The Wrong Reason (and the Right Ones) to Leave AmeriCorps Early

by Meghan Oakley · 2009-11-05 15:35:00 UTC
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One question that I get a lot from people interested in applying for AmeriCorps is: "If I find a better job, can I leave early?" Technically, yes. Would I recommend it? No. Of course, there are plenty of situations that would require someone to "honorably" leave their service early. Which ones are which? Read on.

Before I go into the good reasons and the bad reasons to leave your service early, I would like to note exactly how AmeriCorps is different from many full-time jobs in this regard. Specifically, it is a different kind of commitment:

  • When you join AmeriCorps, you commitment to 10 months to 2 years of service, and AmeriCorps commits to you. Although you technically can leave early, you take an oath that you won't.
  • People and communities are hurt when you leave early. Why? Chances are that a nonprofit has jumped through a lot of hoops to get you to their organization (trust me, I make the hoops). If you leave, they might not be able to get someone to replace you, and the service will go undone.
So what are the right reasons and wrong reasons to leave AmeriCorps early?
  • WRONG REASON: You found a higher paying job. (If it was money you are after, you shouldn't join AmeriCorps anyway)

  • RIGHT REASON: You have a family emergency that requires you to take care of a family member full-time

  • WRONG REASON: You don't like your boss.

  • RIGHT REASON: The person who first developed your project has left, and they have decided to re-assign your position.

  • WRONG REASON: It wasn't EXACTLY what you expected.

  • RIGHT REASON: You have a medical condition that keeps you from serving.

So how do you avoid getting yourself into a situation where you want to quit for the wrong reasons? Make sure that you ask the right questions in your interview and that you don't join AmeriCorps for the wrong reasons.

Photo Attribution: eHow.

Meghan Oakley
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