Nonprofit Jobs

If you are like most Americans, then you are probably scrambling to find a job.  And now that the job market is improving, you are probably facing stiffer competition than ever.  This is especially true when it comes to nonprofit jobs, which are becoming extremely popular these days.  There's only one problem: it is very hard to find resources to help you find these positions, despite their popularity.  Although there are many job boards all over the internet, the amount that are devoted soley to jobs in the nonprofit sector are limited.  And while applying to a non profit job is still pretty much the same as applying to a for-profit position, there are some nuances that aren't explained nearly enough out there.  So what is a job seeker supposed to do?  That's where this page comes in.

Over the coming weeks and months, this page will be updated with tips on how to best apply to these highly sought after positions.  In such a competitive market, it is imperative to have every advantage you can.  I hope this page will help you in your search, and remember to leave any comments you might have!

One of the first steps you need to take when applying to a non profit job is writing a resume.  If you had a resume that you were using to apply to for-profit jobs, I'm sorry to say but you are going to have more work to do.  The fact of the matter is that you can't submit the same resume for every job you apply to anyway.  So if you were already doing that, then there's one mistake you need to immediately correct.

Now, when it comes to writing your nonprofit resume, there are some things to keep in mind.  First of all, if you have any volunteer experience, you should mention it.  While this kind of work might not have been relevant for a for-profit company, it is most certainly relevant to nonprofits.  Here are some more tips to help your resume writing process:

• Your resume should be concise; anything more than a page is too much. As you might imagine, nonprofit employees are very busy, so you should make sure that you cut out any information that is irrelevant. Plus, being able to write something that is concise yet informative will make you very attractive to nonprofits
• It is not enough to say what you did at a previous company: you should also explain how this helped the company. For example, it's all well and good that you did social media work at your last job; but don't you think it's pertinent to mention that your work on the company Facebook helped drive more traffic to your company?
• Phrasing is very important.  You should avoid corporate jargon, but this doesn't mean your writing should be informal either.  Think of it as if you were writing something for a professor.
• ALWAYS proofread before submitting. Seems obvious, right?  Well, you wouldn't believe how many people (I was once guilty of this) don't take the time to look over their resume, only to notice obvious typos once it's too late.