1. Work with Meaning:
Finding a Career in Today’s
Nonprofit World
San Jose State University
March 5, 2013
Kara Montermoso
HR & Operations Manager
kara@idealist.org
idealist.org
2. Agenda
• Idealist.org
• The sector’s situation
• How do nonprofits hire
• What can job seekers do
• Additional resources
idealist.org
3. About Idealist
Since 1995, Idealist.org has become one of the most
comprehensive online nonprofit resources, with
local, national, and international volunteer and internship
opportunities, job openings, events, and resources that
are searchable by issue area and geographic location.
Our Mission:
To connect people, organizations, and resources in order to
build a world where all people can live free and dignified lives
idealist.org
4. Real and virtual connections
Online at Idealist.org
• 77,000+ registered nonprofit organizations worldwide
• 9,000+ job opportunities
• 13,000+ volunteer opportunities
• Hundreds of thousands of daily email subscribers worldwide
Real time events
• Graduate Degree Fairs for the Public Good
idealist.org
5. Nonprofit Sector 101
How is the sector defined?
• Tax status
501(c)(3)…plus 25 other 501(c) categorizations
501(d), (e), (f), 521, and 527 categorizations
• By what it’s not
Non-profit
Non-government
• Fills gap between government and for-profit
• Does “good” or makes a positive change
idealist.org
6. Nonprofit Sector 101
Types of organizations:
• Direct service organizations
• Charities
• Foundations
• Professional associations
• Religious organizations
• Academic institutions
• Health-related organizations
idealist.org
7. Nonprofit Sector 101
Nonprofit numbers
• 1.5 million organizations in this country (sort of)
• Between 2001 and 2011, the number of nonprofits
has increased 25 percent
• In 2010, nonprofits contributed products and services
that added $779 billion to the nation’s gross
domestic product; 5.4 percent of GDP
• 4% of nonprofits operate on budgets over $10 million
*From The Urban Institute: www.urban.org
idealist.org
8. Nonprofit Sector 101
Nonprofit employment
• 12.9 million employees in the U.S. nonprofit sector
accounting for 9% of the economy’s wages, and
over 10% of jobs in 2009
• 15% average salary gap in for-profit & nonprofit jobs
• Nonprofits can pay up to 30% higher salaries…
• From 2007 to 2016, nonprofits may need to attract
and develop up to 640,000 new senior managers
idealist.org
9. Nonprofit Sector 101
Nonprofit HR
• For organizations with fewer than 50 people on staff,
HR is usually handled by: ________________
• Often only __ fulltime HR staff until an organization
grows to at least _____ people.
idealist.org
11. How can you get Lorene...
Board of
Directors
Chris, Celly,
Elena and Mike
New project
with evening
events
6
independent
projects
60+
resumes
idealist.org
12. …to notice
Board of
Directors
Chris, Celly,
Elena and Mike
New project
with evening
events
6
independent
projects
your
resume?
idealist.org
13. How to start your search
Four Lens exercise
1. An issue and/or value
2. An organization
3. A role or position
4. A system
• Scope of work: local, national, international
• Approach to the work: direct
service, advocacy, philanthropy, capacity
building, policy, research/analysis
• Type of organization: Established or a start-up? Influential in the field
or relatively unknown? Well-funded and centrist or grassroots and on
the fringe?
Four Lens exercise created by David Schachter, NYU Wagner
Graduate School of Public Service idealist.org
16. Email Alerts
Hi Kara,
Yesterday 2136 people and 62 orgs joined Idealist. New internships: (3)
===============
Below are the listings, added to Idealist between October Discovery Program Intern
27, 2011 and October 28, 2011, in Portland, OR, United Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington
States, that we thought would be of interest to you. http://www.idealist.org/en/internship/128702-57
New jobs: (2) Research Intern: Summer 2009
========= Oregon Environmental Council
Brand Manager for BEF Offsets & New Products http://www.idealist.org/en/internship/128724-164
Bonneville Environmental Foundation
http://www.idealist.org/en/job/316482-73 Healthy Food & Farms Intern
Salary: Commensurate with experience- Generous Oregon Environmental Council
benefits package http://www.idealist.org/en/internship/128722-97
Marketing & Public Relations Coordinator New events: (1)
Bonneville Environmental Foundation ===========
http://www.idealist.org/en/job/316484-140 Arts & Crafts Benefit for PEEPs
Salary: Commensurate with experience- Generous Northwest Service Academy
benefits package http://www.idealist.org/en/event/108455-166
Date/time: November 07, 2008 7:00pm
New organizations: (1)
==================
OHSU & PSU's Joint MBA in Healthcare Management
http://www.idealist.org/en/org/188519-43
idealist.org
20. Self-assessment
Career Tracks exercise
• Find 50 spine-tingling job postings
• Look for patterns
• Create potential career tracks
• Assess end goals
Career Tracks exercise created by David Schachter, NYU Wagner
Graduate School of Public Service
idealist.org
22. Nonprofit recruitment
The majority of organizations do not
have a recruitment budget.
But when they do recruit…
• 50% of organizations recruit interns
• 40% of nonprofits use consultants
• 33% of organizations recruit volunteers
2006 Idealist.org Survey
idealist.org
23. Nonprofit recruitment
Other recruitment channels:
• Word of mouth (99%)
• Current employee referrals (93%)
• Local newspapers (80%)
• Postings on others’ websites (73%)
• Recruitment from recent interns (67%)
• Postings on organization’s own site (64%)
2006 Idealist.org Survey
idealist.org
25. Informational Interviews
Tips:
• Figure out who you want to reach and why
• Same edu, love where they work, admire what they do, etc.
• Make contact
• How you know about them? Why you want to meet?
• Prepare
• Their path, their work, advice, next steps
• Thank them!!!
Check out: http://idealistcareers.org/informational-interviews/
idealist.org
26. The Elevator Pitch
An elevator pitch is a short, persuasive statement of your skills and
attributes that you can use in a variety of networking contexts (like
at job fair!!!).
• Be specific
• Who you are, what you offer, and specific outcome you’re looking for
(informational interview, new contacts, job leads, or advice)
• Tailored
• Adjust to the situation at hand, consider how the listener would benefit from
what you are are offering
• Practice!
• You want to sound natural
• BONUS: be brief 45 seconds
http://idealistcareers.org/authentic-networking-how-to-craft-and-use-
your-elevator-pitch/
idealist.org
27. Conveying value
Every employer wants to know:
1. Can they do the job?
2. Will they do the job?
3. Will they fit in?
Nonprofit employers also want to see:
• A passion for the mission or the work
• Clearly communicated, relevant skills
If you show all of this…
idealist.org
28. Board of
Directors
Chris, Celly,
Elena and Mike
New project
with evening
events
6
independent
projects
your
resume!
idealist.org
29. Resources
•Nonprofit Career Center
http://www.idealistcareers.org
•SJSU Toolkit
http://www.sjsu.edu/careercenter/students/find-
a-job-internship/job-search-
resources/jobsearchtoolkit
•Nonprofit Career Center
http://www.sjsu.edu/careercenter/students/virtu
al-resources/virtual-workshops-videos/
idealist.org
30. Handbook to Building
a Better World
• Part career guide, part activist's handbook
• Inspired by our online community and their
ongoing search for work that gives back to the world.
• Provides a comprehensive understanding of the issues,
options, organizations, and resources so readers can be
proactive, whether it's through one's current job,
volunteering, donating, personal spending, board
service, starting an organization, or changing careers.
http://www.amazon.com/Idealist-org-
Handbook-Building-Better-
World/dp/B002PJ4GA4
idealist.org
31. The Leadership Survey
Next Generation Leaders Speak Out
• FREE, online report to download and print
• Largest national survey to date of emerging
nonprofit leaders.
• Designed to assess next generation leaders’ career
aspirations within the nonprofit sector.
http://www.meyerfoundation.org/newsroom/me
yer_publications/ready_to_lead
Produced in partnership with Idealist.org, CompassPoint Nonprofit Services, the
Annie E. Casey Foundation, and the Meyer Foundation.
idealist.org
32. Making a Difference
Personal Profit in a Nonprofit World
• FREE, online PDF booklet to download
• This booklet is a step-by-step process is designed to
guide you toward informed financial decisions.
• Understanding personal savings accounts to learning
the fundamentals of job salaries and benefits within the
sector.
http://www.idealist.org/info/Careers/Guides/Fina
ncialAdvice
idealist.org
33. More Resources
•Grad School Resource Center and Fairs
http://www.idealist.org/info/GradEducation
•Volunteering Resource Center
http://www.idealist.org/info/Volunteer
•Idealist’s 2012 Survey on Employment Trends
http://idealisthr.org/idealist-reports/
idealist.org
34. What are your next steps?
1. Commit time to self-assessment
2. Know how to effectively use Idealist and
SJSU’s tools
3. Sign up for nonprofit job boards & listsrvs
4. Talk to your networks
5. Talk with your career advisors!
idealist.org
35. Thank you
Kara Montermoso
HR & Operations Manager
kara@idealist.org
idealist.org
