Posted by Trista Harris on June 29, 2009
So You Wanna Be Program Officer?
I have a few pieces of standard advice that I give to friends that are applying to program officer positions, so I thought I’d share the same advice with you, my virtual friends. Program officer positions rarely come open, especially now with so many foundations downsizing, so it is important that you do what you can to stand out.
- Don’t ask, don’t tell policy for your age- If you are a younger applicant, please take your graduation date off of your resume. Regardless of how much relevant experience you have, many hiring managers will write you off as a youngster if your undergraduate or graduate degree was received after Y2K.
- Work your networks- If you used to nanny for the board chair or you were in Americorps with one of the program assistants, make sure you talk to that person before you apply and mention that they encouraged you to apply in the cover letter. There is nothing that gives you an easier edge than name dropping. It won’t get you the job but it will make the HR person that is going through 300 applicants take a second look.
- Know your target- Get to know the culture of the foundation from your previous interactions with them in the community or through a thorough read of the website. Do the grantees fit your values, do you believe in the mission, do you respect the reputation of the other staff? Make sure it is a fit before applying and if it is a fit with your values and experience, explain why in the cover letter.
- Know the job- Is the foundation looking for a generalist that can analyze a variety of nonprofits? Then highlight your analytical skills and expertise across the field. Are they looking for a content expert? Then it’s time to put that oceanology degree to work.
- Be timely- If you are interested in a position, don’t play hard to get and wait until the last day to apply. Many foundations start screening applications a week or two after the position is posted. They may already have a favorite candidate if you wait until the last minute.
- Don’t sell yourself short- Many people see their dream job and don’t apply because they are sure that they don’t have a chance. Even if it seems like there will be most experienced applicants, you might just have the mix of education, personality, and experience the foundation is looking for. You miss 100% of the shots you don’t make.
What other advice would you give to someone applying for a program officer position?
July 2nd, 2009 at 8:38 am
Very timely article Trista! If I may add my 2 cents I would also include “have a Plan B.” Many of us in the world of program officers know how limited the positions really are and unless you are already in the “inner circle” it can be virtually impossible to break in. Now with news of foundations laying off people (virtually unheard of before now)the jobs are almost non-existent.
My advice to anyone who wants to be a program officer is to know what you are in for in terms of the networking time, and possibly more education (it’s almost impossible to see a posting for program officer that does not require an advanced degree). I was fortunate in that I was able to try on the position for a year through a graduate program but the full-time employment has not appeared.
Now for a Plan B. I would suggest to anyone that if you are passionate about the nonprofit and philanthropy field as I am, look into other careers that provide transferable skills (like Communications, HR, finance). I have taken that route and am focused on the Communications side of philanthropy. I figure at the very least these skills will allow me to stay in the field I risked so much to move into.
February 7th, 2010 at 7:23 pm
[...] unclear about what they want me to be, think, or do. Did they want a grant from Headwaters? Maybe. Were they looking for a new position and wanted some advice? Possibly. Did they want me to buy into their nutrient drink pyramid scheme? I don’t know [...]