The Pros And Cons Of Relocating

Job seekers tend to look for work in or around their area.  Who can blame them?  Nobody wants to have a long commute to work, especially with the rising price of gas.  The situation becomes a little more complicated if the job of your dreams is a little bit further than you would like.

Relocation is always a tricky situation.  Nobody wants to leave the comfort of their hometown or travel long distances for work, but sometimes there are good reasons to do it.  Let's look at some of the pros and cons associated with relocating to another city for work.

Pros:

• Working in a new environment can be a refreshing change of pace from your normal routine.  There's something to be said for starting anew.
• Staying in your area can limit your opportunities.  Opening yourself up to travel a little more can bring you new experiences you normally would not have access to.
• Salaries can be a little higher in the city.  If you are working in the suburbs, it may make sense to expand your search into more urban areas.

Cons:

• Leaving behind your friends and family can be intimidating.  You're going to be starting from a clean slate, which means you will also need to make new networking contacts.
• Money is definitely an issue.  Even if it's not so far that you would have to get an apartment, the commuting costs can be a real drain on your wallet.
• You may not like your new location.  If you are planning to move, make sure you are truly in love with the location.  Don't just judge it based on one visit.

7 Job Research Questions

The job of a recruiter is to make their organization sound as attractive as possible to potential candidates.  They're probably not going to tell you any negative things, so it's up to you, the job seeker, to do your due diligence when researching a potential job.

This is not to say you have to be ultra cynical when reading a job description.  It's more likely than not that you're going to get an accurate picture of what the job entails.  The trouble is, that's only half the information you need.  You're going to need to do some serious job research to make sure this is the nonprofit you want to join.

There is a lot of information you need to gather when conducting your job research.  To help speed the process along, here are 10 questions you should ask yourself:

• Who is the owner, and how frequently does that position experience change?  You probably won't want to join an organization that experiences a lot of ownership turnover.
• Does the nonprofit have a good reputation in the industry, or is it considered a bad apple?
• How are the finances?  You should be able to easily find the organization's income for the latest fiscal year.
• Who are its key competitors?
• What do current and past employees think of the organization?
• Who are the major clients?  Are they financially stable?
• Is there room to advance past the current position?  You don't want to be stuck in the same job for years, so find out if there are opportunities for growth.

These questions will not only help you get a better idea of the nonprofit, but they will also help you with future job interviews.  Employers are always going to be impressed if you know a lot about their place of employment.

Featured Nonprofit Job: Interactive Marketing Associate

Marketing jobs have certainly changed a lot in the last decade or so.  With the increasing popularity of the Internet and computers, marketers have turned to that medium for a lot of their work.  It's now virtually unheard of for a nonprofit or other business not to have some sort of e-mail marketing campaign.  If this is the kind of work you are interested in, the Nonprofit Job Seeker has an exciting opportunity available.

The New York City office of Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), an international humanitarian organization, is looking to hire an Interactive Marketing Associate.  Working under the supervision of the Integrated Marketing Manager, this position will help implement the organization's e-marketing and telemarketing campaigns.  The accepted applicant will also work closely with the web and programming team to maximize income and create and improve performance of web donation forms.

Other Responsibilities:

• Works with fundraising systems team to ensure that gift processing standards and financial controls are followed as they relate to online giving.
• Assists in reporting needed by the Integrated Marketing Manager on all aspects of data for telemarketing campaigns.
• Maintains understanding of direct marketing campaign tools, and campaign plans, and backs up Integrated Marketing Manager in the development of direct marketing campaigns across all channels.
• Responsible for monitoring reports on marketing expenditures on a per project basis, as needed, and participates in budgeting process.

Requirements:

• 4-year Bachelor's degree, or equivalent combination of education and experience, in relevant field.
• At least 3 years of relevant work experience, preferably at a nonprofit.
• Solid understanding of web-based donations applications and web development best practices such as accessibility, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), readability, etc.
• Experience with online direct marketing implementation.
• Ability to work with little supervision.

You can read more about this job, including salary information, on our website.  If you think you have what it takes to take on this position, apply immediately!

Featured Job: Political Representative

Politics is a big part of today's society, and fundraising is a big part of politics.  If you ever wanted to integrate these two things into your career, the Nonprofit Job Seeker has just the job for you.

Orlando-based Florida Realtors is looking for a highly motivated individual to be its next Political Representative.  The accepted applicant will be responsible for one-third to one-half of the organization's districts, and will plan, organize, and coordinate fundraising and political activities on behalf of the Realtors Political Action Committee and the Issues Mobilization Committee.  The job will also involve assisting in state and federal lobbying occasionally.  Other responsibilities include:

• Planning, organizing, and conducting workshops/instructional seminars at the district level and at state meetings to train and motivate local political involvement.
• Designing, developing, and producing political education materials, grassroots efforts, and fundraising plans for use by local boards/associations.
• Coordinating the Key Contact Program, which pairs Realtors with local jurisdictions.
• Communicating regularly with local boards/associations to monitor progress and provide follow up assistance.
• Assisting and guiding local boards/associations in the implementation of fundraising techniques and programs.

Think you have what it takes for this job?  Make sure you meet the following requirements before you apply:

• Must have proven abilities in coordinating a large and continuing fundraising and education program.
• Must possess strong communication and organizational skills.
• A four-year degree in a related field is required.
• Should have the capability to perform work under constant stress.
• A working knowledge of the political process is a must.
• The accepted candidate should be prepared to travel regularly to fulfill duties of the position.

Once you are sure you meet all of these requirements, apply for this job on our website!  Make sure to read application instructions carefully.

Tips For Changing Careers From The Buddha

Most people change careers at least once in their lives.  Heck, even the Buddha did it.

As Franz Metcalf and BJ Gallagher explain in their book "Being Buddha at Work," the man who would become the Buddha, Siddhartha, made a stunning career change early in his life.  He walked away from what was the equivalent of a CEO job to live the life of a beggar.  Why?  Because he discovered he wasn't happy with the sheltered life he was living, and wanted to find a solution to human suffering.  And even when he was a success in his second career, he quit that because he still couldn't find the answer to suffering.

We're not suggesting you quit your job to become a beggar, but if you're not happy at your current job you should look into a career change.  One of the many reasons people move to a nonprofit job is the opportunity to do work for a cause that really matters to them.  So do you think it's time to switch careers?  Metcalf and Gallagher have some tips inspired by the Buddha to help you make your decision:

• Drop a career that makes you miserable.  Move on and try something new, and keep trying new things until you find what works for you.
• Listen to the advice of people who care about you and to experts, but don't obey them blindly.  Test what they say against your own intuitions before deciding which path is right for you.
• Take time to know yourself.  Discover what makes you truly happy, not superficially but deeply.  This can take a while to discover so resist the urge to skimp.
• Once you know what you want, take action.  Do everything you can to make your new career a reality and, above all else, don't linger in situations that make you unhappy just because you don't think it can get any better.

A Day At The Career Fair

Although a lot of the job search is done online these days, there is still a place for the real world.  Face-to-face networking still remains a great technique and there's no better place for it than a career fair.

Career fairs are happening all the time, so check often to see if there are any happening in your area.  You will have to choose the fair that has the most relevance to your search.  This can be done by checking which companies will be attending.  Most fairs will have this list on their websites, so you will be able to see if there are any nonprofits attending.  Once you find that out, you need to start preparing.

Make sure that you bring enough copies of your resume and cover letter.  You may only be planning on going to a few booths, but it's better to be over-prepared.  You should also prepare a number of elevator speeches tailored towards each organization you visit.  Remember to practice them enough so that you don't have to read off of a script, and don't be afraid to improvise.

When it comes time to head to the fair, try and get there at least an hour before it begins.  The crowds will get larger as the day gets later, and you will find it hard to get everything done when you are competing with hundreds of other people.  This also has another benefit: It will show potential employers that you are serious about creating good contacts.  Make sure that, along with your resume and cover letter, you have a number of business cards that you can give to potential networking contacts.

The most important thing you can do to prepare for a career fair is to set goals.  Aside from speaking to all of the organizations you are interested in, try and get X number of business cards by the end of the day, or some other tangible goal that will motivate you.  It can never be overstated how much reaching a goal can boost your confidence and make you feel accomplished.

Sample Phone Screen Questions

Once you post your nonprofit job online, it won't be long until you are flooded with potential candidates.  The next step you have to take is to narrow your candidate pool.  One of the most effective ways to do this is to conduct a phone screen.

The phone screen provides a great way for employers to get specific answers from candidates.  This is because you will be able to get specific information from the applicant on why they applied for the job, and other related information.  According to James Weinberg and Cassie Scarno of Commongood Careers, the questions you ask should hit on the whole range of required skills and experience so that you can determine whether this is an individual you would want to bring in for an interview.

Weinberg and Scarno came up with some sample questions you could ask.  These were developed for a director of development position, but you can easily re-work them to fit your job.

• "Please tell me about why you are interested in the director of development position with our organization?"
• "In what type of organizational culture do you thrive?  In what kind do you feel less successful?"
• "What skills and experience do you have that make you particularly qualified for the position?"
• "What is your salary history?  What are your current salary requirements?"
• "How soon would you be able to start a new position?"
• "Please describe your experience working in partnership with a board of directors.  What strategies did you implement to ensure an effective and productive partnership?"
• "Tell me about the successes you have had raising money for nonprofit organizations.  Specifically, how much money did you raise on an annual basis?"
• "Can you give me some examples of partnerships you created that led to increased revenue or opportunity for your organization?  How did you create them?  What were the results?"