How to Carve Outt Your Own Space at Your Nonprofit

Small nonprofits are notorious for hiring dedicated, passionate people for very low wages. Those of us who step up to the challenge of working at these nonprofits get tremendous satisfaction out of contributing to a cause, but when it comes down to it, the cause has to contribute to you too!

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Courage
• Patience

How To Carve Out Your Own Space at Your Non-profit

1. Do what you were hired for exceptionally well. Spare no effort to wow your superiors with your abilities, particularly in the early stages of working at your nonprofit. You want to become indispensable.
2. Once the exciting newness of your job has worn off, it’s time to think about whether you’re getting what you really want out of the work you do. Now, I’m not talking money here. I’m talking satisfaction. Are you getting what you hoped to get out of your job? Is there an obvious way for you to get more out of it? If so, then seize that opportunity. If not, and you know what you want, then you might have to get more creative.
3. Ask for what you want! Yeah, I said it: ust ask. OK, so if you work at an arts organization, don’t ask if they can support your new interest in candle-making. But if you’re a fundraiser who wants to try his hand at programming, ask if you can work on a show, or begin sitting in on production meetings. If there’s a workshop that will allow you to grow in ways your job won’t allow you to yet, ask that they pay for your attendance--it’s called professional development. If you’ve made yourself indispensable (or at least well-respected), your organization will usually try work with you rather than lose you.
4. Be prepared to work more. If what you’re interested within your organization is work outside your department, ask if you can be transferred. If they can’t do that, then offer to volunteer in your area of interest so you can be exposed to this new type of work. Then, of course you have to become indispensable there as well.
5. In time, you will have created your own path to transitioning to a new role at your organization, or at least started on your path to getting what you want out of work. You’ll be amazed at what doing what you want can do for your spirits. Just keep asking for it.
6. Of course this isn’t foolproof, but I think the most important message here is that there are so many surprises waiting out there for people with a little courage and a little initiative. Your future is here for the taking!

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