Enhance Your Visibility

First and foremost begin to congregate and gain visibility among those who share a passion for the cause(s) you’ve identified.  There are a number of ways that you can enhance your visibility including the following:

• Attend fundraisers (including marches) of the non-profit organizations who have a mission that specifically speaks to your desired cause.
  
  
• If cost is an issue, offer to volunteer in some capacity at the fundraiser.  Often you can find out more by contacting the volunteer coordinator or development office of the non-profit.
  
  
• Attend speaking events, panel discussions or symposiums sponsored by local colleges or larger non-profits/foundations who are addressing topics specific to your cause.
  
  
• Join LinkedIn or Facebook groups that speak to the specific cause and then engage in online discussions.  Find ways to connect in-person with members from the social networking groups. 

As you begin to swim in the pond with like-minded individuals, remember that this process can take some time.  From my experience, it can take a few encounters to really connect with others dedicated to your cause.  Once you have demonstrated your own commitment to the cause, you’ll start to engage with other familiar faces and create your own “in-group” dynamic with others who share your cause.

Volunteering can support your transition in many ways and there are a number of ways that you can volunteer.  A great way to find volunteer opportunities are through the websites of the non-profits that interest you, networking with other volunteers or staff of non-profits, or through websites like www.idealist.org. 

As you think about volunteering, consider in what capacity you’d like to volunteer, the amount of time you would like to volunteer, and if you want to be out front or behind the scenes.  Non-profits are always looking for volunteers who are committed and willing to provide their time on a regular basis.  Often the folks on the front lines offering direct service can use assistance from volunteers as well as the behind the scenes departments such as marketing, fundraising, and events coordination. 

Volunteering can help tell your story both on your resume and in the interview.  These experiences demonstrate your commitment to the cause and help to illustrate the ways that you want to make a contribution.  Volunteering also provides you with numerous opportunities to connect with other volunteers and staff members from the non-profits themselves. 

Another way that you might consider volunteering is to join a board.  Board membership is a very different type of volunteering that often requires a greater level of commitment and decision making.  However, all non-profits are required to have boards in order to keep their non-profit status with the government.  Given the number of non-profits there are always organizations looking for good board members. 

Board membership often provides you with the opportunity to more directly provide your level of expertise whether it is in finance, fundraising, marketing, human resources, technology, or general leadership.  An important differentiator for board membership is the fact that as a member you are held to a higher standard as well as a certain level of accountability and liability for the non-profit to carry out its mission. 

The advantages of board membership are numerous including:

Another strategy to transition into the non-profit arena is to offer pro-bono consulting services to these organizations.  Especially during these economic times, you might identify a non-profit (usually smaller organizations) that is in need of some assistance around such areas as IT, finance, accounting, human resources, leadership and staff development, strategic planning or fundraising and development.  If any of these areas are an area that you have considerable experience and expertise, you might approach non-profits to determine if they could benefit from your pro-bono services.  You might also approach foundations that often pay for these services or organizations such as the United Way who are committed to strengthen non-profits in the community. 

By providing pro-bono services, you will more than likely gain exposure to key decision makers, gain a better understanding of the inner workings of the organization as well as build your knowledge of the lingo of the sector. 

After a couple of pro-bono projects, you’ll begin to develop a reputation within the sector and have a much better chance of being able to charge for your services to other non-profits.  The timetable for this initiative will vary, but you are laying down the building blocks to move your career in another direction. 

Bottom LIne

The key to this transition is getting exposure among the individuals who are making a difference in the field.  The more exposure that you gain and the more you understand around the specifics of the sector and the cause, the more trust and good-will you will create.  While many non-profits see the value in the abilities that professionals from the for-profit world can bring, there is often a resistance to opening the door until the for-profit professional making the transition has proven his/her commitment to the non-profit sector.  These transitions are rarely quick or easy, but if you are willing to demonstrate your commitment to the cause, you’ll often find that you’ve made a decision that provides many intrinsic rewards.