March 3, 2004 | Read Time: 3 minutes
Q. I recently completed a master of public-administration degree. I pursued this degree to learn more about the nonprofit field, but it has hindered my job search: Recently a potential employer refused to interview me because I was, I was told, too educated and lacked enough “real world” experience. (My work experience has been concurrent with my time in school.) Can you offer me any advice on overcoming this obstacle with employers?
A. It’s understandable that you feel as though your master’s degree is hindering your job search, but it would be more accurate to say that your lack of nonprofit work experience is your primary challenge. A graduate degree, such as an M.P.A., is very valuable to have in the nonprofit world, say David B. Waters, executive director at Community Servings, a charity in Boston that delivers meals to people ill with AIDS, their families, and the people who take care of AIDS patients. (Indeed, a quick search through any nonprofit job listing reveals that your master’s degree will serve you in good stead down the road — many high-level positions in charities require, or at least strongly prefer, candidates with master’s degrees.) But, he adds “a graduate degree can’t always teach you good judgment, common sense, or how to react in a stressful situation. Only the ‘school of hard knocks’ can teach you that.” To bolster your résumé, he suggests that you try volunteer work, internships, and unpaid consulting assignments while you’re searching for a job.
In the meantime, when you go on job interviews, emphasize the work experience that you do have, as well as your excitement about the position you’re hoping to land. “Demonstrated enthusiasm and passion for the individual mission of the agency can often sway a potential employer to overlook some lack of ‘real world’ experience,” says Mr. Waters.
Talk about the origins of your interest in charities, or a particular charitable mission, says Peggy Klaus, the author of Brag! The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It (Warner Books, 2003, $24.95). “Convey to the potential employer why you chose this particular field and what inspired you — was it a great summer internship, a mentor, a class that gave you your passion? And also convey what skills you have that translate to this new arena.” Ms. Klaus suggests.
The key, she says, is to prepare your pitch ahead of time. For example, Ms. Klaus, who works as a communication coach in Berkeley, Calif., recently helped a client who had just completed a master’s of business administration and had applied for a fund-raising job at a large charity that worked with children.
“She knew this was not going to be an easy sell because her only nonprofit experience had been two summers as a counselor at a camp for emotionally disturbed kids,” says Ms. Klaus. She advised her client to prepare short, enthusiastic stories about her strengths and accomplishments in working with children. “She told several stories about how she helped her campers problem-solve through her creativity and persistence,” Ms. Klaus says. “She mentioned an award she received at graduation for her thesis on marketing for nonprofits in a recession and related her ideas to how she would apply them in her new job.” Her client landed the job.
For help preparing your own persuasive stories, try Ms. Klaus’s “Take-12″ questionnaire, which should help you organize your thoughts.
For more information about the value of advanced degrees in a nonprofit career, see this previous Philanthropy Careers article about master’s of business administration degrees, and this Special Report on the growing number of nonprofit-management degrees.
