Unorthodox Strategy Need advice fast!Okay, so I recently applied to a nonprofit organization that I really like. I sent off my resume, cover letter and references but then after reviewing the application the next day, I noticed that they wanted a writing sample as well. I included one and wrote a really nice, well written letter apologizing for the mistake and about 10 minutes later I got a letter back that said (I am changing names here): "Dear [Me]: Thank you for your recent application. Okay, that sort of seems like a form letter, typo and all, but it is not necessarily a bad sign. Anyway, the "special event" this weekend is going to have over 1,000 people doing a clean up project and I don't know if I should volunteer for it. My plan after thinking about it for a bit was to write a note back saying "I researched your clean up and while I cannot make it on Saturday, I am going to be in town on Friday putting a down payment on my apartment. If you need help setting things up, I would be more than happy to volunteer to help you as I really believe in the cause and it would be a great chance to get to know the organization better" I am not actually going to be in that town this Friday but I really want to make an impression. I figure that if I go on Saturday, the boss will be completely wrapped up in this and I would be competing with a few other job hopefuls for face time. This way, I would likely get some kind of real attention that would make a positive impact as well as preempting other people that may volunteer. Also, this job is 2 hours away from me and while I would move out there if I was given the job, I don't currently live there and saying that I was putting a down payment on a house would make me more attractive. It basically kills a bunch of birds with one stone although it may seem a little extreme. Should I go through with this? Should I not volunteer at all? I would basically driving two hours out and back to lie about moving out there and maybe wouldn't even get the job at the end of the day, or would appear to be cynical or a suck up. Is there a better plan? I need to send a reply by tommorow afternoon so if you can think of anything to add please do it soon!Thanks for reading! I think it is too much of a suck-up move. Better to acknowledge his email, make note of the event (wish him good luck) and maybe add that, while you were interested in the event, you had a previous commitment on that day. I agree with Chet, plus saying you're putting a down payment on a house when you aren't is a flat out lie that's going to bite you in the rump. What are you going to do when they ask for your new address or you need time off to really put a downpayment on something? Don't make up stupid stuff.
Tess
Thanks for writing back. Everyone I've talked to in person has basically said that they agree with me but I bet that the reason why is because they are facing me. The only real concern that people gave me about the idea was that it would be hard to find an excuse to dress up for it. But about it being a suck up move, thats really how you think it would come off? The employer would think, "oh he is trying to make a move to help me out and take interest in the program, what a little goodie two shoes?" I still don't know whether or not I should do it. And the apartment thing, I've talked to a few hiring managers and they all say that if you don't have a local address they're not interested. I really should say I am coming out to look at apartments, that is basically an unverifable statement with the same effect. I sort of am looking for apartments out there anyways, just not tommorow. My biggest concern is that someone else is going to volunteer on the real day and get the job. This job has been up for a couple days now and so other people have been made aware of the opportunity to volunteer. If I go on the same day I am competing with them all at once, if I go the day before I am probably not. But then again I could just be irritating the guy. I just feel like I should be pulling out all the stops. Getting a job is just annoying, isn't it? Thanks again! I don't have to make a four hour round trip tommorow now, at least.... First, Chet and Tess are correct. Your unorthodox strategy is mis-guided for all the reasons they say. However, it is important for you to reconsider attending the volunteer event. You need to make the 4 hour round trip. NOT to be seen or HEARD but to LISTEN and LEARN. It is super important. I have made most of my career in the public sector (gov agencies and larger nonprofits) and I am at the sr management level of my career. So I have a bit of context in this area. This is not rocket science to figure out. My guess is that this is an environmental organization doing a big earth day event (beach clean up; invasive species eradication or something else, perhaps connected to a community fiar with exibitors etc...) If you attend the event as one of the masses it gives you the opportunity to do the following: 1. Talk to as many other volunteers as you can. I would ask three questions: a) why did you volunteer today?, b) how involved are you in this organization, and c) what do you know about this organization?. This is called company research and is super important. Chances are a lot of folks will say they volunteered because it was a sunny day. BUT you might actually bump into an übervolunteer of the organization who will give you history, insights and help you get inside the skin of the organization. 2. You can see how the nonprofit operates and that will give you insights into the organization. Watch, learn, see what materials they hand out. If there are co-sponsors who are they (ie. is starbucks providing coffee or the local toyota dealer displaying a prius? That can give you insights about the connectivity of the organization. 3. If there is a community fair component then it is important to figure out who else is tabling at the event. That will give you clues as to where this agency fits in among the other agencies in the area. Talk to people at those tables. Ask the same questions and ask, how else do you partner with agency x. If you are living 2 hours away you are at a huge disadvantage during the interview. The volunteer network is likely strongly in place for this agency. There already are candidates for this job who have direct connections with the organization. Attending the event will be a small step you can take to get a better understanding of the oranization. LET ME UNDERSCORE IT. If you want this job you need to attend this event as a spectator. What you suggested doing is sucking up. What I am suggesting is core research about the agency. So, how you use it in the interview? VERY judisciously For example, in the interview when they ask "what do you know about us" and you give your answer you can give the facts about the organization " I know you have been around for 15 years, you have an annual budget of about $600,000 and rely on over 9,000 volunteer hours in addition to your 6.5 staff members. You have 3 major programs... x, y, and z. In fact, I volunteered at the recent event related to program z. What stood out to me was that as I spoke to and worked with lots of volunteers at the event that many expressed not only passion for your mission, but passion about the organzation... So in short, what I know is that this seems to be an agency with a mission and passions that intersects my personal mission and passion. On the other hand DON"T Critique the event. That is not your role and even if you glow about it (which is sucking up) they might have thought the event sucked. You just don't know. Limit your feedback to simply say how you expereinced it personally. "I enjoyed it, felt like I contributed to something positive by being there and I learned a lot in the process."
Thank you for taking all the time to write that out. I just sort of figured after I made my first mistake by not including a writing sample (I eventually used a grant I wrote) I was more or less out of the running and was sort of frustrated. I am well aware that there are probably people in mind for the job already and I was just trying to "hail mary" out of frustration because I honestly don't think I'm going to get the job because of that competition alone. Those last two paragraphs are gold (hedtec) and I will definetely try to use them if I can in fact make it out to the event. The thing starts right at the crack of dawn so I am trying to find a friend I can go stay with. I guess I was just trying something different considering I'm playing with house money and probably wasn't getting an interview anyways. Thanks again First. Don't count yourself out quite yet. You recovered from your first mistake by sending a writing sample. Good choice to send a grant. You have already distinguished yourself because few will submit a grant as a sample and by sending a grant you not only are saying "I can write" but you also are saying "I can write grants." You would get a look if I were a hiring manager. Second. There is competition but don't psych yourself out. You have to fight harder which means get a big freaking latte (fair trade, organic and shade gown) And get into your car at 5:am and drive out to the event (when you get a job buy a carbon offset to justify your pollution http://www.greentagsusa.org/) Third. Sometimes the local "gene pool" of volunteers is too stagnant. So if you go into the interview with skills AND an understanding of the organization you might, just might be a great dark horse candidate. good luck and swing hard and know that it is not always those with the highest VO2 Max that wins the race but those who have the most efficiency in using their VO2 Max
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