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What are nonprofits looking for in a candidate when they hire for a paid position? (self.nonprofit)

submitted ago by The_Humble_Frank

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I'm sure others have this question, so If you feel like it, you can answer this question generally and not directly respond to my situation. I've been trying to get a nonprofit job for a couple of months, I've had a couple interviews but so far nothing has panned out.

So, my questions to the denizens of r/nonprofit:

*what are you looking for from a candidate in an interview? *

What experiences are you looking for in a candidates past?

What are the things that immediately make you think the candidate is not right for the position?

What do you love to hear from a candidate?

*As for what I am looking for: *

I would love working for a politically focused non-profit, but not in a fundraising fashion. I want to connect with people, not solicit money from them. Preferably I would like to help promote legislation or help build a coalition to get an initiative passed.

My strengths are in logistics, leadership and building group partnerships. I have experience with event planning, gathering supplies and training volunteers. I prefer a strategic approach, with contingency plans and lots of thinking ahead.

I have leadership experience working for nonprofits in the past (Boy Scouts, Homeowners' Association, that sort of thing) and I have some experience canvassing for political campaigns, although my experience is not from the area where I currently live (Seattle, WA).

The one thing I know I don't have is an overwhelming presence of optimism. I've stopped suicide attempts and prevented assaults, encouraged people to seek counseling and go to rehab but I'm a realist. I have seen family members torn apart by addiction, I've seen people taken advantage of by cults and sociopaths and I have known people that have gone without adequate medical care for years because they can’t afford it. I don’t have boundless faith in the human race, because I recognize the 'monsters' are also human.

I would love to volunteer at a nonprofit, but I can't afford it right now, with the meningeal hours I have at my current work coupled with the cost of gas. Although I live in Seattle, for the right opportunity I would be willing to move anywhere, even outside of the US.

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[–]holymadness 6 points7 points ago

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It is unrealistic to think you can work for a nonprofit and never be involved in fundraising, especially given your generalist education. Fundraising is the lifeblood of the sector; that's just the way it is. At least 50% of any nonprofit's time is spent asking for money. If a candidate told me he was not interested in fundraising, I would consider it an immediate deal-breaker, as I often need people to be flexible about their duties and help out with everything from organizing events, to selling tickets, to writing grant proposals, to doing donor research, to making cold calls.

I suggest that you do a lot of research about your future employer's needs and talk about those instead of your ambitions. When I'm recruiting, I want someone to tell me how they can make my life easier, not what their philosophy of man is. I also suggest you inform yourself about your future employer's priorities and mission, as those are unlikely to change, so consider your ability to adapt your feelings and opinions to the job instead of hoping you'll be able to influence the mission of the organization.

Finally, I would be especially careful of making blanket statements about e.g. how you'd prefer to go to Africa rather than send money for clean water projects. It may be very gratifying for you to feel like you're contributing first-hand, but for the cost of your plane ticket, room & board, and language education, I can hire a professional with a drilling rig to dig a well in under a day. The mission, not your ego, needs to come first.

[–]The_Humble_Frank[S] 0 points1 point ago

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Looking back on what I wrote it does come across as very egotistical, and I appologise for that. I would rather they drill a well then send me to africa. My problem with the fundraising aspect in many of the organizations I have encountered is that that seems to be the only thing they want volunteers/workers to do (not 50%, 100%) and then when a fundraiser has a bad week, they lose there job at the drop of the hat (I'm hearing this mostly from people at Grassroots Campaigns and their affiliates).

[–]Southbayblog 2 points3 points ago

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I am in the exact same situation. Thanks for posting. I hope someone more knowledgeable come along.

[–]chillin-and-grillin 2 points3 points ago

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I'm In the middle of a round of hiring at a non-profit right now, so this is timely.

I look for the exact same thing a for-profit company is looking for - skills relevant to the job in hiring for. I immediately move past the candidate's desire to do good. That is a given in people who are seeking out non-profit work.

Also, I look for candidates who do well in a constantly changing, chaotic, & under resources environment. Though maybe that's just how my workplace is.

[–]The_Humble_Frank[S] 1 point2 points ago

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Thanks for the reply.

I have operated on essentially a zero dollar budget (to fund events I solicited donations for local business owners) and negotiated conflicts between staff and management but these aren't things that I normally bring up in an interview as they weren't part of my job description.

[–]Orioneone 2 points3 points ago

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I run a non-profit and its all about Fundraising, Fundraising, Fundraising. It's hard to run projects & programs without capital, especially in the non-profit sector. That being said if you enjoy event planning & volunteer management, get into fundraising & networking events. You can do that on your own. Any organization is willing to to sponsor your event if proceeds go to their cause. If you are consistently successful then they will be happy to consider you for a position.

[–]tennmyc21 1 point2 points ago

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I've written out like 3 answers to this, but I need a little more info from you so I don't get all long and rambly. 1. Have you gone to college, and if so for what? 2. Do you have any more schooling in your future (MBA, law degree, etc...)? 3. Do you have any specific issue you feel incredibly strongly about, or are you mainly trying to catch on to politics at the party level? 4. Are you a strong introvert who is 100% opposed to asking strangers for money, or do you just prefer not to do that as a long term career?

[–]The_Humble_Frank[S] -1 points0 points ago

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  1. I went to college for psychology, primarily social psych with a focus on the judicial system and influence, and some courses on the physiological basis of sensation and perception.

  2. As of yet, I have no plans in motion to return to school. I have considered it and have narrowed down what I would want to pursue, but I haven't found a program at a school that really appeals to what I want to study. If I go back it would be most likely to study behavioral economics.

  3. Specifically, the things that interest are correcting 'bad' policies. a national example would be the war on drugs. Personally, I am not in favor of recreational drug use, but our present policy on drugs creates an ongoing trap both legally and socially that doesn't rehabilitate people. The stigma of both a criminal history and drug offenses eliminates a lot of career paths and when you push a sizable percentage of a nations population into economic desperation, you are creating the conditions for more violent crime and civil unrest.

  4. My aversion to fundraising is less about my personal introversion and more about how it is done. The way I have seen fundraising used is to essentially prey on enthused youth as cheap labor and suck all the motivation out of them by sending them out to stand on street corners and knock on doors in unfamiliar neighborhoods. They never see where the money goes, and they are often burdened with high quotes that offer no job security. If you have a foundation that's providing clean water in Africa, I'd rather grab a shovel, board a plane to Africa and start learning Swahili so I can teach the locals about constructing a water treatment plant and pay them to build the infrastructure that they really need.

I have asked business owners and store managers for donations to fund local events and I have no problem with that. they can come see where the money is going, they can judge if its being used effectively and its up to them if they want to donate again.

[–]dividezero 3 points4 points ago

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You described the fundraising tactic of scoundrels. No professional fundraiser works that way. It's the "campaign for the environment." I know the gig. Several of my friends were burned by them.

if you talk about fundraising like that in any interview you will be passed over. Everyone is a fundraiser and everyone is a volunteer manager. No exceptions. A my ceo likes to say "you've got to have skin in the game."

The "can do" attitude goes a long way in an interview. Be positive, have goals, have a life outside of work, seem friendly. In my experience if they've called you into an interview, they like your resume. No need to sell it any more. Elaborate on your experience beyond the resume. Mostly they're looking for someone who won't be a pain in the ass to work with. That's mainly what the interview is for.

More or less treat it like a first date. Be charming, sincere and talk about her as much or more than yourself.... Maybe that last one should be "let her lead the conversation." Which ever makes more sense to you.

I probably have more but I'm dealing with a whiny dog and it's messing with my focus.

Feel free to ask questions.

[–]tennmyc21 1 point2 points ago

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Ok, now I get your position on fundraising. Everyone in non profits has to do it, but many non profits spend so much time fundraising they short change their programs and get too caught up in the fight to stay alive and be constantly expanding. It sounds like you'd be most interested in think-tank or lobbying work. These positions are incredibly hard to get, and usually involve years of experience because they want experts on their issues.

My advice in getting that experience would be to find internships (either at think tanks, with politicians, or at party politics like the DCCC), volunteer on political campaigns, and constantly network. If you prove competent, willing to work long hours, and willing to do whatever is of asked of you at a high level you'll prove pretty valuable and get hired quickly.

Lastly, #4 makes me think you should look into both the Peace Corps and Americorps (assuming you're from US). They do some pretty good projects and make your resume look incredible. There's also a lot of cultural immersion and hands on work with locals that will prove invaluable throughout your career. It's definitely a commitment, but if it interests you it's well worth looking into.

[–]The_Humble_Frank[S] 0 points1 point ago

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Thanks for the advice, I'll look into Peace Corps and Americorps. I've looked into internships a few months back with some political groups but the positions they had available didn't match my skill set at the time.

[–]fixedzero 1 point2 points ago

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I highly, highly recommend that you read some professional fundraising blogs - you're making reference to something that we call "chugging" - charity mugging - and while it's a tactic used by some organizations, it's only a tiny part of the fundraising/philanthropy industry. Your perceptions about how non-profits function seem based on assumptions, and I wonder whether that's what's keeping you from getting callbacks.

[–]pithyretort 2 points3 points ago

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I also don't think it's inappropriate to ask about how an organization is funded in an interview if you can't find the information on the website. I previously worked for an organization that was funded through "chugging", so I made sure I understood at least the general funding schemes of organizations I interviewed for when in search of my current job. When I accepted my current position, I knew it was grant funded so fundraising at my organization is grant writing. Two years paying attention to how things work as an AmeriCorps volunteer were pretty valuable prep for my job search. I'm sure if you want to learn more about AmeriCorps or the Peace Corps, you could get plenty of info with a new question thread.

[–]taa 1 point2 points ago

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I would love to volunteer at a nonprofit, but I can't afford it right now, with the meningeal hours I have at my current work coupled with the cost of gas.

Sorry, but I really don't understand the meaning of "meningeal" in this context.

[–]The_Humble_Frank[S] 0 points1 point ago

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sorry, should have been 'menial'.

[–]virak_john 1 point2 points ago

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I think you'll have trouble finding a job if you communicate that you're uncomfortable with fundraising. But I do think that you can emphasize your event planning and volunteer experience.

It's okay to be a realist; you probably won't do well as a cynic. That's why it's so important that you do find a non-profit that you do believe in, and work with it even if you don't get paid much.

Nothing will kill your soul faster than pouring yourself into a charitable or social-good endeavor only to be devoured by its own petty politics. The converse, however, is also true. Nothing will rebuild your faith in humanity like connecting with people who already are doing something wonderful and optimistic with their lives.

A piece of unsolicited advice (based on hard-fought personal experience)?

It sounds to me like you should look for advocacy groups that are not directly involved with elections or legislation. Find a group that is being overlooked, and work to help them access services they're already eligible for; become an advocate for those who are being screwed out of their rights already and make the system give them what they're owed.

Given your current emotional orientation toward the system and the world, look for achievable victories that make a real difference for individuals. Wait to save the whole world and change the whole system until you have the experience and leverage to do so.

There are lots of homeless, elderly, mentally handicapped, impoverished people who aren't getting what they're owed -- and what is often already funded, but stolen or misdirected -- find organizations serving them and throw 100% of your weight into it. Get a couple great victories under your belt, and you may feel your optimism surge.

[–]The_Humble_Frank[S] 0 points1 point ago

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Thanks for the unsolicited advice. I've been using idealist.org to find groups. if you know of any other resources for finding advocacy groups that would be appreciated.

[–]virak_john 0 points1 point ago

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Best of luck. You'll never regret spending your life on behalf of the weak.

[–]skarphace 0 points1 point ago

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I'm on the technical side of a political nonprofit. What I look for in order when I review a resume or in an interview:

  • Qaulifications for the position(duh)
  • Investment in the cause or passion for the field

The last one is very important to me. For instance, a citizen will instantly beat a non-citizen if their qualifications match, and sometimes even if they don't(our services are geared specifically to citizens that can and do vote).

If you have a vested interest or passion for the 'cause', you instantly get great bonus points.