By Monisha Kapila

Next week, Inspire Fellows candidates will be coming to Washington D.C. to interview with our 18 nonprofit partners. Based on the experience of our pilot class of Inspire Fellows, we put together a list of tips that can help any sector switcher prepare for interviews in the nonprofit sector:

1. Prepare for the interview
Read the organization’s website to learn about key components of their work. Things to look for include an overview of the mission and programs, the organization’s annual report (mostly relevant for larger nonprofits), and major funders. Also spend time learning about the “industry.” For example, if you are interviewing with an organization in the education sector, research other players and the latest happenings in that space.

2. Demonstrate why you are excited about the organization’s mission
“Mission fit” is a key selection criterion for nonprofits. Most people join a nonprofit because they are passionate about the mission, not for compensation, career path, or other factors that are more common in the private sector. Therefore interviewers want to make sure candidates share their passion for the mission, and this can differentiate who ultimately gets an offer. Saying you want to “have an impact” or “give back” will not help you stand out. Make sure you understand the organization’s mission and can talk about why it is important to you. Be sure to tailor your response for each organization you interview with.

3. Avoid the “white knight” mentality
“White knights” are sector switchers who assume that business practices are superior to nonprofit practices, so they can help nonprofits do things better. Saying things like “I want to help nonprofits become more efficient” is a surefire way to turn off nonprofit leaders. Show that you want to listen, learn, and add value where possible. Remember to be humble so you don’t make statements that suggest you are naïve and uninformed.

4. Learn the language used by nonprofits
Some key things to be aware of:
- Nonprofits are referred to as “organizations,” not “companies” or “corporations”
- Nonprofits are typically led by either an Executive Director or a CEO (check the organization’s website to confirm what title they use)
Read more about language in this blog post by WendyBay Lewis: Switching Sectors – Brush up your Shakespeare

5. Articulate why you want this opportunity
Discuss not only how you can add value (e.g. your analytic strength, organizational skills, etc.), but also what you hope to learn from your time within the organization. It is okay if your career path is still undefined, as long as you show that you are being thoughtful about this transition.

6. Be flexible about the work you will do
Roles at nonprofit organizations are often ambiguous, especially compared to consulting firms, investment banks, and other corporate environments. This can be a great opportunity because you will be able to learn new things and take ownership of your work. It also means that you should be flexible about what projects or work you will ultimately be responsible for. Priorities may change between now and when you start in three months, so don’t get your heart set on a particular project.

7. Don’t assume that working at a nonprofit is a 9 to 5 job
Many nonprofit leaders work long hours because they are passionate about the organization’s mission and they must achieve a lot with limited resources. Don’t go into an interview expecting that working for a nonprofit will be an easy job. Our current group of Fellows said they work anywhere from 40 to 60 hours a week, depending on the workload.

8. For direct service organizations, show how being around the recipients energizes you
Many of our nonprofit partners are direct service providers (e.g. charter schools and youth organizations). You will have the opportunity to interact with the recipients of the organization’s work on a regular basis. In this environment, you can see the results of your work on a daily basis, but you may also have to deal with day-to-day challenges facing the organization’s target constituents. Showing that this is something you are excited about will give the organization confidence in your adaptability.

9. Employ a SPARK method when responding to situational questions
Start by describing the Situation, then the Problem, the Actions you took, the Result, and the Knowledge you gained and how you applied the learnings. For example, when someone asks you about a time you worked with little supervision, don’t just say “I had to put together a pitch book by myself without an associate.” Instead, use the SPARK method:
• Situation: I was the analyst on a large merger deal between two electronics companies.
• Problem: Our office was thinly staffed so I didn’t have an associate to guide me, something that is unusual in that situation.
• Actions: I organized the analysis, created work plans, checked in with my VP, and made sure that I had the resources needed to successfully address the situation.
• Result: We were able to finish the deal, which resulted in an acquisition of X, generating Y value.
• Knowledge: I learned how to create a workplan, manage my time, leverage relationships, etc. This has been valuable because I was able to draw on these skills in another situation, which led to xyz result.

10. Learn more about being a sector switcher so you are prepared for the transition
Talk to people who have made a similar transition about what has been rewarding, challenging, and surprising. Check out the following resources:
Five challenges to prepare for in your new nonprofit job
Job search advice for sector switchers

By Monisha Kapila

Yesterday I led a session on Making a Career Transition into the Nonprofit Sector at LaidOffCampNY. It was a great discussion with 20 people who had different levels of experience (from early career to very experienced) and a variety of professional backgrounds (advertising, finance, IT, etc.).

Here are 5 action steps for a nonprofit job search that I shared with the group. Also, check out this list of resources for nonprofit jobseekers on ProInspire’s website.
1. Assess your skills and interests to figure out where you could fit in the nonprofit sector. Spend time researching different nonprofit organizations at Guidestar and Charity Navigator.

2. Sign up for idealist.org daily job posting emails

3. Learn about issues related to the work you want to do – read industry news, attend conferences, take classes. Some of the resources we discussed include:
- News related to different causes: Change.org, The NonProfit Times
- General professional development: Support Center for Nonprofit Management, Craigs List Foundation Bootcamp
- Fundraising: Foundation Center, Chronicle of Philanthropy, Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, NYU Heyman Center for Philanthropy and Fundraising
- Technology: NTEN, NetSquared, and TechSoup
- Marketing: Beth’s blog, Katya’s Nonprofit Marketing Blog, Marketing for Nonprofits
- Finance: Learn about financial accounting rules specific to nonprofits

4. Volunteer with an organization in the sector you want to work in. Focus on skilled/pro bono volunteer work that uses your expertise. Volunteer experience is very important to nonprofit hiring managers, particularly in a down economy.

5. Join a nonprofit board of directors

 By Monisha Kapila

One of the first questions that sector switchers ask is “What kind of jobs can I do in a nonprofit organization?” This is a complicated question because the nonprofit sector is so diverse, and made up of many “sub-sectors.”

To make things simple, nonprofit jobs usually fall into 2 buckets:
1. Core Function Jobs
2. Program Jobs

Core Function Jobs
Just like for-profit businesses, nonprofits have a set of core functions that support the organization. These functions include:
- Development/Fundraising
- Finance
- HR
- IT
Often times, professionals with expertise in one of these areas can work for any nonprofit organization. For example, a development professional from a youth organization could also take her expertise to an environmental organization.

Program Jobs
Program jobs focus on delivering the mission and services of the organization. These are similar to line of business jobs in for-profit companies. Program jobs depend on the sub-sector, and often require special training or experience. For example, program jobs in an international health organization might want experts in public health and medicine. Program jobs in a workforce development organization might want someone with experience in HR or training.

How does this affect your job search?
One of the first things to consider in your job search is whether you want to be in a core function job or a program job. I often speak with sector switchers who think that program jobs are “cooler”, but core function jobs are critical to ensuring that nonprofits can meet their missions. These jobs also tend to be more open to sector switchers because organizations want someone who has strong expertise in that function. I have interviewed many nonprofits that said they would love to bring on a CFO with for-profit experience.

If you are interested in a program job, think about the sub-sectors that might be related to your skill sets. Some of the sub-sectors that tend to be open to business professionals in program roles include:
- community development financial institutions
- economic development
- education
- microfinance
- social entrepreneurs
- social investment funds
- workforce development

Do you have other job search tips for sector switchers? Email me at mkapila@proinspire.org.