I just got back from serving in the Peace Corps and cant find a job

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mike2014

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Hello Community,

I recently returned from being a Peace Corps volunteer in the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador for two years. Now I am back in the states and am looking for a job. I have a BS in Civil Engineering and also interned at the engineering water department for a large utility.

I am looking for a job but every job that I might be interested states that they want an FE. I have not been able to pass it yet but am going to attempt again in 6 months. What kind of positions can I apply for if I dont have the FE exam? Do you recomend appliying for positions that say must have FE or is this just a waste of time?

Right now I took a dead end customer service job in order to survive but I reallly want to get back into Engineering.

What type of position can I be qualified for? What strategies should I use to get a job?

I have included a copy of my resume and it would be awesome to get some feedback.

thank you

eng forum Resume 1.3.doc

 

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First, I would delete the Objective from your resume. My rationale is that everyone reviewing your resume understands that you're hoping to find a position that is mutually beneficial. Explicitly stating this does not add positive value and may have unintended negative consequences.

If you graduated in 2010, why does your internship continue through 2011? Were you actually hired full-time, or did you graduate in December and the internship ended soon afterwards?

There are two sequential commas in the last point under your Peace Corps experience. Do a close and careful proofread prior to sending this to anyone.

I think it's OK to apply for jobs that you're interested in and mostly qualified for, especially if you are approved and ready to take the FE again. Unlike the PE, the FE is not a critical component for job functions although some may use it to exclude those that cannot be licensed in the future for whatever reason. Caveat - your cover letter should probably indicate what your strategy is for successfully passing the FE this time, including the time-frame within which that will happen.

Good luck.

 
^ I agree with Mark. Proofread and proofread again. For instance, why is the spacing different from your internship to your Peace Corps experience? Also, this is a pretty generic Word template. Might want to make it stand out a little. Also, don't use personal pronouns on a resume. Saying "We learned..." under your PC experience sounds like you were one of the kids. Did you teach? List it as "Taught..."

There should be plenty of entry level jobs that don't require the FE. Like Mark said, you might outline that you will be taking it again soon. Your cover letter might also explain why you went into the Peace Corps and how you're ready to apply your experience to a professional setting.

 
and i know it's been a while since I looked for my job right out of college but I think every job I looked at said "prefer EIT". But I wouldn't not apply to the job just because it said that, even if I said requires....

I think if you submit enough places the peace corps stuff will catch someone's eye. That's a true sacrifice and shows dedication and that you can keep a commitment.

I also would just say in your cover letter that you plan to take the EIT at a certain time and don't mention you have already taken it...

 
Mike-- Your resume needs LOTS of help! Just good, honest feedback-- and I do this for a living--executive coaching with licensed engineering professionals at all levels. Here is some pro bono advice that should help you immensely:

  1. Keep the objective-- however, it needs to be specific-- what do you want to do? This should be tailored to the position that you are applying for.
  2. Use the SO WHAT test on each of your entries-- Ask SO WHAT. If you have not answered that question, then delete the point. Let me provide an example-- During your Peace Corps engagement, you cite Program Management. SO WHAT? Why is that important? What did you do-- what was the result of your work? Did you save money, project come in on time, under budget? I want to know why this is important-- it must be, you cited it-- tell me, the reader why.
  3. Example 2-- Drafted plans using Auto Cad-- SO WHAT? OK, you get the drift of how this needs to fixed. You need to this for each bullet.
  4. Use the What-How-Result paradigm. WHAT did you do? HOW did you do it? What was the RESULT of the work.
  5. List all software capabilities that you have-- don't lie-- you may be asked to prove it--If you say you know Auto CAD-- be ready to demonstrate the proficiency level you claim if asked in an interview.
  6. What about other leadership positions- church, sports, service clubs, fraternities? Specifically, here I am seeking leadership and communication skills-- you need to explicitly list those.
  7. Employers today think that you have a good technical background, however, they are real concerned about soft skill abilities. I know, you did not get much in class-- however, your 2 years in the Peace Corps is Golden for this-- show how it fits.
  8. Use the whole sheet of paper-- you waste too much real estate-- after all, you only have 1 page worth of achievements-- not a put down, just a fact based upon tenure.
  9. The only thing that should change is the objective statement when you apply for a job-- all of the other factors are the same-- they don't change.

The way the world works today is that a computer scans the resume and it is placed in a database. If your resume does not have the key words in it that that the job announcement is seeking, you will NEVER get a call-- the computer never finds you. If the computer pulls you out of the database, a human only takes about 10 seconds to make a decision before he/she moves on-- you have to make the 10 seconds really count.

OK, this should keep you going for a couple of hours. Revise and resubmit. You can do this.

I would NOT let a FE requirement deter me from applying for any job-- and you should apply for all of them. I would cite, "FE pending examination" on the resume. If the question comes up, you can share that you were in the Peace Corps for 2 years, recently returned back to USA and are preparing for the FE examination.

The FE examination has changed since you have been gone. Now, you can take it any time during a 2 month increment. Go to www.ncees.org to read about how it has changed. There are threads on this board that address the new CBT FE process.

Good Luck.

 
Thank you so much for board for the advice. I really appreciate it. Especially Solomonb. That advice is priceless.

From another board I saw the recommendation to go to different civic organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis, etc. I looked up their schedules and plan to attend a couple of their meetings during the following weeks in order to network.

I will now start applying for jobs even if they say FE required. I have been studying every day and hope to have it passed by April.

 
After I got back from the Peace Corps I was sontacted by my local villagers to import medicinal plants to the US. I agreed and it slowly evolved into a tea company. The company stopped operating because it lacked capital. However I am debating whether to put this start up in my resume since it has nothing to do with Engineering but it was good experience. Not sure how hiring managers would look at it.

below is the part I was considering to put in my resume

[SIZE=12pt]June 2013-Dec 2013[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14pt]xyz Tea Company[/SIZE]​


Orlando, Fl

[SIZE=14pt]Founder/Owner[/SIZE]

  • [SIZE=11pt]Importer of healthy and unique teas to the US market to create sustainable jobs for indigenous farmers while conserving the Amazon rainforest [/SIZE]
[SIZE=11pt]Worked in a team and individually in all aspects of starting and running a company including international trade, graphic design, creating a website, accounting, sales, marketing, manufacturing, research and development, quality control, customer service, organic agriculture, distribution[/SIZE]

 
^Yes?

As for jobs, Peace Corps can actually be attractive experience for some positions. I've known many engineers in the EPA and in the Indian Health Service (under HHS) who started off in the Peace Corps. Plus, I believe you get an advantage to come in as a federal employee in the application process, if you do it within a certain amount of time after coming back.

Check the IHS - they seem to have a lot of entry level positions for water and wastewater positions, as long as you are willing to live in the areas where most of the Native American Reservations are located, such as the desert southwest.

 
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