Nonprofit Career Round-Up: Halloween Edition

Happy Halloween everybody!  And for those living on the northeast, Happy Snowy Halloween!  Can you believe that we had a snowstorm before it even hit Novemeber?  A ton of people are still without power in the northeast, so hopefully that gets fixed.  For those of you that do have power, here are today's top nonprofit jobs:

• PARRI Regional Director at The Kendal Corporation: Kendal Outreach , LLC, is seeking a dynamic and innovative person who is interested in care of the elderly across the health care continuum to serve as PARRI Regional Director for the Pennsylvania Restraint Reduction Initiative (PARRI). Kendal Outreach (a subsidiary of The Kendal Corporation located in Kennett Square, PA) is a not-for-profit, values-based leader in providing creative solutions in health care—advocacy, education and resources. Kendal Outreach operates in accordance with the principles of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), which embrace the principles of diversity and inclusion, and offers competitive wage and benefits.
• Nurse Practitioner at Quad Graphics: QuadMed, Quad/Graphics' employer-sponsored healthcare model that operates and manages medical clinics at Quad/Graphics' sites and other businesses, is seeking a Nurse Practitioner for our new health center located in The Rock, GA. This primary health care and wellness center is scheduled to open in the Fall of 2011, and will provide health care to all employees and dependents. QuadMed is the leader in employer-sponsored healthcare, dedicated to providing employees with comprehensive, accessible care and superior evidence-based medicine. Our innovative practices, values, and focus on wellness and prevention have earned us recognition nationwide.
• Director, Development and Community Initiatives at American Diabetes Association: Our employees like working at the American Diabetes Association because of our opportunities, inclusive environment, work-life balance, benefits and culture. When you join our dedicated team you will experience the gratification of knowing your work impacts the well-being of millions of people, both directly and indirectly, affected by diabetes. The American Diabetes Association, the nation's leading health organization focused on diabetes is seeking a Director of Development & Community Initiatives to work directly with the Executive Director in support of the leadership in the New Jersey market. Deliver nearly 1M in income from various development vehicles. Manage a staff of four (4). Deliver programming to nearly 100,000 New Jersey residents. Manage website and social media.

Job Search Mondays

Getting a job changes every aspect of your life, but there's one thing that won't change from your job search days: Sometimes you are going to have a case of the Mondays.  Those are the days when it seems like an absolute chore just to lift your head off the pillow.  If you have already been treating your job hunt like a full-time job, you have probably already had quite a few days like this.  Instead of taking those "five more minutes" in bed, here are some motivation tips you can use to get yourself on task:

• The more time you spend looking for work, the more free time you will have at the end of the day.
• Your dream job is waiting for you.  If you spend too much time slacking off, you will be wasting time you could be using to craft your best cover letter.
• Getting in the routine of waking up at normal hours will better prepare you when you finally get that job.  You're going to have to get back on a work schedule eventually, you might as well start now.

Mondays can be rough, but we have to deal with them.  It's one of those unfortunate facts of life.  Following these tips will help you shake off those Monday blues and help you accomplish big things.

Two Important Job Interview Questions (And How To Answer Them)

Are you worried about what questions you will be asked during your job interview?  Don't worry, you're not alone.  Most job seekers will tell you that much of their anxiety about interviews stems from not knowing what they will be asked.  Unfortunately, there's no way of knowing every single question the interviewer is going to ask you.  That doesn't mean you can't prepare.  While every question won't be the same from interview to interview, many companies do stick to a couple of basic questions:

• Why are you interested in working here?  This is a question so basic, that it's easy to take it for granted.  Do you really have to say anything more complicated than restating what attracted you to the job in the first place?  That's a big part of it, but you should also do ample research on the organization to really knock this question out of the park.  Were you impressed with any projects they undertook?  Be sure to mention that.  The more detail you give, the better.
• Why should we hire you?  This question seems like an opportunity to brag about yourself, but it's much more than that.  The interviewer is really asking how your skills will best match up to the requirements of the position.  Cite specific examples of your experience that relate to key areas of the job.  For example, if the position requires understanding of social media, talk a lot about your experience in that field.

Interviews are a big first step in the job application process, but that's all they are.  You have to be thoroughly prepared to answer the questions put to you in a way that presents a compelling case for you to be hired.  Use the two example questions above as a starting point for your entire interview preparation.

Nonprofit Career Round-Up: 10/27/2011

When you get a chance, read the newest column from The NonProfit Times on the "Occupy Wall Street" protests.  It's a great read on a subject that has been garnering a lot of attention these days.  After you read it, check out today's top nonprofit jobs:

• Director of Development at Midland University: Providing overall leadership, management and coordination of the University’s fund raising and alumni relations programs, the Director of Development will design, implement, and assess a comprehensive development plan to address the specific needs of the University and ensure its success.
• Associate VP For Fundraising Support at Save The Children USA: The Associate VP for Fundraising Support reports to the VP Resource Development. This executive will manage a team comprised of four business units: Goal and Performance Management, Member Resource Coordination, Emergency Fundraising and Best Practices and Innovation.
• Foundation Director at Cookeville Regional Medical Center: The Director of the CRMC Foundation is responsible for the comprehensive development, implementation and coordination of fund raising activities to include, but not limited to: annual support campaign, planned giving, special events, project funding, capital development as well as the recruitment of volunteers to assist in the fund raising activities.

Professional Development Ideas

Professional development is a great way to help fulfill your career goals.  Graduate programs are what first comes to mind when you think about developing your career skills, but there are many different activities you can partake in to make you a more attractive candidate.

• Career workshops: These can be expensive, but they are a good option if you can afford them.  Some workshops can even give you certificates, so make sure to double-check before you sign up.
• Self-education books: Don't have the time or money to take a course or attend a workshop?  Purchase some books on nonprofit management.  It may not look as good on your resume, but it will improve your knowledge.
• Find a mentor: Find a professional to help guide you on your career path.  This can either be someone you know or a person you are introduced to via a networking contact.
• Start volunteering: Getting involved with volunteer work will look good to nonprofits, and it can help grow your professional network.  Doing something good for the community can also make you feel better for yourself when going through unemployment.

Getting involved with some form of professional development will help you stay fresh during down times and will avoid worrisome employment gaps in your resumé.  Showing that you were busy during unemployment will look much better on your resume than doing nothing.

Nonprofit Career Round-Up: 10/26/2011

Here are today's top nonprofit jobs for your job search pleasure.  Enjoy!

• Foundation Director at Cookeville Reigonal Medical Center: The Director of the CRMC Foundation is responsible for the comprehensive development, implementation and coordination of fund raising activities to include, but not limited to: annual support campaign, planned giving, special events, project funding, capital development as well as the recruitment of volunteers to assist in the fund raising activities.
• Executive Assistant to the CEO at Appraisal Institute: Assist the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) on all administrative and management duties. Performs a variety of complex and routine activities in support of CEO and the Appraisal Institute, some of which may involve access to highly confidential and sensitive information. Works independently within defined schedules and maintains a position of high visibility to board members and key volunteers. Serves as Staff Liaison to projects as assigned by the CEO.
• VP of Marketing and Devleopment at Family & Children's Agency, Inc: The Vice President of Marketing and Development will possess excellent strategic, leadership and communication skills to lead an institutional advancement program. This individual will be responsible for the planning, leadership, and implementation of all fundraising initiatives, as well as oversight of the organization’s marketing and communication efforts. The Vice President of Marketing & Development will have an extensive knowledge of fundraising principles, and experience building and maintaining relationships with donors.

Explaining Gaps In Employment

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that unemployment is a serious problem in this country.  The unemployment rate has been hovering at around 9 percent for a while now, and Americans are looking everywhere for work.  If you graduated during the height of the recession, or lost your job around that time, there will probably be large gaps in employment in your resume.  You have to find a way to cover up these gaps if you want your resume to be seen by employers.

Did you know that you don't have to list the specific months you worked at a job?  All you have to do is put the years.  If you were unemployed for 6 months after your last job, you can cover up that gap by just listing the years you worked:

Company A: 2004-2007
Company B: 2007-2010

That 6 month gap is now completely gone from your resume.  If you do feel the need to put the specific dates you worked at a company, make sure you list any relevant volunteer work you were involved in during your unemployed period.  This will prove to the nonprofit that you were doing valuable things with your time.

The most important thing to keep in mind during this process is to tell the truth.  If you put information in your resume that is not factual, I can guarantee the recruiter will find out.  Once you are exposed as being untruthful, that reputation will live with you forever.  There is a big difference between covering up gaps and making things up.