The NonProfit Times Is Hiring

Good news: The NonProfit Times is hiring! If you are a digital marketing expert with a vast knowledge of the Internet, NPT wants to hire you as a Digital Marketing Coordinator.

The Digital Marketing Coordinator will work with our team to create promotions for internet marketing and supporting sales staff for targeted advertising promotions. The candidate must have an advanced knowledge of search engine optimization (SEO), and understand third-party marketing tools such as Google AdWords. 

You can find more details about this job by taking a look at our recent LinkedIn post. Good luck!

6 Items To Consider For Your Resume

Originally posted on the Nonprofit Job Seeker


Figuring out what you should include in your resume can be quite a headache. Conventional wisdom says too much information will bore the reader, yet it also claims too little will make it hard for you to stand out among all the candidates.

What's a nonprofit job seeker to do?

The key to striking the right balance of information is including the most pertinent information? What is that, you ask? Here are six examples of information that employers would find interesting:

• Politics: It would seem unwise to mention your political leanings in a resume, but it can actually be benefitial. One thing employers consider is how a new employee will fit in the environment. If your ideology is drastically different than those in the organization, you probably wouldn't be a good fit anyway.
• Failures: Employers want to know about your failed efforts in the past, and how you have learned from them.
• Travel: Many nonprofit jobs involve traveling, whether it's for a conference or some other special event. Showing that you have a lot of experience in other countries or states will indicate that you have no trouble leaving your comfort zone.
• Side Projects Don't think you have enough work experience listed? It's perfectly acceptable to list projects you worked on when you were unemployed.
• Awards: Don't be afraid to brag: List the awards or other recognitions you have received over the years.
• Sports: Nonprofits are the ultimate team-environment; everybody must work together to accomplish the mission. Listing any team sports you competed in will show that you are familiar with that kind of environment.

5 Words Or Phrases To Leave Off Your Resume

When it comes to looking for a nonprofit job, what you don't say on your resume can be just as important as what you do say.

Simply throwing together a bunch of accomplishments is exactly the wrong approach to take when writing your resume. You are going to need to put careful thought into every word you include if you want the best shot at being hired. Words and phrases can speak volumes, and there are some that you want to avoid at all costs, as they can send the wrong message to employers.

Here are some examples:

• "Try:" This word shows a lack of belief and confidence -- qualities you must have as an employee. "Try" is one of the most dangerous words a job seeker can use in a resume.
• Buzzwords: There was a time when phrases like "team player" or "results-oriented" were impressive to hiring managers; those days are now over. These expressions have been overused to the point where they have lost their impact. List your specific accomplishments rather than using buzzwords.
• "References available upon request:" Employers are always going to ask for references, so there is no point in wasting valuable space by including this sentence.
• "Responsibilities include:" Hiring managers are not overly interested in the basic responsibilities you had at your previous job. They are more interested in hearing how your work improved the organization.
• Objective: Your objective is obviously to get the job, so there is no need to include an objective statement at the top of your resume. List your skills and experience instead.

New Nonprofit Job Opportunity: President/CEO

The health field is one of the more thriving parts of the nonprofit sector, with an October report from last year showing that donations to healthcare organizations increased 8.2 percent. If you were ever hoping to land a high-level job in the nonprofit health sector, our newest featured job should be of interest to you.

The Reproductive Health Technologies Project (RHTP) is looking for a new President and CEO. The organization, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2012, advance the ability of every woman of any age to achieve full reproductive freedom with access to the safest, most effective, appropriate and acceptable technologies for ensuring her own health. As such, the chosen individual for this position should have a commitment and passion for the mission, and the ability to foster collaboration and build consensus across diverse groups.

The new President will also lead staff in translating highly technical information into clear and compelling terms as part of an overall strategy for informing and coordinating a diverse group of advocates, service providers, elected officials and other stakeholders so that new technologies are introduced and made available to women.

Ideal skills for this position include:

• Public policy advocacy;
• Coalition building;
• Strategic communications;
• Management; and,
• Fundraising.

In terms of general qualifications, RHTP seeks an individual who has a long track record of senior leadership in a mission-driven organization. Other must-haves include:

• Demonstrated track record of raising significant funds from a variety of sources;
• Willingness to actively build and sustain strong relationships with existing and prospective board members, funders, individual donors and other stakeholders;
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills;
•  Demonstrated experience building effective partnerships; and,
• A reputation as a principled strategic collaborator with keen listening skills and the ability to bridge philosophies.

You can find out more information by visiting The NonProfit Times' career center.

Job Interview Questions For Yourself

There are multiple questions to consider when you have a job interview. Most of them will be coming to you from the interviewer, but have you considered asking yourself some questions?

In order to help you prepare for the big day, Bruce A. Hurwitz, vice president of New York City-based Joel H. Paul & Associates, Inc., suggested preparing for potential interview questions by asking them of yourself. During a recent Fundraising Day in New York City, Hurwitz said that job seekers should consider the answers to six questions by looking back on their own experiences.

The questions are:

• Why do you want to work here?
• How do you cope with multiple assignments?
• What experience do you have with deadlines?
• How do you deal with criticism?
• How do you deal with a bad supervisor?
• What was your greatest success/failure? And what did you learn from that experience.  

Featured Nonprofit Job: CEO/Head Of School

The Creative Learning Academy of Pensacola (CLA) is looking to hire a CEO/Head of School. Interested? Read on for more details.

Beginning with the 2013-2014 school year, this individual will be in charge of all aspects of the Schoool. Candidates must have a history of significant business leadership and a proven track record of growth. Experience at an accredited independent school preferred, but not required.

Other requirements include:

• Exceptional communication skills, clear vision and strong management/leadership skills;
• the ability to further the organization’s mission while developing the human resources necessary to achieve maximum potential;
• Technologically proficient, with a broad knowledge of best business practices; and,
• Must be an active, visible part of the community as well as the school, inspiring students and teachers alike in a hands-on way.

You can find out more information by visiting our career center.

Featured Nonprofit Job: Director -- Development

Now that the long President's Day weekend is over, it's time to get back to the job search. Here's a little jump-start for all you job hunters out there: A new featured nonprofit job.

The Wye River Upper School is looking to hire a Director of Development. Working closely with the Executive Director and the Board of Trustees, this individual will work to create a development plan designed to advance the goals and meet the needs of the school. Other responsibilities include:

• Embrace and articulate the unique mission of Wye River Upper School;
• Organize the current capital campaign, by maintaining the database, researching prospective donors, prioritizing campaign activities and events, assisting in the development of cultivation and solicitation plans for prospective donors;
• Develop an annual giving program that educates constituents and involves them in peer-to-peer solicitation;
• Develop a plan to increase alumni, parent, and grandparent support of, and involvement in, the institution;
• Assist the Executive Director in creating a regular, coordinated communication strategy for outreach to the school’s donors and prospective donors;
• Assist the Executive Director in developing and leading a volunteer staff to carry out selected activities of the development program;
• Keep the Executive Director and the appropriate board committees informed on a weekly basis of all development activities;
• Seek professional development for the purpose of staying current with development initiatives; and,
• Perform other development duties as assigned by the Head of School.

The ideal candidate for the Director of Development will have a strong background in fundraising, and should enjoy working in a student-centered environment. The School is specifically looking for applicants with the following traits:

• Bachelor's/Masters degree in related field.
• Experience in development/advancement in non-profits, independent schools.
• Must have exceptional communication skills, both oral and written.
• Must have proven success and appreciation for meeting new people and developing relationships in a variety of school communities.
• Must demonstrate ability to manage a variety of campaigns/projects.
• Must be willing to learn and utilize a variety of Web based tools including social media.

You can find out more information by visiting our career center.

7 Tough Job Interview Questions -- And The Best Answers Them

There was nothing worse growing up than being called on in class to respond to a question and not knowing the answer. That same feeling can still crop up today when you are asked a tough question in a nonprofit job interview.

The best way to deal with this situation is the same way you would deal with it in school: Study. While different interviews will have unique questions, there are still some that are shared and these can be some of the toughest to answer. Below are seven of the most common interview questions you will encounter, along with suggestions on how to answer them.

1. "Tell me about your self." This question can be very tough because it is so general. The key to answering it successfully is to recite your professional accomplishments, not your life story. Talk about your education, work history, recent career experience, and future goals.
2. "Why did you leave your last job?" The temptation might be great to use this question to talk trash about your former employer, but all that will do is make it less likely that you will get the job. You should instead explain how you wanted the opportunity to do something else to advance your career.
3. "What do you see yourself doing in five years?" This question is designed to see if you are committed to staying with the organization for the long-term. You might have bigger aspirations in mind, but keep them to yourself for the purpose of the interview.
4. "What are your biggest weaknesses?" Whatever you do, don't answer this question by saying something like "I care too much about my work." That's not going to get you anywhere. Explain the areas of your work that need improvement, and let the interviewer know what you have been doing to grow as a professional.
5. "Why were you fired from your last job?" The best way to answer this question is to be as honest as possible. If you were fired for disciplinary reasons, chances are the employer will find out anyway as part of a background check.
6. "What do you have that other candidates do not?" This is an opportunity to go into great detail about what you have accomplished in the past. Talk about your record of getting things done, and highlight the most impressive parts of your resume and/or portfolio.
7. "Would you be willing to take a pay cut?" The topic of salary and benefits is always difficult, so you are going to have to straddle a fine line with this question. You should indicate that you are flexible, but that you want to be compensated fairly.

Don't Lose The Job In The Interview

The interview is one of the hardest things to obtain as a nonprofit job seeker and when you do finally get one,  you can lose the job easily with one simple mistake.

The key to avoiding the biggest job interview mistakes is pretty obvious to most people by now: Prepare. Doing your research and prepping questions you want to ask makes it a pretty sure bet that you won't make a major mistake but, unfortunately, there are smaller errors you can make that can't be avoided just by doing your homework.

Below are three gaffes that you need to be most aware of when you arrive for your interview. Avoiding these will be key to taking one step closer to getting that job.

• Leading the interview: Regardless of what you think, the interviewer is the one who is charge of the interview and the direction it goes. Trying to drive the conversation yourself is a good way to not get invited to a second interview.
• Showing up too late -- or too early: Showing up late for an interview is a big deal, but coming too early is a problem as well as it can make the interviewer feel rushed. If you arrive earlier than you anticipated, find something else to do before heading in the office.
• Bringing snacks: It's bad form to bring food or drinks to the interview. Make sure you fulfill all your hunger and thirst needs before you arrive.

Featured Nonprofit Job: Fundraising And Development Director

You will need as many leads as possible as the nonprofit job market gets more competitive, which is why we are always happy to share the top positions available with our readers. Today's featured nonprofit job gives applicants a chance to become a Fundraising and Development Director.

CARC, Inc., a nonprofit that helps children with disabilities, is looking to hire for this position immediately. The successful candidate will be someone with a proven track record developing and coordinating annual giving, donor stewardship and securing other forms of giving. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Development Director will play an instrumental role in creating and implementing a robust and diverse fundraising and development strategy at CARC, Inc.

In terms of day-to-day fundraising activities, the Development Director will be responsible for:

• Serving as the first point of contact for prospective donor and current donor questions, needs, and concerns;
• Working with the Finance Director to streamline donation processing and gift entry, and to implement best practices and top-notch customer service for donors;
• Ensuring timely and accurate gift entry and generation of acknowledgement letters and other donor recognition;
• Building queries and generate reports and mailing lists; and,
• Integrating fundraising and development activities with marketing and communications.

The ideal candidate for this job will meet the following requirements:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Mature problem solving and conflict resolution skills.
• Bachelor's degree or comparable experience.
• 4+ years in a fundraising and development specific role.
• Computer literate and Microsoft Office proficient.
• Flexible and willing to work evenings and weekends, as needed.
• Website and social media savvy a plus.

Interested in this position? Head to our career center for more details, including information on how to apply.

8 Job Interview Tips

Originally Posted on the Nonprofit Job Seeker

***


Nonprofit job interviews can be very stressful if you aren't properly prepared. Not only do you have to deal with the considerable nerves you will probably be feeling, you also have to account for the fact that every organization has its own individual mission, culture, and expectations.

One size truly does not fit all when it comes to interviewing in the nonprofit sector. You need to individually prepare for the organization in question if you are to impress the interviewer, and you can achieve that goal by following these eight tips:

• Connect With the Mission: Today's nonprofit hiring managers want candidates to show a true commitment to the organization's cause. It is not enough to just say you want to "do good" or "give back to the community." Thoroughly research the organization and make sure that you are passionate about their goals.
• Prepare Questions: Hiring decisions are often made by the questions that candidates ask during an interview. You don't have to ask questions that are earth-shattering, but make sure you ask something; it shows that you did your homework.
• Do a Mock Interview: Get a good friend or family member to conduct a mock interview with you ahead of time so you can practice your responses. You should encourage whoever you are practicing with to let you know if any of your answers need fine-tuning.
• Ask About the Interview Structure: You should ask ahead of time how the interview will be structured. Will you be interviewed one-on-one, in a group, or in some other method? The answer to this question will give you a better sense of how to prepare.
• Dress Professionally: Unless you are specifically told you can be casual, it is alway safe to follow a professional dress code for the interview. That means wearing a tailored suit or a nice dress. Remember, it is always best to over-dress than to under-dress.
• Bring Important Documents: Come to the interview with at least two copies of your resume, cover letter, references and, if applicable, writing samples.
• Be Confident: Don't be afraid to brag about your accomplishments when talking to the hiring manager.
• Be Flexible: Nothing makes an employer happier than an employee who is willing to be flexible. You should clearly and concisely highlight your experience reacting to unexpected situations, or your ability to wear different hats. 

5 Qualities To Seek When Hiring

Here's what most employers want to believe about the hiring process: Out of countless candidates, the best-qualified individuals are weeded out, and the organization then has no problem picking between those applicants.

If only it were that easy.

The most experienced hiring managers know that hiring is a difficult art even in the best of economic times. When the market is not as robust, as it is right now, staffing decisions can be stressful, exhausting, leaving overworked managers to wonder if there is anything that can make it easier.

There is unfortunately no magic button that can make everything better, but there are some ways to make one of the most stressful aspects of the process -- reviewing qualifications -- simpler. In the revised edition of his book “Managing a Nonprofit Organization,” Thomas Wolf offers advice about the qualities a nonprofit executive should look for when reviewing the qualifications of prospective employees. The most important qualities are:

• Administrative skills related to the job to be performed;
• Management skills in working with others, especially when some supervisory requirements come with a job;
• Character traits that reflect creativity, flexibility, an enthusiasm for solving problems and an ability to work with others;
• An understanding of the need for authority in an organizational structure; and,
• Knowledge, sensitivity and enjoyment of the nonprofit field in which the employees will be working.

Major Gifts Officer -- Today's Featured Nonprofit Job

Today's featured nonprofit job will give applicants the chance to play a role in an important aspect of fundraising: Major gifts. Interested? Read on for more details.

The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) is looking to hire a Major Gifts Officer to promote the organization's mission of bringing the two major religions together and to build support among major donors. The chosen candidate will engage, cultivate, and solicit current and prospective major donors in the western region of the US (primarily California, Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico). The organization will consider applicants from all of these states, as well as those from Chicago, where IFCJ's corporate headquarters are located.

Other duties of the Major Gifts Officer include:

• Cultivating major donors through appropriate moves management strategy;
• Coordinating and conducting donor visits as necessary;
• Managing a caseload of approximately 125 – 150 prospects/ donors;
• Creating and closing proposals with a giving goal of $1 – 3 million annually;
• Working closely with the planned giving team in identifying planned giving leads among major donor; and,
• Updating the donor database and reports regularly as required and requested.

IFCJ requests that all applicants meet the following requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business or equivalent experience.
• Ability to travel domestically at least 50% of the time.
• CFRE certification preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in fundraising and cultivating major donors.
• Sales and customer relation management experience.
• Proven ability to build relationships with a wide range of donors and to understand the needs and passions of donors.
• Proven fundraising track record in major gifts and planned giving with ability to apply appropriate moves management strategies. 
• Deep understanding of both the Christian and Jewish communities.
• Strong understanding of issues related to Israel and the Middle East.

Head to our career center for more details on what it takes to be a Major Gifts Officer, and information on how to apply.

Are Happy Employees Preferable?

Originally Posted on the Nonprofit Job Seeker


What makes the best employee for a nonprofit job? If you ask some managers, it's an individual who hates their job (and/or boss) with a burning passion but is also fearful of losing it, and is unwilling to put up much resistance as a result.

That kind of person might be easier for nonprofit managers to deal with, but there are actually tangible benefits to be had from happier employees.

Erin Teter, a senior human resource business partner for Sage North America, says that overwhelming research shows that happy employees are better to have around than unhappy employees? She listed the following reasons:

• Happy people are more productive and, since they enjoy their job, are unlikely to take many "sick days."
• Happy employees are better equipped to handle workplace relationships, stress and change.
• Rather than looking for a new job, happy employees will want to stay so they can grow within the organization. This will also save valuable money, as the cost of hiring and training new employees can vary from 25 percent to 200 percent of annual compensation.
• In the nonprofit sector, happy employees lead to donor loyalty. They treat donors and clients well because they are engaged in the organization and want to see it succeed. 

5 Strategies For Job Seekers

If searching for work is like a job already, job seekers would tell you that it's one of the worst ones out there. There's nothing fun about filling out countless applications only to see your hard work go unanswered. It can be tempting to just give up the search but that's a temptation you must avoid. Instead of throwing in the towel, why not make your job search simpler?

It's easy to overload your brain with a lot of information when looking for jobs. Thankfully, there are some tips you can follow to make the job search easier and, in turn, less stressful. Here are some of those strategies:

• Don't stress over your resume: Resumes and cover letters are very important to your success, but they aren't the be-all-end-all items they are sometimes made out to be. Make sure they are crafted to the best of your ability, but don't spend the majority of your time constantly re-working them.
• Be selective: You don't have to apply to every single job that you come across. You should instead take the time to lay out the qualities that you are looking for in your next position.
• Be truthful: This seems obvious, but some job seekers feel the need to embellish the truth to make themselves more attractive to employers. There's no need to concoct spectacular tales to show you are worthy; if you are truly right for the job, just the facts will do.
• Use your alumni network: Most colleges and universities have alumni networks of which you should take full advantage. Take a look at the directory and see if there are any individuals who can help you land a new job.
• Don't forget your zip code: If you have your resume posted on your LinkedIn page or a database for all recruiters to see, make sure to include your zip code. Recruiters often do database searches for candidates who are local, so including your zip code will make you easier to find. 

6 Cover Letter Mistakes

Like it or not, first impressions are everything when it comes to job applications. This is especially true with your cover letter. Just because you have included everything you needed to in your letter doesn't mean you got rid of all of the unnecessary things. Failing to exclude these items will only serve to hurt your first impression.

When writing your cover letter, make sure to avoid these six "don'ts":

• Don't open your letter with "Dear Sir/Madam." Hiring managers want to see that you have done your homework, and there is no better way of showing this by looking up their name and opening your letter with it. If you can't find a name, include "Attention Human Resources Department" in your subject line.
• Don't forget to mention for which position your are applying. Organizations usually hire for multiple jobs, so don't leave it up to the hiring manager to determine which position you want.
• Typos and grammatical errors are a death sentence for your cover letter. Proofread it thoroughly before sending.
• Don't focus on your needs. Employers want to know how you can help the organization, not why you liked the job description.
• Don't send a copy-pasted cover letter. This is a surefire way to indicate that you didn't do a lot of work researching the organization.
• Don't mention that you have already sent out a lot of applications. This will make you appear desperate.

4 Tips For Nonprofit Executive Jobs

Not all job searches are created equal. As nonprofit job seekers scour the web for the latest positions, they should know that the process for acquiring an entry or mid-level job is entirely different than the one for getting an executive job.

Executive job seekers need certain tools to stand out from a highly qualified field of candidates. It is not enough to simply submit your application, do a little networking, and call it a day. It's true that the executive resume and cover letter will still be the main focus of your application, but they can't be your only leverage. In the book "Executive's Pocket Guide to ROI Résumés and Job Search," Louise Kursmark and Jan Melnik write that applicants need to implement the following four tools into their job hunt if they are to be successful:

• Elevator Speech: The elevator speech is a 30-second summary that introduces applicants to individuals who can help them with their search. Four elements should be included in this introduction: Who they are, what they do, what they're seeking, and any other information that is relevant to their experience and/or goals.
• Networking Script: While conversations with networking contacts should feel genuine and unique, it helps for job seekers to have some key points prepared.
• Leadership Initiative Document: This document, usually one to two-pages in length, will list up to five career-defining stories. These anecdotes should describe specific challenges faced, and the tactics taken to solve them. the leadership initiative document is a good way for managers to determine what the applicant can bring to the position.
• Professional Biography: This is a portfolio of everything the applicant has accomplished during his career. Some applicants choose to have this put on a web site, but it can also be in the form of a document.

Featured Nonprofit Job -- Regional Director

Are you a a job seeker living in South Florida? If so, our latest featured nonprofit job might be of interest to you. Read on for more details.

The PACE Center for Girls, Inc. in Jacksonville, Fl., is looking to hire a Regional Director. This individual will maintain the cohesiveness of the organization, communicate regional influences, share best practice and resource development information, and serve as the liaison among the PACE Center Executive Directors, local Boards of Directors, State Office and regional community leaders.

The chosen candidate will be responsible for  the coordination and collaboration between PACE Centers in the region; performance management, coaching and training to support Executive Directors to maximize their performance and provide leadership and guidance to the Executive Directors and local Center Boards. In addition, the Regional Director must focus on balanced performance and building the PACE brand both internally and externally and serves as a member of the PACE Center for Girls, Inc. Executive Leadership Team.

Applicants must meet the following requirements to be considered for this position:

• Ten plus years of direct work experience in relationship management and managing staff;
• Thorough knowledge of the characteristics and financial needs of education and social service agencies;
• Proven expertise in understanding of financial statements, program operations and policies and procedures;
• Strong presentation, negotiation, and interpersonal capability;
• Demonstrated success at resource development and leadership coaching; and,
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

You can learn more about this job by visiting our career center.

The Top 10 Nonprofit Job Seeking Tips

The newest statistics form the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) show that the economy added 157,000 jobs last month, continuing a series of steady gains for the market. That doesn't mean it will be any easier to get the nonprofit job of your dreams.

As the job market continues to improve, more job seekers will be looking to restart their search, potentially making an already competitive environment even tougher. Job seekers need to adjust themselves to this new market, and this can be done by re-examining the strategies they have so far followed.

In an article posted on the website of The Bridgespan Group's, Tom Friel, a former advisor to the Boston, Mass.-based organization, stressed that individuals looking for employment will not have the success they desire until they follow these 10 job search tips:

• Do a thorough and honest assessment of your own motivations, skills, and capabilities, and record them.
• Decide very specifically what you want to do and make sure your qualifications match the job requirements.
• Learn who the key players are at your target organizations and find a way to get in front of them.
• Consider an interim path to your goal if necessary, such as consulting, temporary assignments, internships, or volunteering.
• Use your personal network smartly and efficiently. It likely is much larger than you think it is.
• Recognize that most people will want to help you, but they won’t do your homework for you.
• Get connected with recruiters and other intermediaries who are specifically involved in the searches that fit your capabilities and objectives.
• When preparing for a meeting, think about the needs of the person you’re meeting with. Over time if you help your contacts, they will help you.
• When given an interview, prepare thoroughly and ask thoughtful questions.
• When your search is completed, thank the people who helped you.