You're in a philanthropy interview. How can you show your leadership skills?

1 Know your values

Before you walk into the interview, make sure you have a clear idea of what motivates you to work in philanthropy. What are the causes or issues that you care about the most? How do they align with the mission and vision of the organization you're applying to? How do you express your values through your actions and decisions? Be prepared to share examples of how you have lived your values in your previous or current roles, and how they have influenced your leadership style and goals.

2 Show your impact

One of the best ways to show your leadership skills is to highlight the impact you have made or contributed to in your past or present projects. How have you identified and addressed the needs and challenges of your beneficiaries, stakeholders, or partners? How have you measured and communicated your results and outcomes? How have you used feedback and learning to improve your work and grow as a leader? Use the STAR method (situation, task, action, result) to structure your answers and showcase your achievements.

3 Be collaborative

Philanthropy is not a solo endeavor. It requires working with diverse and often complex teams, networks, and communities. To show your leadership skills, you need to demonstrate that you can collaborate effectively with others, both within and outside your organization. How do you build trust and rapport with your colleagues, managers, and external partners? How do you foster a culture of inclusion, respect, and diversity? How do you leverage the strengths and perspectives of different people to achieve common goals? Give examples of how you have collaborated successfully in various settings and situations.

4 Think creatively

Philanthropy is also about finding new and better ways to solve social problems and create lasting change. To show your leadership skills, you need to demonstrate that you can think creatively and innovatively , and that you can adapt to changing circumstances and opportunities. How do you approach problem-solving and decision-making in your work? How do you generate and test new ideas and solutions? How do you deal with uncertainty and ambiguity? How do you learn from failures and mistakes? Give examples of how you have applied creative thinking and innovation in your work.

5 Share your vision

Finally, to show your leadership skills, you need to demonstrate that you have a vision for the future of philanthropy and the role you want to play in it. How do you keep yourself updated and informed about the trends and issues affecting the sector? How do you align your personal and professional goals with the strategic direction of your organization? How do you inspire and motivate others to join you in pursuing your vision? Give examples of how you have communicated and shared your vision with others, and how you have influenced or supported their actions.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?