Chicago Nonprofit Jobs

Chicago Nonprofit Jobs: A check list for how to find work in the nonprofit sector

Do you want to find work in the nonprofit sector, and or do you need advice on where to search nonprofit jobs? Following is information on how best to go about searching for Chicago nonprofit jobs, a wonderful list of nonprofit job sites and locations you may want to utilize in finding a non-profit job, and also wonderful links to relevant articles about seeking nonprofit jobs and where online to look!

A Check List To Help You Find Chicago Nonprofit Jobs:

• Understand how the nonprofit sector is different.

• Learn how fundraising works and how organizational missions work and can be funded. No matter what position you are seeking, you will need to understand how the nonprofit sector works. Introduction to nonprofit fundraising.

• Find and gain real experience working with a nonprofit; either volunteering, on a board, or on a project.

• Read and understanding how Foundations work; who they fund, and what are restricted vs. unrestricted funds are.

• Create a resume that mission driven. Both your cover letter and resume will need to show that you have the skills to do the nonprofit work required. You will need to be able to speak to how your background relates to the requirements of the position.

• Know the language (nomenclature) of the nonprofit sector. Never call a nonprofit a company, and know that grantmaking means, vs. grant writing. Very generally speaking grantmaking is the act of funding a nonprofit from a foundation via offering a grant, and grant writing is the activity of writing a grant proposal to be sent out to potential funders such as to foundations, state, corporate and or federal agencies.

• Join a nonprofit board if you are seeking a Director job or higher in the nonprofit sector. If you need help finding one, you could plan to travel and attend Board Match at one of the cities nationally.

• Start building a new network. Find and book some informational interviews with nonprofit you are interested in. Use our network and contact people you know in the nonprofit sector. If you do not yet know anyone, plan on going to a nonprofit meetup or networking event locally near you. Then, try to meet someone, learn about what they do, and ask professionally if they would be open to grabbing a cup of coffee to offer more about how they ended up working in nonprofits, to learn more about their organization, and their work and interests. Tell them you would be interested in learning about their work, and keep it less about you, until they ask.

• Start following nonprofit groups on linkedIn, Twitter, and reading nonprofit publications.

• Understand and use the top nonprofit job boards to learn about new opportunities that could be a strong match for your already established skill-set.

• Apply individually to each open position, crafting your resume and cover letter to be meet the needs and requirements of the exact position you are applying for. In your cover letter express why you are passionate about the nonprofits programs and mission, and also explain what you have accomplished and would potentially bring to the role if selected.

• Be professional, not a pest. Follow-up but do on their terms. If you are applying from the corporate sector, that’s wonderful, but do not expect special treatment and or do not fall into the assumption that your skill-set is easy to understand how it relates to the nonprofit sector job.  Be clear on what skills you bring and what you could accomplish in the role. The number one reason corporate candidates do not find work in the nonprofit sector is for failing to phrase and customize their background to show how they would be beneficial to the nonprofit job.  Sending your existing corporate resume with an added new paragraph about your interest in their mission is not enough. Put the work in.

• Understand what you qualify for in the nonprofit sector, and be strategic. You may need to consult with other nonprofit professionals or people you know. Ask them what jobs they feel someone with your background could qualify for in the nonprofit sector, and what the pay range is normally. First understanding how nonprofits view your experience is paramount to learning what positions you can immediately gain, and or what steps you may still need to get more experience to land your dream job.

• Watch or attend this class: Introduction to Finding Grants, a free class offered in-person or online from the Foundation Center.

• Be honest, energetic, positive, professional and show what you can do.
• Go out and start applying. Refer to the list of nonprofit job sites below in this post.