The Diversity Projekt

Young Voices of Philadelphia: Lessons from a Young Non Profit Leader

November 12, 2008

Young Voices of Philadelphia is a new segment that I am unveiling today. This is a forum in which young non profit movers and shakers in the Philadelphia area will share a little about themselves, about their organizations and initiatives, and how they view their role in changing Philadelphia for the better.

Alexis and I met at Temple University, in a Poli Sci course if memory serves me well.  What initially struck me was her extremely fresh and progressive ideas about how she saw the world and plans on being part of a solution.  While we have since trickled in and out of each other’s lives, we have remained connected through our commitment to the Philadelphia community. Check Alexis out on Facebook.

All the things I wish someone had told me before
by Alexis Jeffcoat

I procrastinated about this blog post all weekend. Of course, I had plenty of time to do it and I even knew what I wanted to talk about. Yet, time just seemed to slip away (at this point it should be clear why I can’t maintain a blog of my own…). I am a procrastinator by nature but I’ve also been a bit distracted lately.

You see, I am back on the job prowl.

Yes, this young, non-profit professional is diving into a job search (of course just as we are embroiled in an economic downturn) and that has given me pause to reflect. What exactly have I learned and what would be worth passing on to other people? I’ve working in non-profit since I graduated college and I feel as if I am just now wrapping my head around some very important lessons. So, for all of you new graduates out there, here are some of things I wish someone would have told me.

1. Don’t let people put you into positions you’re not ready for. This happens all the time in the non-profit world. The awesome thing about this industry is that you can get in on an entry-level job and really get your hands dirty. You won’t be stuck as the “copy b*&*h” or “coffee runner”, you’ll actually get to do some substantial, meaningful work. The problem is that most non-profits are under-staffed and underfunded. They do wonderful work but they don’t have the infrastructure to support it. As a result, they often end up giving one person the job of two or three different people. It can be tempting to see this as an opportunity to gain some major kudos and beef up your resume. It’s not. Trust me. I was completely in love with non-profit positions that seemed like a great challenge (you know the ones I’m talking about, the responsibilities list is 45 items long, they want you to fundraise a portion of your salary, etc. etc.). You will spend so much time reacting and managing crisis that you won’t be able to develop any actual skills. You want to find somewhere that strikes a balance. You don’t want your first job to be managing a program or directing fundraising activities right out of college. That trial by fire crap is overrated. Find a position that gives you some responsibility and autonomy but also an opportunity to learn the ins and outs of the profession. That way, you’re gaining valuable experience but you’re not attempting to hold up the whole world by yourself.

2. People are going to say you’re not a real professional. Those people are full of crap. There is this persisting image of non-profits as places where you do yoga in the lobby, everyone wears Birkenstocks and no one eats meat. While there are definitely places where this happens, don’t let anyone tell you that you don’t have a real job. The truth is people who work at most non-profits put in the kind of hours only lawyers and doctors see and they do it for a lot less pay. You have to be extremely resilient, creative, resourceful and organized to thrive in this field. Those same people who help make sure animals have good homes and do other ” cute” things also fundraise millions of dollars, manage budgets and multiple projects, do marketing and pr and convince people to give up their time for free. That is no easy task and it is definitely professional.

3. You can’t save the world. This was the hardest lesson. You are going to get up every day and do amazing work and help people and it still won’t be enough. You won’t eradicate poverty. You won’t eliminate hunger. And sometimes, the people you are trying to help will resent you for it. You can’t save the world and that is a good thing because if all it took was one person working for the right non-profit or raising enough money and we still have poverty in 2008 then the world is bigger mess than we thought. I’m not saying you’re not doing awesome things. I’m not saying you won’t help some people. I’m saying you won’t save the world so don’t put pressure on yourself to do so.

4. If you’re burnt out, get out. Take a vacation, find a new job, take a leave of absence and then restructure your job. If you are burnt out, the party is over. The unfortunate thing about the industry is that many non-profits are not equipped to prevent or treat burnout. Whether it’s because you have too much work and not enough support or because you just can’t help everyone who walks through the door, once burnout hits it can be an earth shattering experience. Believe me. I’ve had it so bad that there were days I literally could not get out of bed to face the world. It’s okay. It happens more than it should and one day, non-profits will be better equipped to deal with it. But I’m telling you now (because I like you), if you’re burnt out you have to run like you are on fire. If you don’t make a substantial change, you will end up leaving anyway. So make sure that the second you are burnt out, you sit down and talk to your boss. Don’t feel guilty (my God, are we non-profit people good at that!), just talk. And then make sure you have the power to make adjustments to whatever is causing your burnout. If you don’t, its time to leave. Not because you are a bad person but because you’re all you have.

I guess that’s all I can think of for now. Its 11pm and I hope that I managed to give you some things to think about. For all of you out there who have been in it for awhile, what magic things have you learned?

Tags: lessons learned, new leaders, Non Profit
Posted in: Non Profit