Flash Forward Your Nonprofit Career

by Rosetta Thurman

categories: Professional Development, Young Professionals

Published October 30, 2009 @ 06:14AM PT

Millions have been tuning in each week for the new ABC hit show, Flash Forward. It's a fascinating drama that makes everyone think about the future. The main premise of the show is that:

A mysterious event causes everyone on the planet to simultaneously lose consciousness for 137 seconds, during which people see what appear to be visions of their lives approximately six months in the future - a global "flashforward". A team of Los Angeles FBI agents, led by Stanford Wedeck (Vance) and spearheaded by Mark Benford (Fiennes), begin the process of determining what happened, why, and whether it will happen again.

Watching the show, you can't help but wonder what your own life will be like in six months. Where will you be financially, romantically, health-wise, career-wise? So let's play along with the drama for a moment. What do you want your nonprofit career to look like in six months? Visualizing what you want is the first step to making it happen. Otherwise, you can be stuck in the same pattern you're in right now. You may even end up feeling bruised and bloody like the photo of Flash Forward's main character above if you don't do something about your career right here, right now. What do you see for yourself in six months?

• More responsibility? Get promoted.
• Better pay? Ask for a raise. Or, consider a slash career.
• Greater leadership experience? Join a nonprofit board of directors.
• Improved management skills? Get some professional development or learn from your peers.
• Bigger network of colleagues? Join the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network chapter in your city.
• More benefits? Negotiate these five additions.

For more ideas, check out this list of 44 ways to advance your nonprofit career. Now get busy! There is a lot you can do for your nonprofit career in six months.

Photo credit: Sci-Fi Scoop

The Secret to Successful Networking: Make Yourself Memorable

by Rosetta Thurman

categories: Networking, Personal Branding

Published October 23, 2009 @ 04:55PM PT

The key to building a great reputation is to make sure people know who you are in the first place. If you can sell yourself as someone nonprofits would want to hire, it becomes easier not only to get hired, but also to find out about jobs that may never even be advertised in the first place. You know by now how important networking is to a job search, but if no one ever remembers meeting you, all those happy hours and business card exchanges may all be in vain.

Case in point. Last night I attended the DC Young Nonprofit Professionals Network's anniversary reception hosted at the White House. Buffy Wicks, Deputy Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement opened her remarks by asking a few folks in the audience to share the names of some of the nonprofits they worked for. I remember one young African American man that said he was with a nonprofit called Dreaming Out Loud. I remembered the confidence and pride in his voice and I ended up running into him at the happy hour afterwards. It turned out that the young man's name was Chris Bradshaw and he was the Founder and Executive Director of the organization. The passion he displayed in talking about his work with youth was quite moving and I ended up looking up the nonprofit on Google when I got home that night to see how I could get involved.

I remembered Chris Bradshaw, even hours after I had met him. And being memorable can do wonders for your reputation. People will go to bat for you later on if you can stamp a good first impression in their minds. As Naomi Christine Leapheart of Philadelphia Young Nonprofit Leaders recently advised:

Invite yourself to everything (like free nonprofit events and conferences) and make a valuable contribution when you get there. Ask a compelling question or make a comment during Q & A portion of the event.

Speaking up at events and sharing your passion for nonprofit work can definitely enhance your presence at networking events. So the next time you head out to a nonprofit event, think about how you can convey your knowledge and enthusiasm for nonprofit work while you're there. Because simply showing up at a happy hour isn't enough if you don't do or say anything that people will remember.

Photo credit: Customers Rock

The Wrong Way to Brand Yourself on Facebook and Twitter

by Rosetta Thurman

category: Personal Branding

Published October 21, 2009 @ 03:24PM PT

I've written quite a bit about personal branding on this blog, and I'm happy to see that in the social media space, I'm starting to see more and more young professionals sharing their interests in the nonprofit sector. On Facebook and Twitter, young nonprofit workers are making connections with each other and posting resources and information online. If you're reading this, I hope you at least have a Facebook account. I'll give you a late pass if you're not on Twitter yet, but you'll need to hurry up and read my post on how young professionals can get started using Twitter. Social media can be important tool for building your professional reputation, but only if you do it right. Are you branding yourself the wrong way?

Do You Post Negative Messages...All the Time?

It's cool to find other people you can commiserate with online. That's the beauty of having such a diverse community on the Internetz. But, after a while, it gets old for your friends and followers to read how messed up your life is. Everyone has their bad days, but if all day long you're posting negative updates, it's unlikely that people will want to listen to you on the off chance that you DO have something brilliant to say or some useful resource to share. True story: I am Facebook friends with someone who works for an awesome organization. But all she ever posts is miserable status messages. All day long, she's "having a bad day at work" or "can't sleep tonight" or "wish I could have fun this weekend, but I have to work" or "need some sleep, I'm so tired" or "work, work, and more work" and so on. Very rarely does she post anything informative or inspiring. So I hid her updates. I was getting depressed just reading them.

Have You Been Oversharing a Bit Too Much?

My viewpoint on being professional vs. personal online is that you have to share things from your personal life in order to make it easier for people to trust you in professional life. You have to stop trying to be two different people. I've also written about how the power of the overshare can help you connect with others in the workplace. But, like with all things, too much can actually be a bad thing. If you want to maintain some semblance of privacy in terms of your future boss knowing certain things about you that could be used against you later, I wouldn't post anything like this:

Are You Posting Anything Useful Related to the Nonprofit World?

It's really hard to build a strong personal brand for yourself if you never talk about your skills, experiences, and what you know about the field in which you work. If you're on Facebook or Twitter, you should be posting links to different events your nonprofit is hosting, or news items about nonprofits, volunteerism, or philanthropy. You could even share articles written about your organization, community, or clients. Your status messages should show not only that you have a glowing personality, but that you know your stuff and you're on top of what's happening in the nonprofit arena. People will begin to respect your wealth of knowledge and come to know you as an expert, not just someone who's taking her dog for a walk and about to eat Cheerios for dinner.

If you don't care about your online presence, throw my advice out the window. But if you want to build a strong personal brand to enhance your nonprofit career, you should think through how you want to be perceived before you post that next tweet. What have your experiences been in building a name for yourself through social media?

Photo credit: Wikimedia.org

How HandsOn Network Can Help You Build Your Nonprofit Resume

by Rosetta Thurman

Published October 16, 2009 @ 06:08PM PT

You've gone to school, earned a great GPA, but you're still going to have a rough time landing the nonprofit job of your dreams. Why? Because you have no experience. Like at all. As in, you've never stepped foot in a nonprofit ever. Oh sure, you dropped a few quarters into the Salvation Army bucket during the holidays, but that doesn't count. Neither does buying Girl Scout cookies. What you need to move your resume to the top of the pile is some evidence that you know something about working in a nonprofit organization. Even if you really haven't. That's where a good volunteer leadership experience can help. Notice I said volunteer leadership, not just a simple volunteer experience where you helped clean up a river. I mean, an experience where you actually made things happen. A time when you were the one running the show. I know what you're thinking. How are you supposed to find such a golden opportunity? Cue up the happy movie music. Today is your lucky day. Meet the HandsOn Network.

HandsOn Network inspires, equips and mobilizes people to take action that changes the world. Through our network of more than 250 HandsOn Action Centers, you can find volunteer projects and programs that align your passion with real needs in your local community. You can get trained to become a volunteer leader, or you can use your professional skills to get a local non-profit organization on track. The options are endless. Our Action Centers are in more than 250 communities across the country and 11 international locations. They reach 83% of the population, facilitating more than 30,000 projects a month.

Our network also includes more than 70,000 nonprofit, faith, education and community-based organizations. There truly is something for everyone who wishes to engage in service. If you don't see something you like, don't worry - your local HandsOn Action Center will help you design, develop and manage a project that really gets your blood pumping!

Sound pretty groovy? I thought you might like it. To get in on the action, the first thing you need to do is find your local center and check out the volunteer opportunities available and sign up for a few shifts with the type of nonprofit you'd like to work for. But don't just stop there. Offer to be the team leader for the volunteer assignments you choose. You will be responsible for organizing the other volunteers, coordinating with the nonprofit you'll be working with, and communicating with the staff of that particular volunteer action center. And when it's all over and done, be sure to type it all up on your resume. Under "Leadership Experience." Has a nice ring to it, yes?

Take Advantage of the Nonprofit Network You May Already Have

by Rosetta Thurman

category: Job Hunt Strategy

Published October 14, 2009 @ 01:58PM PT

Many young professionals that are looking for jobs right now in the nonprofit sector often complain, "If only I knew someone, I could get my foot in the door." Most of the time, this sentiment is not entirely accurate. When people say this, it is not because they really don't know anyone, it's because they haven't yet taken full advantage of the network they already have.

When I first came to DC as a recent college grad, I was desperately seeking a nonprofit job that paid enough so I didn't have to live with a roommate. I sent emails to my family, friends, and professors asking them to help me if they could. In the process, I found out that one of my cousins worked for one of the largest nonprofit associations in the city (and just happened to have an Executive Assistant opening) and that one of my professors had a contact at the United Way, one of the places I wanted to work. You may find that you have dozens of "hidden" connections like this within your own "inner circle" of people that you know. The point is to open the doors of opportunity for yourself by letting people know you need help. Especially if they already know you and what an amazing person you are, they will be more than happy to assist you in your job search if they are able.

The key is to stop thinking of your network as people who already have a job in the field in which you want to work. Your professional network actually includes your family, classmates, your alumni association, and even all of your parent's friends. Your mom's hairdresser may be a volunteer troop leader for the Girl Scouts and can introduce you to the CEO of the local council. Who knows? Once you expand your horizons, a ton of connections may come into your path.

How have YOU used your "inner circle" to help you finds leads to nonprofit jobs?

Photo credit

October is Nonprofit Career Month!

by Rosetta Thurman

category: Professional Development

Published October 09, 2009 @ 01:22PM PT

The good folks over at Idealist.org have launched a new initiative that’s going to be great for the nonprofit sector in getting the next generation of leaders involved with careers in social change. According to their website:

Nonprofit Career Month promotes the number and diversity of career opportunities in the nation’s nonprofit sector. Driven by the collective contributions of the nonprofit community, the campaign dispels common myths about nonprofit work, provides individuals with entry points to the sector, and allows current and aspiring nonprofit professionals to share expertise.

The new website boasts a plethora of resources for people looking to learn more about nonprofit careers, including guest blogs written by folks currently working in the nonprofit field. Check out some of the goodies below:

• Making the Most of your Nonprofit Internship by Elizabeth Clawson
• Launching a Career in Social Change: Résumé and Cover Letter Tips for College Grads by Allison Jones
• Resources to Jump Start Your Nonprofit Career by Tera Wozniak Qualls

I highly encourage you to check out the Nonprofit Career Month website if you want to make the leap into nonprofit work. The initiative is in its pilot year, so go ahead and let Idealist.org know what you think!

Beyond Salary: Five Factors to Consider When Choosing Your Ideal Nonprofit Job

by Rosetta Thurman

categories: Job Hunt Strategy, Salaries & Benefits

Published October 07, 2009 @ 01:07PM PT

You: a brilliant, energetic young professional who wants to make a difference in the world. What you're looking for: a nonprofit job that can turn into a fulfilling career with a salary that doesn't put you into the poorhouse. If you're reading this blog, chances are you already know where to find a nonprofit job: Jobs for Change, Idealist.org, and Opportunity Knocks, just to name a few. The problem is that you may not know what to look for once you apply for the job and start the process of determining whether you want to take the job or not. And salary is only one factor. While you may be offered a great salary, you may end up with crappy benefits or a toxic workplace. You may find a job you're really excited about, but the end of the day, no matter what the mission, or how much you may like your co-workers, you have to make sure the job will be beneficial to your long-term career goals and personal wellbeing. If you dive in headfirst without thinking it through, you could end up hating your nonprofit job. Here are ten things (beyond salary) that you should look for in a nonprofit job. Try to negotiate them into your offer before you agree to take a position.

• Generous vacation time: meaning at least four weeks off a year. Your work will, at times, be very difficult and you will need a break. A long one. More than just two weeks once a year. Make sure you have enough time allocated so that you can enjoy your time off. If you're offered just two weeks, ask for four as part of a counter offer, especially if the salary is not ideal.
• Fully paid health benefits: meaning health, dental, vision covered by the organization. You don't want to worry about how your doctor bills are going to get paid. I once met a young woman who worked in an arts organization that refused to provide her with even basic coverage. She was broke, miserable, and resented her job every time she got sick and had to come out of pocket. It was a lose/lose situation for everyone.
• Flexible scheduling: offers the option to switch up your hours when you need to, work from home periodically, or hold a slash career (part-time job to supplement your salary or learn new skills). What if you need to leave at 3pm to pick up your sick kid? You don't want to work in a place that frowns upon work/life balance, even if that means you need to come into work on Tuesdays at 10am because you have a personal trainer or do yoga those mornings
• 403b retirement account: an employer plan set-up to allow you to save for retirement. It's best if the organization offers some kind of match in addition to your contributions. It makes your money grow faster! And knowing that your nonprofit cares about your long-term financial future will only make you more loyal to the organization.
• Professional development opportunities: a set amount in the budget for staff to attend conferences or workshops to hone their skills. In these tough economic times, many nonprofits will tell you they've cut their professional development budgets. But if there's an annual conference you really want to attend (like one hosted by your state's nonprofit association), work the cost into your salary negotiations. Or offer to come back to the office and train all the other staff on what you learned at a particular workshop session.

In my nonprofit career, I've learned that everything is negotiable, especially if you have the kind of exceptional talent that the organization needs to succeed. If you can sell yourself really well, the door will be open to getting the best benefits to accompany your salary. In the end, it's all about what's important to YOU/ What are some other factors you've used in choosing the ideal nonprofit job?

Photo credit: Woman's Day