Earlier this week, I wrote about corporate powerhouse Intel Corp., in conjunction with San Francisco-based Civic Ventures, offering a non-profit Encore fellowship program to pre- retirees that includes a $25,000 stipend and health benefit coverage.

That’s a sweet proposition for both those eligible to retire to pursue new fields and for those local nonprofits, likely to get a boost from the knowledge an experienced worker can bring. Reportedly, roughly 7% of Intel’s workforce fits the eligibility requirements to apply–or close to 7,000 employees nationwide.

 
Hewlett-Packard and Agilent have also sponsored Encore fellows, but Intel is the first company to make this type of extensive commitment.
If you’re not one of that select bunch, this news should still get your wheels turning. For boomers looking for work-whether you’ve scooped up an early retirement package or been laid-off– there’s no question that nonprofit work is worth pursuing nowadays. Recent surveys from Idealist.org and others indicate that the doors are swinging open in this arena.
But the jobs aren’t suited for everyone.  You need more than an altruistic bent. To succeed at nonprofit work, you must tap a certain mental mojo, work-style and tenacity for the move to be a win-win for both parties.
Ways to Prepare
  • Review your expectations. You might not be welcomed with open arms just because you were a hot-shot in the for-profit world. It can be a culture clash. Ego-check
  • Play nicely with others. Decisions are usually made by consensus. If you’re a a take-charge type who thrives on making things happen quickly, this can be frustrating. And if telling people what to do and having the financial incentives to get them to do the work is what you’re used to, you may find this a rocky transition.
  • Make do with less. In the nonprofit world, you work hard, and there’s usually never enough resources to make it all happen as quickly or successfully as you would want. Are you willing to ride with that reality?
  • Narrow your search. What cause are you passionate about? What interests you? What size organization would suit you? Do you prefer a small group with a narrow focus and fewer resources, but greater opportunity to make a difference? Or are you drawn to a larger organization, which might offer skilled training, but less hands-on work? Do you want to be out in the field working directly with people, or would you rather develop strategies in an office.
  • Know what you have to offer. Consider your expertise. This can run the gamut from financial management/bookkeeping (can you say, shoestring?) to computers, and sales and marketing chops that can help with fundraising efforts, to writing skills that can shore up grant writing efforts.
  • Develop a nonprofit-oriented resume. Your resume must show very clearly what experience you have and how it applies to the organization you’re talking to. Your cover letter explains why you want to work for that group and precisely what skills you have to help them with their goals.
  • Be realistic about your salary, vacation, and benefits. Nonprofit work usually comes with less pay. But can you put a price on the potential reward? Only you will know.
  • Get training. There are master’s degree and certificate programs in public administration, philanthropic studies, and social work—some can even be earned completely online. For a listing of programs, go to this detailed lineup compiled by Roseanne Mirabella, a professor at Seton Hall University. Some institutions that offer training include New York University (Master of Science program in fundraising), Columbia University, Case Western Reserve University, Indiana University, Seton Hall, and the University of San Francisco. Course work includes nonprofit marketing, fundraising, campaigns, corporate philanthropy, ethics, and law.
  • Seek out nonprofit training programs. There are a number of organizations and community college programs designed to help experienced professionals transition into nonprofit jobs via training programs, fellowships and part-time assignments. ReServe, for example, is a 6-year-old nonprofit agency, based in New York City that connects  professionals over 55  with experience in marketing, accounting and other areas with government agencies and nonprofit groups. These are usually part-time projects that pay a modest stipend, say, $10 an hour. You might work 15 or 20 hours a week.
  • Add to your skill-set in tiny steps. Consider taking a course to fill in any holes in your background. One way to sharpen your fundraising skills, for example, is to enroll in classes and certification programs offered by The Association of Fundraising Professionals and The Foundation Center.
  • Check out web sites such as Commongood Careers, Idealist.org, Change.org, Bridgestar and Civic Venture’s site Encore.org to help you make the transition. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has a huge roster of nonprofit and philanthropy job boards and employment resources, too. These sites  list everything from volunteer opportunities, which can lead to paying jobs, to board opportunities and full-and part-time openings. LinkedIn also has a job search section dedicated to nonprofit positions.
  • Volunteer. Career change isn’t easy, particularly if you have been entrenched in one field and, perhaps, even one company for two decades or more. To figure out if a certain cause is all you dream it will be, give it a test run by signing on as an unpaid helper. A potential employer gets a chance to see what you have to offer, and you get a sneak peek inside to see if the organization suits you. Volunteering also gets you out, networking, and open to new opportunities and experiences. It lets you get your hands dirty.
  • Use it as a springboard. Working for a non-profit might not be your ultimate goal. By offering your services for a period of time, though,  you can get the flavor of that type of work, or an overview of the industry. If you yearn to be a landscape designer, for example, volunteer at your city’s horticultural center or lend your hand to a grounds committee for a historical home or museum known for its gardens.
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