I graduated from law school in 2009 with a stellar academic record, relevant part-time work experience, published writing samples, glowing references, and a carefully crafted cover letter customized to each individual job opportunity – and yet, it still took me a year to find a non-profit job in DC. When I changed my strategy, however, I got an interview at the first non-profit I used that strategy on, and I’m working at that organization today.
How to Write an Effective Resume
One thing I can’t emphasize enough is the importance of a custom resume. Is non-profit employment possible without one? Sure. The best resume for any job is the resume the person reading the resume likes. But it’s impossible to predict what that will be, and with thousands of resumes coming in during this economic crisis, it’s best to stand out with specific details and a tailored, effective resume.
An effective resume is tailored to the non-profit job description. Anything irrelevant gets left out. For me, this was difficult – not include the impressive fact that I was published at 25? But I was applying for an administrative job with no major writing requirements, so it got the ax. Only include what directly fits the job description, and make it very clear how that match is made with details about each piece of experience or education.