Insights

Adding Volunteer and Board Service on Resumes Can Boost Your Job Prospects

Jul 08, 2022

According to the Corporation for National and Community Service , candidates with volunteer experience are 27 percent more likely to get a job after being out of work than those who did not volunteer. Many hiring managers, particularly those in the nonprofit sector, have a deep appreciation for candidates who give their time to organizations that are meaningful to them. “Volunteering sends a strong message about your...

Organization Culture, Finding the Right Fit When You Are Job Seeking

Jul 02, 2022

Impact Opportunity had the chance to speak with Kristin Brennan, Executive Director, Career Exploration and Development at Bowdoin College, to get her advice on learning what organizational cultures are best for you when exploring a career or job change. What can you do to determine what kind of culture or environment works best for you? Kristin Brennan : Organizational culture is important to me. Not only because I advise other...

Mind the Gap: Best Ways to Explain Employment Gaps on Your Resume

Jun 30, 2022

A gap in employment may seem like an awful, gaping chasm of emptiness on what otherwise would be a spotless testament to your skills and ingenuity—your resume. Fortunately, resume gaps are more common than ever. In 2021 alone, more than 47 million Americans voluntarily quit their jobs during what is being called the Great Resignation, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics . Reasons Americans are leaving their roles...

Networking and Informational Interview Questions

Apr 12, 2022

Impact Opportunity had the chance to speak with Kristin Brennan, Executive Director, Career Exploration and Development at Bowdoin College, to get her advice on conducting successful informational interviews when exploring a career or job change. She also provided the following questions you might ask during an informational interview or networking opportunity. Start with a softball, something easy and enjoyable for them...

Considering a Job Change? Get the Most Out of Informational Interviews

Apr 12, 2022

Impact Opportunity had the chance to speak with Kristin Brennan, Executive Director, Career Exploration and Development at Bowdoin College, to get her advice on conducting successful informational interviews when exploring a career or job change. What advice would you give someone looking for a job or considering a career change? Kristin Brennan: The first question I would ask is, do you know what you're looking for? It can be...

How Powerful are Cover Letters in Your Nonprofit Job Search?

Mar 01, 2022

Despite gaining popularity in the second half of the 20th century, we know cover letters have been around for hundreds of years. According to The Atlantic , legend has it that the Renaissance artist (and lesser-known inventor, architect, and scientist) Leonardo da Vinci created the first CV when he applied for a job from the Duke of Milan. In the 1930s, the term “cover letter” started to pop up in newspapers, with a...

Top Questions When Switching Sectors from For-Profit to Nonprofit

Feb 01, 2022

Changing jobs and switching sectors at the same time, from for-profit to nonprofit, can seem like a daunting task. Here are answers to questions frequently asked by those switching careers from the for-profit sector to one in the nonprofit sector. I want to find a career where I can make a difference in the world. How do I get started looking at jobs in the nonprofit sector? Many sector-switchers, especially those just beginning...

How to Effectively Use Social Media While Looking for Your Next Job

Jan 28, 2022

Social media is pervasive, including in the world of recruiting. Almost everyone has one or more social profiles, and the information shared can offer powerful insights into a candidate’s life outside of their resume. While HR departments, hiring managers, and recruiters must follow legal guidelines, seeing a candidate’s social footprint is often unavoidable in a digital world. In fact, according to The Manifest 2020...

Everything You Wanted to Know About Hiring a Resume Writer

Dec 01, 2021

In today’s job market, employers may receive hundreds of applications for a single role, which is why it’s essential to stand out. Resume writers use their talent and experience to help professionals tell their stories, reinvent, restructure, and optimize their resumes. In turn, the updated resume provides a greater chance of making it through the screening processes and ultimately catches the eye of hiring managers. ...

Is it Worth Switching Careers into the Nonprofit Sector?

Oct 04, 2021

By Paul Konigstein If you are feeling burned out in your job, you are not alone. Mid-career burnout is a rite of passage in corporate America. At some point after ten to twenty years in their career, most corporate workers begin to question the relevancy, impact, and beneficiaries of their work and look for a greater psychic return on their sweat equity. They tire of working to make more money for an owner, question the...

Create Paid Internships to Benefit the Organization and the Intern

Sep 14, 2021

The 2021 school year is getting off the ground, and with it are internships. According to a study by SmallBizGenius , 60 percent of students in their graduating class since 2013 have participated in an internship and/or co-op at some point in their educational journey, and for a good reason. Internships have immense value to students, providing real-world experience and mentorship, as well as kick-starting their careers. Organizations of all...

How to Research an Organization Before Applying

Feb 18, 2021

When you’re looking to take the next step in your career, it’s natural to set your mind on a target company, a title, rank, or location and focus on those details as you embark on your job hunting journey. When it comes to selecting your next organization, research is paramount to ensuring that you will appreciate the culture, align with the mission and values, and work with a team you will be proud to call coworkers. With so...

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