Today I woke up to this lovely email in my inbox:
Jennifer,
I just qualified you medically to serve anywhere in the world. There’s a letter in today’s mail. Placement Office takes over now to invite you to a country.
WHEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!
What an amazing feeling. Exactly 11 weeks after Peace Corps received my medical files, I finally have clearance. This is SUCH a relief to have prior to graduation. At least I know I am still on track for my original departure date. Now the waiting game for an invite begins. I know that this phase also varies in time - some people have an invite within a week, while others wait for several months. With less than 4 months until my possible leave date, my invite could come soon, but I know that finishing June and July programs is probably a priority over my August/September leave date.
Also, a question for PC invitees - should I go ahead an email my resume into the Placement desk, or should I wait for them to contact me? I was thinking of waiting until maybe Wednesday next week and then email it in. I should give a few days for placement to get the word from medical that I am cleared, right?
In other news, I became a member of the Order of the Engineer tonight. It was a cute ceremony, and I got a ring to always remind me to be a responsible engineer and that what I do effects others - too bad its about half a size too big!! It's so weird to think I will actually be an engineer in less than 4 weeks when I graduate. I really enjoyed the ceremony though. They spoke a lot about how an engineers job is to help others and ensure that you provide services to others who do not know the information that you do. It really spoke to me as a (hopeful) future Peace Corps member. I will really be able to apply my engineering skills to help solve problems in a community.
Senior design is close to being due, but we aren't yet done. Wish me luck with this crazy weekend I have ahead of me! I thought senior year was supposed to be fun!
Congrats! 11 weeks must be the lucky number, bc that is how long it took me, too! I would wait until Placement contacts you to send in the resume, unless a couple weeks go by with no contact. But I was medically cleared on a Friday, and on Monday morning Placement sent me an email requesting an updated resume. I sent it right in, and they said my file would be moved on to a Placement Specialist and to expect to hear from them in 2-6 weeks! (It will be 2 weeks on Monday...) So, HOPEFULLY you will hear from them next week, if not, then maybe go ahead and send your resume in.
ReplyDeleteWe are getting SO CLOSE to an invitation!! :)
Congrats!!!!! I sent my updated resume in because I was asked to send it in when I was medically cleared. We will see what happens :) good luck in the placement waiting phase :)
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jessica and would wait at least a couple weeks. But while you're waiting you should update your resume so you can be prepared to send it in right when they ask. Some notes I got on reformatting were: "Please be sure to tailor your resume to highlight the volunteer and work experiences that are most relevant to your nomination." and "This document should be no more than two pages long and have exact dates (month/year) for employment/volunteerism. For volunteer experiences please note the approximate hours per week."
ReplyDeleteI first heard from Placement the day after I got the toolkit update and 10 days later I had my final review. That was 6 months ahead of my earliest departure date, so there's a chance you'll hear more soon :)
Congrats! It's a good idea to send in your updated resume, though I would wait a few weeks. Personally, I wasn't asked for an updated resume until several months after I cleared medical. It happened right after I e-mailed to check my status, too, so I get the impression if I had e-mailed a little earlier things may have moved faster (maybe, there's no way to know.) Still, it's a fine line, definitely give them time to contact you first.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on medical clearance! I was medically cleared in late January. I didn't hear from placement until late March, which is when they requested an updated resume. I got my invite a few days later.
ReplyDeleteMy experience was that I received medical clearance in the first week of December. My nomination was for departure in Jan/Feb/March. I received my invitation in the first week of April and my actual departure is for September. This was despite e-mails involving my recruiter and placement staff.
ReplyDeleteThere is advice in a PC publication that instructs applicants to ask their recruiter for the phone number of their Placement Specialist if the applicant has not heard from Placement by 8 weeks prior to the nominated departure date. My recruiter was helpful in this regard.
Additionally, you might already know this, but the Peace Corps is apparently experiencing some unexpected and serious budget reductions which are likely to impact upon the whole selection and placement process.
Thanks everyone for all the advice! I will wait and hope that placement emails me quickly, and after a few weeks I might email my recruiter to see of she thinks I should go ahead and email in my new resume. I also have to email placement in about 2 weeks to notify them of an address change, so I might just slip my resume in there as well ;)
ReplyDeleteCongrats to you too Jenni! Jessica was right, 11 weeks must be the magic number cause that's where I'm at too. I'm so glad things are moving along for us! I was going to start updating my resume and just be prepared to send it in when it's asked for. I'm so excited! :)
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