Over the past few months, I’ve had the opportunity to work with a number of career coaching clients who are looking to transition from the corporate to the nonprofit sector. For many sector-switchers, it seems like a big mystery to try to figure out how to get your foot in the door of a nonprofit organization, especially if they don’t have any contacts in the field yet. So, I thought I’d offer some of the advice I frequently share with my clients in helping them determine their next step.
Create a LinkedIn Profile
…and use it! If you’re a nonprofit jobseeker and you’re not on LinkedIn, you’re missing out on a TON of connections and opportunities. It’s an easy way to put your feelers out there for nonprofit leaders you can connect with in your community. LinkedIn is also great for getting the attention of hiring managers and headhunters as 86% of recruiters use social media to research applicants. Once you join LinkedIn, be sure to fill in your profile completely with a picture, your resume and your bio. To really use the site to its full potential, join some LinkedIn groups associated with the nonprofit industry. I recommend starting with the following LinkedIn Groups for information, networking and leads.
- Chronicle of Philanthropy
- Boardsource
- On Fundraising, Hosted by AFP
Conduct Informational Interviews
The best way to get a “feel” for the local nonprofit scene is to conduct informational interviews with leaders in your area. Don’t know anyone yet? Go back to your handy-dandy LinkedIn and simply do a search for professionals in your desired subsector of work – education, homelessness, women’s issues, etc. – and invite them to lunch for an informational interview. (I prefer lunch over coffee because honestly, if you are asking to take an hour of someone’s busy day, it’s the least you can do to at least buy them a nice meal in return! Don’t be cheap.) In the informational interview, you can ask them how they got their current position including the path they took and tips for landing the job. You should also ask them what it’s really like working in that subsector (fast-paced or a slower cadence? stressful or fun-filled?) as well as the names of other nonprofit colleagues they know who might be willing to meet with you as well.
Offer Your Business Skills Pro-Bono
If you have no experience whatsoever in the nonprofit field, volunteering is a quick and rewarding way to get your feet wet and start building some “street cred.” But there’s only so much time in the day, so if you’re actively seeking a new nonprofit job, it’s important that you use every chance you get to further your job search process. If you’re going to volunteer, try to choose opportunities that allow you to build your resume by using your business skills to help the organization instead of merely ladling soup into bowls for the homeless. Once you begin making contacts through LinkedIn and your informational interviews, you can ask around to see if anyone could use a volunteer bookkeeper or someone to design their new brochure for free. 99% of the time, the answer will be an enthusiastic YES, and a win/win for both you and the organization. They get free labor and you get to put on your resume that you helped the nonprofit achieve XYZ outcome through volunteering your professional skills. Resume tip: call it “pro bono consulting.” Sounds fancier.
Want more advice for switching from the corporate world into the nonprofit sector? Click here to learn more about my coaching and sign up for a reduced-rate introductory session.
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