HOTLINE

Answers to Readers' Questions on Providing Perks for Employees, Getting Nonprofit Experience, and More

The Chronicle's Philanthropy Careers asks its readers to submit questions about job hunting, recruiting, and management challenges in the nonprofit world. In our monthly advice column, we respond to some of your inquiries with tips about resources and wisdom from experts in the field.

Q. I recently joined the board of a new nonprofit group and we're trying to get information on what employee benefits to offer our staff of three. Can you suggest any resources that might tell us what other charities offer their workers? Also, do any associations help charities pool their buying power to deliver benefits to their employees?

A. The only benefit that all employers, regardless of their nonprofit status or size, must provide to employees is unemployment insurance, says Tonia Papke, president of MDI Consulting, in South Orange, N.J., which offers financial-management services to nonprofit organizations.

The vast majority of employers also offer workers' compensation, which is mandatory in 39 states. However, many states exempt employers with fewer than five employees, says Ms. Papke, so find the workers' compensation official for your state and ask about the specific regulations that apply to your charity. More information can be found at the Workers' Compensation Service Center.

Additionally, most employers offer short-term disability insurance, although only California, New York, Hawaii, New Jersey, and Rhode Island require employers to do so. And short-term disability coverage is far from universal among nonprofit employers: A 2002 Chronicle survey of 151 nonprofit groups found that only 83 charities offered their workers short-term paid disability leave, although more -- 105 respondents -- said they cover long-term disability leaves.

Other types of benefits are completely unregulated, so you have options in what to offer employees for life insurance and health-care coverage, she notes. Most organizations offer some form of medical coverage, with smaller numbers also often providing benefits for dental and vision care, she says. Many charities offer some form of retirement plan, usually defined-contribution programs such as 403 (b) 's.

Keep in mind, however, that you can provide some benefits with little or no cost to your organization. For example, you can set up flexible spending accounts that allow employees to use pretax dollars from their salaries to pay for out-of-pocket medical and dependent-care costs. Similarly, through municipal commuter-benefit programs, like TransitChek in New York, you can offer your employees the option to set aside $100 per month in pretax earnings to pay for public transportation costs. Credit unions are an example of a benefit that costs nothing for employers to offer their workers.

To find out what other charities are providing to their employees, Ms. Papke suggests contacting nonprofit-management support centers in your area. These groups, found in most major cities, provide training and consulting services to nonprofit groups and should know what benefits are offered by charities of your size. Do a search on the Internet for "nonprofit management" in your city to find help in your area. Ms. Papke also recommends that you consider joining the Association of PVO Financial Managers' Personnel Co-op, which offers a forum for nonprofit human-resources directors and administrators to share information and discuss personnel issues. The group also publishes an annual salary and benefits survey.

And speaking of benefits surveys, you should contact your state or regional nonprofit association to see if they have done studies of charities in your area so you can get an idea of local standards, says Arlene Vernon, president of the human-resources consulting group HRx, in Eden Prairie, Minn. These groups, she says, can also clue you in to any deals that may exist for charities to pool their benefits-buying power. In addition, some local United Ways conduct benefits surveys and administer packaged benefit plans to charities.

When securing benefits for your group, Ms. Vernon recommends working with a benefits-brokerage firm that can help you create a tailored package.

"You do not pay extra for a brokerage firm to research and select insurance products for you, since they are compensated through the insurance firm," she says. "You can save considerable time by having someone else do all the legwork for you at no direct cost." Ask your fellow trustees or other small local charities for recommendations.

Don't forget about your local Chamber of Commerce -- many nonprofit groups join their local chamber to gain benefits, says Tom Sudow, executive director of the Beachwood Chamber of Commerce, in Ohio. By pooling buying power with 112 others in northern Ohio, his group is able to provide its members with low-cost health-care coverage and workers' compensation, among other benefits. "What small nonprofits need is no different than what small businesses need," says Mr. Sudow.

For more general background information on benefits and other personnel issues, visit the Society for Human Resource Management's Web site. Also, skim Philanthropy Careers' Recruiter's Primer archive for previous articles on benefits.

Q. I'm a humanities Ph.D. who has been teaching since getting my degree four years ago. I'd like to make the transition into nonprofit work. I had a very low-level nonprofit job 10 years ago, but I lack experience in fund raising and have very little in staff management. I don't mind taking a step or two down in salary or "rank." I am committed to doing something that makes the world a better place. What sort of position would give me the nonprofit experience that will help me compete for better jobs down the line?

A. The first thing you need to do is a bit of soul-searching about what exactly you're looking for, says Aleta Margolis, a former teacher and founder of the Center for Artistry in Teaching, a nonprofit organization in Washington dedicated to increasing the quality of teaching in public schools. "In my experience, the particular position you hold is far less important than the organization you work for," she says. "Think about how you 'want to make the world a better place.' What are you passionate about? Are you interested in creating your own solutions to social problems, or working in support of an existing initiative? Are you looking to remedy existing problems or prevent them from occurring in the first place? Which nonprofits are doing work that's in line with your vision?"

Once you've answered these questions, you still have a number of choices to make, says Ms. Margolis. If your ultimate goal is a senior management position, you might first start looking for an assistant-level job, aiding an executive director or chief fund raiser. Another option is a position as a program officer. You'll get hands-on experience running and managing programs, she says, which could grow into a program-director position -- and, eventually, lead to an executive-director slot.

Also think about whether you prefer large organizations or smaller ones, says Ms. Margolis. At a large charity, you'll learn from many colleagues and gain in-depth knowledge in one particular aspect of the organization, such as programming, fund raising, or human resources. At a smaller organizations, you'll likely learn and do a little of everything. "Those of us in smaller organizations take advantage of every talent each employee brings," she says.

To increase your chances of getting a job at all, however, your best bet may be to stick with teaching for a while and volunteer for your dream employer on the side. Cindy Walters Fuller, a former public-school teacher from Fort Worth, did exactly that, making the switch to nonprofit work about three years ago. During her teaching career she volunteered at Fort Worth Sister Cities International, a charity that cultivated cultural understanding through programs for youth. She hosted foreign students, chaperoned American students on trips abroad, and taught in the organization's summer International Leadership Academy. After being honored in 2000 as a "volunteer of the year," the organization offered her a staff position as a program manager. "I already knew how Sister Cities operated, knew the management, knew the other volunteers on the committees, and how to manage projects," she says. "For me, it was a good inroad into the nonprofit world because I already had that prior relationship."

Q. I'm a stay-at-home mom who's been out of the work force for more than 10 years. I'm extremely interested in fund-raising, especially researching potential donors. Can you give me some advice on writing a résumé and searching for potential employment opportunities?

A. Assuming you do not already have prior experience in nonprofit fund raising, you might want to hold off on finding a paying job for a little while longer, and instead join a board or volunteer at the type of organization for which you'd like to eventually work, recommends Stephen Pratt, director of learning communities at Bridgestar, a project of the Boston nonprofit consulting organization Bridgespan that helps charities recruit senior managers and board members. "Service on a fund-raising committee will build your skills, your résumé, and your contacts in the field," he says. To find board-service opportunities, call your local United Way, as they often sponsor events for prospective board members. Or check out online services, such as those run by Bridgestar or BoardNet, that might help you find a board placement. Mr. Pratt also recommends connecting to your local chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, in order to make professional contacts and learn about industry trends.

If, however, you already have some fund-raising experience, the next step is to prepare yourself mentally to jump-start your new career. Carole Martin, a veteran interview coach in Burlingame, Calif., who works with nonprofit clients, says she was once a stay-at-home mom returning to work after more than a decade. Some employers, she cautions, may be wary of hiring someone who has been out of work for so long. "You really need to know and be able to explain to a potential employer why you have decided that now is the time for you to return to the work force," Ms. Martin says. She suggests scripting a convincing statement about your goals and about your intentions of remaining on the job; practice reciting this statement often, she suggests, so that you feel confident with it during your interview.

As for the résumé, there are definitely some tricks you can use to minimize the glare of your work-history gap, says Thia Hamilton, deputy director of Women Work, a nonprofit group in Washington focused on career training for women. She recommends using what is called a "functional" résumé rather than a traditional, chronological one. Functional résumés are written to emphasize skills, not employment history, she says, and thus don't draw attention as to whether those skills were developed at a paid job or in the process of managing home and family, or during volunteer activities.

On a functional résumé, dates and chronology are replaced with a presentation of "skill areas" most relevant to the career path you are pursuing. You could list "fund raising" as your first skill area, then under it briefly explain any experience you may have gleaned over the years in volunteer roles or elsewhere, such as, "more than eight years of experience in organizing and managing fund-development activities for local school district" or "raised more than $X dollars in campaign resources for X candidate."

You might also think about including "human relations skills" or "communication skills" on such a résumé, suggests Ms. Hamilton.

"Think of those family conflicts you've had to break up or the negotiations you've had to make with contractors and repair people. Those count," she says. And chances are as a mom you've planned your share of birthday parties and soccer picnics, so go ahead and highlight them under "organizing skills" or "event planning." Any sales experience and persuasive or entrepreneurial abilities -- which would come in handy as a fund raiser -- could be listed under "personal strengths and attributes," Ms. Hamilton suggests.

If you need help with crafting a functional résumé, Women Work offers free workshops and other job-search support through its local member programs. Go to it Web site, click on "Resources," and then "National Program Directory" to find a program near you. You can also call the national office at (202) 467-6346 for a personal program referral.

For additional tips, check out previous Philanthropy Careers articles on writing résumés and cover letters. Several books also delve deeper into your exact dilemma, such as Expert Résumés for People Returning to Work, by Wendy S. Enelow and Louise M. Kursmark (Jist Works, 2003, $16.95), The Career Change Résumé, by Kim Isaacs and Karen Hofferber (McGraw-Hill Trade, 2003, $12.95), and The Résumé Makeover: 50 Common Problems With Résumés and Cover Letters -- And How to Fix Them, by John J. Marcus (McGraw-Hill Trade, 2003, $12.95).

Got a question about job hunting, recruiting, or managing in the nonprofit world? Send it to us at hotline@philanthropy.com.