Tips and Tricks for the Aspiring Nonprofit Professional

1
Tips and Tricks for the Aspiring Nonprofit
Professional

• Presented by
• Gayla Rawlinson
• Harris County Department of Education
• Ronnie Hagerty
• United Way of Greater Houston

2
What Do You Want To Do?

• Examine your skill sets and determine what skills
  are a good fit for a nonprofit organization
• Have you worked on local boards or committees?
• Learn as much as you can about the organization
• Consider volunteering with the nonprofit
  organizations you identify
• Conduct yourself in a manner that highlights
  skills and ability to work with others

3
What Makes You the Perfect Candidate?

• Skills, experience and background
• Strong history of employment at least one year
  with previous employers
• Ability to demonstrate continued professional
  development
• Gift for developing connections through
  affiliations or associations
• Talent for presenting well in all roles

4
See Yourself as Others See You

• People form judgments about you in less than 7
  seconds
• 93 of what is believed about you is based on
  visual messages
• Impression you make is more important than what
  you say or do
• Less than 10 of communication is achieved
  through words

5
2009 Job Search Strategies

• Remain open to all possibilities
• Step outside comfort zone focus on transferable
  skills
• Find jobs before they are advertised
• Use professional organization web sites and
  publications
• Tailor resume to each opportunity
• Continue to learn secure needed skills
• Volunteer

6
Executive Recruiter Insights

• Have specific position in mind
• Have strong resume that demonstrates value to
  employer
• Show more achievements, fewer skills
• Create various formats to support multifaceted
  search Word, PDF, ASCII
• Develop visual CV to provide interactive career
  portfolio
• Create PowerPoint presentation from resume

7
MBA Job Search Strategies

• Employ unique job-seeking tactics look up
  target organization, identify staff member, call
  for a meeting (Twellow)
• Seek out post-interview feedback
• Join professional organizations
• Speak at events
• Target related opportunities

8
Set the Stage for Success

• Research the organization
• Be clear about job duties
• Identify supervisor
• Arrive early to complete forms or take tests
• Prepare to answer common interview questions
• Provide samples of your work
• Follow-up with written communication, thanking
  the interviewers for their time and consideration

9
Or Failure

• Acting bored or over-confident
• Inappropriate dress
• No knowledge of organization
• Not silencing cell phones or electronic devices
• Not asking good questions during interview
• Failure to remove unprofessional content from
  social networking sites
• Asking what pay is during initial interview
• Failing to sent a formal thank you note following
  the interview

10
Accepting the Offer

• HR calls and offers you the position, specifying
  salary
• Consider negotiating the salary
• Engage the supervisor if salary presented is not
  acceptable
• If you accept the position, let HR know if you
  have leave plans during the first six months of
  your employment obtain approval prior to
  employment
• Clarify benefits

11
You Have the Job, Now What?

• Listen and learn
• Agency orientations
• Policies/procedures
• Take notes
• Supervisory sessions
• Meetings
• Be respectful
• Learn names and title
• Ask questions

12
Determine Work Schedule

• Make sure you know the allowable work schedules
  including lunch
• Arrive at work 10 to 15 minutes early
• Call office if you are going to arrive late due
  to traffic or weather issues
• Understand that as a professional, you are
  expected to work the hours necessary to complete
  your assignments

13
Dress for Success

• Reflect standards of the organization
• Remember the basics
• Dress should be neat and clean
• Jewelry and accessories should not create noise
  or distraction
• Choose footwear carefully (no open toes,
  flip-flops, sandals, athletic shoes)
• Cover body art

14
Determine Expectations

• Refrain from conducting personal business at work
• Use of technology for personal use may be
  limited/prohibited by the organization
• Ensure that your personal schedule accommodates
  your work schedule and not vice versa

15
Assess Communication Styles

• When you meet with your supervisor
• Take notes
• Clarify next steps or assignments
• Request deadline for any assigned projects
• Update supervisor regularly
• Ask supervisors how they would like to be updated
  email voicemail meeting
• Recognize that informal conversations, subtle as
  they are, may include assignments

16
When Do You Get Time Off?

• Learn how your organization defines leave and its
  limitations/restrictions
• Vacation
• Personal or Sick
• Jury
• Bereavement
• Know that you may need to provide documentation
  of doctors visit for leave based on illness

17
What is Your Career Path?

• Where am I now? Why am I here?
• Where do I want to go?
• What steps do I have to take to get there
• Am I moving in that direction?

18
What Is Your Value?

• Honest, ethical
• Determined
• Upbeat, optimistic
• Service oriented
• People-centric
• Accountable
• Self-motivated
• Appreciative
• Loyal

19
Do You Know Yourself?

• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• Habits
• Communication capabilities
• Listening skills
• Ability to motivate yourself and others

20
What Is Your Professional Profile?

• Talent/skill/knowledge
• Personal presentation
• Commitment to continuous learning
• Credentials
• Code of Ethics
• Professional affiliation
• Community involvement

21
What Is Your Leadership Profile?

• What are my personal values?
• What are the most meaningful events in my life?
• What do I do well?
• What do I have trouble with?
• What would I like to stop doing?
• What do I want to learn?

22
How do you define success?

• More than anything, I want..?
• I hope I can?
• To me, all life is?
• I would like to be remembered by?

23
Do You Really Want to Be a Leader?

• Doing what you choose to do
• Internally motivated
• Fulfilling
• Leaves you feeling elated
• Push you to higher achievement
• Build your potential
• Your own dreams and plans
• Long-term perspective

• Doing out of tradition or habit
• Externally motivated
• Unfulfilling
• Leave you feeling empty
• Compel you to play it safe
• Reduces your potential
• Someone elses dreams
• Short-term, single focus

24
Path to Leadership

• Pay attention to details
• Look below the surface
• Ask forgiveness, not permission
• Honor core values but be flexible about execution
• Embrace the KISS principle
• Pick great people
• Have fun
• Prepare to be lonely

25
Personal Development Strategies

• Acknowledge others regularly
• Learn something new every day
• Expand and nurture your network
• Communicate often, listen well
• Graciously receive and accept support
• Gain value from every interaction
• Say no to things that drain your time, energy
  or focus.

26
LEARNfrom the mistakes of others.

• You cant live long enough to make them all
  yourself!

27
Online Resources

• American Marketing Association (www.marketingpower
  .com)
• Association for Healthcare Philanthropy
  (www.ahp.org)
• Association of Fundraising Professionals/AFP
  (www.afpnet.org )
• Chronicle of Philanthropy (www.philanthropy.com/jo
  bs )
• Council for the Advancement and Support of
  Education (www.case.org )
• International Association of Business
  Communicators IABC (www.iabc.com )
• Public Relations Society of America- PRSA
  (www.prsa.org )
• The NonProfit Times (www.careercenter.npt.com )

28
Library Resources

• Bennis, W., Managaing the Dream Reflections on
  Leadership and Change,
• Block, P., Stewardship Choosing Service over
  Self-Interest,
• Buckingham, M. Clifton, D.O., Now, Discover
  Your Strengths
• Crutchfield, L.R. Grant, H.M., Forces for Good
• DePree, M. Leadership Is An Art, Doubleday.
• Gardner, H. Leading Minds An Anatomy of
  Leadership
• Greenleaf, R. Servant Leadership
• Heifetz, R.A., Leadership Without Easy Answers
• Kotter, J., John Kotter on What Leaders Really Do
  
• Kouzes, J. Posner, B.Z., A Leaders Legacy,
• Nanus, B. Dobbs, S.M., Leaders Who Make A
  Difference.
• Rath, T Conchie, B, Strengths Based Leadership
• Wheatley, M., Leadership and the New Science

29
For More Information

• Gayla Rawlinson
• Director of Resource Development
• Harris County Department of Education
• 713-696-8293
• grawlinson_at_hcde-texas.org
• Ronnie Hagerty
• Assistant Vice President, Community Relations
• United way of Greater Houston
• 713-685-2312
• rhagerty_at_unitedwayhouston.org