HOTLINE

Answers to Readers' Questions on Getting a Résumé Critiqued, Raising Money From Out of State, 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 those inquiries with tips about resources and wisdom from experts in the field.

Q. How do I get someone to critique my résumé?

A. If you're wondering whether you should hire a consultant to critique your résumé, the answer is "don't bother," says Debra Oppenheim, a recruiter in New York who specializes in nonprofit clients. "So-called 'résumé doctors' are a waste of time and money," she says. Instead, ask a former boss, co-worker, or someone else who has a solid understanding of your past accomplishments to help you find the right words to describe them, she says.

If you know someone who currently holds a position similar to the one you are aiming for, he or she may also be able to assist you in highlighting the things that a potential employer will seek. Also, use any connections you have to people who work in personnel departments or do job recruiting, adds Ms. Oppenheim. "If you talk to 10 people, you're likely to get 10 different opinions about what a résumé should contain, so your main criteria should be to find someone who knows you and your goals, and whose opinion you trust," she says.

If what you really need is help on basic résumé formatting, however, your best source may be your local bookstore, says Jim Piper, managing director at the Chicago office of Stanton Chase International, an executive recruiting company that often works with nonprofit organizations. Most books on the subject contain lots of examples that you can use as templates, he says. Also, he recommends checking out Web sites like Monster.com and the Riley Guide for free advice.

To help get you on the right track, Mr. Piper offers a few tips:

• Keep your résumé tight and easy to read, but don't be afraid to extend to a second page if your experience warrants the extra space.

• Don't omit the year you graduated from college to avoid calling attention to your age. It's obvious when relevant dates are omitted.

• Don't use colored paper or unusual type faces to distinguish your résumé from others. Artifice only serves to distract readers from the content.

And don't forget to spend time on your cover letter -- which, in Mr. Piper's opinion, is actually more important than the résumé.

"I receive about 500 résumés a week, and I read only a fraction of them -- and not for lack of time," he says. "The cover letter is your calling card. It tells the recipient that you can communicate well in writing, which can translate into your work style."

He suggests taking time to tailor each letter to the particular recipient and job opportunity, and to make sure each is no more than two-thirds of a page long. The letter should communicate what you would bring to the position and why you should be considered for the post. Avoid using trendy, overused phrases like "track record," "thinking out of the box," and "core competencies." Says Mr. Piper: "They can be an immediate turnoff." (For more on writing lively, effective cover letters, see this previous Philanthropy Careers article. You may also pick up some valuable tips on shaping a résumé for seeking nonprofit jobs here.)

Q. Can you help me find out what the rules are when you're fund raising in an organization based in one state and holding an event in another? Is it necessary to register the charity in the locale where you're holding the event?

A. Most likely, yes. While each state has its own fund-raising regulations, the vast majority of them do require out-of-state nonprofit organizations that want to raise money within their borders to register, says Paulette V. Maehara, president of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, in Alexandria, Va.

In order to find out which regulations apply to your particular situation, contact the attorney general of the state in which you plan to solicit. Check the National Association of Attorneys General for a list of state offices.

If your organization is planning events in more than one state, consider filing a Unified Registration Statement. This document, created by the National Association of State Charities Officials and the National Association of Attorneys General, allows charities to cut down on paperwork and fill out just one form, as opposed to documents required by each state. It was developed to ease the process for charitable groups that solicit regionally or nationally, and are therefore subject to the registration laws of multiple states.

Q. Having spent seven years in journalism and another seven in fund raising, I have come to believe that the best approach to raising money for advocacy groups is one that ties marketing, public relations, and fund raising together using the same clear, powerful messages. Is there a universally accepted job title for that kind of work? How would I best position myself to land such a job?

A. You're right: Having a consistent, clear, powerful message is essential to effective nonprofit advocacy fund raising, and the best efforts incorporate marketing and public relations, says Suzanne Durocher, development associate at the New York Public Interest Research Group Fund, in New York. Most of the people at advocacy organizations who do the sort of work you describe hold positions under the umbrella term "development," she says, but sometimes you'll also see titles like "external relations" or "integrated communications."

"Unfortunately, job titles in the not-for-profit community are just as diverse as the issues not-for-profits advocate, so it's difficult to come up with just one 'universally accepted' title," she says.

It sounds like the best fit for you would be a job in donor relations or direct marketing, says Ms. Durocher.

Whether it be composing mailings to recruit new donors (such as direct-mail or marketing positions), or setting up annual meetings with donors (alumni-affairs, donor-relations, or major-donor-cultivation positions), the primary responsibility of these jobs is to provide donors and potential supporters with clear, consistent, compelling messages about why they, in particular, need to give, she says.

To be considered for such jobs, first round out your basic marketing and communication skills by brushing up on your knowledge of fund-raising disciplines like direct marketing, planned giving, and foundations, suggests Jo Sullivan, senior vice president for development and communications at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, in New York.

"Once you have understanding of things like sustainer programs and charitable remainder trusts, it's easy to marry both sets of skills to create great communication messages for any organization you have passion and affinity for," she says. Consider taking a fund-raising or grant-proposal-writing class at a local university or seminars through the Association of Fundraising Professionals or the Direct Marketing Association Nonprofit Federation, she suggests.

Also, because advocacy groups' fund-raising strategies can vary widely, do some research and craft your job-hunting approach accordingly. "If the organization's fund-raising program is heavily direct-response dependent, then play up your marketing communication skills," she says. "If they receive government funding or are dependent on grants, strengthen your writing and research skills, and tout those competencies."

For more information about marketing and communications jobs in the nonprofit world, see this previous Chronicle article from a special report on the hottest nonprofit jobs.

Q. My daughter just completed a college project that involved developing technology to assist the blind. The project won an award, and news about it was published in an academic journal. It would be great to see it utilized to help people. Can you direct me to some foundations that focus their grant making on giving assistance to the disabled?

A. Here is a short list of foundations that provide money to charitable organizations that provide services to the blind or the disabled:

The Anschutz Family Foundation, in Denver; the Reader's Digest Partners for Sight Foundation, in Pleasantville, N.Y.; and the Lavelle Fund for the Blind and the Blanche T. Enders Charitable Trust, both in New York City.

Since foundations usually award grants to assist nonprofit organizations that want to start programs, you might also consider directly approaching some of the many charities around the country that work with and for the blind or disabled. Such charities may be able to create programs that use your daughter's invention and then apply for grants to help subsidize their programs. National organizations like the American Foundation for the Blind, Lighthouse International, and the National Federation for the Blind are good places to start. You can search for additional charities in your area by going to the GuideStar Web site, which collects data about organizations nationwide.

Before you talk to too many people about your daughter's idea, however, be sure to protect it from being copied by other manufacturers. If you haven't done so already, apply for a patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Check the agency's Web site for more information.

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