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Bold Goal Strategy 2: Creating Pathways for Leaders at All LevelsBy Kristen Lucas ProInspire was founded with the idea that we need to expand career pathways into the social sector and increase diversity in the field. In order to achieve ProInspire’s Bold Goal that social sector organizations have high performing leaders at all levels in order to fulfill their …
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Congrats to the Graduating Fellows, Bring on the Next Class…By Mike Rocco, ProInspire’s Managing Director, Bay Area I recently celebrated my one-month anniversary with ProInspire and ended the day by joining the 2015 San Francisco Bay Area Fellows for their Graduation Dinner. While it is simplistic to say that I was impressed by the eight Fellows, tho…
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Transforming Unexpected Obstacles into Unexpected Opportunities: the First 90 Days of My ProInspire FellowshipBy Brad Hamilton, 2016 ProInspire Fellow at the National Human Services Assembly The first ninety days of my ProInspire Fellowship were filled with transition – into the nonprofit sector, into my new role at the National Human Services Assembly, and into my new life in a new city. While that amo…
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Announcing 2015 Managing for Success and ProInspire FellowsIt has been a busy Fall around here as we welcome over 60 emerging leaders into ProInspire’s programs. Over the past few months, we placed and launched the 2015 class of ProInspire Fellows in Washington D.C. and the San Francisco Bay Area. In September we kicked off the the inaugural San Fra…
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From Ohio to Washington DC to……Botswana!By Mike Solarz, 2014 ProInspire Fellow After spending three years in a promising career in public accounting with a “Big Four” firm, I decided it was time to transition into a position that better aligned with my desire to promote social impact. The ProInspire Fellowship fit the bill for the nee…
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ProInspire Fellow Featured by Boston University College of Communication2014 ProInspire Fellow Ivellisse Morales was recently featured in COMTalk, a publication put out by her alma mater, the Boston University College of Communications. The article, “Nonprofit PR and marketing offers more than just a warm feeling inside,” highlights Ivi’s experiences in the nonp…
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Paying it Forward While Getting Valuable ExperienceBy Meetal Desai, ProInspire ProBono Consultant This past May I left a job that I truly valued after over 5 years of working at the same place. As a mid-career professional with two young daughters, I had been fortunate to work in a part-time position that provided interesting work and a flexible s…
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Sector Switching: Navigating the Transition from the Private Sector to the Social Impact SectorBy John Troy, Founder of WorkMonger Over the last 6 years, I’ve worked with hundreds of people looking to switch from the private sector to an organization where social impact, not profit, is the primary bottom line. I too switched from the private sector to a non-profit, and as a non-profit di…
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Building a Movement- Lessons from Shot@LifeBy Yewande Akinleye, 2014 ProInspire Fellow According to Merriam Webster the term “movement” means the act or process of moving people or things from one place or position to another. According to the very same source, to “build” means to increase the amount of (something). If we were to c…
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Think you need superpowers to change the world?By Yewande Akinleye, 2014 ProInspire Fellow I’d like to share a secret with you…yes you. I don’t often expose myself like this, but right now I feel as though I can confide in you. Quite frankly, I can’t keep this to myself and I hope that you will be inspired once you know my secret. [&hell…
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Switching, Not Starting OverBy Paul Collier, 2014 ProInspire Fellow When I was accepted into ProInspire and transitioned to working as a Data Manager at the San Francisco Child Abuse Prevention Center (SFCAPC), I was expecting my work to change drastically. Previously, I worked as a business process consultant for an internati…
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ProInspire Fellow featured on Commongood Careers on “Life After Fellowship”This article was featured on the Commongood Careers site, and features Marian Leitner, 2011 ProInspire Fellow. Read below about different Fellowship experiences, and Story #3 for Marian’s story. LIFE AFTER FELLOWSHIP: THREE CAREER SUCCESS STORIES Fellowships in the social impact space are expe…
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The Beauty Girl turned Social Change Maker: My Transition to the Social SectorBy Angela Richardson, 2014 ProInspire Fellow Have you ever had a moment when the light bulb turned on right above your head? I did. It was a cold, brisk morning in the middle of December 2011. I was headed to my “dream job” – or at least I thought it was my dream job. My […]…
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ProInspire Fellow, Ivi Morales, on NBC Telemundo2014 ProInspire Fellow Ivellisse (Ivi) Morales serves as Marketing Manager for Year Up Bay Area. Ivi Morales is leveraging the cause marketing expertise she honed as an account executive for Boston-based Cone Communications to succeed in her new role. Ivi is piloting bilingual advertising and …
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Congratulations to 2013 ProInspire Fellows!The 2013 ProInspire Fellows in Washington D.C. and San Francisco Bay Area completed their Fellowship programs this summer. All 26 Fellows spent one year driving forward mission critical work at their organizations. The good news is that most of them will be staying at their organizations and co…
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ProInspire CEO, Monisha Kapila featured in Devex on “3 things ‘sector switchers’ should address”From business to development: 3 things ‘sector switchers’ should address Professionals who want to move into international development often don’t know where to start. When I think about my own experience moving from a career in business to international development, a few things stand…
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ProInspire Alumni Shares Experience with Common Good Careers: My First Year as a Business Professional in the Nonprofit SectorProInspire Alumni, Gillian Peron shares her experience as a ProInspire Fellow at Good 360 with Common Good Careers: “Dear Candidate: Thank you for your interest in our organization. While your qualifications were impressive, this was a highly competitive process, and we are not able to extend yo…
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My First Year as a Business Professional in the Nonprofit SectorBy Gillian Perron Dear Candidate: Thank you for your interest in our organization. While your qualifications were impressive, this was a highly competitive process, and we are not able to extend you an offer at this time…” During the eight months it took to transition from my first career in t…
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My Transition From Management Consulting to International DevelopmentBy Elisa Chen, 2012 ProInspire Fellow My transition into the nonprofit sector seemed like it took a lifetime yet happened so quickly at the same time. My placement at FHI 360 happened in less than a week – I had a phone interview on Monday, flew into DC for an in-person interview on a Wednesda…
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Answers from a ProInspire Fellow: Three Questions About the Fellowship ExperienceBy 2012 ProInspire Fellow Elisa Chen Over the past few weeks I've received questions from friends who are considering applying to become a ProInspire Fellow. While we provide a list of FAQs on our website, I was happy to offer my own perspective on the Fellowship experience. Allow me to share my…
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My First 90 Days at Good360By 2012 Fellow Gillian Perron Just before my graduation from the University of Vermont, I had a meeting with my favorite professor. That conversation remains a vivid memory, specifically her advice on beginning a new career. She told me that life is full of transitions—some more poignant than …
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Finding a Job Where You Can Make a DifferenceBy Founder and CEO Monisha Kapila As the New Year approaches, many people start to reflect on their lives and their careers. If you are one of the millions of people who want to do work that is mission driven, you may be interested in a job in the "social sector." The social sector include…
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Start Your Nonprofit Career With a Fellowship ProgramBy 2010 ProInspire Fellow Crystal Moore We're on the final day of our 5 Days of Giving series on the blog with the goal of helping each and every one of you with your goals to change the world, in both big and small ways. So you have already made the decision that you would like to [&h…
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My First 90 Days at GlobalGivingBy 2012 Fellow Nick Hamlin My transition into the non-profit world represented a major workplace shift. I came from a technical role in a global organization with thousands of employees. Our day-to-day work, while engaging, was dictated primarily by the deals signed by our sales team. Now, I work in…
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Three Challenges in Breaking into the Nonprofit Sector and How to Overcome ThemFinding a job before you graduate is hard enough. Most college graduates cross the stage without a clue what their next move will be. The challenge doesn’t get any easier once the diploma is up on the wall and the real world begins to knock on your door. More than 50% of recent college graduat…
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My First 90 Days at the National Human Services AssemblyBy 2012 Fellow Bridget McCabe Prior to ProInspire, I worked in advertising as a media buyer in New York City. About two months before the Fellowship, I had switched agencies and was still in the process of understanding the idiosyncrasies of my new role. When I was offered the Membership & Commu…
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Nikita Mitchell (2011 Fellow) Reflects on Her StartingBloc ExperienceI honestly went into the experience not really knowing what to expect when I landed in Boston earlier this summer. I knew that I would learn about different forms of social innovation – everything from social entrepreneurship to intrapreneurship to cross sector partnerships – and I knew th…
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Teja Padma (2010 Fellow) pursuing her passion for international developmentBy Teja Padma (2010 ProInspire Fellow) Nearly a year and a half ago, I left Mercer Consulting to join the Business Planning & Strategy team as a ProInspire Fellow at FHI 360, (formerly known as Family Health International). I learned more in the one year that I spent at FHI 360 than in th…
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7 Lessons from the 2010 Inspire FellowsThis month we kicked off the third class of Inspire Fellows! We have a fantastic group of individuals joining the nonprofit sector with backgrounds in consulting, banking, private equity, and marketing. During our Foundations Training, which is provided to everyone at the beginning of their Fellowsh…
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From Microsoft to Grassroots Business FundThis post was written by Inspire Fellow Tony Cappaert for the Next Billion blog. NextBillion.net is a website and blog bringing together the community of business leaders, social entrepreneurs, NGOs, policy makers and academics who want to explore the connection between development and enterprise. T…
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10 Interview Tips for Sector SwitchersNext 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. Prep…
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Tips on Working at a Small NonprofitSimilar to for-profit organizations, there are substantial benefits and drawbacks to working at a small nonprofit organization rather than a larger one. For example, it may be confusing and overwhelming to work at a large organization where you might feel lost in the sea of other colleagues serving …
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Learn about transitioning from business to nonprofit as an Inspire FellowProInspire is hosting information calls in February for candidates interested in the Inspire Fellows 2010 program. Details at http://proinspire.org/fellows/information-calls/ Inspire Fellows Information CallsWednesday, February 3 at 9pm ESTTuesday, February 9 at 7pm ESTMonday, February 15 at 6pm EST…
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ProInspire Spotlight: Keiva Dennis, National Housing Trust Community Development FundProInspire Spotlight is our monthly feature profiling sector switchers and people using their business experience in the social sector. This month we spotlight Keiva Dennis at the National Housing Trust Community Development Fund. Keiva used her experience at Deutsche Bank and her MBA from Yale Scho…
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ProInspire Spotlight: Amitabh Saxena, ACCION InternationalProInspire Spotlight is our monthly feature profiling sector switchers and people using their business experience in the social sector. This month we spotlight Amitabh Saxena at ACCION International. Amitabh is doing great work helping microfinance institutions leverage new channels like mobile phon…
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The Same GameThe answer: This type of entity is organized and operated to make a profit. The question: What is a business? A $200-level Jeopardy! clue, perhaps. But is it that obvious of a response? In some ways, yes; in others, no. The clue, it seems, is responsive to perspective. Within a society that communic…
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ProInspire Spotlight: Valerie Faillace, KIPP FoundationWe are starting a new monthly feature on our blog. ProInspire Spotlight will feature sector switchers and people using their business experience in the social sector. This month we speak with Valerie Faillace at the KIPP Foundation. Valerie and I were roommates at Harvard Business School – she…
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A business professional’s observations about direct serviceI thought I knew what I would be doing in the non-profit sector when I became a ProInspire Fellow. The roles for those of us transitioning from the business world tend to be functional and strategic, leveraging our analytical background. However, I work at Year Up, Inc., and they are not content lea…
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Sector Switchers: Five challenges to prepare for in your new nonprofit jobI wrote today’s post for Nonprofit Career Month. In August, ProInspire launched the Inspire Fellows program for young business professionals transitioning into the nonprofit sector. As part of our orientation, we led a discussion on challenges faced by sector switchers. While many sector switc…
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How to capture the market of people who want to do service?Yesterday's Wall Street Journal featured a story on Jobless Professionals Yearn to Do Good. The article looks at the increase in applications from people with business and legal experience to service programs: – Applications to Teach for America are up 42%. Nearly one-quarter of this year&…
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Article: ‘Talent tsunami’ from downturn floods sectorInteresting article from the Financial Times. Discusses how the wave of business professionals trying to get into the nonprofit sector has not made talent management easier for organizations. Credit crunch: ‘Talent tsunami’ from downturn floods sector By Sarah Murray Published: May 27 2009 18:01…
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Interview with Rosetta Lai, AALeadYesterday I met with Rosetta Lai, the Executive Director of Asian American LEAD. AALEAD’s overarching goal is to increase the opportunities and ability of low-income Asian American children to move out of poverty and become successful, self-sufficient adults. Rosetta joined AALEAD after 20 yea…
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Check out Jobs for ChangeLast week Change.org launched Jobs for Change, which aims to spark a nationwide movement toward careers in the common good. They plan to build the largest database of nonprofit, government, and social enterprise jobs on the web. Change.org has hired a team of career advisors to provide daily advice …
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Action steps for a nonprofit job searchYesterday 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…
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Put yourself in the other person’s shoesYesterday I attended a Compass DC event about megacommunities. Reggie Van Lee, author of Megacommunities: How Leaders of Government, Business and Nonprofits Can Tackle Today’s Global Challenges Together spoke about the tri-sector approach to problem solving. Megacommunities was a new concept f…
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Social Citizens who want to make a differenceby Monisha Kapila Today I wrote a guest post about ProInspire for the Social Citizens blog, a project of the Case Foundation: http://www.socialcitizens.org/blog/do-you-want-job-where-you-can-make-difference Social Citizens was started after the release of a discussion paper from the Case Foundation …
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What kinds of nonprofit jobs are good for sector switchers?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…