This is a guest post by Laura Zabel, executive director of Springboard for the Arts, an organization out of St.Paul, Minnesota which connects artists with resources. Laura previously appeared on my radio show for the special episode, A Day in the Life of a Young Nonprofit Executive Director.
When I present at conferences or meet with people who are interested in nonprofit careers, there is always at least someone who asks me, “So, how’d you get that job?” When I first started 5 years ago, this question stung a bit (in the same category as “Wow, you’re younger than I expected.”) But now, as I’ve proved to myself that I can do this job, I see that people are just genuinely curious about my career path and how, after holding positions as an executive assistant and then a development manager at mid-size organizations, I came to be the executive director of a 20 year old organization at 30. So, I’ve tried to pull some useful tips from my experience for other emerging leaders hoping to make the transition to an executive director role:
- Apply for it. That’s my flip answer, but it’s also true. I think sometimes, emerging leaders spend a lot of time pointing out how few younger executive directors there are in the field and assuming that no one would hire them for those positions without actually going for it and throwing their hat in the ring. I remember very clearly reading the job description for my position to my husband and telling him, “That’s like my dream job in 10 years.” and he said, “Well, then maybe you should apply for it.” Oh, right. It’s very hard to get a job you didn’t apply for.
- Passion for the mission. It wasn’t (and still isn’t) my dream to be an executive director, it was my dream to change my community and to help and advocate for artists. I know that I probably wouldn’t have had an interview for an ED position at a different organization, but a real, authentic passion for the mission is hard to ignore. I was a constituent of the organization and invested in the community that the organization serves. When I hire new staff now, this is my number one criteria.
- Figure out how to add up all your experiences to equal something more than the parts. In my previous jobs I’d taken on a lot of new projects and tasks that weren’t originally part of my job (who doesn’t do this at small orgs, right?) and I was able to show the hiring committee that having all those experiences made me familiar with a lot of different facets of running an organization. I served on the board of a tiny organization. I’d also started and run one major side project that showed that I could, in fact, be in charge of things like budgets and people (even if they were all volunteers!)
- Finally, and perhaps most importantly, to find organizations that might be willing to take a risk on you, you’re going to have to take a risk on them. The fact is, the job I have now, wasn’t the job I applied for 5 years ago. There were some pretty big issues facing the organization – financially, strategically, and brand-wise. It was a job that people with a lot more experience than me probably didn’t want or couldn’t afford to take. But the organization also had a strong history, and a really engaged staff and board, who were committed to the mission and willing to do the work to set a new vision. They took a big risk on me and they were also willing to continue to support and mentor me, which made me feel comfortable taking a risk on them.
Laura Zabel is the Executive Director of Springboard for the Arts. Based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Springboard for the Arts is a leader in the field of artist service and provides arts focused economic, business and career development services for artists of all disciplines and at all stages of their careers. Since 1978, Springboard has served more than 70,000 artists and cultural organizations throughout the upper Midwest.
In 2010, Laura was named one of Twin Cities Business Journal’s 40 Under Forty and Springboard won the Social Entrepreneur’s Cup award which recognizes Minnesota’s most innovative and effective social entrepreneur and the organization they lead. Laura has been a featured presenter at the National Association of Artists Organizations conference and the National Performing Arts Convention. She has presented classes and workshops on nonprofit organizations, fiscal sponsorship, fundraising and other topics for groups all across the Midwest. Laura serves on the City of Saint Paul Cultural STAR Board. In addition to her work at Springboard, Laura is an actor in the Twin Cities and has worked with companies such as Theatre in the Round and the Brave New Workshop. Laura has her undergraduate degree in theatre from the University of Kansas, where she serves on the Professional Advisory Board for the Department of Theatre. You can connect with Laura on Twitter @laurazabel
