Over the past week, I’ve given quite a bit of thought to what I’d like to be doing in the future, and reassessing the positions I’m applying for after graduation.We had an in class speaker on Thursday, Michael Marchino, the Director of Fundraising for CARE. One of the questions I asked was if I was interested in the field of non-profit work from an administrative/business side, should I be focusing on my business ability or volunteering my time in the field?
His answer was more a little bit of both: Because the non-profit world is increasingly more professional, those skills are important to hone. But, in the non-profit sector, having the passion for the cause is extremely important as well. Mostly though, he attributed himself to finding the position out of luck: the connections he had made through his passion had led him to be asked to work for CARE.
I feel good about my current standing, focusing on doing well in school while still finding time for volunteer opportunities like Habitat for Humanity and Women in Business, all while trying to meet other people and network as well as I can.
In recent weeks, I’ve noticed how much I enjoy planning events, fundraisers and marketing campaigns for causes I believe in. Whether it be the t-shirt making and item raffle for Habitat for Humanity, or the current viral marketing scheme utilizing OperationBeautiful.com for the 4th Annual Breaking Through the Glass Ceiling Conference, I’m doing something I love, and making a difference. I understand I may not be able to do this right away, but I hope to someday balance my skills and passion together for the right cause.
What do you think matters most in your first job after college? Work you believe in, or training and a good head start?
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