How to spin this?
- Thread starter Lerxst
- Start date
Somebody please tell me. I've never been to Utah. What on earth is so bad about Utah? It seems okay to me. It snows there, there's a big salt lake, they have ski resorts and Mormons. What, do the inhabitants enjoy pulling your fingernails out and spitting in your face or something? You'd think it was awful. I don't get it. It can't be that bad, can it? (see: bumblefuck)
Maybe applying for a position at the Utah Board of Tourism is not a good idea... LOL.
The impression I get is like this - if you were asking a woman out (or a man, whatever) and you were all: "Sigh. Hi. You're ugly, I don't really like you much, and I've made up my mind I'm not going to like you even after we go out, but will you go out with me anyway?" I'm pretty sure you'd get a "No."
Which is not to imply that there is anything wrong with not liking a particular person or thing or job or career or industry -- everyone has a right to their opinion.
But it will seriously dampen the likelihood that he will get a "Yes" if he wants one. That's the impression I get anyway.
If you realize you're not going to get everything you want all at once, you can be happy settling for a job that is good enough for now. Careers take time to build and everyone switches jobs these days. What you'd be doing is buying yourself time to figure out where you ultimately will end up. Don't feel like you'll be tied to a shitty job forever just because you decide to take a job to provide for your livelihood. You could get a job and do a lot of good with the money you make, or like someone else mentioned, start your own non-profit and live by your own virtues.
So how do I spin the fact that I spent the last 7 years of my career working in the non-profit world? Non-profit work says something about a person, especially if they move to a different state to work in that field, so it's not like I can say "it was the only thing available".
Non-profits are also getting absolutely crushed by the economy, since they're the last to get those pennies that trickle-down. I have over 175 applications submitted to non-profits and 100 submitted to for-profits over the past year alone.
The non-profit jobs must have over 100 applications per posting, but the for-profit jobs are a bit less competitive in that aspect. The question will always come up though, "So why do you want to shift back?" when/if I even get an interview with one of them. There's no honest and positive answer I can give to that!
There are only a handful of companies, in my experience, that have any moral fiber left anymore, which is the reason I left that world to begin with! I just can't get excited about coming up with excuses for moving back into the world, but I know it's looking like I have to...
To answer your question, I say you could become the person who gets money flowing into non profits again. Be there for the cause! For anyone wanting to know why you want to "shift back," well it's an obvious question and they just want to see how you answer? Useful answers might include "I'm looking for a change of pace" or "I think I could do a lot of good here" or "I have a lot to offer/contribute and I'm looking for a company that wants individuals like me." Being honest is not impossible, just tactfully set your expectations in your answer. Most importantly, find an answer you can believe in and believe in the answer.
So how do I spin the fact that I spent the last 7 years of my career working in the non-profit world? Non-profit work says something about a person, especially if they move to a different state to work in that field, so it's not like I can say "it was the only thing available".
Non-profits are also getting absolutely crushed by the economy, since they're the last to get those pennies that trickle-down. I have over 175 applications submitted to non-profits and 100 submitted to for-profits over the past year alone.
The non-profit jobs must have over 100 applications per posting, but the for-profit jobs are a bit less competitive in that aspect. The question will always come up though, "So why do you want to shift back?" when/if I even get an interview with one of them. There's no honest and positive answer I can give to that!
There are only a handful of companies, in my experience, that have any moral fiber left anymore, which is the reason I left that world to begin with! I just can't get excited about coming up with excuses for moving back into the world, but I know it's looking like I have to...
You know, in my experience, the stereotypes about non-profits and for-profits are a little blurrier than they have been. To be fair, I live in Northern California, but there are non-profits that are thriving, even in this economy and for-profits that aren't completely corrupt. I work for a non-profit that is doing well financially using a revenue generating program model and that specifically partners with corporations who want to serve the public good. They hire us to connect them to non-profits to donate time and money.
I would imagine the range of innovative/non-traditional organizations in Utah may not be amazing. And finding a job in California isn't easy. It may help to think a little more creatively about the problem since ordinary approaches don't appear to be working - there doesn't seem to be an easy answer, so you may as well pick a hard one that has some pay off. I love the suggestion of starting your own non-profit. A bit of time on idealist looking at orgs in the Bay Area (which must have every variation of a non-profit that exists) could yield some ideas. Or you could get creative with your existing NP networks to try to create a unique position for yourself. I even know someone who wrote his own grant for his position. AmeriCorps is always hiring, as well.
I know this isn't easy but I wish you courage.
I should also add - a job that can support 5 birds, 2 dogs and one wife... which excludes most $8.00/hour jobs right from the start.
I've worked for large and small non-profits and got a first-hand look at how they started and the people that started them. I simply can't afford to be one of those people! They say in business, you need to be prepared to not make any money for the first year or two, from everyone I know that started their own non-profits, you need to prepare to live in debt for the first several years.
You need to be passionate about the work and the only field I have that kind of a relationship with is the Animal Rights/Welfare one. People will gladly donate money to children in need, but try getting them to give a dime to support an orphaned baby owl!
Then there's the grant writing and fundraising. That alone becomes a full-time job, either of them can easily take 40 hours per week and without them you have no money. But... who's now running the rest of your organization?? The ones I know that have done well were either started by a single person with a lump sum of money or a residual income of some type and focused on establishing the operation first, or a large group of people all living in tents while they raised money first. I don't fit into either of those categories and can't afford to live out of a cardboard box for a few years.
Starting my own non-profit will just not happen anytime soon.
I've worked for large and small non-profits and got a first-hand look at how they started and the people that started them. I simply can't afford to be one of those people! They say in business, you need to be prepared to not make any money for the first year or two, from everyone I know that started their own non-profits, you need to prepare to live in debt for the first several years.
You need to be passionate about the work and the only field I have that kind of a relationship with is the Animal Rights/Welfare one. People will gladly donate money to children in need, but try getting them to give a dime to support an orphaned baby owl!
Then there's the grant writing and fundraising. That alone becomes a full-time job, either of them can easily take 40 hours per week and without them you have no money. But... who's now running the rest of your organization?? The ones I know that have done well were either started by a single person with a lump sum of money or a residual income of some type and focused on establishing the operation first, or a large group of people all living in tents while they raised money first. I don't fit into either of those categories and can't afford to live out of a cardboard box for a few years.
Starting my own non-profit will just not happen anytime soon.
@Lerxst
This might be a dumb question but worth it if you answer in the negative... Have you heard of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah?
They seem amazing to work for. If you've never heard of them just browse their site, they are huge and do so much.
I learned about them from doing a benchmarking report for a humane society up here.
This might be a dumb question but worth it if you answer in the negative... Have you heard of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah?
They seem amazing to work for. If you've never heard of them just browse their site, they are huge and do so much.
I learned about them from doing a benchmarking report for a humane society up here.
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You have a whole thread of people rooting for you and offering you life changing advice. You may be playing devil's advocate, but it just seems like you are not even on your own side. Who wants to invest in someone who is not invested themself? You want the perfect opportunity and that ain't gonna be found by a cynical person. A positive leader see opportunity in EVERYTHING. For example, if you lived in a cardboard box, maybe the bill collectors wouldn't be able to find you. Relax man, at least you still have Internet.
Know that everything in business is a negotiation. "I understand you may only be able to pay me $8.00/hr right now. In the future that may change. If I can prove myself over the next 6 months, would you agree to bump that up to say $xx.00/hr ?"
Relax man, at least you still have Internet.Know that everything in business is a negotiation. "I understand you may only be able to pay me $8.00/hr right now. In the future that may change. If I can prove myself over the next 6 months, would you agree to bump that up to say $xx.00/hr ?"
Oh where, oh where, oh where do I start?! I know, how about they're the ones who lured me up to Bumblef*** Utah in the first place by recruiting me for their Parrot Department and then fired me two years later after changing managers, leaving me where I am now. Lesson learned, don't disagree with them, don't voice an opinion and don't hold the manager's "pet" to the same standards as everyone else - god forbid they would have to get their hands dirty with that dreaded "W" word!
They're the ones I was thinking about though when I mentioned a group of friends living in tents at the start of founding a non-profit though. A $30 million budget isn't anything to laugh about, especially when it takes teams of people larger than most company's staff to raise that each year.
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I don't actually know what it is precisely that you do but would a zoo or a sanctuary have jobs that fall in the area of what-it-is-you-do??? Or a good quality animal food company, equipment manufacturer etc... maybe they could use your expertise?
Or a good quality animal food company, equipment manufacturer etc... maybe they could use your expertise?