How can you prepare to discuss your career goals in Social Impact?

One extra piece of advice: Don't be afraid to make it personal. If you're committed to help people with disabilities because your best friend is in a wheelchair, share that. If you've been fighting injustice for a long time, share that. Many of the people who interview you will have personal stories that compel them to do what they do. You connect with your interviewer by letting them know -- quite clearly -- why you're in this for keeps. That can be a very powerful part of your candidacy.

Volunteering is a great way to self assess if this type of work would suit you. However, I regularly take on volunteers and sometimes get the impression people feel they are 'doing me a favour' I want to set the record straight: - I have to spend time thinking of tasks which are suitable. This is time consuming. - I have to take a much longer period of time to explain a task which would probably take me 5 mins. I have to allow time for quality control, giving feedback and coaching. - I have to pick up the pieces if people let me down. If you feel volunteering would help - be mindful it takes a huge amount of time and effort on the part of those helping you and it's important you recognise this.

Personally, I am driven by the desire to help others. Hence, I realised early that my passion and drive is most useful in the social impact sector. I am driven by the desire to see people thrive (colleagues and beneficiaries alike). I recognized the more I build myself the more value I am able to provide to others. The skills that have set me apart over the years is authenticity, integrity, reliability, cultural sensitivity, communication, strategic thinking and technology savvy. I also started off volunteering at local organisations and taking courses in social impact. This enabled me to have a broad experience as I grow in my career. Don't forget to stay authentic and stay hungry for growth. Don't ever disqualify yourself.

Personal motivation is deeply relevant. Passion + purpose + skillset = meaningful impact. What challenges do you want to solve? How have you addressed those challenges?

I have consistently held the belief that the prosperity of any organization hinges on its people. Coming from my managerial experience, it is crucial for an organization to share a common culture and values with its employees. A positive work environment has a transformative effect, bringing out the optimal qualities in individuals. The alignment of personal values between employees and the organization is instrumental in preventing conflicts. The pursuit of shared goals becomes significantly smoother when everyone is working together in the same direction.

Also, I always review the LinkedIn profile of people working in my desired organisation. I try to visualize their career map to see if I am on a similar trajectory. These research helps me quickly learn where I need to improve, credentials I need to acquire and skills I need to learn to fit the organizations workforce need.

I regularly reach out to an employee of the organization via LinkedIn, and ask questions. Try as much as you can to state what you have read already and tell them your desire to know more than all that was written.

It is also important to tailor your career goals to align with the organization you are applying to. But remember not to copy and paste from the organizations source. Ensure you stay creative and original while you tailor your goals.

During conversations, we sometimes spill too much and as such, we drift farther away from whatever the company is trying to achieve. It’s appropriate to state what you have read and believe is the career goals of the company whenever you’re asked that way, you could understand how to prepare your statement.

Always try to be spontaneous with responses to avoid sounding like you are reciting from a script. Be proactive with providing examples of what you have done inline with the questions being asked. This shows that you have relevant experiences the organization is looking for. Use numbers and percentage to demonstrate achievement as much as you can.

Practice out loud - ask your network to help by listening and offering feedback. Avoid over-rehearsing; honest and sincere communication will always win over a scripted speech.

Being over prepared is not always a great fit but being under prepared is never a great idea. An outstanding way to prepare your statement is to think like the listener. Figure out the statements could be interpreted as awful so you could avoid them. Write out questions you and multiple replies that way you could sway your way through hurdles if you find yourself in any.

Being over prepared is not always a great fit but being under prepared is never a great idea. An outstanding way to prepare your statement is to think like the listener. Figure out the statements could be interpreted as awful so you could avoid them. Write out questions you and multiple replies that way you could sway your way through hurdles if you find yourself in any.

Being over prepared is not always a great fit but being under prepared is never a great idea. An outstanding way to prepare your statement is to think like the listener. Figure out the statements could be interpreted as awful so you could avoid them. Write out questions you and multiple replies that way you could sway your way through hurdles if you find yourself in any.

If your social impact programmes have beneficiaries, engage with them directly. Avoid assuming that you know what is best - have the humility to ask and involve, demonstrating true service and leadership.

As someone who works in this sector I want to challenge a common misconception: having a successful career in another field does not mean you can easily walk into this sector and 'get a job'. I regularly meet successful 'senior' people from other sectors who want to 'gift' themselves to the social impact sector without realising social impact is just as competitive as many others. You need to convince others how your background adds value. Do not burden me with trying to see this for you.

Approach interviews with confidence and optimism. Don’t be afraid of failing. Believe that you have already aced the interview. Every success is first achieved in the mind.