Nonprofit Sector Switching Advice with Steven Pascal-Joiner

If you are trying to switch into the nonprofit sector, check out
the new Idealist.org Podcast with advice on how to prepare for your
interview and land that nonprofit job.

Our Career Transitions team has the pleasure of attending lots of
events, giving presentations, and otherwise conversing with
professionals looking for meaningful work in the nonprofit
sector.  While they get plenty of unique questions, they also
get plenty of frequently-asked questions.

Steven Pascal-Joiner recently sat down with his colleague Jung
Fitzpatrick to discuss some of the common answers he shares with
experienced professionals 'sector switching' into the nonprofit
world.  They cover:

What are the job prospects for a senior level sector
switcher? Would I need to start at a lower level and work up?

I want an upper-level management/leadership role. Where are
those jobs?

I have [insert exhaustive list of impressive skills] from
decades of work in [insert industry]. Why can't nonprofits see
this? or How do I make myself stand-out from the 100's of
resumes organizations may receive for a given position
particularly if I don't have paid experience in the non-profit
sector?

Generally, for-profit positions earn more money than
nonprofit positions. Are non-profits less likely to consider
candidates with for-profit experience because they expect that
the candidate would have to take a significant paycut and
therefore not really consider the position?

What may be some red flags in my resume or cover letter if
I'm coming from the for-profit sector? How do I address those?

What kind of further education (certificate courses,
community workshops) can help me improve my candidacy for
nonprofit work?

Is there any other advice or resources that may be helpful to
for-profit professionals hoping to transition into nonprofits?

For even more information on how to enter the nonprofit
sector, check out our free Idealist.org Guide to Nonprofit Careers
for Sector Switchers.