Getting Selected

I got the word on Canada Day 2013!  I have been accepted in to the IBM Corporate Service Corps

Dear Mark Gallant:

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into the Corporate Service Corps (CSC) program. You will be joining nearly 2,400 IBMers who have served in the CSC, many of whom have described their experiences as life-changing. Your assignment will be very rewarding and challenging, providing an immersion experience in strategic emerging markets while reinforcing cultural adaptability and global teaming skills. You will be prepared for your assignment through a three month preparatory curriculum which includes weekly conference calls with your team. This will require approximately 3-4 hours per week and should not interfere with your day job. Your assignment will consist of four weeks "on the ground" in country in which you will be completely focused on your assignment, team and cultural experience..........

So there it was. I'm in! This was my second time applying; I had done so previously and unsuccessfully in 2010 and had not thought about it much after taking on a new job later that year.  The trigger for re-applying was being invited and hearing a presentation from an IBM Halifax colleague and friend Rick Power. Rick is one of the sharpest guys I know and he had been to India for CSC in 2012. He described it as one of the best experiences he's had in his life and part of his responsibility after coming back was spreading the gospel of the CSC experience.  Letting people know and create awareness about the program.

Rick Power and Cochin India CSC- 16. That's Rick bottom Centre

Rick did a great job of taking us through his slides and generated quite a bit of enthusiasm amongst the attendees. Great pictures of his adventure and he spoke passionately about what he saw, the people he met and what was accomplished.  Think Tony Robbins with a very slight Newfoundland accent!  Even though one of his slides showed a "rat temple" (pause to shudder) in India, I was able to get by that and decided to apply just before the annual deadline.

Rick's CSC had elephants!! I'm even more interested! Maybe they can step on the rats 

On the topic of applying. Of course you have to run that by your manager since the program does take you away from your normal job for a month.  Not everyone has the time, personal or work wise to do this and I expect it would be very difficult for a lot of people to consider. Fortunately my situation allowed it and my manager and my wife were supportive of at least trying and worrying about the logistics later.

When I started my application, it asked for Geographic preferences. Southeast Asia was one of the top spots I had listed, though I would have been happy to pretty much go anywhere.


This is not to discourage anyone but yes there is some work involved. It was like applying for a job or to a good University. I recall their being 5 questions, designed to find out a lot about you in essay form. There was a word limit so brevity in getting the message across was required; of course I kept going over the limits. After writing and re-writing about 3-4 times it was over to the committee for evaluation which takes several months to look at all of the applications. 

I am not 100% why I was selected; there are people far sharper then me for sure!  I can say that I did take quite a good bit of time on the application.  Was it the Boy Scout past? Helping little old ladies across the street? That I am Pro- World Peace? :-) I'll never know but I have been given the opportunity and certainly very appreciative of the selection and the vote of confidence!

The project will not take place until some time in 2014 so the new year will be a bit in limbo.  I will need to set aside a lot of time but hope to hear soon.  Where will I go.....when will I go..... what will I do;  will I have the skills to help out ? Stay tuned.