5 Aspects Of A Good Career Coach

Originally posted on The Nonprofit Job Seeker

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There are many different options that make the job search a little easier. Whether it's this site or other resources on the Internet, job seekers can get a lot of help for their career these days.

One option that is not discussed as much are career coaches. The fact that they cost money is probably one of the reasons but, if you are able find an affordable one, they can be very helpful. If you have been thinking about hiring a coach, the best place to start is word-of-mouth.

Make use of your networking contacts or other people you know to find out if there are any fairly priced and quality career coaches in your area. As a rule of thumb, you should look for the following five aspects when picking a coach:

• All coaches should undergo a comprehensive assessment of your skills before you start. How else will they know your strengths and weaknesses?
• You should never get the impression that the individual is focused more on their issues than figuring out how to best improve your career skills.
• Psychology plays a big role in getting a job, and many coaches do have backgrounds in this practice. It shouldn't dominate your time together, however, so don't stick with a coach who is only interested in discussing your psychological issues.
• Boundaries are important in any professional relationship. Your discussions together should never spill into anything more personal than your job search.
• Arguably the most important factor in deciding on a career coach is your comfort level with him. If it doesn't feel right, you aren't going to get the most out of your lessons, which is a waste of time for both you and the coach. 

The Pros And Cons Of Setting A Job Search Deadline

Setting goals during your job search is hardly a new phenomenon. Whether it's applying to a certain number of jobs in a week, or making X number of new networking contacts in a day, goal-setting is a good habit for job seekers. But is it a good idea to set a deadline for getting hired?

There is something to be said for setting this kind of deadline for yourself. While it seems arbitrary, a goal of this kind can really help motivate you. There's nothing more satisfying than meeting a goal that you worked really hard to meet and, if you are in the middle of a rut, it could be just the spark you need to kick-start your job search.

On the other hand, setting a deadline to get a job is a lot of pressure to put on yourself, especially in this economy. Missing a goal can also be demoralizing, especially if you did everything you could to make it a reality. Is a little extra motivation really worth potential disappointment?

Setting a specific date to get a job is ultimately something that will do more harm than good. Setting an arbitrary date for something as important as employment is only setting yourself up for disappointment. This doesn't mean you should take your time trying to get a job. On the contrary, you should work everyday on your various job search activities to improve your chances of being hired. Just don't overwhelm yourself by setting goals for thing you can't control.

What do you think? Voice your opinion on this topic by posting in the comments section below.

Featured Nonprofit Job: Regional Director

The PACE Center for Girls, based in Jacksonville, Fl., is looking to hire a Regional Director to help run the overall operations of all the agency's centers in Florida. Applicants may reside in any area in the state.

The Regional Director supports multiple Executive Directors (5-6) and community based Boards of Directors (5-6) in their region, serves as the Chief Executive of the region and is responsible for leadership and management development and support, board and resource development, marketing, and training needs of the assigned team members to ensure all performance goals are exceeded. The chosen candidate will also be responsible for the coordination and collaboration between PACE Centers in the region.

Other duties include:

• Coaching and training to support Executive Directors;
• Building the PACE brand both internally and externally; and,
• Serve as a member of the PACE Center for Girls, Inc. Executive Leadership Team.

This position is ideal for those individuals who have strong leadership skills and are comfortable managing large groups. If you are interested in applying, make sure you meet the following requirements:

• Minimum of 10+year direct work experience in relationship management and managing staff.
• Thorough knowledge of the characteristics and financial needs of education and social service agencies.
• Proven expertise in understanding of financial statements, program operations and policies and procedures; and be current on events and activities in the social service and education fields.
• Management level understanding of education and social service programs with at-risk populations.
• Strong presentation, negotiation, and interpersonal capability.
•  Demonstrated success at resource development and leadership coaching. Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

You can ;earn more about this job on our career center, including information on how to apply.

6 Ways To Lose A Job

Originally posted on Nonprofit Job Seeker

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Your goal as a job seeker is to make employers like you to the extent that you are chosen instead of other qualified candidates. The idea that you would intentionally try and make a recruiter hate you seems farfetched, but that doesn't mean you don't have any habits that are unintentionally rubbing employers the wrong way.

Hiring managers have plenty of pet peeves, but below are the six that will hurt your chances the most:

• Asking Personal Questions: It's one thing to ask how long the interviewer has worked at the organization, it's another to ask personal questions about her family or life.
• Using Slang: Whether it's in your resume or cover letter, slang has no place in a professional environment. You should also avoid any abbreviations that are not well known within the industry.
• Being Overly Aggressive: Employers like to see candidates who are go-getters, but there is a line you need to be careful not to cross. For example, it's not OK to send an e-mail written in all caps just because you are frustrated over to wait to her back about your application.
• Making Up Achievements: It's never a good idea to lie about your skills or an achievement at a previous job. Even if you aren't discovered immediately, it will soon become apparent when you aren't able to do the work you claimed you could.
• Being A Pest: It's very important to follow up shortly after you submitted your job application, but be wary of how many times you contact the employer. Here's a rule of thumb: Wait at least a week before your next message.
• Being Careless: Submitting stock resumes and cover letters is a good way to make the employer believe you aren't serious about the job. Continually writing customized applications for each new job is the only way you will get noticed.

Featured Nonprofit Job: Part Time Finance Manager

Most people think of job seekers as individuals who don't already have work, but that's not always the case. There are some individuals who have a job but desire more to earn more income. Part time jobs are very attractive for these folks and today, we are featuring one of them.
The American Pharmacists Association Foundation (APhA) is looking to hire a Part Time Finance Manager to oversee the financial management of the organization. Working 24 hours per week, the chosen candidate will provide oversight of insurance and investment policies, investment portfolios, and budget process. The Finance Manager will also be responsible for the following:

• Serve as liaison of the Foundation Board’s Finance Committee;
• Assess the Foundation’s performance against both the annual budget and long term strategic plan; and,
• Work closely with APhA's finance department to ensure required financial filings and a successful annual audit.

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience, advance degree highly desirable. A minimum of 5 years related experience in accounting and/or financial management, experience with bank and general ledger account reconciliations, excellent oral and written communication skills, strong analytical and organization skills, ability to meet deadlines, ability to successfully interact with vendors, staff and member in a business office environment, and proficiency with automated accounting systems as MS Office applications.
If you are interested in this job, head to our career center for information on how to apply.       

Charity Distances Itself From Anti-Muslim Film

The head of a California-based charity tried to distance his organization from an anti-Muslim film that has sparked protests around the globe, saying he was duped into participating in the movie.

The Los Angeles Times reported today that Joseph Nassralla, president of Media for Christ, wrote in a statement on the blog of anti-Muslim advocate Pamela Geller that he first became involved with the film known as "Innocence of Muslims" when its filmmaker, a fellow Egyptian immigrant named Nakoula B. Nakoula, approached him for help. He allegedly told Nassralla that he was working on a film about Christian persecution, and wanted to use Media for Christ's broadcast studio for filming.

Nassralla insisted in his statement that was all he had to do with the film, and that the final product of the movie was completely different than the movie that was described to him. He accused Nakoula of altering the film "without anyone's knowledge, changing its entire focus and dubbing in new dialogue." He also said he was unaware that Nakoula listed Media for Christ on the government documents for the movie.

Despite distancing himself from the movie, Nassralla placed the blame on the violent reaction against "Innocence of Muslims" not on the filmmakers, but on "those who are murdering and rioting." The film has angered many Muslims by depicting the prophet Muhammad as clumsy and a sexual deviant. Those images and other rhetoric in the movie are being blamed for violent protests across the Middle East, including last week's breach of the American embassy in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, which resulted in the death of U.S. ambassador Chris Stephens and three others.

Media for Christ, which was established in 2005, runs a satellite television network called The Way TV, which airs sermons and hymns as well as anti-Islamic sentiments. The host of one of its shows, Steve Klein, worked as a script consultant for "Innocence of Muslims."

You can read the full story in The Los Angeles Times.

5 Ideas For Financial Growth

Finding ways to achieve financial growth in this tough economy sometimes seems futile. While there has been significant progress since the height of the Great Recession, some nonprofits are still struggling to find their way. The temptation to curl up in a corner until things get better can be very strong, but organizations must resist if this urge if they are to succeed.

During a recent DMA Nonprofit Federation conference, Neoma Harris of St. Joseph's Indian School spoke about steps her organization has taken to strive for growth in the aftermath of the Great Recession. She offered the following advice:

• Bond with your new donor. Use thank you packages and second-gift mailings. Go back with a premium or theme similar to what grabbed them first.
• Add an outsider's voice. The school tested a “mock” newspaper article insert in its Matching Gift house special and got a 40 percent lift and $9.64 higher average gift.
• Coordinate mail and online. The school's May "Graduation" house appeal received a 3.65 percent response and $20.12 per gift with mail only and 5.7 percent and $29.25 per gift through mail and email. Email brought in $4,000.
• Remember new markets and programs. The school has found fundraising success in Europe, and it launched a stand-alone mail program for Cheyenne River Indian Outreach.
• Test, test, test. The school had success with coupons and “super sized” coupons.