Before you apply
People are beginning to think about starting a job search. I know this because I’m hearing from a lot of people who want to reconnect with me. My impression is that people were in shock for a few weeks after the election and now they want to talk.
It can be tempting to start applying for every shiny new role. I have a few actions you can take before you begin applying for a bunch of jobs.
1.Reflect on what you want.
Spend time on what you are looking for in your next role. My colleague, NRG Career Coach Kristin Saybe talks about creating the following lists: Love It, Loathe It, Nice to Haves, and Must Haves.
Love it/Loathe it: Write down tasks, specifics about culture, and responsibilities in your current and previous roles that you loved and the things that you hated. List as many as you can think of. Examples of things you might love (or loathe) include leading trainings, working remotely, working for a reproductive justice organization, a having a strong manager, or doing administrative tasks.
Must Haves/Nice to Haves: When you think of your future role, what are your “must haves” for the position? These are your non-negotiables. What are your “nice to haves” or preferences for your next role? Maybe remote work is non-negotiable because of your family commitments. Or maybe it is a preference but you are willing to consider hybrid work too.
Then return to these lists every week and compare them with the jobs you are applying for. Do they match? If not, you may need to adjust your lists or you may need to adjust the jobs you are applying for.
When you are deciding what jobs to apply for and how to spend your time, you can return to these lists to help you make those decisions.
Note: These lists should evolve; your preferences and requirements are not static. Your priorities change as you change. For example, I used to never wish to be a consultant because I always wanted healthcare and paid time off. However, my wife got a job with great benefits for the whole family so my priorities changed.
2. Get in the door.
You may already have an informal list of organizations doing the exact work you want to do. Create a more formal list and identify your top 3 or 5 organizations. Then you can target your efforts and time to get in the door.
Option 1: You know someone at the organization.
Reach out to them and set up a meeting to learn more about the organization. Focus the time on asking questions about the culture and their values. Learn as much as you can. The goal isn’t to learn about openings but to make the connection so that you are top of mind if something in your wheelhouse becomes available.
Option 2: You don’t know anyone at the organization.
This is the one I hear the most about. People hate reaching out to strangers.
First, look on LinkedIn and see if you have any connections who are connected to someone at the organization. You don’t need to ask for a meeting with the COO or Chief of HR. If you are working in development, maybe you reach out to a Development Associate to make the connection and learn more.
Second, reach out. I know people hate this part, so here is some sample text you can adapt and make your own:
Hello [Name],
I became familiar with your work when [how you discovered this person] and wanted to reach out to tell you how much I admire your [skill or specific experience].
Optional Also, I see that we are both connected with [person]. I worked with [person] at [organization].
I work as [role] at [organization] and I’m starting to think about my next adventure. Culture and impact are important to me. I typically wouldn’t send out messages to total strangers, but I’m really trying to push myself to connect with people in the [include specifics] space. I’m a fan of [organization] and I’d love to learn more about what you all do.
If you’re open to it, I’d love to [chat for 20 minutes] to learn more about your experience and the work [organization] is doing. I know I could learn a lot from you.
Are you available the week of [include dates 6 weeks in advance or even better, include a Calendly link where they can easily schedule a meeting].
I hope we can connect soon, [Name]!
Best,
[Your name]
3. Find a buddy.
Coaches can be expensive. I get it. Another option is to team up with a friend who is also searching. Teaming up can help with accountability and provide someone to bounce ideas off of.
Hot tip: Find a friend who is also on the job hunt and set up check-ins every other week.
If you don’t know anyone who is also on the job hunt, stay tuned for 2025. NRG is planning something to help.
Speaking of buddies and networking, thanks to everyone who already completed our survey about networking cohorts! We have a lot of interesting feedback already and are working on what’s next. We are hoping to offer a variety of options–free and for a small fee–to help you connect with others in the NRG Talent Network and to practice networking. You might even find your job search buddy this way.
Policy Advocacy Manager at the Asian American Advocacy Fund; $71,500-$79,500; Atlanta, GA (hybrid, eligible for relocation bonus)
Director of Development - Corporations, Foundations, and Individuals at LA Dodgers Foundation; $125,000-$160,000; Los Angeles, CA
Chief Operating Officer at Movement Labs; $150,000-$180,000; Remote
Vice President of Development at Brotherhood Crusade; $110,000-$135,000; Los Angeles, CA
Senior Vice President, Employment Readiness Services at Brotherhood Crusade; $120,000-$150,000; Los Angeles, CA
Director of Business Development and Operations for California Home Care Initiative (CA HCI) in collaboration with the ICA Group; $110,000-$130,000; Remote in CA
Executive Director at Attleboro Interfaith Collaborative; $65,000-$70,000; Attleboro, MA
Director of Finance and Administration at Campus Compact; $80,000-$105,000; Hybrid in Boston, MA
Community Engagement Manager at Freedom Forum; $105,000-$108,000; DC-based preferred. If DC-based, up to 10% onsite. Requires up to 30% overnight travel.
Campaign Manager at Coalition for Health Democracy Ballot Initiative; $150,000-$175,000; Massachusetts
Program Director at Golden Gate Senior Services; $74,880 - $85,280; San Francisco, CA (Richmond District)
This is not all! We are hiring for additional jobs and you can see all of our openings on the NRG website.
December 11 | 2pm-3pm ET
This is a great time to revise your resume--before job openings are announced in January. If you are on a budget, this small group session provide an affordable way to get the feedback you are looking for.
During this session, we’ll spend 15 minutes giving an overview of key points to consider when compiling your resume. Then, we’ll take a look at some real life examples and give feedback in the larger group. You’ll be able to ask questions specific to your resume and will come away with a clear idea of where to spend your time to make your resume one that highlights your attributes and potential.
Here’s a quote from someone who previously attended this event:
“I had a lot of questions about my resume and Kristin led a training that addressed all of them and was very helpful. I learned concrete ways to strengthen and tailor my resume. Kristin was knowledgeable, attentive and thorough. I believe that my resume is stronger because of the coaching I received.”
Follow NRG on LinkedIn to stay up-to-date on all of the roles we are hiring for.
If you aren’t currently a member of the NRG Talent Network, consider joining. The questions take 3 minutes to complete and then we’ll send you job announcements when your criteria (salary, location, etc.) matches the position.
Let’s move,
Naomi
P.S. If you’d like a thought partner to think through the best strategy for your search, sign up right now for 15 minutes with Kristin to learn how NRG’s coaching programs can help you.
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