Know Your Own Bone – Nonprofit Marketing & Online Engagement

Here’s an interesting tidbit: According to a 2006 study by The Bridgespan Group, the nonprofit industry will need to attract and develop an estimated 640,000 new senior managers over the next decade in order to fill the upcoming leadership deficit in nonprofit organizations. That’s is 2.4 times the number of senior managers currently employed in  nonprofit organizations! As a result, the ongoing dialogues about how to attract and retain the best Generation Y leaders are in full force within nonprofit organizations and institutions.

At the same time, I cannot help but notice the buzz about unemployment rates and getting hired that has consumed conversation by young professionals on my social networks. Recession permitting, this supply and demand may fair well for folks interested in nonprofit work: there’s a need to hire and begin training young leaders, and there’s also a need for young leaders to be hired right now.

What effect will the upcoming nonprofit leadership deficit have on the priorities of current nonprofit hiring managers looking for Gen Y leaders? Will standards lower in the near future because we need a large number of young leaders? Will standards rise because of the great potential that may be offered within the industry? I wonder if the qualifications distinguishing Gen Y nonprofit leaders, in particular,  from other members of the generation will change.

I am not a hiring manager, and I haven’t had my hand in more than picking department interns in a nonprofit organization.  Now that I’ve clarified this fact, here are a few resume-weeding behaviors that I would exercise, if I were a hiring manager, to aid in identifying effective Gen Y nonprofit leaders:

1. Operation: Find the Jack of All Trades (by starting with the resume)

Versatility and a passion for an organization’s mission are key attributes in every successful nonprofit leader that I’ve met. With the limited resources common to most nonprofit organizations, it takes a Jack of all trades to be a true leader. While a focused background in sales my be ideal for someone applying to a corporate sales job, an employee in a nonprofit organization with a position in development may be called upon to lead efforts in event planning, membership sales, and other donor-related projects. The “that’s not my job” mentality doesn’t carry over in nonprofit organizations; everyone works together to promote the organization’s mission. They must be creative and capable leaders specializing in a little bit of everything– and a qualified applicant’s resume should reflect this. To the detriment of hiring managers, however, versatility and (especially) passion are very easy to fake in a cover letter.  Someone can easily say that they are dedicated to a thought or idea, but those who are truly dedicated will have that dedication threaded through their past experiences. You don’t really need a cover letter to identify key qualities; they should shine through on a resume. In fact, if I were a nonprofit hiring manager, I wouldn’t want to see a cover letter at all (unless perhaps it looked like this). That having been said, cover letters are still very important to employers so please include one… at least until this post sweeps the nation and singlehandedly alters the world of nonprofit hiring practices.

2.  Value education or someone who says, “I like this field so much that I choose to learn about it in my free time”

“Well- educated” is a trait that has been strongly identified with members of Generation Y, and the leaders that I’ve come across are exactly that way (link tip from this blog). I don’t want to at all imply that higher education makes a person better fit for a job, taking priority over work experience. What I do mean to say is that a candidate’s educational background is important. For one, a young person’s alma mater most likely had a tremendous impact on the way that a young employee thinks (perhaps I am biased because I feel so strongly influenced my own alma mater). In regard to education related to the field, a candidate following their industry outside of normal working hours displays a genuine interest in their industry. The willingness to sit down outside of one’s job and learn a thing or two about the industry in a formal learning environment by attending conferences, seminars, or by pursuing a professional certification or a master’s degree, demonstrates a powerful willingness to learn and– as a bonus– helps shed that silly “lazy, selfish, and demanding” rep that we’ve been getting lately.

A strong undergraduate education contributes to versatility, and I found myself summoning tidbits from my college courses nearly every day at work. In a single day at Pacific Science Center, I would be called upon to discuss the threat of science illiteracy with visitors, create a bond with a donor over a mutual love for The Great Gatsby (hey, whatever works), and figure out how to orchestrate an interactive and scientifically-sound States of Matter Triathlon for kids (true story).

3.  Uncover personal interests that can contribute to the organization
It’s said that Generation Y, more so than other generations, gains self-worth in ways not necessarily related to their jobs. Generation Y also has a reputation for appreciating a healthy work-life balance. This could mean that hobbies, talents, and abilities pertaining to things outside of the workplace are generally important to this generation. Asking about outside interests may uncover qualities that candidates can bring to the organization. Better yet, perhaps members of generation Y should be straightforward about our tech savvy smarts and the unconventional skills that we can offer our employer. In a past post, I mentioned that I’ve had the opportunity to utilize the unique talents of coworkers in order to contribute to the betterment of my organization. I think outside interests– or rather, an interest in something outside of work– is a critical attribute in a creative leader with a fresh perspective.  I think nonprofit hiring managers should look for personal interests that will contribute to the talents of the collective group, and open doors for resourcefulness within the organization.

I’d love to hear your thoughts about how you think the leadership deficit, combined with the number of Gen Y-ers looking for jobs, will effect the go-to qualities valued by nonprofit hiring managers. Making this list also brought up questions for me about the different qualifications for a good nonprofit leader verses the makings of an effective leader in the private sector.