of the country shows your commitment to serving there. Oh, and please pronounce Peace Corps properly ("Corps" is from the French and is pronounced Peace “core,” not Peace “corpse”).
The question topics are included the email requesting an interview. Read them over, prepare examples, and consider doing a dry run describing your experiences with a close friend. Maybe you pepper your responses with “uh" and "like,” or avoid eye contact; your friend should be kind and give you a heads up. In your interview, we want to hear the basics: who, what, when, where, how long. Long term and more recent experiences are ideal. We want to know what you learned from your experiences, so do some reflecting beforehand.
The country pages on the Peace Corps website explain cultural aspects of your country of consideration. Review them and be prepared to comment on things like different living conditions, lack of modern conveniences, and any dietary restrictions. If you have concerns, share them with the placement officer. This is the time to try and alleviate any trepidation you may feel.
Placement officers enjoy interviewing candidates who are well prepared. Be prepared and use notes if needed!
2. Present yourself professionally
This is a professional interview and should be treated as such. This means wearing professional, business casual attire and presenting an overall tidy appearance. Placement officers do not need to see your messy dorm room or dirty dishes in the background. Can you position yourself in front of a neutral background or use a neutral virtual background? Make sure your space is private and quiet on the day of your interview—try to avoid ringing phones or interrupting roommates.
If you need to interview from a public space, such as a coffee shop or library, consider using headphones to help reduce background noise so you can hear your interviewer better.
3. Consider time and technical issues
Have you double-checked the time zone difference? Peace Corps headquarters is in Washington, D.C., and most interview times are scheduled in Eastern time.
Log on at least 10 minutes early. Placement officers are very busy, often with multiple interviews scheduled throughout the day. They may not have an extra 15 minutes to spare while you try to figure out the video software at the last minute. However, they can do phone interviews as a back-up if technology isn’t cooperating on the day of your interview, so don’t worry too much if you’re having technical trouble.
Feeling a little nervous? It's okay, we’ve all been there. Have a cup of tea or glass of water handy if you need one.
We look forward to seeing and hearing you on the other end of the video—the prepared and professional you, of course!
Learn more about aspects of the interview process:
