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A Brief Return to Non-Profit Land

I started reading Fast Company again after a year or so of giving it up and am happy to be back. While I dug the Shaun White article in the Feb 09 issue what really caught my attention was an article titled "No Vacancy - Job Seeking refugees from the for-profit world shouldn't go running for the not-for-profit sector."

During my tenure in the not-for-profit sector (yes, I had a blog then too)this was probably the #1 question I got from friends and colleagues looking for something else to do professionally. I'm pretty much done giving advice around that topic, especially in light of my decision to join Microsoft instead of pursuing another post inside a non-profit. That said, I even wrote a blog post "So You Want to Work In Non-profit Land?"

I think the FC article makes some good points and it really brings me back to the last 8 years of my professional life. The one comment I'll make however is that during my first 3 years or so (while at March of Dimes) I think I considered myself more of a volunteer than anything.

It wasn't until I snapped back to reality and got "serious" about developing my non-profit career did I start running into problems (problems like deciding to take promotions, making more money etc). That was a mistake. I wish I had simply been content in considering myself a free agent volunteer. I'm terrible at managing my career and much better and simply sinking myself into things and letting the water flow any which way it wants.

Anyway, check this article out if you are considering a move.

Comments

Tim said…
Thanks Marc. That says it well.

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