HELP! Where is my career going this year (part 3 of 3)

from Claire Kittle Dixon and her Talent Market webinar, co-sponsored by State Policy Network and AF 

Advice by Claire. Paraphrasing by Matt.

Quick Recap:

If you read last post, you should be a little less lost. Sure, maybe you haven’t found your way yet. In fact, you may have a long road ahead. But now you have a GPS and some snacks.Consider this the home stretch. Once you get started these tips will be crucial, but it can never hurt to go back to the drawing board!

Plan with parts one and two of this series and come back later. And with that…

Your reputation matters. It’s important to be courteous, kind, and hard working in every situation possible. You never know who’s watching and what they might think of you. The free-market nonprofit world is small, so a bad reputation will follow you wherever you go. Don’t burn bridges! Organizations’ reputations matter too.; consider that an okay job in a stellar organization can be just as good as a stellar job in an okay organization.

Considering a graduate degree? If you’re thinking about it, you should know WHY you want to go to grad school. Really bad reasons include:

1. my parents want me to;
2. it will look good on my resume;
3. academia seems safe;
4. maybe I can figure out what I want to do in grad school.

BUT, if your desired career path requires or strongly prefers a degree (e.g. policy, law, etc.) then it may be worth it. Ask people whom you want to emulate or people you want to work for and get their opinion. You’d be surprised how few nonprofit roles require anything beyond a bachelor’s degree.

What if I want a raise? First consider, do you deserve a raise?  This depends on:

1. how long you’ve had your job;
2. what value you’ve created; and
3. whether you’ve exceeded expectations or simply fulfilled basic requirements.

If you DO, then research the market. Google ‘average raises’ for the current year and look at top-performers too! Consider if you’re eligible for a bonus or or other compensation packages. If everything checks out and you feel deserving of a raise, ask for a meeting with your boss. Present your case with humility and use empirical evidence whenever possible. If you can’t prove WHY you deserve a raise, you probably don’t actually deserve one.

Don’t forget about fulfillment! If you hate your job and want to leave, don’t leave completely! A pay raise may come with a decrease in quality of life. So, consider your options and use resources like Talent Market or AFF’s Job Board when looking for a new role.

SO, do some soul-searching, gain valuable experience, and if you want help searching for opportunities, send your resume to Talent Market!