So you worked a crew with Appalachian Conservation Corps: now what?
You could join us for another crew! Hooray!!! *fireworks, air horns* Be sure to keep an eye on the "Open Positions" page on our main website for upcoming opportunities. Pro tip: let your program coordinator or recruitment coordinator know if you're interested in working another season.
You can access your AmeriCorps Education Award and use it toward your student loans, upcoming tuition expenses, or other educational or certification programs, like NOLS courses.
You can apply for other jobs! Check out the resources below for tips and tricks on how to write a cover letter and a resume that encapsulates your experiences both with ACC and beyond.
Check out some more professional development resources put together by our sister program, Stewards. This site has even more information that could help you land another position with Conservation Legacy or elsewhere.
Open Positions with ACC and Conservation Legacy
Appalachian Conservation Corps is just one of eight Conservation Legacy programs around the country! Like Appalachian Conservation Corps, our sister programs hire crew and individual placement positions doing meaningful conservation work all over the country. Check out all open positions with Conservation Legacy here.
AmeriCorps Education Award
You will be notified once your education award has been allocated to your AmeriCorps account via mail and/or email to the address listed on file. You can update your contact information on your MyAmeriCorps homepage. If you are having trouble logging in, contact the AmeriCorps Help Desk at +1 (800) 942-2677.
More information about the education award can be found online at the myAmeriCorps website here. There are several help pages that can walk you through your questions about using your education award. Certain colleges and universities in the United States recognize AmeriCorps participants through additional benefits, like waiving application fees or granting in-state tuition rates to AmeriCorps alumni. You can find a list of these benefits here.
How to Write Your Resume and Cover Letter
The main goal of your resume is to communicate the most important, relevant information about you in a clear, easy-to-read format to show prospective employers how you are uniquely qualified for the position based on your skills and experience.
Tailor your resume for each job posting/application. Scan the position description and consider which of your experiences and qualifications best relate to the requirements.
Use keywords from the job description
Objective or personal statements are optional.
Bullet points allow for easier scanning of your resume. Don’t write full sentences for descriptions.
Aim to “show” your soft skills in your descriptions rather than directly stating them, and use action verbs and quantifiable data in your bullet points
Ask your coordinator for things like project accomplishment numbers.
Proofread then ask someone else to also proofread.
Save your resume and cover letter as PDFs (not Word doc) with titles that includes your name, such as “Jane.Doe.Resume” or “Jane Doe - Cover Letter.”
Tip: have one long resume, make a copy of it, and delete irrelevant experiences for each application.
Here is a recommended resume outline. Consider what is most applicable when organizing the sections of your resume. Within sections, list your experiences chronologically with the most recent experiences at the top of the list.
Contact: Include your name, phone number, appropriate email (not connected to work/school). You could also include your LinkedIn, city and state of residence or a link to a personal website or portfolio.
Education: List your institution name, location, degree/area of study, month/year of completion.
This section can also include relevant certifications & trainings; for these, include certifying organization, dates, and expiration if applicable. GPA isn’t necessary; include coursework only if very relevant.
Work Experience: Include the company name, position title, month/year you started and left, & short description of what you did there in bullet points. Reflect the requirements listed in the job announcement. Descriptions should paint a clear picture of your responsibilities, skills, and accomplishments in the role. You should typically only list 2-4 bullet points per listing unless the job and job duties are very relevant to the job you are applying to.
Volunteer/Other Experience: Some employers will consider volunteer experiences or experiences giving a presentation at a conference as relevant experience. Describe volunteer experience same way as work experience. Include relevant class projects, unpaid internships, community service, conference presentations, workshops you have led or participated in.
Special Recognition/Leadership: This section is optional, but it is good to include if relevant or you have space to fill. Include relevant achievements and awards; participation in groups, teams, and clubs (especially leadership roles!); and publications here.
When creating your resume, you want to make sure it is clean, neat, and easy to read, so you should use a standard font like Times New Roman, Calibri, or Arial. Please also standardize your font sizes and don’t have too many variations on the font size between the headings and body of your resume. Headings can be a bit bigger. If you’re using a template from your word processor, go for a simple one without too many bells and whistles. DO NOT include a headshot or any photos in your resume or cover letter.
Your cover letter or personal statement should tell the story of your resume. Who is the person who we get out of all of this education, training, and work experience? How will you contribute to the organization? Here are some tips to consider when creating your cover letter.
Address the letter to the hiring manager/recruiter by name if possible.
Don’t restate your resume; use this letter to communicate why your qualifications and skills relate specifically to this position and how you would use your experience and passion to contribute to the organization. Demonstrate your knowledge of the position and organization.
Make sure you upload the correct cover letter for the position; it can be easy to mix up if you’re applying for many positions and looks very unprofessional if you send the wrong cover letter to an organization.
Follow the same stylistic tips listed above for your cover letter.
