Charity
Village Cover Story
June
27, 2005
By Louise Chatterton Luchuk
Long
gone are the days of retiring from the same job you were hired for
straight out of school. Moving from job to job is a modern day reality.
Sometimes the change is small, while at other times it is monumental;
for instance, moving from a successful position in the corporate
sector and transitioning into a brand new career in the nonprofit
sector. That is exactly the career path of Bibi
Patel, director of development and donor services at the
Community Foundation of Ottawa, and Michael Howlett, president and
CEO of the Canadian Diabetes Association.
Making a strategic move
Patel spent 18 successful years in the high tech sector before moving
to the nonprofit world. In 2001, the high tech downturn coupled
with a feeling that she had met most of her career goals led Patel
to seek new opportunities. "I had a great experience in the
corporate sector so it wasn't about running away from something
that wasn't working," she recalls. "It was just time to
try something different."
First, Patel took time off to think and itemize exactly what she
wanted in her next job. Her list included: strong leadership, a
values-based bottom line, immediate connection to the outcome of
her work, to have some say in decision-making, to use her skills
and knowledge, and to continue to learn. In her previous corporate
work, she had connections with the Community Foundation of Ottawa.
During what she calls her "decompression time," an opportunity
came up with the foundation. She applied and was hired.
Howlett took a slightly different route, but ended up in a similar
place to Patel. After being self-employed in the warehousing, trucking,
and office furniture business for 25 years, he sold his business
and planned on retiring. However, retirement didn't last long and
he soon found himself working in Europe. "When I came back
to Canada I didn't want the same old, same old," says Howlett.
"I wanted an experience where the skills I had could be a benefit.
I was very fortunate in the corporate sector and I wanted to give
back."
The
skills you bring...
Both Howlett and Patel see strength in applying their corporate
background in new nonprofit settings. "It's a very different
line of work, but interesting how transferable the skills were,"
remarks Patel. "Skills in planning, marketing, human resources,
information technology or finance - I've found a crying need for
these skills. These skills of mine are valued and tapped into. They're
considered an advantage by my employer." Howlett sees how crucial
it is for today's nonprofit organization to develop a business plan
- something that he is well versed in creating. He actively supports
his executives by sending them to the Richard Ivey School of Business
or the Schulich School of Business for week-long courses to understand
strategic planning and business planning. It's also the reason that
he recently hired a former Disney call centre executive to set up
the Canadian Diabetes Association's new call centre.
...and
the skills you learn
Howlett quickly acknowledges that, since starting in December 2002
at the Canadian Diabetes Association, he has learned a lot more
than he has given. He has learned that emotions sometimes override
rationale. He's also learned patience. "In corporate Canada,
I understood all the ramifications of my decisions. I did not take
enough time in the beginning [at the Canadian Diabetes Association]
to understand a situation. I thought I knew the ramifications but
the domino effect is greater. You need more patience in the nonprofit
sector." Patel agrees. She lists respect, patience, and understanding
as keys to successfully moving from the corporate into the nonprofit
sector. "You need to check some of your assumptions at the
door. Tread carefully and be a lifelong learner because every situation
has something to teach you," she advises.
Randall Craig is a management consultant, author, and career coach
who helps clients through career changes - including some clients
considering a move from the corporate sector into the nonprofit
sector. "Switching jobs within the corporate sector is hard
enough, but there are so many differences between the corporate
and nonprofit sector. Nonprofit sector managers usually have a wider
scope of responsibility, the governance issues are different, there
are often more diverse needs to serve, and work is more of a team
effort." Craig counsels clients to learn from and listen to
those who've been in the organization for years.
Recruiting
and hiring
Tanis
Trotman is on the hiring end of things as the national director
of human resources at the Canadian Red Cross. For her, it makes
sense to hire from the corporate sector for her corporate service
needs, such as finance, marketing, IT, but not so much in programming
or fund development. While Trotman doesn't purposely go outside
the nonprofit sector to recruit, she does "cast her net wide
enough to appeal to a wide range of candidates." She estimates
that about one-third of her staff come from a corporate sector background.
She says they are attracted to the Red Cross because they strongly
identify with the mission and mandate.
"There is a cultural change for those coming from a corporate
background but it's like adjusting to any new organizational culture.
It doesn't detract at all in terms of hiring." says Trotman.
In an interview she looks for flexibility and adaptability. She
also looks for any misconceptions the corporate applicant has about
the nonprofit sector.
A high salary is one expectation that most candidates do NOT have
when they consider moving to the nonprofit sector. They may, however,
be interested in flexible work arrangements or increased vacation
time. Trotman finds that applicants are actually very supportive
because they want the organization's money to go directly towards
the mission and mandate.
More than ever, today's nonprofit sector requires a professional
workforce to meet growing financial, accountability, marketing,
technological and other demands. Organizations need to look for
a cross-section of experience and recruiting the right employees
may mean hiring someone 'from the other side of the fence' like
Patel or Howlett - creative, flexible, skilled corporate employees
who want to apply their experience in a new and meaningful way.
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1995-2005, CharityVillage Ltd. Newsweek. All rights reserved. www.charityvillage.com,
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