Transition Tips

Transitioning to Life After Service

1. Match your Ed Award

There are currently 78 colleges and universities that match the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award for their students.
Look at the map on americorps.gov to find a college or university to match your award.

Transition Tip #1

What happens when a potential employer does an internet search for you? Employers might just check to see if you pop up on My Space and Facebook. Is there anything there you don’t want a potential employer to know about you?

Transition Tip #2

Create a new email address for your job search. This will make it easy for you to see employer contacts and to stay organized.

Transition Tip #3

When you get to the interview, start with a “yes”. If they ask if you would like something to drink, say “yes!” Don’t start off your relationship with the organization on a “no”.

Transition Tip #4

The relationships you build during your term of service can lead to opportunities you never knew existed. Nurturing new contacts, making your professional and social needs known, connecting colleagues with the people who can help them succeed – all of these may lead to a successful career transition for you.

Transition Tip #5

Collect and distribute business cards; make notes on the ones you collect to remember the context or seed of the relationship.

Transition Tip #6

Ask people questions about themselves. By listening you can see how your work might intersect.

Transition Tip #7

Look out for what others need. It’s great to help people, and if you help them first, even better.

Transition Tip #8

Making wise decisions can be broken down into a three-step process:

1. Reflect
2. Research
3. Make a decision and set goals