Big City Nonprofit Jobs

If you polled job seekers on what kind of environment they'd want to work in for a nonprofit job, I'd be willing to bet a lot of them would choose a big city.  Although the crowds can be overwhelming to some, cities provide a fun and active work environment.  It also doesn't hurt that there are a wealth of food choices if you want to go out for lunch.

We have recently posted a number of nonprofit jobs located in major cities.  Here are three of them:

• Medical Education Project Manager: Located in our nation's capital, this job from the American Pharmacists Association is a great opportunity for those who are experienced in healthcare education.  This position is in charge of leading education projects online, so e-learning experience is a must.  Any kind of accreditation you have would be a bonus.
• Senior Program Associate: Dreaming of working in beautiful San Francisco?  Then you'll want to consider this job from Foundation for California Community Colleges.  This position will be in charge of the organization's Career Ladders Project (CLP) and will work with the CLP team, colleges and their workforce partners in developing and implementing high quality, career pathway programs.  A Bachelor's Degree is required, along with experience teaching and/or facilitating at a community college or similar institution.
• Institutional Giving Program: The Center for Family Representation, located in New York City, is seeking a highly motivated individual to work in their giving program.  The chosen applicant will begin work on February 15, and will be in charge of, among other things, creating a portfolio of corporate, foundation, and government prospects, throughout the qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship cycles.  The ideal candidate will possess a combination of skills, experience and passion, along with the ability to think strategically.

The Top 10 Job Interview Questions To Ask

What's a nonprofit job interview really about?  You might think it's just about your qualifications, but it's actually more about how you can help the employer succeed now and in the future.

It's all too easy for a job seeker to completely forget about the point of view of the employer in an interview.  The majority of the job search is completely focused on your needs, so what the interviewer is thinking isn't the first thing that pops into your head.  The last thing you want is another thing to worry about, but you're going to have to start thinking about this.  After all, one of the major points of an interview is to impress your prospective employer.

With that in mind, here are 10 good job interview questions to ask to the interviewer:

1. What is the leadership style in the organization?  Would you say it's more relaxed or strict?
2. What types of individuals are most successful here?  (This is a good opportunity to point out that you fit those qualifications, assuming the interviewer lists traits that match yours).
3. What's your biggest worry these days?  What aspect of business keeps you up at night?
4. What are the major accomplishments you expect to see from someone taking on this job?  Are there any long term goals I should know?
5. What would a successful year for the organization look like?  How will this position help reach that goal?
6. How did you get your start in the nonprofit sector?  What do you enjoy about it the most?
7. I've mainly worked for (insert type of company here) during my career?  Do you think this experience will be to my advantage should I be chosen for this job?
8. What was it about this job that makes it so important?  Why are you prioritizing it over other positions?
9. What has been the biggest challenge for the organization over the past year?  Did the recession have a big impact on your mission?
10. What is the timeline for the hiring process?  When should I get back in touch with you regarding the position?

Nonprofit Career Round-Up: 01/10/2012

• Rehab Specialist/Project Management: Philadelphia Neighborhood Housing Services is seeking an individual to provide technical assistance to homeowners for home improvement projects and property renovation projects.  Will also oversee contractors work for quality control; perform related administrative work.  Must have excellent interpersonal communication skills and experience using computer programs.  Should also have two years experience in home inspeection.
• Call Center Manager (FEATURED JOB): Are you good at dealing with people on the phone?  Then this is the job for you.  Candidates must get as excited about motivating employees to reach their potential as they do Excel spreadsheets and bar graphs.  Having a lot of passion for doing this kind of work is a must for anybody who wishes to apply.  The chosen applicant will be responsible for all aspects of the Texas Call Center and for overseeing shift supervisors, training and all call center operations. He or she will also be responsible for all aspects of NRC’s Donor Relations department.  Must have a Bachelor's degree from a four-year college or university, or 6 years related experience and/or training, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• HHA Supervisors: A challenging opportunity for an experienced individual to supervise HHAs delivering service to patients in the home care setting and coordinate all related administrative responsibilities.  Must have 2 or more years of experience supervising HHA, ensuring compliance with corporate policies/state regs & scheduling HHA assignments. Must have excellent customer service, organizational, and problem solving skills. Computer skills and a college degree preferred.

Handling Employee Online Privacy

Cross-Posted From The NonProfit Times Blog

One of the big responsibilities of human resources is to make sure employees are treated fairly and their privacy is protected.  Employees expect what happens in the office to remain there, but today's technology allows people to easily spread the word out to countless people. 

It's up to HR to make sure this doesn't happen so the organization can avoid any legal problems.  But how to do this when the technology makes it so easy?  Jeffrey S. Tenenbaum and Lisa M. Hix of D.C.-based Venable LLP offered some tips on how nonprofits can better handle these sticky situations:

• Employees are going to use their computers for personal use whether you like it or not.  It's an unavoidable fact of life, so make sure staff is educated on what they can and can't post.
• You need a clear and reasonable policy that explains expectations on usage. It should reduce any expectation of privacy on the organization’s computers or email, phone/voicemail or Blackberry systems and the data on them.
• Make sure the policy you create addresses permissible use while guarding against potential legal pitfalls.
• Always be prepared.  Organize a team (consisting of legal, executive, marketing, and HR staff) before a crisis happens, not after.
• Want to check out a potential employee's online interactions?  Get written consent from them first.
• Screen all your candidates the same way.  Don't treat one different than the other.
• Remember that you can only decide not to hire someone based on online interactions if it's a non-discriminatory reason.  For example, you can't just not hire a person because you found out they have different political beliefs than you.

Online Job Opportunities: Employer Websites

When it comes to online job opportunities, your best bet is to use a job board.  But sometimes the nonprofit job you want can't be found there.  That's when you have to resort to other methods.  One area you should consider investigating is employer websites.

Just because an organization is hiring doesn't mean they have advertised on a job website.  Some companies prefer to do their recruiting on their site.  If there is a nonprofit that you have always wanted to work for, but you don't see any of their jobs posted, you should immediately go to their website's "employment" section.  This is the area where employers will list any areas they are currently looking to fill.  Think of it as their own personal job board.

Nothing listed on the employer website?  Not to worry, you're not out of options yet.  A nonprofit's employment website will usually list the contact information for the Human Resources department.  If it's not listed there, check their "contact us" page.  Once you find it, give them a call to inquire on potential openings.  Tell them the position you are looking for and ask if you can send your resume for future consideration.  You never know, that one call could open their eyes to recruiting opportunities they are missing.  And that could open the door for you.

Nonprofit Career Round-Up: 01/09/2012

We have been getting a lot of new nonprofit jobs onto our career center.  Here are a few of the ones you can expect to find:

• Executive Director: The Executive Director will be based out of our San Diego office and will also oversee and provide senior-level staff oversight of San Diego, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties including the management of staff and volunteers and the development and execution community-based fundraising and service programs.
• Grant Writer: The Grant Writer is responsible for preparing proposals and other written materials as well as researching and identifying funding opportunities to support grantsmanship and fundraising efforts of Queens Library. Work with the Manager of Corporate and Foundation Grants to put in place and implement a strategic calendared cultivation plan including communication with funders/prospects.
• Colorado State Director: The Colorado State Director for Share Our Strength will lead strategy and operations for all Share Our Strength activities in Colorado, including directing Share Our Strength’s role in the Colorado No Kid Hungry Campaign and Cooking Matters Colorado. This position ensures that the full range of assets and tactics available within Share Our Strength and the state of Colorado are applied to the programmatic, partnership, policy, and fundraising priorities of the No Kid Hungry campaign.

Are Your Networking Contacts In Danger?

"I think we should start seeing other people."

You've probably heard this line before if you've ever gone through a break up.  And if you have, you probably know what it really means: "I think I should start seeing other people, but you shouldn't."  Relationships are a tricky business.

Don't worry, this blog isn't turning into a dating advice column.  Relationship advice is actually very important for job seekers when dealing with networking contacts.  You have to pick and choose the individuals you connect with carefully, or else you could be in for a wild ride.  In his book "It's Not Just Who You Know," Tommy Spaulding, former CEO of Up With The People, talks about the potential pitfalls that can arise from relationships.  He offers some relationship warning signs that can easily be applied to your career networking:

• Know when to say no.  If you get the feeling that the person you want to connect with has a bad personality or something along those lines, walk away.  It's not worth the trouble even if you think they could really help you.
• Beware of relationship cancer.  This can be caused by jealousy or insecurity, and can pop up in any kind of relationship.  It is up to you to know situations where this is more likely.  For example, it might not be a good idea to make a networking contact with someone who is pursuing the same job as you.
• Learn from critics, but don't become their slave.  Constructive criticism is important.  If your contact has some feedback for you, don't get defensive.  At the same time, you should also recognize if the feedback is coming from someone acting on their own agendas.