Working professionals these days are less likely to remain at the same organization for the entire duration of their career. Instead, many are opting to explore their options and venture into different industries, resulting in them gaining and honing qualities and skills that contribute to their success in the workplace.
As experts, the members of Forbes Nonprofit Council have experience hiring and working with professionals that have pivoted from the for-profit world to a nonprofit organization. Below, 16 of them each share one valuable skill or trait they’ve found in these transitioning employees transitioning and why it makes them such an effective addition to the team.
1. Malleability
In nonprofits, you often need to wear multiple hats, pick up work for colleagues and bring in new ideas to solve problems. Employees who have successfully made this transition have flexibility, adaptability and a focus on problem-solving as core competencies. People often make this jump to have their passions intersect with their profession, so also making sure your organization provides proximity to impact is crucial. – Erin Mote, InnovateEDU
2. Passion
Passion is a word that can describe both the desire for or the willingness to try. This is a trait that a new employee must have when transitioning from a for-profit organization to a nonprofit entity. The rewards and challenges are very different when it comes to working in a nonprofit. Accordingly, having a staff member who is absolutely committed to the cause is paramount to the organization’s success. – Dr. Sherry McAllister, Foundation for Chiropractic Progress
Forbes Nonprofit Council is an invitation-only organization for chief executives in successful nonprofit organizations. Do I qualify?
3. Fundamental Business Skills
It’s important to remember that nonprofit organizations operate similarly to for-profit companies in many areas. Therefore, new employees from the for-profit world often bring with them fundamental business skills such as budgeting, project management and fundraising that are all equally critical to the success of a nonprofit organization. – Dan Mantz, Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation
4. A Sense Of Urgency And Accountability
One of the most valuable traits private sector employees bring to nonprofits is a sense of urgency and accountability. They understand that agility, fast thinking and achieving a measurable impact are essential to success in any organization. The nonprofit landscape can be dynamic with resource limitations, evolving needs and the demand to constantly juggle priorities. These employees excel in often changing circumstances. – Michael Horowitz, TCS Education System
5. The Ability To Work Within And Implement New Systems
Employees who transition from the for-profit arena to the not-for-profit world bring experience in implementing and working with different systems, both in technology and in processes. They add to the intellectual diversity of the organization and challenge the status quo, which are both factors that are valuable to the team. – Kimberly Lewis, Goodwill Industries of East Texas, Inc.
6. A Desire To Iterate And Innovate
One valuable trait in an employee transitioning to the nonprofit world is having the ambition to iterate and innovate. The development of a competitive advantage—whether it’s to become more efficient, to retool or to reach more participants—is vital to staying relevant and fresh. This advantage is particularly vital when several organizations are serving a similar stakeholder base or have related missions. It’s easy to get stuck with the “tried and true,” but we should look beyond that! – Randy Wong, Hawaii Youth Symphony
7. Business Acumen
Business acumen is a valuable trait that new employees from the for-profit world have employed to enhance our nonprofit. This business savvy skill set is more than just being cognizant of the financials. To me, it means being strategic in approach and tactical in execution as a driver of new initiatives using a comprehensive array of data enhanced by insights and soft skills to make decisions. – Eric Reicin, BBB National Programs
8. The Ability To Leverage Tools And Technology
In the corporate world, many employees may be exposed to sophisticated tools and technology used for project management, productivity, communications, etc. Even if these resources are beyond the budget of a nonprofit, the underlying principles and discipline may inform the organization’s processes. – Laura MacDonald, Benefactor Group
9. A Wealth Of New Knowledge
New employees transitioning to nonprofit organizations each have the ability to bring knowledge we wouldn’t otherwise have. For example, hiring someone from the corporate social responsibility team at a pharmaceutical company can allow us to sharpen our approach to companies within that industry and make sure we “speak their language.” Similarly, finance professionals’ understanding of complex funding models can be extremely beneficial when working with family offices and advisors. – Luciana Bonifacio, Save the Children
10. A Fresh Perspective On Efficiency And Effectiveness
It is good to have a voice from the “outside” and a fresh evaluation of not only what we do, but also how we do it. New employees from for-profit organizations offer more effective and efficient ways of getting to the result we want. They ask good questions and challenge assumptions. Recently, one of our new staff members suggested a different approach saying, “If we don’t have to lose money, why would we?” – Magdalena Nowicka Mook, ICF (International Coaching Federation)
11. A Desire To Meet Targets
Those transitioning from the for-profit world tend to understand the importance of timelines, benchmarks and deadlines for the completion of projects. For-profits are often reliant on bringing a program or project in on time, so there is an adherence to making sure that everyone on the team is doing their part to stay on track and meet deadlines. The nonprofit arena could benefit from this skill. – Victoria Burkhart, The More Than Giving Company
12. Self-Discipline
For-profit employees are used to having goals and deadlines by which their performance is evaluated. This usually translates to them having a strong work ethic and a high level of professionalism. When an individual transitions from the for-profit to the nonprofit world, they come with a high level of personal discipline and self-motivation that inspires the rest of the team. – Brittany Dunn, Safe House Project
13. The Ability To Achieve Goals
Employees from for-profits are often responsible for achieving key performance indicators and demonstrating a clear return on investment. They sell products and services and deliver value to stakeholders to improve the bottom line. These skills are valuable in the nonprofit sector because they help ensure organizations make a compelling case for donor investment and hold themselves to rigorous measurement standards. – Jean Accius, CHC: Creating Healthier Communities
14. A Forward-Looking Attitude
Having made the transition from consumer products to the nonprofit world, I believe we bring a fascination and desire to wonder and envision the future. The training in consumer behavior and trend analysis these employees possess allows them to uniquely see opportunity and craft robust business plans that navigate a complex and crowded marketplace. – Donna Lucas, Joni and Friends
15. The Ability To Build And Leverage Relationships
A valuable skill is the ability to build and leverage relationship capital in the nonprofit sector. It is all about driving effective relationships and networking as a means of reaching the end goal of expansive philanthropy. In this environment, your heart can often get you into places your mind cannot! – Cinque Parker, Marie Aline Gay Heart for Haiti Foundation
16. The Courage To Challenge Norms
The trait I’ve witnessed in transitioning employees is their courage to challenge the status quo. When this is combined with a mindset of curiosity and humility, I’ve seen these leaders thrive and grow their missions in collaboration with other nonprofits. However, if their ego isn’t in check and they are demanding and demeaning to others, I’ve also seen how damaging it can be to a nonprofit. – Nicole Suydam, Goodwill of Orange County
Read the full article here
