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.