Nonprofits are often generalized as less formal than corporate settings. Whether that’s true or not–and of course the atmosphere varies from one organization to another–when applying for jobs, I recommend  erring on the side of formality. For example:

1. Use capitalization, like you learned way back in English class. For example, if you’re filling out our online application, don’t say you’re krista francis and worked at jubilee.  First of all, obviously use your own name, not mine! (Smile.) Second, employ some capital letters, please.

2. Spell-check. We all make typos or occasionally misspell words. For most positions, I wouldn’t disqualify someone over a typo or two.* But why take chances? Turn on and use your spell checker on your e-mail, browser and Word!

3. Punctuation and spacing. Your resume and cover should read like business documents, not text messages. If you’re not sure about basic punctuation, brush up rules here or do a quick Google search.  A frequent error relateds to spacing and punctuation. You should insert a space after commas, periods and colons. (Example: I bought peas, carrots, milk and bread. Not: I bought peas,carrots,milk and bread.)

4. Proof your work. Better yet, if possible, have someone else proof for you.

If you incorporate these basics, you will eliminate many of the errors I see throughout my workday. Good luck with your job search!

*unless you’re applying for a writing, editing or communications position, in which case spelling errors will eliminate you from consideration.

photo by SeeMidTN.com (aka Brent)

Check them out for great networking opportunities, nonprofit news, tips about breaking into nonprofit work and other career advice!

The world of social media allows me to mingle with recruiters and human resources professionals from the corporate world. In the process, I’ve learned many of these colleagues place low priority on cover letters.  They want the resume to do the talking.

In nonprofits, though, a cover letter is more often the norm. Cover letters clarify which position interests you and establishes your connection to the mission. When applying for a nonprofit job, read and follow instructions carefully. To ignore a request for a cover is suicide. If a cover letter is not mentioned, I’d still recommend erring on the side of sending one.

Not convinced? Five reasons to write a cover:

1. Tie your skills to the open position.

2. Showcase your writing skills.

3. Answer the “What have You Done for Me Lately?” question.

4. Personalize your job search, show you’ve done your homework about the organization.

5. Share your passion for the mission. When I say this, I don’t mean by saying,  “I am passionate about working with people with developmental disabilities.” Anyone can say that, including people who are not being truthful. Tell us why you’re passionate. Paint an image. Tell a story. The more personal the connection, the more compelling the story. I don’t mean personal as in unprofessional, I mean personal as in “Growing up with a brother with Down syndrome has given me unique compassion coupled with a drive to advocate for people who have disabilities. Working at your agency would allow me to exercise my commitment by…..”  [Obviously, you only share that story if it is true!]

Does this mean that if you don’t have a ‘story’ the job is a lost cause? No. Does it mean that you should make stuff up? No, no, no! But do look for ways you can elaborate on your connection to the mission.  I want to know what drives you, what motivates you. Your story helps me understand why you want to work in a position that is not seen by the world as glamorous, why you’re willing to work nights and weekends for a salary that is less lucrative than some other available options, how you will keep going during tough times after the newness of the job has worn off.

In nonprofit settings, we look for the human face behind the resume. That’s where your cover is so important.

photo by: cambodia4kidsorg

You were laid off. You had a tiny brush with the law. You made a mistake. You lost your job.

Something happened that was less than ideal, and now that you’re looking for a new job, you’re not sure what to do.

To answer that, let me forewarn you that at several points along the application process, you’ll be signing documents allowing us to research your background, so we encourage you to read them carefully and answer truthfully. If you come clean about those blips in your history you have a chance because we’ll consider the situation in relation to the job duties. Maybe you had philosophical differences with your last employer. Maybe a family member was seriously ill and you weren’t eligible for FMLA so you missed too much work. Maybe you were young and caused a high-spirited disturbance in Ocean City. We might be able to forgive such incidences, depending on the circumstances.

There are some things we couldn’t overlook, though, such as physical violence, mistreatment of other people,  drug convictions, theft, and many more along those lines. Most definitely, if you lie about terminations or convictions and are discovered, you will not be hired. If we somehow don’t discover the mistruth until after your employment, you will be terminated when we find out.

So it’s better to tell the truth or look for a different kind of job.

What do we look for in our background check, in addition to resumes and interviews you might wonder?

Driving: Clean driving record, which is to say two or fewer minor moving violations on your three year record, zero major ones (e.g. DUI/DWI).

Criminal background: Following State requirements, we search for criminal convictions in the last seven years. We search all jurisdictions where you lived or worked during this time.

References: We carefully supervisors or other persons who can vouch for your work performance. If we can’t reach your references, we will ask you for assistance including providing other names. If we are unable to procure references, we will be unable to offer you the job. Please help us by ensuring your reference names and contact numbers are current.

I’m sorry to bring up such a heavy topic, but it’s a part of life and we need to address it. We want to be fair to our applicants, but of course we also follow State regulations and Agency policies and procedures designed to ensure that the people we support are cared for in a loving, respectful, protected way. If you love this field the way that we do, if you have a passion for enhancing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities, then I’m sure you’ll understand.

photo by Phoney Nickle

Having a solid list of references is probably more important in the nonprofit social services world than in some other industries. If hired at our agency, you will help vulnerable adults with the most intimate details of their finances, family lives, personal hygiene and more. And so it makes sense that we check references diligently; if we are unable to contact sufficient sources, an employment offer won’t be in the making. It’s that simple.

Here’s how to groom your list for the best chance at success:

1. Think about who can vouch for your former work performance. The list could include supervisors, managers in other departments, committee members, professors, family members of your clients/participants, etc. The key is that they must be able to speak to your work performance. As friendly as our workplace is, we are not interested in personal references (friends, family, etc.).
2. Contact each person and have a conversation. Ask whether they would be willing to serve as a reference on a general basis, ongoing.  Tell them what kind of position(s) you’re applying for. Ideally, if you’re brave, you’ll also have a conversation about your strengths and weaknesses. You’ll go out on a limb and ask them what they’ll be saying about you. You’ll talk about the skillset required in the jobs that interest you. If you’re not convinced the person will represent you well, look for other names.
3. Also ask if you can contact them when a specific position piques your interest—such as a job at Jubilee. You don’t want to inundate them every time you have a passing interest in a position. But when your dream job comes along, you do want to give them the heads up that Krista Francis or Stacey Webb will be calling, and to ask that they make it a priority to speak with us.
4. Don’t make the mistake of assuming that since you have a good relationship with your current/former supervisor, that person will be glad to serve as a reference.  Many companies’ policies limit managers’ ability to give references. Specifically check; otherwise, it may hold up your hiring process.
5. When you give us a reference list, please make sure all contact numbers and emails are current. As silly as it sounds, often our efforts are stalled by outdated numbers. And add a couple more names than you think you need in case someone is on vacation, honeymooning, or dealing with a family illness.

For more information on cultivating a topnotch reference list, see this article on 360 References on Krista’s professional blog.

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