March 25, 2011 | Read Time: 1 minute
Grand Rapids, Mich.
Think as if you are always looking for a new job, the nonprofit consultant and author Rosetta Thurman said Friday at the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network National Leaders Conference here, an event that has attracted 200 people.
“A lot of people don’t go to networking events because they say, ‘I’m not looking for a job right now,’” she said. But, she added, “who knows what’s going to happen tomorrow?”
Beyond seeking out new people who can help advance your career, she suggested that young nonprofit workers find ways to gain specialized skills that will be valuable. One way to do that is to seek out challenging volunteer opportunities that expand specialized skills in program management, fund raising, or other areas.
For example, if you volunteer at a food pantry, “don’t just label soup, because anyone can label soup,” she said.
She suggested that young nonprofit workers spend 40 percent of their work time making connections, attending conferences, and building networks of professional contacts. An important first step, she said, is to stop eating lunch at your desk and use that hour to build relationships with other people.
“I would block off that time on my calendar: From 12:30 to 1:30 I was out to lunch,” she said. “I took my hour. That’s part of your benefits package.”
