Start Posting About Your Peace Corps Service Now
Your PC experience will open doors - but only if people see it.
In today’s job market, sending out a résumé isn’t enough. For many roles, you’re up against hundreds—even thousands—of other applicants. So how do you stand out?
Start sharing your Peace Corps story on LinkedIn.
You already have what employers are looking for
Peace Corps Volunteers develop skills that are in high demand: problem-solving, adaptability, project management, cultural awareness, and language ability. But here’s the thing—employers won’t know that unless you show them.
Author Anna Burgess Yang calls LinkedIn your “résumé with a microphone.” It’s not just a place to list your job titles. It’s a place to talkabout your experience—what you learned, how you grew, and why it matters.
It’s not about posting all the time
You don’t need to post every week. That’s not realistic for most Volunteers. But when something meaningful happens—when you finish a project, organize an event, launch a club, or reflect on a challenge—that’s a moment worth sharing.
These types of posts can:
Show your leadership in action.
Highlight your impact in your host community.
Reflect your growth and learning.
Help future employers understand the realvalue of your service.
And if you're more comfortable writing about your service privately first, you can start with a blog or journal, and share highlights later.
Why start now?
When you share your experience while you’re still in service—or soon after—you’re building a personal brand. That brand helps:
Recruiters understand who you are before they meet you.
You build a network outside of Peace Corps.
People connect youwith future job opportunities.
You don’t have to wait until you’re applying for jobs to start building credibility. In fact, the earlier you start, the better positioned you’ll be when you return home.
Bonus benefit: LinkedIn can help you fund your Peace Corps projects
Building a presence on LinkedIn isn’t just about finding a job after service. It can also help you succeed during your service—especially when you’re fundraising for a Peace Corps Partnership Program (PCPP) grant.
Most Volunteers will need to raise money for at least one community-led project. And here’s what’s working: Volunteers who share their project links and stories in the Peace Corps Network group on LinkedIn (which has over 20,000 members) are consistently getting fully funded—sometimes within days.
Why it works:
Returned Volunteers want to support current PCVs.
LinkedIn connects you to people outside your personal network.
Telling a compelling story builds trust and urgency.
You don’t have to be a pro fundraiser. Just share what the project is, what it will do, and how people can help. Add a photo or a short story from your site. Then post it in the group and on your feed.
Having a LinkedIn presence means you don’t have to start from scratch when you need support. You’ve already built credibility—and that makes it easier for people to say yes.
So if you’re planning a project, or think you might someday, build your presence now. It can pay off in more ways than one.
Tips to get started
Update your LinkedIn profile. Include your current country of service, your role, and a short summary of your work.
Post when something significant happens. Don’t force content—just share the moments that feel meaningful.
Always add photos when possible. A photo of your project, your host community, or a Peace Corps event adds visual context and draws attention.
Connect with intention. Reach out to other Volunteers, Returned PCVs, and professionals in fields you care about.
If you're at your Mid-Service or beyond, and what to share your story, I'd love to interview you. It's a written interview to help applicants undertand more about what their service might be like. If interested, leave me a message in the comments and I'll get you set up!Don’t let your service stay hidden
Peace Corps Volunteers often hear, “This experience will open doors.”And that’s true. But only if people SEE it. Don’t let your service stay buried in a résumé. Talk about it. Share it. Let it work for you.
Start small. Share what matters. And give your future self one more tool to land the job you want.
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Reference: Why you need a personal brand in a crowded job market
I world love some help getting started with my LinkedIn!