These 5 Skills Will Get You Hired In The Non-Profit World

Job hunting is tricky and tiresome. We get it. It's often difficult to know what skills non-profits really want but don't worry, we've put together some skills non-profits look for to help you out.

Key point, don't just say you're good at 'x' skill, show it with past examples and metrics to really emphasise your abilities. These skills can help you stand out from the crowd.

1. Passion

A crucial aspect of working in the non-profit sector is having a passion for the role. Non-profits aren’t glitz and glamour they require hard work and dedication to a specific goal and mission statement.

If you're not the most experienced candidate, ask yourself, what really drives you to work in the non-profit industry? Recruiters recognise this passion and can teach you the skills, but not always the other way round.

2. Teamwork

To succeed in the non-profit world, teamwork is essential. With 39% of Californian non-profits having between 1-4 employees, making sure you can cooperate with your team is essential in order to complete projects and achieve success. Like all businesses, non-profits deal with challenges that can put tension on even the best team. Being able to overcome this through cooperation and strong teamwork is essential.

Try demonstrating your ability to be a team player through previous or current experiences of collaborating in a group. Emphasise the role that you played in achieving success, it’s a great way to highlight teamwork skills.

3. Communication (Oral and Written)

Having excellent communication skills is a given for any job, but it is of particular importance in the non-profit industry. Whether you’re applying for a fundraiser role, speaking to potential donors or a marketing role communicating through ad campaigns your words are important. Each person needs to successfully convey the mission of the organisation and inspire others to unite behind the cause.

You may be asking, ‘how you can show these in an application or an interview’? Simple. Write a clear and well-written application showing why you’re the candidate for the role. In the interview, you have an excellent opportunity to showcase your communication skills in person. Practice interview questions with a friend, make eye contact and sell yourself with your words and actions.

4. Flexibility

Non-profits often have to change their plans, goals or targets due to funding or unforeseen circumstances, it is key that you are able to adapt effectively. Don’t be afraid of switching roles or jumping on a new task to help your team out. Showing that you have flexibility through previous experiences is highly regarded, in an ever-changing world switching tasks but remaining focused and driven will help you succeed.

5. Optimism

Important in any job, but especially in the non-profit world. Whether you’re a fundraiser or a receptionist positivity is essential to the success of the organisation. Maintaining a positive can-do attitude in the face of rejection from a fundraising call, missing a target or last-minute strategy changes will make you a successful candidate.

Throughout the application and interview stage, highlight times you have been set back but remained positive and helped achieve targets or goals.

This is just a small list of some key skills that will be helpful when applying to the non-profit world, but always check out the job description and scan for keywords to put in your application. Apply your skills to the role and keep searching for your next non-profit job on deepsweep!