How Peace Corps Determines Selection and Placement of Volunteers How and where Peace Corps assigns Volunteers to work is based largely on: • • • •
How well your skills match the open positions we have Comparing your skills to those of other candidates When you are available and the start date of open positions Support available should you have special medical requirements
Lining up these considerations is a complex process and dictates what country a Volunteer is invited to serve in. Candidates may indicate a preference where they would like to work, but the variables noted above take precedence. The more flexible you are about where you serve, the easier you are to place. Each year, Peace Corps places thousands of Volunteers in positions that have been created in collaboration with the countries requesting assistance. The start dates for these positions depend on the country and the job. In a year, Peace Corps receives many applications. Some applicants are not qualified enough to proceed to nomination. Some are not competitive enough to receive an invitation. Some people withdraw from the process. Of those who potentially qualify, recruiters interview and evaluate candidates based on skills and suitability. The recruiters then nominate candidates for
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general work categories in regions of the world and forward the candidates’ information to Peace Corps headquarters for legal clearance, medical evaluation, and placement consideration. The medical evaluation plays a part in both qualification for service and country assignment, taking into consideration medical support that may be necessary. For a list of conditions the Peace Corps is typically unable to accommodate, visit peacecorps.gov/medical or ask your recruiter for a copy. Following legal clearance and medical qualification, placement officers conduct a suitability review, considering motivation, commitment, productivity, emotional maturity, and social sensitivity. A placement officer may also contact you with additional questions. He or she will compare your skills to those of other candidates, look to the timing of your availability and current job openings, and consider any medical accommodations necessary. At this point some nominated candidates will be evaluated as noncompetitive or not suitable for service. Placement officers determine final matches and issue invitations. The specific job and country offered may be different than those recommended by the recruiter, resulting from the variables mentioned.