Careers in Socially Entrepreneurial Organizations- An Insiders Guide

							Careers in Socially Entrepreneurial Organizations: An Insider’s Guide
Presented by:
James Weinberg, Founder and CEO Stern School of Business, New York University October 4, 2007

Agenda
Introduction
(1) Sector Trends: what is a socially entrepreneurial organization? is it a movement? what’s changing all of a sudden?

(2) Real Life: challenges and benefits of the work (3) Finding the Right Job: four aspects of successful job seeking:     Planning for a directed search Networking to acquire information and contacts Applying for jobs Marketing in applications and interviews

Helpful resources and support
Open discussion / Q & A

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Introductions
Commongood Careers http://www.cgcareers.org

Commongood Careers supports nonprofits and social enterprises with their recruitment and hiring needs in order to increase the capacity, effectiveness, and social impact of the sector. Founded by nonprofit professionals, Commongood Careers offers personalized, engaged services to jobseekers and organizations throughout the hiring process, as well as access to a wealth of knowledge about nonprofit careers. Ultimately, Commongood Careers fosters social change by helping nonprofits save money and time for mission-critical work and by placing the right talent in the right jobs at the right times to do that work even more effectively.

James Weinberg, Founder & CEO
With over ten years of experience in nonprofit management, James Weinberg decided to establish Commongood Careers after observing the need for recruitment support in his own organizations and across the sector as a whole. Previously, James served as the National Development Director at BELL (Building Educated Leaders for Life), Executive Director of the Homeless Children’s Education Fund, and Founding Director of TEACH (Taskforce for the Enrichment of Academia in Citizenship and Humanity). James has a master’s degree in Management & Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon, is an alumnus of the Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs, and holds a bachelor’s in Psychology from Tufts University.

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Commongood Careers Sample Client List
Organization
Ashoka BELL

Description
Increasing the capacity of social entrepreneurs Tutoring and mentoring for Black and Latino youth

HQ’d
DC BOS

Breakthrough Collaborative
Center for Effective Philanthropy Computers for Youth

College preparatory program for at-risk & minority youth
Provides management & governance tools for foundations Computers and training for low-income families

SF
BOS NYC

College Summit
DonorsChoose.org Hands On Network

Helps school districts increase college enrollment
Online micro-philanthropy supporting education Volunteer coordination and training network

DC
NYC ATL

Jumpstart
Mngt. Leadership for Tomorrow New Profit Inc.

Pre-school literacy and mentoring program
Leadership development for minority students Venture philanthropy for social entrepreneurs

BOS
NYC BOS

Nonprofit Finance Fund
Planned Parenthood Teach For America

Nonprofit financing and financial consulting
Health centers with quality reproductive health care National corps of teachers in under resourced schools

NYC
NYC NYC

Year Up

Technical/professional training for young adults

BOS

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What is a Socially Entrepreneurial Organization (SEO)?
 As defined by New Profit Inc.


http://www.newprofit.com

Social entrepreneurs are visionaries who generate innovations with the potential to transform a problem or field; possess exceptional abilities to rally the human and financial resources to transform their vision into a reality; and deliver high-quality social impact.



As defined by Ashoka


http://www.ashoka.org

Social entrepreneurs recognize when a part of society is stuck and provide new ways to get it unstuck. They find what is not working and solve the problem by changing the system, spreading the solution and persuading entire societies to take new leaps. Social entrepreneurs are not content just to give a fish or teach how to fish. They will not rest until they have revolutionized the fishing industry.





As functionally defined by Commongood Careers

 

Are predominantly incorporated as nonprofits, but also some truly socially driven for-profits
Deliver a powerful model for change in a field related to social development Grow / develop at an ambitious pace that is driven by a moral imperative




Leverage best practices of organizational management, usually from the corporate sector
Demonstrate creativity in their approaches and value talent / knowledge

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Is It a Movement?
 Some driving forces behind this “tipping point” social shift:

 

Government has privatized social services over the past 50 years
Baby Boomers who grew up in the 60’s are now seeking late stage career shifts Children of Baby Boomers have been instilled with a greater sense of social responsibility




Personal computers and the Internet have broadened global awareness and connectivity
Venture philanthropy has redefined expectations around management and social ROI, while making it “okay” to invest in infrastructure (contrary to traditional philanthropy)




Corporate scandals have resulted in increased cynicism and scrutiny of business practices
September 11th has led many to question “purpose” and “fulfillment” issues around work

 A sector-to-sector convergence:
Social Social Entrepreneurism Enterprise Traditional Non Profit Micro Finance Corporate Social Responsibility Traditional For Profit

Venture Philanthropy

Cause Marketing

Green Design and Systems

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Challenges & Benefits of Working at an SEO
CHALLENGES
 Fast-paced, dynamic cultures with dedicated people trying to “out martyr” each other accelerates burn-out  Biz models can be hastily implemented without required expertise or resources

BENEFITS
 Collaborative working environments comprised of like-minded, missiondriven colleagues  Dedication to leveraging the best practices of corporate management

 Can be difficult to think about committing to a single mission
 Despite salary gap, compensation can be competitive, but there is ultimately a lower ceiling on total earning potential  Questionable external perception of nonprofit work as “volunteering”

 Personal fulfillment, ability to impact society positively
 Flatter hierarchies and smaller senior teams result in faster career trajectories and earlier access to strategic roles  Transferable skills to the corporate and public sectors

 Limited ability to make a career in the sector and raise a family in this work

 Great for young professionals willing to trade off challenges for benefits

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Four Aspects of Successful Jobseeking
PLANNING
Knowing what you want and what’s out there.

MARKETING
Knowing your audience and positioning for success.

YOUR SEARCH

NETWORKING
Building relationships and knowledge of the sector.

APPLYING
Finding and applying for the best jobs for you.

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Planning for a Directed Search
 Define your ideal organization.
 Geography: Boston, New England, northeast, metro areas, national, etc.
•   Factors: cost of living, social networks, job availability, transportation

Mission: education, health, human services (or does it matter to you?) Size of organization: number of employees and annual budget

 

Salaries and benefits: at all levels of the organization Culture: public / private, stable / dynamic, corporate / grassroots



Define your ideal position.

 

Program: direct program staff, tutor/teachers, etc.
Departmental: development, marketing, finance, operations, IT, HR Managerial: program, departmental, general, executive

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Planning for a Directed Search (continued)
 Familiarize yourself with the field to inform your search.
 Learn about the field: NonProfit Times, Entrepreneur, Guidestar, etc.




Research specific organizations: web site and internet searches, recent press, knowledgeable peers and mentors
Look at live job openings: Idealist, Opportunity Knocks, Craig’s List



Search directly for SEO’s.
   Foundations: New Profit Inc, Edna McConnell Clark, Ashoka, Echoing Green, Venture Philanthropy Partners, Social Venture Partners, etc. Conferences: Net Impact, NYU, Skoll, Stanford, Gathering of Leaders Awards: Fast Company, Root Cause, Manhattan Institute, etc.

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Networking to Acquire Information and Contacts
 Request introductions from contacts and family  Conduct informational interviews
 Cross-section the entire area of interest (e.g. for education, speak with schools, unions, for-profit tutoring programs, nonprofits, etc.)  Look for information, not a job (adage: if you ask for a job, you get advice; if you ask for advice, you get a job)

 Come in prepared with at least 10 questions for each meeting  Ask for the names of three additional people to contact  Send personalized thank you notes immediately

 Attend career fairs and events  Participate in volunteer opportunities and internships  Look at search firms like Commongood Careers and Bridgestar

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Applying for Jobs
 Time your search correctly
 SEO’s hire when there is a vacancy (growth or hire/fire), not months in advance  Begin networking as early as possible, but do not start actively applying to positions more than two months before you will be available

 Stay organized and motivated
 Develop an organizational system that works for you and stick to it  Take detailed notes, track applications, and stay on top of follow-up
 Be patient – finding the perfect job takes time  Confident candidates get jobs – never forget what makes you a great candidate  The best time to find a job is when you don’t need one – if you are not currently employed, plan for temporary roles (temping, consulting, etc.) during the search  Participate in volunteering or internships to gain experience and expand networks

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Marketing in Your Application
 Cover Letter
   Rationally explain your passion for the organization’s specific mission Focus on how your past experience positions you for success in this job and highlight your transferable skills (especially management) Note how your skills match-up with each individual qualification listed in the job description

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Many organizations value diversity highly – if appropriate, and you feel comfortable doing so, freely identify yourself as a person of color, having multicultural experience, and/or possessing language skills



Resumes

  

List only experience that is relevant, but include extracurricular roles
Keep both your cover letter to one page and your resume to two max In the application, ensure there is not a single typo – have friends review Email when possible and follow-up with calls to confirm receipt / status

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Marketing in Your Interviewing
 Go to an interview fully prepared, having done extensive research about the organization and the field – to this end, employ:
 Organization’s website  Guidestar

 Recent press  Peer organizations


  

Dress for success – this always means business attire
Reiterate why specifically you are passionate about the organization’s mission and why your personality is a fit with their organizational culture Ask questions you couldn’t have answered yourself through research Interview with high energy, confidence, and a positive attitude



Always follow-up with a personalized thank you note within 24 hours

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Helpful Resources & Support
 Hands-On Support…
 Commongood Careers offers access to opportunities, as well as personal support and guidance to connect you with the right opportunities  Bridgestar is another great nonprofit search firm, focusing primarily on executive level searches

 Internet Resources…
 Web-based job boards such as Idealist

 Information sources such as: Guidestar, Nonprofit Times, Chronicle of Philanthropy, Foundation Center, Charity Navigator
 Membership organizations and associations  Organizational websites

 Some Good Books…
 The Harvard Business School Guide to Careers in the Nonprofit Sector
 Do What You Are by Paul D. Tieger  How To Find Your Mission In Life by Richard Nelson Bolles

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Questions and Discussion

www.cgcareers.org
99 Chauncy Street, Suite 910 Boston, MA 02111

617-542-1404