Peace Corps Employer Reviews

Engaging work; friendly people; great opportunity for personal and professional growth.

My typical day included teaching English to rural children, working with local social organizations, interacting with people in the community, and going through language training.

Well-respected programs in the host country, and great training programs. The langugage training is especially terrific. Attention to sustainability is important to the organization.

If you want to travel and live in a foreign country, the Peace Corps is a good way to go. Democrats and Republicans always support it, as it really one of the best programs the government runs.

As a Peace Corps volunteer I was entrusted with the American peoples good will towards their fellow global citizens. Although my service in Mauritania was cut short by terrorist insurgencies, I was no deterred in my dedication and selected to help restart the program in Rwanda after so many absent years following the 1994 genocide. Although the monthly – more... allocation of funds is adequate to live on in the local economy, it certainly requires a labor of love to perform the duties required with essentially no pay. – less

The most rewarding aspect of my work was making a visible difference in people's lives. I learned what it takes to lead and manage a project in another country. I worked independently and within a team. The most rewarding work was to implement innovative techniques to sow the seeds for institutional change in Cape Verde.

I was a Peace Corps volunteer and had a fantastic two years teaching reproductive health to junior high school students in rural Ecuador. Three days a week I taught reproductive health, in two separate schools to junior high age students, and I worked one day a week in a rural health clinic as an aide. I worked mainly on my own, but I had to turn in – more... quarterly reports. I got along well with my fellow volunteers. The hardest part of the job was acclimatizing myself to living in the jungle. The most enjoyable part was the relationships I made with the host country nationals. – less

The work is rewarding when you are committed to integrate in your community.

Can be a little overwhelming on your own and the level of support by administration will vary by country, but overall a worthwhile experience and great opportunity for self growth.

PRO: Great program for those who do not mind working with host country nationals 24/7.

CON: Not for those who want to be social and network with other organizations.

Spent 4 yrs, traveled during the summer, learned a great about the different culture. Enjoyed teaching wood working. It was challenging and yet rewarding.

I learned more in these 2 years than I probably will, ever again, in my life. You are given the opportunity to work in many different areas, and usually spear head quite a few projects.

I served for two years and accomplished a lot which is best summarized in my resume.

I was in a position, as a political appointee, to supervise 41 employees who were "inherited" by an interagency merger with another organization. The Director of the Peace Corps counted on me for all media inquiries in this sensitive time, and I had a full secret service status to receive cables from overseas about volunteers and international agencies. – more... Constituent services for the Director and Deputy Director were at a premium while the agency went through budget battles and faced extinction from the far right on Capitol Hill. The President gave the agency 100% support and we were able to continue our work with more effectiveness than ever.
I was in a postiion of seniority so I learned a great deal about management. The hardest part was infighting among staff. The best part was fulfillment for having my ideas respected and implemented. – less

Great Life experience... Learning and observing and living in another culture is a critical part of a balanced life...

The training was very thorough, so several months were spent both in country and in the United States, learning cultural values and how to adjust to life in a developing country and language. These days were in classrooms and in small seminars and on field trips.

The management was good except when it came to training in country where it was sometimes – more... difficult for local trainers to behave appropriately toward American women.

Co-workers were good people.

The hardest part was dealing with the boredom and sense of alienation, of not being able to make a plan for your future at home that you could work on where you were.

The most enjoyable part was traveling around the countryside with your local family and your fellow volunteers. Also talking one on one with locals and doing things with them was wonderful. – less

I lived in Benin, West Africa for 2 months for the purposes of developing a connection with the local people while learning the culture myself. My department, specifically, was Environmental Action, which allowed me to learn certain agricultural and water conservation techniques. But the greatest quality I received from that experience was the ability – more... to be self-motivated and to learn quickly. Being Intermediate in French also helps too. I did have to return early to the United States because of a medical issue. – less

Peace Corps allows people to find confidence they never knew they had. This organization, which just marked it's 50th anniversary, is a valuable asset for international security and relations. I firmly believe in this organization and it's volunteers, and the positive impact it has on its host countries of service. It builds relationships overseas, – more... encourages partnership in a variety of sectors, and promotes peace and friendship throughout the world.
This experience has made me more aware of what I am capable of. Peace Corps is the ultimate volunteer experience. It tests your limits and pushes you to be something greater than yourself. Extending beyond the call of duty and establishing relationships that will bring about a new way of seeing people and the world. – less

An interesting and challenging experience. I wish not to review this experience.

Some day you will love it, some days you will hate it, but it was an awesome experience. You need to remember that your bosses will be host country nationals and that can create several communication issues.