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Looking for a new job can be simultaneously exhilarating and terrifying.
If your efforts aren’t getting the traction you hoped, it’s time to take a look at where the process might be going awry.
Your online presence
Prospective employers look at more than just your resume. Research shows that anywhere from 40 to 80 percent of employers Google a candidate’s name. If you haven’t Googled your name recently, stop reading this article and do it now.
What’d you find?
Most likely your social media profiles have shown up. For Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc., are your profiles set to private so that only your connections can view your content? If not, I highly recommend you take that step straightaway.
Even if what you’re posting is all well and good, you may not want to risk a wild relative making an inflammatory comment or someone tagging you in a post to buy leggings from their multi-level marketing business that then appears on your page.
Your LinkedIn profile
When researching you, this is likely one of the first ports of call a prospective employer will make.
Check you aren’t committing one of these common LinkedIn errors:
- Using present tense when describing your role at a previous employer you no longer work for.
- Using a headshot more than 36 months old. If your headshot is so old it couldn’t be used by the police to locate you if you were missing, it’s time for a photo refresh.
- Typos are the kiss of death. Just as you wouldn’t want a comma or adjective out of place on your resume, your LinkedIn profile should be grammatically buttoned up.
- Your profile headline is bland. You have 220 characters to tell the world you’re a smart, savvy professional. Don’t regurgitate your current job title here again. Use engaging language that shows off why you’re a nonprofit superstar.
Looking outdated
The education and certification sections of your resume speak volumes. It’s all well and good to have a bachelor’s, master’s, or Ph.D., but in what year did you earn them?
If it appears you haven’t invested in your own professional development or education since someone last put a diploma in your hand years ago, it’s time to step it up.
Include information about your involvement with ongoing professional development. This could be listing out certificate courses you’ve completed and intensive trainings you’ve attended.
For any courses lasting a full day or more, don’t be shy about adding them to your resume’s education section.
Getting certified
“Ugh, it feels like a lot of work.”
“I just don’t have the time.”
“The price is too high.”
Sound familiar? While earning a certification often requires a significant commitment, it can also come with tremendous rewards.
If you’re serious about standing out on the job hunt, a certification could be just the ticket. Just as you put time and effort into earning a degree because you believed it was an investment that would come back to you many times over, a certification can do the same for you.
Professional certifications, such as the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFREs) certification, not only show employers you take your profession seriously, but they can help you negotiate for top dollar.
Did you know that in Canada, people who hold the CFRE earn $25,000/year on average more than fundraisers with comparable experience who don’t hold the certification? (Source: AFP 2019 Compensation and Benefits Report)
Yes, you read that right—$25,000 annually. Whew. Imagine the cumulative effects of earning that much extra per year that you’re in the fundraising profession.
Taking the time to pursue a certification is time well spent. If you’re not ready to take on a certification that requires a longer time and financial commitment, explore micro credentials.
Micro credentials tend to focus on a narrow topic and require a less intensive time and financial outlay. However, earning one highlights that you are a lifelong learner dedicated to improving your craft.
Investigate which relevant micro credentials dovetail with your professional interests and make a plan to earn one in the next 90 or 180 days.
Your own self doubt
Do you ever read through a job description and hear your own negative thoughts creeping in?
“They wouldn’t be interested in someone like me.”
“I don’t know if I could do this job.”
“This organization is too well known for someone like me to get my foot in the door.”
While it’s important to always be realistic while job hunting and apply for roles you have a genuine interest in, don’t be afraid to reach high.
Growing your skills comes from taking on fresh challenges. That can feel daunting, but your sense of achievement comes from tackling new obstacles.
Write down your career achievements to remind yourself of your past victories. Just because you might not have experience with every bullet point on a job description, don’t let that send you sliding down a path of negative thoughts.
Shine bright
Hiring has changed greatly in the past 18 months. If your job search efforts haven’t been yielding the results you hoped for, don’t be afraid to change your approach. Tweaking your resume and investing in your professional development are both wise places to start.
Ensure your online presence is fully communicating your accomplishments and professionalism. Don’t forget to tidy up your resume so that it conveys what an outstanding candidate you are and why any fundraising team would count themselves lucky to have you on their staff.
Based in Baltimore, Ashley Gatewood has spent over a decade of her career in the nonprofit space. She is the Communications and Marketing Director at CFRE International. CFRE International administers the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) certification, the only globally-recognized, accredited certification for fundraising professionals.
