WASHINGTON, D.C.—In March 2020, the Peace Corps recalled over 7,000 Peace Corps volunteers from overseas because of COVID-19 concerns. Many volunteers were left unemployed and few were eligible for unemployment benefits.

As a result, qualifying Returned Peace Corp Volunteers were granted non-competitive eligibility, which offers a streamlined process hiring managers can use to quickly hire talented candidates into vacant positions. Jason Jimenez, a soil scientist on the Colville National Forest, was one of these hiring managers.

“I was very impressed with the folks I talked with—the depth of their questions, their enthusiasm and their resilience,” Jimenez said. “I spent probably 12 hours on the phone with 8 different people. I wanted to hire so many more than the one I hired.”

Peace Corp volunteers often have qualifications and attributes that hiring managers find desirable, including post-secondary education, real-world experience in challenging situations and a strong service orientation. According to Peace Corps, 98% of Peace Corps volunteers have at least a bachelor’s degree, 59% have a master’s or other advanced degree, and they possess expertise in everything from agriculture to information technology.

USDA hosted a week-long hiring fair in April where managers were able to virtually interview candidates. The Forest Service national recruitment team also collected input from volunteers generally interested in Forest Service careers. Local units were able to use these resources to find qualified candidates for their positions.

“In my seasonal hires, I look for people with international travel experience, as those folks are often creative, adventurous and strong. Because of this, I would be thrilled to talk to more Peace Corps volunteers and tell them about the work we do,” Jimenez said. “I would recommend this hiring authority to others, given the caliber of folks that applied to my positions.”

Since March, the Forest Service has employed more than 45 returned volunteers across the country. The Returned Peace Corp Volunteers hiring authority is still available for interested hiring managers. If you are interested in posting a notice or hiring a returned volunteer, please contact your Regional Human Resources Service Teams or a regional recruiter. Notices can only be for permanent positions, not temporary or term appointments.