You've landed a philanthropy internship. How will you secure a full-time position in the field?

Estoy completamente de acuerdo con lo mencionado anteriormente, pero siento que falta un aspecto crucial: el factor humano. No se trata solo de adquirir conocimientos técnicos o dominar procesos, sino de cómo nos conectamos con las personas que forman parte del sector. La filantropía, al final del día, se trata de personas. Establecer relaciones genuinas, ser empático y saber ver más allá de los objetivos profesionales.. las conexiones humanas no solo fortalecen el trabajo en equipo, sino que son esenciales para generar impacto verdadero y construir redes que trasciendan el ámbito laboral.

Do your best during your internship and build relationships with people. Ask for feedback and highlight your accomplishments. Tailor your resume to the jobs you want and practice your interview skills. Use your network to find opportunities and stay in touch with your internship supervisors.

Philanthropy is a very broad field! If you're pursuing a full-time career in the space, it pays huge dividends to build your network. Linkedin is a great starting place, as many people are on here. As someone who's taken on 50+ interns in my career, I look for those who go beyond, those who understand organisational challenges, can spot opportunities, use their skills and time to meaningfully contribute to their team and are genuinely helpful. Whilst an internship is a very junior position, many organisations use it to spot emerging talent early on. This means, its a great opportunity to show what you're made of and get involved in whats going on.

My recommendations... 1. meet with as many people as you can by Zoom or in person. 2. work with your assigned lead and share your goals along with your interest to show your capabilities. 3. participate in as much as you can. 4. deliver work on time and consider every opportunity to showcase your work. 5. keep an eye on the organization's job openings so you can be prepared to speak to people internally about your interest. 6. be willing to learn from everyone.

Ask questions that show you are actively curious about the field and the content area of this work. Show you are eager to learn more while also highlighting how much you have already understood. Being able to articulate the mission and vision of the organization but in your own words also is of value. Understand that you are potentially a valuable resource for this employer yet it’s not your name on the side of the building.

Quality relationships start with your own curiosity and genuine interest in people. Get to know yourself (emotional awareness) and be clear about WHY you are building a relationship. Are you engaging to further your own goals? Their goals? You're on the right track when you can find aligned purpose!

Consider sharing on LinkedIn what you're learning from the internship. Share your insights. People in your network will cheer you on and help you in the future.

Networking is a cornerstone for living in the 21st century. In any philanthropic endeavor, connecting people with causes is the first step of change. We wrongfully believe that most people are callous. People want to help others, they often don't know how. To become a career philanthropist, you have to know how take your passion and find the funding to live while keeping the attention on work which is your mission. It is not easy but is a far-sight easier when you cultivate a network of likeminded individuals who began their journey exactly where you did.

Innovation starts with initiative. Fear of failure can prevent us from progressing. You have to get over that fear and try (and fail) and learn from your success and missteps. If you are aware of your value and offer something no one else does, you are the perfect candidate for future openings.

One thing that helps build your feedback muscle is to secure a mentor. Learning from an expert in the field, building your skill set and network, will ensure longevity in the profession.

When I was seeking a job in philanthropy out of law school, I had a well-known program officer tell me, “someone has to die for you to get a job in philanthropy.” Thankfully, that’s not true! But discerning what area of philanthropy you want to focus on is key. Two thoughts: 1. Explore various aspects of the field, and 2. Know yourself. I found institutional funding interesting because it felt logical, which resonated with me more than the psychology of individual fundraising. I also enjoyed the rewards of working on fund development rather than distribution, because I loved the accomplishment that comes from securing grants. Understanding your strengths and interests will help guide you toward a fulfilling career in philanthropy.

Having been on the other side of this in selecting and training intern fulfill your s, I can say that this part of the plan is critical. Sometimes, what appears to be a perfect fit doen''t feel right after one has had a go at it for several weeks or momtns. This experience is also invaluable. While doing an internship, ask yourself if this is the right path for you. Will following it fulfill your goal or destination? Or might this be but one of several roads you need to take to get where you want?

One of the vital parts of experience is learning what you don't want. I wish there was a shortcut to that end, but I haven't found it. Instead, becoming good at goal-setting can be the greatest weapon in your arsenal. Goals have to be elastic - all or nothing is a recipe for disaster. Goals should be measurable - how do you know you succeeded? There must be a metric for success. ("I want to be the best" is a terrible goal. What makes you the best? How do you determine if you are the best?) Finally, goals have to be obtainable. A ten-year goal sounds great but a lot can change in ten years, including your perspective. Smaller goals on your path with a clear picture of the position you really want can be motivating and achieveable.