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The key to building a great reputation is to make sure people know who you are in the first place. If you can sell yourself as someone nonprofits would want to hire, it becomes easier not only to get hired, but also to find out about jobs that may never even be advertised in the first place. You know by now how important networking is to a job search, but if no one ever remembers meeting you, all those happy hours and business card exchanges may all be in vain.

Case in point. Last night I attended the DC Young Nonprofit Professionals Network's anniversary reception hosted at the White House. Buffy Wicks, Deputy Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement opened her remarks by asking a few folks in the audience to share the names of some of the nonprofits they worked for. I remember one young African American man that said he was with a nonprofit called Dreaming Out Loud. I remembered the confidence and pride in his voice and I ended up running into him at the happy hour afterwards. It turned out that the young man's name was Chris Bradshaw and he was the Founder and Executive Director of the organization. The passion he displayed in talking about his work with youth was quite moving and I ended up looking up the nonprofit on Google when I got home that night to see how I could get involved.

I remembered Chris Bradshaw, even hours after I had met him. And being memorable can do wonders for your reputation. People will go to bat for you later on if you can stamp a good first impression in their minds. As Naomi Christine Leapheart of Philadelphia Young Nonprofit Leaders recently advised:

Invite yourself to everything (like free nonprofit events and conferences) and make a valuable contribution when you get there. Ask a compelling question or make a comment during Q & A portion of the event.

Speaking up at events and sharing your passion for nonprofit work can definitely enhance your presence at networking events. So the next time you head out to a nonprofit event, think about how you can convey your knowledge and enthusiasm for nonprofit work while you're there. Because simply showing up at a happy hour isn't enough if you don't do or say anything that people will remember.

Photo credit: Customers Rock

The woman on the other end of the phone is pleasant enough, I just couldn't figure out why she was calling me. "Hi, my name is Susan," she said. "And I'd like to speak to you about an exciting new job opportunity." I was confused. I already had a job, and I wasn't really looking for another one. I ask her where she's calling from. It was a local recruiting firm here in DC. Susan was a job search consultant, otherwise known as a "headhunter." She tells me that someone referred me to her, saying I would be perfect for the job. We spoke for a few minutes about the position, and while I was not inclined to put my hat in the ring, I promised to forward the opportunity to others in my network. I hung up the phone thinking, so this is how the whole word of mouth job search thing really works.

If you're looking to take the next step in your career, utilizing a recruiting firm may be the way to go. People like Susan are retained by organizations looking to hire employees with exceptional talent for a particular position. Their job is to use their networks to find the perfect candidate without going through the typical process of posting a job online and taking in applications from any old person who wishes to apply. There are many recruiting firms out there now that specialize in nonprofit positions and could be looking for you!

If you don't already have a connection to a nonprofit search firm, it may be time for you to introduce yourself and let them know you'd like to be included in their network of candidates. This article offers a few ways to make yourself known:

• Go where search organization consultants go.
• Use some of your contacts to get invited to high-end business receptions.
• Attend human resource seminars in your community or industry.
• Ask a friend or colleague recommend a search organization consultant to you-or even better, have that friend or colleague recommend you to the consultant.
• When you do make a connection, be sure to phone the consultant right away. It is the best way to initiate contact with an organization.
• If you do not have a personal introduction, send the résumé with a cover letter describing your credentials, abilities, and objectives.

Here are a few more tips I've learned from my experiences with nonprofit search firms:

• Do a great job at your current nonprofit job. Search consultants are looking for candidates with a record of high performance, so don't slack off just because you know you're on your way out the door.
• Remember that the firm is working on behalf of their nonprofit client, not you. They are not being paid to find you a job, they are being paid to find the perfect candidate for their client.
• When you contact a search firm, you should have your resume and references ready, just in case they have a search open that's perfect for you. Show yourself prepared from Day 1.
• If you are contacted by a search firm for a particular position, it's always a good idea to ask why the previous person is leaving the organization. The answer could potentially save you some heartache later, and you want to walk into the process with your eyes open to the challenges the job could bring.

If you don't yet have a connection to a recruiting firm in your area, here are a few that work locally and nationally:

• Dewey & Kaye
• Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group
• Issacson Miller

I've been told by my search consultant friends that about 15% of positions are placed by a search firm. If you have the kind of talent that is in demand by nonprofit organizations, they would love to hear from you. It's worth it to work with a search firm as part of your job search strategy. Who knows? Pretty soon, you could pick up the phone one day and have Susan on the other end of your line, offering you the perfect nonprofit job.

Even if you're not single and ready to mingle, you've no doubt heard of Match.com, the most popular online dating site in the world. Because of the continuing social stigma of finding love on the Internet, Match.com's motto assures customers that "It's okay to look" at the profiles of potential mates on the site.  Match.com offers a laid-back, discreet option of finding a date by allowing you to post your profile and send messages to anyone you may be interested in. You could even take the super lazy route and just wait for people to contact you! This same approach applies to If you are seeking a new nonprofit job but don't want your colleagues at your current job to know.  If you're not ready to have a frank conversation with your boss, it can be difficult to find new opportunities without letting your boss know that you're looking. But don't let that keep you from finding a great new nonprofit job. Even though you may feel like you're betraying your current boss, just remember the Match.com motto: It's okay to look.

Post a Good Profile

Posting your resume online can bring you unexpected opportunities. Take some time and post an overview of your work experience and skills on sites like LinkedIn and Visual CV. Be brief, but detailed in describing your previous positions, education and training, and skills you'd like to use in your next job. Don't forget to mention any relevant awards you've received or professional associations you're affiliated with. Be sure to list any career opportunities you may be seeking, for instance "looking for new opportunities in nonprofit administration and finance" so that the appropriate people can contact you. Also consider posting a photo of yourself along with your resume so that potential employers can see your smiling face as someone they would love to work with.

Browse New Opportunities

Don't be afraid to browse for new jobs that might interest you. It may take you six months to a year to find something that's just right for you, so don't rush it by jumping on the first thing that sounds interesting. Set up alerts on nonprofit job sites that will deliver results to you every week. Take your time and apply only if the job sounds like a good fit. You don't have to tell your boss about any interviews you have unless you've received an offer from another organization and you're ready to leave your current job.

Use Email as a Discreet Networking Tool

If you don't want to announce to the whole world that you're looking for a new gig, it's best to contact a group of select colleagues via email. You should definitely use your work contacts (excluding your boss) as resources for your job search. Let them know that you're exploring new career opportunities and you would love their help if they come across any positions that fit your expertise and interests. It doesn't hirt to also attach a copy of your resume so they can pass it along to folks who may be interested in hiring you. Your network can be your most powerful ally in job searching before you leave your current job.

What are some other ways to conduct a successful nonprofit job search without letting your boss know you're about to jump ship?

At a job fair today, I talked to a bunch of hiring managers and HR people and asked what the biggest dos and don'ts were from their perspective. I've heard and written about some of their answers before, but it was reassuring to know that we're on the same wave length! 

TURN-OFFS

1. "What does your company do?" While no one expects you to have memorized everything a company does, especially when there are dozens of companies at a career fair, it's a turn-off to ask a recruiter "tell me what your company does" and sort of make him/her do all the work.  A better question: "Tell me about your role at the company and the role of the person your hiring for (if it's an HR person.)"  "Tell me about a typical day in this position at your company." Do you see the difference here? You can glean a lot of information from the answers to these more specific questions.

2. Up-Talk. I was thrilled to hear this. I advise all my clients and students to watch their inflection. You don't want to offer statements as if they are questions. You need to sound confident and positive. Don't recite your experience? As if everything on your resume is a question? For me to validate? Get a friend to listen to you recite answers to mock interview questions and use hand signals so you can be aware when you are inflecting up and when you are inflecting down or remaining neutral. Questions inflect up at the end; statements down or neutral.

3. Not Knowing What You Want to Do. While you may not know exactly what you want to do, you don't want to sound wishy-washy and as if you'll do anything. Find out what openings are available FIRST and then try to speak to your interest  in those openings and your qualifications for them. 

4. Not following up with an e-mail and thank you. I hear recruiters say this over and over. If you follow up, you have raised your chances of being called in for an interview considerably. As one HR person said, "Follow-up is a key component of the job we're hiring for. If the candidate can't even follow up after an interview, this is indicative of what we might expect on the job."

TURN-ONS

1. Coming armed with info about the company. Recruiters told me over and over that if someone came having looked at their website (and said so! "I was looking at your website and I noticed..I wondered...") and knowing a little about what they did, this gave the candidate a big leg up.

2. Looking the recruiter in the eye and introducing yourself--not just shoving a resume into someone's hands and running off. One recruiter said he preferred that the candidate wait until he stuck out his hand to offer to shake hands but he was the only one.

3. Bringing a resume. This surprised me; it didn't occur to me that people would go to a job fair without one!

4. Dressing Professionally. Again, a surprise to me. Recruiters confirmed that it's good to err on the side of being conservative and understanding that a job interview is a professional situation and you need to dress accordingly. Wear the suit or the equivalent, even if you'll never have to wear a suit again!

These don't apply just to a job fair, of course...they're just good job-hunting tips--from the mouths of those who are actually hiring!

If you're looking to change nonprofit jobs, you may already have a particular organization in mind that would be your "dream job."You might have a desire to work for the Girl Scouts, for instance, but your only problem is that they're not hiring right now. Just because X nonprofit organization doesn't have any openings listed, doesn't mean you can't begin to build a relationship with them now that could benefit you in the future. You also have to remember that most job vacancies aren't listed online - many nonprofits still rely on word-of-mouth to find candidates. If you want to get your foot in the door of a nonprofit you really want to work for, it wouldn't hurt to start now so that when a job does come available, your name will rise to the top. Here are some ways to build connections with a nonprofit you really want to work for, even if they're not hiring right now.

• Sign up for their newsletter: If there's a particular nonprofit you're interested in, it helps to know what the organization is up to. Go onto their website and check out the "news" or "about us" page where there may be a signup page where you can add your email address to receive newsletter updates  if they have one. Reading a nonprofit's newsletter can help you learn about the staff, board members, and funders who are involved in the organization. The newsletter will also provide you with updates on their programs. Nonprofit also sometims post volunteer opportunities and upcoming events in their newsletters.
• Join their Facebook fan page or follow their Twitter feed: If you're on Facebook or Twitter, you have a plethora of opportunities to keep up with your favorite nonprofit online. Thousands of nonprofits have accounts on Facebook and Twitter. Just search for the name of the nonprofit to see if they have a page on either site. The great thing about nonprofits who are engaged in social media is that there is already a system set up to automatically update you when they post any new information.
• Attend their events: Many nonprofits host frequent fundraising events or "open house" gatherings where you can come to learn more about the organization's work. Their website, newsletter, Facebook or Twitter may provide information about upcoming events. When you attend their events, try not to give off the impression that you're a desperate jobseeker. Instead, introduce yourself as someone who is passionate about the cause and build rapport with some of the staff and board members. Later, you can follow up with the people you met to request an informational interview to talk about the field in general.

Don't give up on your dream nonprofit job just because they aren't hiring at the moment. People still quit their positions, get fired, go on maternity leave, go back to school, etc. A job that's filled today could be open tomorrow, and you want to be in the running because the organization already knows and likes you. You never know when you could end up hearing about a job opening as a result of your ongoing communication with them. It's better to build your relationships now, so they're strong by the time you need them.

I'm relatively new to Twitter (@ellenreeves) but as many of you know, the Twitter world is rich with non-profit resources and possibilities for connecting to people in a multitude of organizations.

I wanted to note one general non-profit Twitter resource: http://twitter.com/nonprofitorgs whose mission is "to serve as a portal to all nonprofit organizations on Twitter [by only following nonprofit organizations.)"

If you're not following nonprofitorgs you may just want to start. Or if you're working with a non-profit, make sure it's on the radar of something like this. Now, by chance, today's Tweet talked about jobs.change.org--that's a good sign in my book!

Topics are wide-ranging--there are non-profits of the week featured; non-profits and social media; you name it.

Check out the rest of the jobs.change.org career advisors and follow them on Twitter. And let me know if there are others we should be following.

I'm in Chicago doing a book signing tomorrow at the American Library Association (ALA) Conference. My mom, Joan Ress Reeves, a public library advocate from Providence, RI is here, too. She's not a librarian but rather a lay advocate, lobbying to keep public libraries open and able to serve their communities. (Boy, did we laugh growing up when she got mail addressed to "Joan Reeves, Regional Lay" or "Joan Reeves, National Lay." Did my dad really know what this was all about?)

Libraries were always the bees knees, but in this economy, it really pays to remember your local library.

Libraries provide amazing resources to non-profits and job-hunters alike. Many non-profits obviously cannot afford to have private libraries the way many corporate firms do, and although so much information is available on line, your local library can be a great source for periodicals and books you may not be able to access. Good librarians are phenomenal guides to whatever you're looking for.

For job-hunters, you should know that many libraries have extensive career offerings. In addition to offering computer usage, many libraries have career centers, offer resume and cover letter advice, and often bring in experts to talk on a variety of career-related topics.

Libraries in New York State, for example, offers these services (not in every location, unfortunately):

• Specialized web resources developed by libraries and links to job search web resources
• Information on career development
• Education and training
• Résumé assistance and other job hunt strategies
• Workforce development services (Literacy instruction, GED assistance, citizenship information and referral)

In February, New York State did a poll and found that 80% of libraries in the state had helped someone job-hunt in the previous three months. Unfortunately, much funding for libraries is being cut.

"As the state faces its most difficult economic crisis in decades, public library usage has rapidly increased, particularly with people seeking help in finding employment," said Michael Borges, NYLA's Executive Director. "Libraries provide people not only with help in finding jobs, but also with accessing public assistance programs, with basic computer training, with résumé building and career development."

"When the neediest among us are looking for help, now is not the time to be cutting the very services and assistance New Yorkers rely on the most" Borges said. "When folks lose jobs or cut back on spending for fear of losing their jobs, people turn to libraries for free internet access and books, cds, videos and literacy programs for their families. Libraries have become part of society's safety net for the neediest in our communities."

Check out this short video from TODAY on ways libraries can serve you--and the challenges libraries are facing along with their patrons in this economy.

Why not plan a trip to your local library this weekend or this week? You may be surprised at what you'll find!

Welcome to YNPN Wednesday, my weekly blog series highlighting stories and advice from members of Young Nonprofit Professionals Network chapters all over the country. I've blogged before about the benefits of joining YNPN as a way to expand your nonprofit network and access free or low-cost professional development. This week, I'm sharing just a few specific opportunities for how you can get connected to YNPN events and meet other young nonprofit professionals in your city. To join a YNPN chapter in your area, sign-up here with your contact information. Please feel free to add other opportunities you know about in the comments!

♣YNPN San Diego (follow on Twitter @ynpnsandiego)

Professional Development Workshop: Advocating for Yourself
July 16, 2009 from 5:30-8:30pm
Register online for free: http://ynpnsdadvocatingforyourself.eventbrite.com

Do you have brilliant ideas you want to share with your Executive Director or Leadership Team but don't have the nerve to start the dialogue?  How do you even start the conversation with your supervisor about a raise or development in your current position?  Once you begin the exchange, how do you make sure you are clear and precise about your needs? Whether you're currently employed, actively searching or determining your next move - its obvious we could all use new tips and confidence while advocating for our professional selves. During our July Professional Development Workshop, you will leave with...

• Confidence in asking for what you want in the workplace
• An ability to clearly communicate your professional needs
• Ideas and tactics on how to persuade change in your organization

♣YNPN Austin

Work/Life Balance Workshop: Part II
July 21, 2009 from 5:30-7:00pm
More event information and location online

Everyone knows a well-balanced diet is essential for a healthy life-style, right? But, what about a well-balanced life? This specific workshop has been designed to provide a more intimate discussion about the subject. The last work/life balance workshop focused on balancing work with family life. Part II of this workshop will be geared toward finding time for personal interests like volunteering and seeing friends. In the end, we hope you will walk away knowing what work-life balance is, what it means to you and how you can develop it in your own life.

♣YNPN Cleveland

Conversations Series at Visible Voice Books in Tremont
July 22, 2009 from 7-9pm
More event information and location online

Relax with coffee or a glass of wine for an informal program that gives you a chance to meet other young nonprofit professionals and talk about the issues that matter to you. Our first Conversations meeting on  Wednesday the 22nd will focus on what you love (or hate) about living and working in the Cleveland area.

♣YNPNdc

Social Media for Social Good
July 23, 2009 from 9:30am-3:30pm
More event information, location and registration online

Attend this day-long seminar to:

• Explore the social media topics that interest you most in in-depth workshops.
• Learn about specific tools, strategies, and applications that can increase your organization's impact in the community.
• Network with nonprofit professionals and social media service providers in the Washington metropolitan area.

I once supervised a fantastic administrative assistant who came to work for our nonprofit right after college. She was a great employee: punctual, productive, knowledgeable, resourceful, flexible, an excellent writer and learned everything at the speed of light. She joined our organization in September and left us the following September to go back to school for a graduate degree. She left her position exactly a year from when she started. And although her ultimate goal was to go back to school, she also achieved her goal of gaining a year of solid, valuable nonprofit work experience. I would encourage young professionals who may be trying to "get their foot in the door" of the nonprofit field to make sure you find a job you can stay in for at least a year for these reasons:

It Makes You Look Responsible

As a young professional, you may be penalized when potential employers look at your resume and see too many jobs listed with short tenures. Hiring managers want to see that you have a record of stable employment before they hire you. If you're a recent grad looking for your first job, this can be hard to prove if you haven't had many previous jobs at all. So, when you DO get the opportunity to work at a nonprofit, make it count by staying at least a year to beef up your length of experience on your resume. Even if it's the nonprofit job from hell.

Education is Not Enough

These days, most young professionals that are competing for nonprofit jobs are well-educated. In this job market, simply having a degree is not enough when everyone else has the same level of education (or more) as you do. Nonprofits prefer to have employees who have relevant work experience as well as the degree to back it up. When faced with two candidates with identical educational backgrounds, the one with a year of nonprofit work experience always wins.

Connections, Connections, Connections

If you stay in any job for 12 months, you're bound to get to know a ton of people in that particular industry. Same thing in your first nonprofit job. The longer you stay in the organization, the most connections you'll make. The contacts and relationships you form can and will lead you to the next level in your nonprofit career. Equally important to remember is that your connections in your first nonprofit job will be your references for your next one. You want to make a good impression and keep in contact with these folks because you WILL need them later.

Be sure that your first nonprofit job is one you can see yourself in for at least a year. If you do a great job and keep in touch with your peers and colleagues along the way, you'll be in a prime position to jump from one great nonprofit job to another when you're ready to move on up.

It's the 4th of July. While many Americans will be working this weekend, many are not--some thanks to the national holiday, some thanks to layoffs. If you're job-hunting, you need to take this weekend off. 

Give yourself a break!  I'll be the first to admit that job-hunting can be a full-time job, but don't forget--you do get vacations when you're working full time. You need some down time without the pressure of the hunt. It can be demoralizing.

Enjoy parades and fireworks if there are some where you are...or just a walk on a summer day (not that summer has really struck for us on the East Coast yet...more like hail and rain...), or the chance to read a good book or read the whole paper cover to cover.

But one caveat: promise me you'll take your business cards every where you go this weekend. (If you haven't made business cards with your name and contact information, that IS one piece of work I'd like you to do this weekend. Forget what I said about relaxing...). If you're in social mode, you may be at gatherings with family and friends. You never know who'll meet, and you've got to be ready.

Recharge your batteries and do some personal reflection as well. Are you set on a job or industry to pursue? Are you applying to the right places? What's your five year plan? Make sure you get out of the house to contemplate these things.

In the mean time, Happy 4th and enjoy!