My AmeriCorps Applicant Online Help FAQs

Transcription

1 You can also go to the following webpage for the complete Application Process FAQs: How to Navigate My AmeriCorps Basic Navigation On each page along the left side is a set of links leading to different parts of My AmeriCorps. By clicking on these links, you can navigate throughout the site and view the various features of the system. Within My AmeriCorps, you can do things such as create your profile, search all available AmeriCorps opportunities, and apply for each AmeriCorps opportunity that interests you. Several other links are in the black bar at the top of every page. Click "Contact My AmeriCorps" to send questions/concerns Click "Site Help" to access the entire online help index Click "Logout" to securely exit the system Click either the "Default" or "Large" to change the font size You will also find a link to your homepage ("Home") in the box in the upper left hand corner of every page. Clicking on Home takes you to the first page you see after you log in to the system. From this page you can view and edit your contact information. Understanding Help Clicking on the "Click here for help" link at the top of every page will give you an overview of the page, as well as the entire index of help. (If you do not see the entire index, click "show index") From the main help index, you can view all the different help topics, as well as search by keywords and look for definitions within the glossary. Finally, there are help links next to certain items indicated with question marks. These links provide additional explanation or definitions of specific terms. Applicant Registration How do I access the online system for the first time? If you are a first time applicant, you will need to complete a simple registration process by creating a profile. You can create a profile by going to the AmeriCorps website ( clicking the link for "My AmeriCorps" on the home CNMI-PSS AmeriCorps How to Apply Online (FAQs) Page 1 of 16

2 page or in the "For Individuals" section and you will access the registration page. Then enter the required information and you are ready to begin. For a more detailed explanation on the profile process, see How do I create a profile? How do I register for My AmeriCorps? To complete your registration for My AmeriCorps, you must complete the last step within the creating a profile process. Once you have competed the first four steps of the profile process, you will receive an with an access link. To confirm, you received this , you must click on the access link provided within. This link will then connect you to the log in page. On this page, you will be asked to create a username and password. Once you have completed those step, click on the "Submit" button. You will then see your personalized homepage. Now that I am registered, how do I log in? Once you have registered, you may log in by proceeding to and logging in using the username and password you have created. What is the difference between registration and the login page? Registration only happens the first time you access the system. It is a way to check your credentials. Every time after your initial registration, you will log on to the system using the username and password you created. What if I don't have an address? My AmeriCorps requires that you have an active address to register because the system will send you the link to establish a username and password to access the system via . If you do not currently have an address, search the Internet for a service that provides free addresses. How do I create a username? Your username must contain 6-10 characters. Usernames are NOT case sensitive. How do I create a password? Your password must meet the following requirements: Must be at least 12 characters long Must contain at least one numeric digit CNMI-PSS AmeriCorps How to Apply Online (FAQs) Page 2 of 16

3 Must contain at least one special character (e.g. " # $ % & ' ( ) * +, -. / : ; < = [ \ ] ^ _ ` { } ~!) Must contain both upper and lower case letters Must not repeat any of your previous passwords Must not contain your username Should not contain a dictionary word Should not contain any proper noun or the name of any person, pet, child, fictional character, or any information that could be readily guessed about you (birth date, telephone number, employee number, SSN, etc.) Should not contain any simple pattern of letters or numbers, such as xyz123" or which are easy to type. What if I forget my password? If you do forget your password when you are logging in click on the Forgot your Password link on the login screen. You will be prompted to enter your username and address currently on record in your My AmeriCorps Portal account profile. In order to reset your password you must correctly answer one of your three personally selected security challenge questions which you previously provided. One of your three questions will be randomly displayed for you to answer. Your account will be locked after three failed attempts to answer any of your three security challenge questions correctly. In order to unlock your account you will have to call the National Service Hotline at When you have answered one of the questions correctly a temporary password will be ed to you. The temporary password is only valid for 24 hours before it expires. It is best to reset your password as soon as you receive your temporary password . If you believe the address in your account profile is no longer valid, send a request through Contact My AmeriCorps or call the National Service Hotline at to update your record with a valid address. Will my password expire? Yes, passwords expire every ninety days. If your password has expired, you will be asked to create a new password once you log in to My AmeriCorps. Why do you need my SSN? We need to check our records to determine if you have applied before or if you have served before and direct you to the appropriate information. Additionally, if you stated in your application that you are a citizen or national of the United States, we will use your SSN to verify your citizenship status with the Social Security CNMI-PSS AmeriCorps How to Apply Online (FAQs) Page 3 of 16

4 Administration. If the SSA cannot verify your statement in their records, you will be contacted to provide additional documentation. Why do you need my date of birth? Our programs require a minimum age. If you have served already this allows us to match this to the SSN and assure the validity of our records. Creating a Profile How do I create a profile? There are five main steps included in the profile process: Basic Information, Citizenship Information, Residence Information, Skills Information, and Username and Password set-up. You must provide complete and accurate information for each step. The final step of creating the profile is also the time at which you register for My AmeriCorps. After you have completed and submitted Steps 1-4, you will receive an containing an access link. Click on the link provided and it will allow you to create a username and password for the system. You must login and confirm within 72 hours. Ensure that you hit the "Next" button at the bottom of the screen before proceeding to the next step, otherwise information entered will be LOST. Why is creating a profile important? It is very important for an applicant to create an AmeriCorps profile. Your profile is an overview of general information about yourself, and the skill sets that you possess. Creating a profile allows you to save all program opportunities in which you are interested, and to come back at a later time to actually submit an application. Creating a profile also allows project sponsors to search for you, based off of the information and project preference you have entered. Also, your profile information will appear across all of your applications so that you don t have to reenter this basic information every time. How do I complete Step 1: Basic Information Enter your name exactly as it appears on your government-issued identification (e.g. driver s license, passport, etc.). If a middle initial/name appears on your government- CNMI-PSS AmeriCorps How to Apply Online (FAQs) Page 4 of 16

5 issued identification, enter it in the Middle Name field. Enter your Social Security Number (SSN), a nine digit number issued to citizens, nationals, or lawful permanent resident aliens. You must enter your date of birth (mm/dd/yyyy), for example 05/16/1982. You are also required to enter a valid address to register because the system will send you a link via to establish your username and password for the system. If you do not currently have an address, search the Internet for a service that provides free addresses. How do I complete Step 2: Background Information? Enter your current status as either U.S. Citizen, U.S. National, or Lawful Permanent Resident Alien. If you are lawful permanent resident alien, and you received your card after January 1987, enter your registration number and expiration date. Next, be sure to enter your City of Birth, State of Birth (if applicable), and Country of Birth. Proceed to enter your gender: male or female. Then you must fill out the Earliest Availability Date, the earliest date that you would be available to begin service on an AmeriCorps project. Make sure to enter in the correct format (mm/dd/yyyy), for example 04/14/1965. Finally, you must state whether or not you plan on moving within the next six months. If you are planning on moving, please specify the expected date of the move. Citizenship Status U.S. Citizen - One who was born either within the territory of the United States or to U.S. citizen parents. U.S. National - One who owes permanent allegiance to the United States. Lawful Permanent Resident Alien - One who is legally accorded the privilege of residing permanently in the United States. They may be issued visas by the Department of State overseas or adjusted to permanent resident status by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in the U.S. Availability Date This is the earliest possible time you would be available to begin service on an AmeriCorps project. CNMI-PSS AmeriCorps How to Apply Online (FAQs) Page 5 of 16

6 How do I complete Step 3: Residence Information? Begin by entering your current address including: street address, city, state, zip code, home and work phone numbers. If you have an international address, make sure to click on the red link "Is this a foreign (non-us) address? Click here" and enter the relevant information in the space provided. If your address is temporary, be sure to include a different permanent address where you can always be reached. For example, students often use their parent s address as their permanent address while at school. To use your current address as your permanent address, click on the link provided in the upper right-hand corner of the permanent address box. How do I complete Step 4: Skills Information? Using the choices available in the drop-down menu, begin by selecting the highest level of education that you will have completed by the time you are planning to serve in AmeriCorps. Indicate whether you speak any foreign languages, English not included, by clicking "Yes" or "No." If you marked "Yes," select from the drop-down menu the language spoken and your current fluency. If you speak more than one foreign language, click on the "Add Another" button and choose the appropriate responses from the dropdown menus. Specify whether you hold a valid driver s license by selecting "Yes" or "No." Next you will see a list of skill areas that some programs find useful and may seek in AmeriCorps applicants. Indicate the skill areas in which you have had training or experience by checking the box next to each skill that applies. There is also a space provided below for any other interests or additional information that might be helpful in evaluating your application. Highest Level of Education Attained This is the highest level of education you will have completed by the time you plan to serve in AmeriCorps. How do I complete Step 5: Username and Password? You must create a Username. Usernames must contain 6-10 characters. Usernames are NOT case sensitive. CNMI-PSS AmeriCorps How to Apply Online (FAQs) Page 6 of 16

7 By leaving the "Allow Profile to be Searchable" box checked, you are granting the program sponsors access to view your profile. This can help expedite the placement process if program sponsors are actively looking for applicants. By leaving the "Receive Notifications" box checked, you allow the AmeriCorps program to send updates regarding new projects posted that match your skill set or about changes made to your account or the online system in genera How to Set Up the Security Challenge Questions Page? On the Security Challenge Questions screen you are required to select a question and provide an answer for three security challenge questions. You will be required to correctly answer one of your personally selected security challenge questions if you need to reset your password. For each security challenge question make a selection from the dropdown list displayed when you click on the question field. After selecting your question provide a response in the Answer field below the question that will be easy for you to remember if you forget your password. As previously mentioned, you will be required to provide a correct answer to one of these three questions before your password can be reset. Your answer must follow these rules: All three questions must be selected and answered. No one answer can exceed 50 characters. All three answers must contain at least one alpha-numeric character. All three questions must have unique answer responses. After you have provided answers that follow all of the rules mentioned above for all three questions you will be able to save your responses by clicking on the Submit button. How do I edit my profile? If you need to make edits to any portion of your profile, click the red "Edit Profile" link located under "My Information" on your homepage.. After you have made all the necessary changes, click the "Save" button at the bottom of the page. Make sure and review your updated Profile to ensure that all edits were accurately recorded. How do I update my name, date of birth, or Social Security number? To protect your privacy, CNCS requires that you speak with a staff member to change either your name, date of birth or Social Security number. You may send a request by clicking "Contact My AmeriCorps" or you may also contact AmeriCorps by calling CNMI-PSS AmeriCorps How to Apply Online (FAQs) Page 7 of 16

8 Education Status Select which is your highest level of education. If you select Some college, you will be asked to identify which institution you most recently attended. If you select Associates degree, College graduate, or Graduate degree, you will be asked to identify which institution granted you your degree. To identify the institution, enter information into at least one of the fields in the search box that appears: Name, City, State, Zip, or Country. When you click Search you will get a list of institutions. If the institution you attended is in the list, select it. If not, you can close the search form and manually enter the name of the institution you attended. AmeriCorps Application Process How do I complete an application? Once you found an opportunity that interests you, you must complete the application to be considered as a candidate for such opportunity. To apply for a project, click on the "Apply" button located at the bottom of the Project Description Page. The application process consists of nine steps including: employment history, skills and experience information, community service information, education information, motivational statement, criminal history, optional information, references, and certification form. If you are applying for a team leader position, you must make sure to fill out the team leader application, which requires the completion of additional information. You must provide complete and accurate information for each step. Ensure that you hit the "Next" button at the bottom of the screen before proceeding to the next step, otherwise information entered will be LOST. You may also request a paper application by calling AmeriCorps at How do I complete the employment history? Beginning with your most current or recent position, please list the past four positions you have held, or the last ten years of employment you have held. Be sure to also include all self-employment, internships/fellowships, home management, and full and part-time paid or unpaid work experience. For each position entered, be sure to complete the name and address of the employer including: the organization's name, city and state where it is located, as well as your supervisor s name, , and phone number. Under the job title and duties section, be sure to include the title that you held while working at that organization, all the duties you were responsible for while in that position, and if applicable, the reason for leaving that position. Then you must fill out the dates and times which you held such position. Be sure to enter your start date, your end date (if applicable), and the CNMI-PSS AmeriCorps How to Apply Online (FAQs) Page 8 of 16

9 average number of hours worked per week. Once you have completed entering all required information, press "Add Another Job" located at the bottom of the page, to add additional employment experiences. Use the space provided at the bottom of the page to offer an explanation regarding any period of time you could not be accounted for by AmeriCorps, the Peace Corps, work, school, or military service. You may also provide an explanation of why you do not have any employment history. How do I complete the skills and experience information? When you created your profile, you selected different skills in which you have training or experience, including volunteer or community service experience. For each of the skills you have selected, provide a description of how you acquired those particular skills. How do I complete the community service information? Describe how you have reached out to others and/or how you have been involved in your own community. Include an explanation of why you decided to serve/get involved, what you learned from the experience, and how it made you feel. Think in broad terms. There is a 200 word limit. Next, describe how you have reached out to help others and/or how you have been involved in your own community. This could include any involvement in neighborhood, school, religious, social, professional, or other volunteer groups. You may also include any previous AmeriCorps experience you ve had. Begin by listing your most recent activity first. Be sure to include the name of the organization, for which you volunteered, as well as the organization s address and phone number. Then in the space provided, please provide a description (200 word maximum) of your service with such organization. Also be sure to include your dates of involvement including your starting and ending date, as well as the average hours per month you participated in the organization. If you need to enter more than one example, simply press "Add Another" located at the bottom of the page. If you do not have any community service experience, check the "I Do Not Have Community Service Experience" box located at the bottom of the page and press "Next." CNMI-PSS AmeriCorps How to Apply Online (FAQs) Page 9 of 16

10 How do I complete the education information? Begin by selecting the highest level of education, you wish to have completed by the time you plan on serving in AmeriCorps, by selecting the circle located next to the corresponding degree. You may only choose one. Next, enter all schools after high school that you have attended, including trade or technical schools, military training, and employment training programs. Make sure and fill out all fields: Name of School, Location of School, Start Date at school, End date at school, Area of Study, Type of Degree or Certificate received/expected, and the Date certificate was received/is expected. Begin with the most recent first. If you need to add another school, click on the "Add Another" button at the bottom left-hand of the page and an additional field will appear. If you do not have any post-secondary education, please check the box located at the bottom of the page and press "Next." How do I complete the motivational statement? We would like to understand more about you and your reasons for applying to AmeriCorps. Take a few minutes and consider those experiences which have made you the person you are today. Please share with us one of these experiences and how it sparked your interest in community service. Limit your total response to 500 words. How do I complete criminal history questionnaire? AmeriCorps strives to maintain a safe and productive working environment, assigning members who do not present a risk to their service partners, particularly vulnerable members of the community. AmeriCorps requires a comprehensive criminal history check to help assist in determining the suitability of applicants, who will be working with vulnerable populations. Any misrepresentation or omission of information provided on this application will disqualify you from consideration. Select either "Yes" or "No" for both questions located in the middle of the page. If you selected "Yes" for one or both of the questions, provide the following information for your conviction/adjudications: Date, City and State, Charge, Action Taken (what was the conviction/sentence- the outcome of your trial), Name of Court, Probation, or Parole Officer, and Officer s phone number. If you have had multiple convictions/adjudications, click on "Add Another" and fill out the appropriate information for each. If you answered "No" to BOTH questions, save this page and proceed to the next portion of the application. CNMI-PSS AmeriCorps How to Apply Online (FAQs) Page 10 of 16

11 How do I complete the demographic information? You are required to answer each demographic question to submit your form. For the questions on racial origin, veteran status, and how you heard about AmeriCorps, select all options that apply to you. For the questions on sex, voter registration, and ethnic origin, select one option. How do I complete the reference information? If you have already created references, please choose the two references you would like to submit with your AmeriCorps application by checking the boxes located next to their names located on the right-hand side of the page. You may only submit two references per application. If you would like to create a new reference, please see How do I create a reference? for more information. How do I complete the certification page? The purpose of the certification page is to ensure that you have provided accurate information throughout each portion of the application. If it is found that you have provided false information on the AmeriCorps application, it may result in the disqualification of your application or your termination after your acceptance. Read though this page carefully to ensure a full understanding of all terms regarding this application. If you are comfortable with the information entered and the terms of the application, click on "Next." If you have questions regarding the certification page, click on "Contact My AmeriCorps". A help request form will open in a new window. Complete the help request form and submit. How do I complete the Team Leader Application? If you want to apply for a Team Leader position, you will need to indicate this at the beginning of the application process because you will have to provide additional information. Once you have reached this section of the application you will need to begin by selecting "Yes" or "No" as to whether you are a U.S. citizen, a U.S. national, or a lawful permanent resident alien. Next you must select the semester for which you would like to begin your service using the choices provided in the drop-down menu. Once you have selected the semester for which you are applying, you must then select the campus to which you d like to apply by checking the appropriate box. Then in the space provided, describe your leadership, supervision, and teaching experiences, the challenges you faced at each, and what you learned from each of these experiences. You may not enter more than 1000 words. CNMI-PSS AmeriCorps How to Apply Online (FAQs) Page 11 of 16

12 In the following space provided, explain how your participation as a team leader will strengthen AmeriCorps NCCC, as well as what you hope to gain from this experience, and how the team leader experience will further your personal and professional goals. You may not enter more than 1000 words for each personal statement. Once you have entered all the information required on this page, press the "Next" button. Application References Who does AmeriCorps consider a valid reference? You should select people who know you well and who are familiar with your personal background, education, employment, and/or professional skills. You should not ask a family member, peer, classmate, co-worker, or friend to serve as a reference. Consider asking work supervisors, clergy, teachers, counselors, coaches, or someone else familiar with your motivation and community involvement. How do I create a reference? Once you have decided who you would like to use as a reference and have gathered the necessary information, you may create a reference by clicking on "References" on the left-hand side tool bar. Once there, click on "Create New" located at the bottom of the page. Proceed to enter in the name, address, organization for which they work, as well as their title, address, and phone number of your reference. Make sure all information you have entered is correct, then click on the red link located below the information you have entered, to send a reference request to your contact. Once you have entered the information, your reference should appear on the "References" homepage. You now may choose to use this reference for any of your applications. If you are in the process of creating an application, and you have not entered references, the system will prompt you to do so before allowing you to submit the application. How many references can I enter? You many enter up to four different references, but only two references are required for each application. CNMI-PSS AmeriCorps How to Apply Online (FAQs) Page 12 of 16

13 How many references do I need? For each AmeriCorps Application, you must submit two different references. You may use the same reference for each application. What happens if I have more than two references? When you are applying to a certain AmeriCorps program, select TWO of your listed references by checking the boxes located to the right of their names. You may only choose two references per application. How do I know if my reference responded? For each application, each of the references you have selected will be listed under the "References" homepage.. Next to each of their names will be a status of the reference you submitted to them to complete under the column "Completed." The following are a list of statuses and their definitions: Yes: A reference has fully completed a reference request. No: A reference has not complete a reference request. If there is no response from a selected reference, can I resend the reference request? Yes, you are able to resend the reference request, if a reference has not replied to your original request. If you would like to resend, click on the application for which this situation applies, click on the reference that you would like to resend the form to, and click "Resend" located at the bottom of the page. Can I change my references, once I have submitted the application? You may only change a reference, if a program sponsor has not contacted such reference and/or a reference has not responded to your request. How do I delete references? From your homepage, click "References" on the left-hand side tool bar. You will see all the references that you have entered on this page. For each reference you would like to delete, click the corresponding box on the right-hand side of the page. Once you have selected all the references to be deleted, click the "Delete" button located at the bottom of the page. The refreshed "References" page should now show those persons deleted. CNMI-PSS AmeriCorps How to Apply Online (FAQs) Page 13 of 16

14 Application Submission What happens once an application is submitted? Once you have submitted an application, the AmeriCorps sponsor on that particular project will review your application, along with others that have applied for that position. Once a decision has been made you will be notified regarding whether you have been accepted to join that program. You may track the status of your application through your online My AmeriCorps homepage. How do I know the status of my application? You may view the status of your application, by logging into your account and viewing the applications you have submitted on your homepage. Next to each of the applications submitted will be a status that will indicate where you are in the application process. The following are the possible application statuses and their definitions: Submitted: The applicant has submitted their application for a project, but it has yet to be reviewed by the AmeriCorps sponsor. Under Review: The applicant has submitted their application, and it is in the process of being reviewed by the AmeriCorps sponsor. Selected: The applicant has been selected for a certain project, and an offer to join has been extended. Waitlisted: The applicant who is still waiting to hear whether they have been selected or rejected for a program. Assigned: The applicant has been assigned to one of NCCC's regional campuses. Withdrawn: The applicant has withdrawn their application for a certain project, either because they have accepted to serve on another project or if they personally withdrew their application for consideration on a particular project. Rejected: The applicant has not been selected to the project for which they applied. Declined: The applicant has declined to participate in the NCCC program. Disqualified: The applicant has been disqualified from serving in the NCCC program. CNMI-PSS AmeriCorps How to Apply Online (FAQs) Page 14 of 16

15 Deferred: The applicant has been deferred from serving in the NCCC program for medical and/or legal reasons, and may be reinstated in the application process in an upcoming term. Pending State Office Approval: The applicant has accepted to serve on a particular project, but approval from state office has yet to be completed. Approved: The applicant has accepted to serve on a particular project, and the state office has approved. How do you know if you have been selected for a project? Under the application status found on your homepage, you will see a list of all projects for which you have applied. Next to those applications will be your current status, which will indicate where you are in the application process. If you have been selected for a project you will see "Selected" under your current status. See the other possible application statuses and their definitions on the previous page. What happens if you are selected for more than one project? Currently not applicable (N/A) for the CNMI-PSS AmeriCorps Program Applicants. Contact My AmeriCorps How do I submit a question to Contact My AmeriCorps? Click on the Contact My AmeriCorps link located at the top of the page. A help request form will open in a new window. Complete the help request form and submit. What is Contact My AmeriCorps? If you require additional help or have additional questions which cannot be answered by online help, you may click on the link "Contact My AmeriCorps" located at the top of the page and submit your question(s) to AmeriCorps for a timely response. This form is available to all users, whether or not you have created a profile. However, if you have an account by registering though the profile process, you can see the status or action taken in response to your request or question at the bottom of your screen. This will include the date, action taken, and who completed such action. CNMI-PSS AmeriCorps How to Apply Online (FAQs) Page 15 of 16

16 SSN and Citizenship Validation: SSN and Citizenship Validation Status The following are the status codes and their meaning for both the Social Security Number (SSN) and citizenship validation status code showing on your Basic Information screen: Pending Your information is being verified for Social Security number status or citizenship. Your status in MyAmeriCorps will be automatically updated within three business days. Pending Manual Verification The Corporation for National and Community Service was unable to automatically verify your Social Security number or citizenship status based on the information provided in your application and any follow up materials. Please contact the CNMI-PSS AmeriCorps Program at telephone number (670) or the Program Director at Verified Your information has been verified on the date listed. Manually Verified Your information has been manually verified on the date listed. Manually Returned - The Corporation for National and Community Service received insufficient paperwork to verify your Social Security number or citizenship status. Please contact the CNMI-PSS AmeriCorps Program at telephone number (670) or the Program Director at victoria.nicholas@cnmipss.org. Returned - The Corporation for National and Community Service was unable to automatically verify your Social Security number or citizenship status based on the information provided in your application. Please contact the CNMI-PSS AmeriCorps Program at telephone number (670) or the Program Director at victoria.nicholas@cnmipss.org. Cannot Be Verified All possible actions have been taken to achieve verification and it is currently not possible to verify the data. Previously Served - This individual has prior service and will not need their SSN and Citizenship verified unless requested by CNCS. CNMI-PSS AmeriCorps How to Apply Online (FAQs) Page 16 of 16