Hello Reader!
Welcome back to this week’s edition of Keynotes. Today, we’re jumping into job searching within our passionate nonprofit sector.
Whether you’re looking to make a career move or just curious about the opportunities that align with your own personal mission to change the world, I’ve got some key insights to share.
Grab your maps (and maybe a snack), and let’s embark on this job-hunting journey together!
📬 Summary
This week, we’re covering:
🕵️♂️ One Problem – How to refresh your CV
🚀 One Tool – LinkedIn Jobs
🌟 One Highlight – Solar start-up saving lives
🔍 One Problem – How to refresh an outdated CV
Dedicated do-gooders, I have a question for you. When was the last time you looked over your CV? Whether you’re actively job searching or happily settled, an updated CV is a must-have tool in your career toolkit.
If you haven’t looked over yours in a while, don’t worry, I am here to help! Let’s get your CV in tip-top shape with these simple, but effective, tips!
- Highlight Relevant Experience: Focus on detailing your experience within nonprofit organizations, emphasizing roles, projects, and results that align with the mission-driven focus of the sector. Be specific about the impact of your contributions, such as fundraising achievements, community outreach programs, or policy advocacy. Don’t forget to name-drop specific software, products, and tools you know how to use too!
- Showcase Soft Skills: Do not underestimate your soft skills! Nonprofits value interpersonal and communication skills, adaptability, and teamwork. Provide examples that demonstrate these qualities, such as leading volunteer teams, organizing events, or building partnerships with other organizations.
- Quantify Achievements: Whenever possible, use numbers to quantify your impact. For instance, mention the amount of funds raised, the number of event attendees, or the percentage increase in organization outreach due to your efforts.
- Include Professional Development: Mention any training or certifications relevant to the nonprofit sector, such as grant writing courses, nonprofit management certifications, or leadership training programs. Also, mention any conferences or speaking engagements you may have participated in.
- Tailor Your CV for Each Role: If you’re actively reviewing job applications, be sure to customize your CV to highlight the experiences and skills most relevant to each specific role you apply for. Pay close attention to the job description and align your CV accordingly to demonstrate you are a perfect fit for the position. If possible, try to incorporate similar phrasing used in the job description or highlight specific requirements.
- Keep it Simple: It’s not only important to tailor your CV, but make sure it’s also easy to read; stick to one page if possible, focusing on relevance and impact. The overall goal is to showcase your achievements in a clear and concise format. Recruiters and HR departments may receive 100s of applications; whether they are manually or electronically reviewed, ensure your CV is clear and well-organized, with the most pertinent information readily accessible.
BONUS TIP As mentioned above, it is helpful to keep your CV updated. Regularly update your CV with any new professional milestones—such as awards, participation in working groups, or title changes—even when you’re not job searching. Keeping your CV updated isn’t just about readiness: it’s also a real-time reflection of your professional growth and achievements!
If you’re not sure where to start looking for jobs, may I suggest LinkedIn Jobs? LinkedIn Jobs is a feature within LinkedIn that allows users to search for and apply to various job openings across industries and locations (and, of course, allows recruiters to post jobs too!). You will need a LinkedIn profile to use the feature, but the benefits are worth it. Here’s why LinkedIn Jobs should be on your list of virtual job posting boards:
- LinkedIn can suggest jobs based on your profile, past applications, and search history
- Alternatively, you can set up personalized alerts to receive notifications about new job listings that match your specified criteria
- You can also use your own LinkedIn network to show connections at companies with job openings (which may help you get an internal paw in the door)
- Many jobs offer the option to apply directly through LinkedIn using the information on your profile, along with a resume if needed, you can even save resumes and cover letters to simplify the job application process!
And my favourite feature:
- LinkedIn can help with interview prep! Through its aptly named “Interview Prep” feature, LinkedIn uses AI and modelling to help coach you through commonly asked questions when you get to the interview stage. You can even get instant, AI-powered feedback on the delivery of your answer when you practice and record a video!
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🏅 One Highlight – Quitting her job to save lives through solar power – Yetunde Fadeyi
In Nigeria, energy poverty is a leading cause of death for children. Yetunde Fadeyi lost her best friend at six years old to carbon monoxide poisoning. Now, at 32 Yetunde is embarking on a startup to help reduce these risks using renewable energy. She quit her job amid her worries for the environment and ultimately created a startup now helping save lives and the environment.
Her startup Renewable Energy and Environmental Sustainability (REES) has been able to provide 6,000 homes with solar energy using grants and donations to fund the project.
By giving rural communities access to renewable energy the hope is that they will be able to live and work more safely lowering the 40% of Nigerians currently below the poverty line.
Read more about Yetunde’s story and others, here.
🌎 Good News From Around The Web
Anonymous $1M Donation Goes Toward Reducing MRI Wait Times in New Brunswick
Meet the Walmart deli employee who’s also a track star hoping to make the Olympic team
A remote outcrop in Scotland is covered with garden gnomes but nobody knows exactly how they got there
That’s a wrap on this edition of Keynotes!
We hope the insights and tips shared here help ignite your next career move in the nonprofit sector. Remember, every step you take on this path not only advances your professional journey but also contributes to our collective mission of making the world a better place: keep pushing for the change you wish to see!
Until next time, keep making a difference — your efforts truly matter. Stay inspired and see you in the next issue!
Trash panda salutes.
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Key
Your friendly neighbourhood raccoon
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