Resources for Job Seeking in Difficult Times
During periods of instability, it may feel like navigating the job search is especially difficult, particularly if you’re facing personal challenges in addition to larger social issues or an unknown labor market. We at Idealist Career Advice are always striving to meet job seekers where they are, whether that’s by answering questions, addressing concerns, or offering expert advice on how to find a social-impact position that’s right for you.
To the end, we hope you’ll find plenty of useful information to help you navigate the tricky situations that pop up throughout your career below:
Resources for those facing ageism
Unfortunately, we expect ageism to continue to be an issue in the job seeking and hiring processes—and because it’s often concealed, it’s tough to combat. These resources offer tips and advice for how older social-impact professionals can tailor their applications, connect with colleagues and peers, or address ageism on the job.
- How to Find Age-Inclusive Organizations (with AARP)
- Age-Proofing Your Job Search (with AARP)
- Top Tips for Learning New Technology After 50
- What to Do If You're "Overqualified" for a Job
- Senior Corps: In their own words, “Senior Corps is a network of national service programs for Americans 55 years and older, made up of three primary programs that each take a different approach to improving lives and fostering civic engagement. Senior Corps volunteers commit their time to address critical community needs including academic tutoring and mentoring, elderly care, disaster relief support, and more.”
Pro Tip: If you’re an older job seeker concerned that a hiring manager may pass on your application materials due to ageist misperceptions, you may want to consider what you can remove from your resume. For example, you no longer need to include Microsoft Office tools (Word, PowerPoint, etc.). And unless you’re actually programming or doing complex data modeling in Excel, you can leave that out, as well (if you are programming in Excel, be specific about that in your resume).
Resources for students or recent college grads
We've spent quite a bit of time discussing AmeriCorps as an option for recent grads. There is an incredible variety of AmeriCorps positions available on Idealist, and a year of service is a great way to get some concrete professional experience on your resume while making an impact.
Here are some other resources for our recent college grads out there.
- Making the Most of a Temp Job
- Adjusting to the 9-to-5
- The Idealist Guide to Searching for a Job Online and Offline
Pro Tip: If you're wondering how to break into a nonprofit career, check out our recently-published guide: Career Resources for Students.
Resources for sector switchers
In addition to the resources that you’ll find here, you’ll also want to put in the time when it comes to updating your resume and cover letters. It’s important (especially as an aspiring sector switcher) to mirror the language used in the nonprofit sector at large, and more specifically, by the organization that you want to work for.
For example, if they refer to themselves as an “organization” (and most nonprofits do) don’t use the word “company” in your cover letter. If they call themselves a "nonprofit" on their website, don't refer to their "non-profit" in your application materials. You get the idea.
- 3 Skills for Landing a Nonprofit Communications Job
- Returning to Work After a Career Break
- Ask Alexis | Can I Use My Fashion Design Skills in the Nonprofit Sector?
- Nonprofit Careers Without a College Degree | Is It Possible?
- From Private to Nonprofit | Inside the Culture Shift, Parts 1, 2, and 3
- One Thing I Wish I Knew Before Transitioning to the Nonprofit Sector
- Sector switching but not sure where to start? Explore our guide: Resources for Sector Switchers!
Resources for interview prep
- Job Searching With a Disability | How to Prepare for the Interview Process
- 3 Tips to Calm Your Pre-Interview Nerves
- Interviewing While Non-Binary | Tips for Job Hunting with Confidence
- Check out our entire Interview Q&A series. In each post, we dive into the reasons why an interviewer may ask a particular question, and how to prepare the perfect response.
Resources for updating your resume and cover letter
- 3 Resume Types to Help You Embrace Career Gaps
- The Only Resume Cheat Sheet You’ll Ever Need
- 4 Common Resume Mistakes | Find them, Fix Them
- Cover Letter Clichés to Avoid
- 3 Times When a Strong Cover Letter Can Make a Difference
- Your Guide to Crafting a Nonprofit Cover Letter
Resources for gaining volunteer experience
- The Benefits of Volunteering
- 6 Ways Volunteering Can Advance Your Career
- What Kinds of Volunteer Opportunities Exist?
- If you’re looking to keep your skills sharp while you job search, we highly suggest pro bono volunteering, which offers opportunities to put concrete professional development on your resume via finite, skills-based projects with nonprofits in need. Check out Idealist, or organizations like Taproot and Catchafire, for pro-bono volunteer opportunities.
- Explore the volunteer opportunities listed on Idealist!
Some other useful resources
- FUSE Corps - This came up during the webinar, so we wanted to be sure to share a link. In their own words, “FUSE is a national nonprofit that partners with local government to help urban communities thrive. We work with cities and counties on a range of issues, including economic and workforce development, healthcare, public safety, climate change, and education.”
- Professional Development Trainings for Every Stage of Your Career
- 3 Ways to Stand Out After Submitting Your Application
- Looking for a Nonprofit Job? 3 Reasons to Pursue an Onsite Role
- Got Laid Off? Here's What to Do Now
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As the Associate Director of Marketing and Communications at Idealist and a lifelong nonprofit professional, Alexis offers job seekers, game changers, and do gooders actionable tips, career resources, and social-impact advice.