10/20/08 - Transitioning Into a Nonprofit Job: Tweak Your Resume and Cover Letter to Fit - Part 2

by Dalya Massachi

Part I of this article suggested ways to talk about the skills you developed in the corporate sector. I encouraged you to start thinking about them in terms of how they will transfer to the nonprofit sector. By matching your skills with the key responsibilities and characteristics described in job descriptions of interest, you can zero in on experience that matters most to the employer. Now look at the relevant job entries in your resume and be sure to flesh them out with concrete accomplishments.

For example, consider these phrases and the accompanying clarification questions:

1. “Managed database” - How many entries are we talking about? What kind of software did you use (not necessarily the exact brand name, but the complexity)? What kind of data manipulation did you do and how often?
2. “Coordinated fundraising events”: Were they car washes, bake sales, carnivals, door-to-door candy sales, dance-a-thons, a high-end reception, or a black-tie dinner? If you raised significant money be sure to say that.
3. “Developed program or product evaluation process” – What did that involve? Focus groups, surveys, interviews?
4. “Evaluated budgets” – How big were the budgets? What process did you use?
5. “Participated in a strategic planning process” – What was your role? Were you part of follow-up, implementation, or communication of the plan to your community? Why was this planning important at the time you were part of it?
6. “Directed new product launches” – Explain the processes involved, using generic terms. For instance, if you introduced a specific type of baked good in the restaurant you managed, explain it as a new bakery product with a certain target market, relative price point, etc.

Watch for industry-specific jargon or acronyms.

Unless you are going from a corporate organization to its nonprofit equivalent, you need to break down lingo you used in your past jobs. If a layperson would not understand the terms you are using, revise.

Examples:

• Reduced shrink 5%: Reduced the shoplifting loss at a retail store by 5%
• I/O: Computer input/output
• CRM: Customer relationship management

Volunteering: a great foot in the door

Remember that in the nonprofit sector, both paid AND volunteer experiences are important. If you applied your professional expertise to your volunteer work (e.g., as a board member or other leader, or as a computer consultant) that is even better.
In addition to volunteer work you may have done with organizations similar to the one you are applying to, consider your experiences with other groups. Examples may include your child’s school, your place of worship, neighborhood committees, or collaborative hobbies or leisure activities.

Format for Success

Now that you have the content you want to include, let’s talk a bit about the format you want to use. Begin with a “summary of qualifications.” This should highlight the best of both worlds in an integrated way to show how you can apply (or have applied) lessons from your corporate experience in a nonprofit setting.

Then, instead of a strict reverse chronological resume that jumbles lots of different experience, create a resume that groups similar experiences into skill headings. Within each heading, put each entry in reverse chronological order.

Be careful not to make the mistake of pitting “professional” against “nonprofit.” It implies that they are mutually exclusive. If you don’t want to use “volunteer” or “community service” to categorize your work in the nonprofit sector, think about ‘Corporate” or “Private Sector” as one category and “Nonprofit Experience” as another.

Don’t forget to include professional development courses that demonstrate a commitment to learning more about the ins and outs of the issues at hand, the nonprofit sector in general, and/or the particular job function you are interested in.

After you complete your resume, your next task is to generate some killer cover letters that make the connection between your corporate experience and the nonprofit job you seek. Part III of this article will offer some suggestions for doing just that.

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Got a question about writing in the nonprofit job market? Just want to check in about your experiences? I would love to hear what you have to say! Submit a “comment” on the bottom of this page and let’s get a dialogue going…



Dalya F. Massachi specializes in helping nonprofit professionals advance their missions through outstanding written materials. She has worked with community-minded organizations for more than 15 years: authoring countless successful marketing pieces, articles, and grant proposals; teaching popular writing workshops; and coaching professionals one-on-one.

Download her free tip sheets and subscribe to her free e-newsletter at:
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NOTE:For many more writing tips, check out my forthcoming book, Writing to Make a Difference: 25 Powerful Techniques to Boost Your Community Impact. If you pre-order right now, you will get a pre-publication discount of 15% at:http://www.dfmassachi.net/wmd.html