BUNAC Work America Diaries; The nitty gritty of paperwork

So because i can't tell you what to fill in on all the forms, because each one is individual to you, this will be a relatively short post!

To get to the page to see what you need to upload, just login to your BUNAC account, and then click on either 'Upload', or the 'supporting documents' with a little red 'x' next to it on the right. This takes you to a new page showing what you need to upload, what's been uploaded and is being reviewed, what's been accepted, and if you're like me and a bit silly sometimes, what's been rejected. If something says 'rejected' next to it after you upload it, there should be a reason next to it.

 Proof of student status
I emailed the 'Student Service Centre' of my university, and provided them with information such as name, student number, and registered home address, with which they were were able to prove i was a student there, I was then forwarded a scanned copy of a letter which met BUNAC's standards in a email!
You can also go in during a lecture and get a lecturer or someone high up to fill in the example letter BUNAC provide you with.

 Passport photocopy
Simple, if you have your passport with you at uni, and have access to a scanner, then just do it whenever you have the spare time. I however didn't have my passport, so had to phone home, get my dad to scan it in and email it as an attachment PDF to me. Make sure the writing is legible, they wont accept it if there is smudged food or ink across it, or if the letters and numbers are blurry or out of focus!
Also make sure it will be in date by at least 4 months from the date you are planning on returning home from the US.

 CIEE Work & Travel application
         &CIEE Application Addendum
This isn't difficult to fill out at all, it's just tedious and takes time. There is a supplement help document on the right hand side of the uploading page which will talk you through the harder questions.
The reason I had problems with this was the signature. BUNAC don't allow what's known as a 'digital signature' which I know as a technical thing that is like an fingerprint for using online. I then presumed it would be okay for me to sign a separate piece of paper, take a clear picture of it and then paste it onto the CIEE form.
This was then rejected and sent back to me with the advise 'we don't accept digital signatures'. I don't have access to a scanner at uni so had to wait until I went home the next time and do it then. I then uploaded the form again, but managed to forget to date one of the boxes, so again it was returned to me and i filled it in, and uploaded it again.
Eventually it was accepted, i let out a sigh of relief, and thought 'i wonder how much of an idiot BUNAC think i am!'
The 'Addendum' is similar, print it out, sign where it tells you, and then scan it back in and upload to the BUNAC website.

 Employer Job Form
Once I had accepted a job offer, the employer asked for my Job form, and i sent her this. She then filled it in with all the necessary details and emailed it back to me, and I just uploaded it.


EASY.

BUNAC Work America Diaries; Interviews

As mentioned in the previous post, within a few days, i had multiple interview scheduled. Obviously, a skype interview is different to a face to face interview. I don't think i got as stressed out as i have in previous job interviews, because i had multiple lined up.

The format was similar on them all, the employer asked how I was, we discussed how sunny it was there and how I am very jealous, I got a few compliments on my accent and I had to bite my tongue from imitating their accent, because I generally pick up other twangs easily!

The actual interview questions were so informal, asking about the previous experience i had relating to the job in question, and even if I didn't have any in that particular field I blabbed my way through it, emphasising how I was a fast learning and thrived in a busy stimulating environment (These seem to be useful key phrases to throw into any interview!).

BUNAC Work America Diaries; Job Hunting and Resume

Once i had signed up and paid my deopsit of £100, I was then granted access to BUNAC's very own 'Online Job Store' which held adverts posted from multiple companies over the whole of the United States.

I think i did this the wrong way round, most people uploaded supporting documents and applied for the embassy appointment to get their VISA approved before applying for jobs, but you know, i like to be original, make your own path.

The majority of the employers on the job zone are large scale businesses such as country clubs, theme parks, hotels, or food serving shops, so quite easy labour, nothing highly skilled. It also means that each job advert has many places within it for lots of different people to be signed up.

BUNAC Work America Diaries; Taking the Plunge

Just under three weeks ago, i decided to sign up to the BUNAC Work America scheme, after humming and hawing for about 3 months. On the website, it shows you the choice of places to go, including Canada, New Zealand and Australia. Its available to UK students over the age of 18, and is an alternative to working with young kids all summer at Camp America style adventures.

The reason it took me 3 months to finally sign up, was because I couldn't find much on the actual process that i would take after signing up, there was lots of people like me posting on forums asking previous BUNAC'ers what their opinions of it was, or asking if anyone else had signed up for 2014, but no-one posting a step by step what they did either in previous years or this year.

Because of this, i decided i would share with you guys my experience, right from the word go.