Picking The Right Nonprofit Internship

If you are a job seeker just getting out of college or just have very little experience, it can be difficult to get full-time employment. It's during these circumstances that an internship can be an appealing proposition.

Nonprofit internships rarely pay and when they do, it's very little. Doing work for low pay isn't exactly an ideal situation but all that hard work can really pay off for you. Internships often lead to being hired by the organization assuming you've done a good enough job. They will also fill those pesky gaps in your resume, giving you a better shot at getting hired.

So where do you start looking for your first internship? You should begin by looking for opportunities that fit with your overall carer goals. This doesn't necessarily mean you have to limit your search to work within your field. Skills that you need for specific roles are often interchangeable. For example, you don't need to work under a Major Gift Officer to learn everything you need to know about fundraising. Having an internship at any nonprofit will expose you to this work, even if you aren't doing direct work in raising money. Besides, your internship could open your eyes to a new line of work you hadn't considered.

That's why it's also important to consider other career skills to add to your resume. Being a one-trick pony in this job market isn't going to cut it, and pursuing new experiences through internships is a great way to beef up your credentials.

Have you had any great experiences with nonprofit internships? Feel free to share your stories in the comments section below.

Turning A Nonprofit Internship Into A Job

Cross posted from The Nonprofit Jobseeker

Nonprofit internships are ideal for people looking to break into the sector. They provide a great chance for individuals to get a better idea of what it's like to work at a not-for-profit by providing them with hands on experiences. There's only one problem: Internships often don't provide much income besides a stipend. Luckily for job seekers, a lot of organizations use internship programs as a way to scout potential full time employees. Here are some tips to help you make that happen:

• Talk to everybody you meet at the organization. Successful work environments require you to have a positive attitude with everybody. Being friendly to your co-workers as an intern is not only the right thing to do, it will create a great lasting impression. You never know who you are going to impress.

• Nothing is more impressive to prospective employers than an intern who always finds more work to do. Make it a point to go to your supervisor for more work when you are finished with whatever they assigned you. If they don't have anything for you at that time, keep yourself busy by reading organization literature.

• Don't be afraid to ask questions. It may be cliche, but the only stupid question is the one that's not asked. Look at it this way: Would you rather feel awkward asking a question that might seem obvious, or make a mistake because you were too anxious to ask?

• The fact of life for all interns is that they will eventually be asked to do grunt work. Even though this work is tedious, it's important to remain enthusiastic. Your chances of being hired full time will sink significantly if all you do is mope. Nobody likes a moper.

• Find a mentor! This can be anybody that works in the department you are looking to join. You will probably want this person to be your supervisor because you will be interacting with him/her the most. A good mentor will be someone who is willing to share their expertise and knowledge.

NPT Jobs Recommends: 7/15/2011

Here are today's recommended articles/sites, fresh picked straight from the Internet:

• 'Stop Being a Lazy Job Seeker'-Don't worry, this is not referring to you directly...hopefully!  But this is a good article to read to make sure you aren't doing any of these bad habits.  If you are, institute the changes listed in this article!
• 'Converting Your Internship Into a Full Time Job'-It's everybody's dream that the unpaid internships we do will eventually lead to a full time job.  Here are some tips on how to make that dream a reality.  A bit of a lengthy read, but worth it.
• 'It's a Small World'-It's true: You can run into former colleagues anywhere!  Here is some more networking advice for you to expand your contacts.

Nonprofit Career Round-Up: 5/3/2011

No pithy thoughts today, sorry.  Instead, I will just lead you right into today's non profit job links:

• 'Making the Most of Your Internship'-From The Case Foundation's blog, this article is particularly insightful as it is written by an actual intern at the organization, Lauren Scherr.  Ms. Scherr gives some great tips, direct from her own experiences, on how to make your nonprofit internship pay off for you in the future.  This is one of those must read posts, in my view.
• 'Nonprofit Marketing: Whose Job is it Anyways?'-This post from XFactor Consulting lays out how responsibilities should be doled out at nonprofit marketing jobs.
• Finally, here's a good post from a blog I just discovered: "Get a Job!"  It has some rather bold tips on how to best improve your resume.  For instance, the author (Kathy Bernard), says that you should delete the objective section of your resume.  To be honest, I never thought about that.  I can't say I necessarily agreed the first time I read that, but the more I think about it, the more it makes a little bit of sense.

Nonprofit Career Round-Up: 4/7/2011

It's almost the weekend are you excited?  Hopefully you have made some good progress with your non profit job search with the tips I have provided.  Anyway, here are today's links...

• 'Non Profit Jobs With the Best Companies'-Here is a list of the best nonpofit organizations you can get a job with.  As a matter of fact, the 10 companies listed here are from The 50 Best Nonprofits to Work For in 2011, which was just released by The NonProfit Times.
• 'Non-Profit Jobs for Students'-This article provides some helpful resources for college students looking for nonprofit jobs.  Specifically, these jobs are from the University of Washington's Department of Earth and Space Sciences.  They work with nonprofits like the Sierra Club.
• 'Nonprofit and Government Internships'-Live in Georgia?  Here is a lst of government and nonprofit internships from Georgia State's career blog.

Nonprofit Career Round-Up: 4/5/2011

Since I talked about nonprofit internships today, I thought I would find links today that had to do with that subject.  So without further ado...

• 'The Top 10 Nonprofit Internships'-This is a list from The Nonprofit Quarterly that, as the title suggests, ranks the top 10 nonprofit internships in the past year.  These are organizations that you should definitely be taking a look at during your search.
• 'Nonprofit Internships'-This is a short postfrom Georgia Tech's blog that provides links to places to find great nonprofit internships.
• The Far North Dallas Advocate-Do you live in Dallas, TX?  Then read this article, because it provides information on Texas nonprofits that are offering paid Summer internships.  The article provides a link of how to apply for these opportunities.

Create Your Own Nonprofit Internship

In these challenging times, it is especially hard for college students and recent graduates to find work in the nonprofit sector.  Even though the economy is recovering, the field is still very competitive to the point where it can be hard to make yourself stand out as a young professional trying to establish a nonprofit career.  I have talked in the past about the importance of looking for nonprofit internships as an alternative to a paid position.  A lot of times, you can find great internships or co-ops by searching through non-profit job boards, but sometimes these opportunities can be created by making a simple call.

It may not be a particularly comfortable experience, but you should seriously consider getting a list of popular nonprofit organizations in your area and just giving them a call to offer your services as an unpaid intern.  Even if these organizations might not have a position listed online, it doesn't mean they don't have use for some free labor.  The truth of the matter is that nonprofits (especially up-and-coming ones) are always in need of help.  This help may not always be glamorous, but it often will lead you to a nonprofit job if you do a good job and make a great impressio on your co-workers.  Even if you call up and find out the organization doesn't need any help, make it a point to give them your name and contact information, as you never know when the next opportunity will arise.  And I know I mention this a lot, but taking initiative is one of the most impressive things you can do.

Now, before you make the phone call, it's a good idea to create a little script of what you want to say (thogh try and memorize it before you call, so you don't sound stilted).  It should be no more than a 60 second blurb describing your interests and skills; just something to give the employer an idea of what you can do.  Also, make sure that you are directed to someone in Human Resources as they will know better than a secretary whether there are any internship opportunities available.  And remember, the most important thing is to sound confident.  It's a little nervewracking doing what really amounts to a cold-call, but confidence breeds success.  And with any luck, you will have landed yourself a chance at a nonprofit internship or co-op.