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April 2024
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STOP ROMANCING THE SECTOR4/15/2018 Yes, you all have noble intentions working in the social sector. As insiders, you all know that that is one of the reasons why you are volunteering, fundraising, giving monies to, and spend enormous amounts of time working for your favorite cause-oriented organizations, campaigns, and networks. That is good. But when you deal with people that are not steeped into the non-profit sector, be real and very practical. Stop talking about how it will change the world, the situation, feed the hungry, clean the environment, support the homeless, etc. Drop the romancing, idealistic notions. You need to talk about how it works for other people. What is their return on investment by participating in your programs? They are moved not by feeding the hungry but my monetary gain or other important considerations. Employee retention, brand recognition & awareness or domination in the community, more sales, positive association/CSR, customer engagement, to name a few. Think about how the other person will get their interests served. Human beings are very simple. While they get moved to tears because of the tragedy happening in the lives of other people and moved to take action, the first thing that they would do is to cover their own needs. Are you communicating value for them? If you are being salesy by just pushing your agenda, it will not work. Get their interests served and you won't be treated like a spammer. What do you think about this? Did I miss an important point? Join the conversation.
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BUT FIRST, DO NO HARM4/11/2018 Service clubs around the world are endangered. Membership is dwindling down.
This is across the board of many service clubs in North America and other parts of the world. I talked to the local Lions club here and they reported that from 25 members they are now down to 5 members. The guy I talked with is I believe in the 60s to 70s age range. The rest of the members might be there somewhere in between. I asked what is their strategy for recruitment and retention? And they answered newspaper ads. If this is not working, they need to work out a different strategy fast. Slow and painful death is inevitable unless the leadership takes ownership of what is going on and commit to turning it around with the help of all the stakeholders. I have seen several clubs suffer from this problem. There is no one solution. There are many solutions and that they have to begin to embrace that this is going to be their top most priority in the next couple of years. They have to understand that the competition for attention is the most difficult part of the game. Youth, parents with young kids, retired people with ageing parents, and other demographics are just simply difficult to attract for participation in a regular structured organization. I asked about the social media and how they can attract following and possibly new members. The guy retorted that he does not want to be in social media the whole day. I guess there is still a lot of misconception about the use of social media up to this day. While there is no need to convince the inconvertible about social media, the whole community suffers when a service club suffers. That is simply a fact. While service clubs remain relevant because of their service orientation and unselfish dedication to community building, their structure, practices, and culture must go with the times. When they ignore the changing societal dynamics, they risk extinction. Stupidity is expecting a different outcome using the same approach over and over again. What are your thoughts? How can we build up robust and dynamic service clubs in our communities?
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5 TIPS TO STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD4/4/2018 I have the privilege to mentor young professionals and graduating students wanting to enter the social change sector. Most of the questions relate to differentiation- being able to win the job, get attention from recruiters, get the foot on the door so to speak! I have 5 tips on the get-go but this is not exhaustive nor it pretends to be.
Standing out in this field is very important. With any profession, early differentiation should be done even while you are studying. It is the commitment to rise above average and be the best you can be. 1. Showcase what you have done in the field of practice that you want to get into. Showcase the internships that you have done, the projects and writings that speak for that, and the interests, hobbies, and interactions that align to that sector or work. Your gig should also point to something concrete, long-term, and purposeful. 2. Showcase the personality that you have. While skills can be learned and over time, master, your personality & character might be the one that will get you noticed. Are your personality, traits, and outlook match the sector or the employment you want to be considered for? Are you comfortable with non-linear, dynamic and fluid environment (not to say, messy!) of the social sector? Do you have the grit to stand up, brush yourself up each time your fall? 3. Network, network, network. Seek out mentors, influencers, and peers in your sector and how they can help you get more information about the work you wanted or the types of new jobs being created on a yearly basis. Do not be passive about your achievements. Let them know you are looking for work, looking to be involved in special projects, or volunteering your time to worthy causes that show your leadership skills and initiative. Get out there and show up! 4. Create a compelling CV and objective for employment. Try new forms of resume that speaks not just the degree you have but the extra-curricular roles that you have in the course of your studies. Also provide references and testimonials from professors and professionals that knew your work. Get information interviews and try to seek out people who have interesting career adventures/twist and turns. 5. Know the sector very well. Research about the rules of practice, the current challenges, pain points, and trends and opportunities. This information will be very handy come interview time. Showcase what you know about the sector in your writing, blogs, and social media interactions. Keep learning and sharpen your perspectives. What do you think are the must-haves or must-do's to get a competitive edge in the social change sector? Why not add to this initial list? |