January 2017, Presented by MSA (Susie Flug & Amy Mulvena) To - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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January 2017, Presented by MSA (Susie Flug & Amy Mulvena)

 To celebrate and reflect on your impact and growth this year  To give you more tools with which to talk about your service experiences  To share strategies you can use to sustain your service at your host site  To help you begin to think about your plans for moving forward after the

Commonwealth Corps and sustaining your experiences from this year (including next steps for careers/education)

 By the end of this session, you will be able to begin to develop a realistic plan

for wrapping up your service, including:

• Leaving a record of your activities and accomplishments behind in your host organization.
• To the extent possible, helping those taking over the project build on what has been done.
• Identifying skills, experiences, contacts, and interests that you want to carry beyond the

service year and use for to help with your next steps.

 Learn best practices for sustaining your project after the service year ends  Identify specific things that you can do to leave a legacy  Begin the conversation about sustaining the skills and commitments that you

have developed in Commonwealth Corps and pursuing your career/educational/personal next steps, providing some specific resources and exercises you can pursue at your own pace moving forward

 Start to clarify what needs to be done in the short versus the long term

 Ice Breaker

• Cheers & Fears about the chapter after your year of service
• What are you most excited about the chapter after CC? What are you most concerned or

apprehensive about?

 Introductions

 Sustaining Your Service

• Individual, Organizational, and Community Levels

 Lunch

ch Break eak

 Sustaining Your Development

• Personal/Professional Transitions,
• Knowing Yourself, and
• Capturing Your Skills

 Career Planning

• Resumes
• Cover Letters,
• and Networking

 Closing & Evaluations

 Sustain:

• Continue, maintain
• Nourish, provided for needs
• Support (physically or emotionally); prop up
• Affirm as valid (e.g. a judge sustains an objection)
• Prove, confirm (e.g. a hypothesis)

 Acknowledgement:

The conceptual framework and strategies for building sustainability at the individual, organizational and community levels are based on Stone Soup Community Development: Sustainability and AmeriCorps*VISTA Projects (National Service Project Submitted by Amy Bonn, July 2000). Development of this material was supported by the Corporation for National and Community Service through a National Service Fellowship. This free resource is available for download at: http://dig ttp://digita italc lcomm

• mmons.

ns.unom nomah aha.e a.edu du/slc /slcec ecurr rric iculu lum/3 m/32/ .

 This presentation includes ideas for building sustainability at the indivi

ividual dual,

• rganiza

anizati tion

• nal

al, and comm mmuni nity ty levels.

• Indi

divi vidual dual – Appropriate for all Commonwealth Corps projects

• Organi

niza zati tional

• nal and communit

unity y – May be more feasible for some project than for others

Factors affecting organizational and community readiness to sustain your project may be beyond the control of members and supervisors.

Imagi gine ne that t it is ne next xt wint nter er. . You u have made a suc uccessfu essful l transition to “life after service.”

• What

t is o s one ne thing ng that t you u really lly hope e will st still be going ng st stron

• ng from

the project(s) you’ve done and your service this year?

• Share the above with a partner, and if time, start to discuss:
• What can you do over the next several months to help make sure that

what you started/focused on is carried on after your service?

 Indiv

ividu idual al member mber (you!) !) Guidin ding g those

• se that

at come after er you

 Organization

anization Buy in, resour sources es (funds nds and people) le) to carry it on

 Community

mmunity Ownership ip (pla lann nning, ing, commu municating nicating value) e)

 Legacy projects or products:

• Exit memo or “Letter to Your Successor”
• Record of your project, key contacts, location of records (and access passwords), ideas for

what helped you settled in and what could have helped you settle in faster/better, and comments about what has been done and what needs to be done.

• There may be a section for identifying key community members with whom it is important to

build relationships, These may not always be the people in formal leadership roles. (Make sure to keep things on a positive note – appropriate for a written document that will remain behind when you leave.)

• Project or Service Binder
• Complete record of project, with sample materials (Electronic files and/or actual binder)
• Exit debrief meeting
• Some supervisors may already have plans to request this meeting. If not, you can suggest it.

Source: VISTA Campus training materials; MSA historical records and systems

Lett etter er to your ur suc uccessor essor In addition to information similar to exit memo, may include:

 Tips for living in on the CC stipend,  Suggestions for smooth org/community entry,  Best ways to make time for CC obligations,  Can’t miss trainings/opportunities,  Things they wish they’d known/top tips. Source: Massachusetts Promise Fellowship (used with permission)

 Other formats for Legacy Projects (in addition to

letters/files):

• Documenting accomplishments can take various forms, such as:
• Blog
• Wiki page
• Photo montage
• Video
• Think about how we can capture ideas Corps-wide as well:
• LinkedIn discussion thread
• Other ideas?

• What will it take?
• Time (balanced with direct service in last months of your term)
• Try to speak with your supervisor now about how this can fit into your service

schedule in the remaining months

• Being clear about systems and locations for saving/sharing materials
• Make sure your files are public and not left on your personal server/folder
• Save things as you go:
• Promotional materials
• Meeting notes
• Contact names, addresses, phone numbers, emails
• Record of contacts (with descriptions)
• Volunteer database
• Volunteer management systems
• Training manuals

• Getting started:

1.

What do you wish you had known from others/your host site when you started (but nobody told you)?

2.

What did you find most helpful in getting started, from the things you were told/given?

3.

What are your “top 3 tips” for someone taking over the project?

4.

What is something you wish you had started doing yourself from the beginning of the year?

5.

What would you do next, if you were staying?

6.

What was a roadblock you encountered early on? What could your supervisor/organization do to avoid this in the future?

Adapted from: Stone Soup Community Development: Sustainability and AmeriCorps VISTA projects (Amy Bonn, 2000)

The Two-Person Rule:

 To create a sustainable network that will last after your

project is over, make sure that at least two people know what you are doing, where your files are, and details of the project

Source: The Stone Soup Training Module

Thinking

nking big g pi picture ture

Acti

ting ng pr practicall ctically

• What

t is realistic stic for you in your organi nizat atio ion n and project ct at this s time? e?

Best practices for sustainability at the organizational level include:

 Plans are in place, or resources secured, to carry on the project after you

leave the organization:

• Staffing and service members
• Funding / budget
• Volunteer base (current)
• Systems for recruiting and managing volunteers (future)
• Partnerships / collaborations

 The project or program is seen as valuable within the organization. Senior

staff and board members are aware of key activities.

• Capturing data to measure need for and impact of your service makes this tangible

Adapted from the Stone Soup Training Module: Sustaining the AmeriCorps*VISTA Experience

Record of proje ject ct thus far: r:

 List of volunteers with contact information  List of key community members with contact information

• Informal as well as formal community leaders

 List of partner organizations with contact information  Notes from partner and community meetings

Ways to build suppo port: t:

 “Elevator speech” –succinct statement of project  Involvement of community members in planning and

implementing the project

 Promotion – newspaper articles, events, etc.

 On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 = “no sustainability” and 10

= “full sustainability”:

• How would you rate your organization’s current readiness to sustain

your ur se service ice after er you u are gone? ne?

 Have you and your super

ervisor visor begun un to discuss uss ways s to sust stain ain your r project? ect?

 What can you person

sonally ally do to help the organi ganizat ation ion sust stain ain the projec ject? t? If there re is not a persona sonal l role e for you in some me areas, as, what t can y n you u learn rn from m what other ers s are doing ng?

Which ideas from today’s discussion would you like to explore more? What t next t steps will you commit it to takin ing: g:

 At the individual level  At the organizational level (if applicable)  At the community level (if applicable)

What t needs to be done/s e/sta tarted: d:

 In the short term (January/February)  Over the longer term (March-June)

To whom will you u need d to reach ch out t and d what t do you want nt to rememb mber er to share e with your r supervisor

• r from toda

day? y? What t concerns cerns or challe leng nges es coul uld d hold you u back k and d how can n you u address ress them?

 Professi

essional nal conn nnections ctions (organization and community)

• Letters of reference
• Organizations/individuals/professional networks you’ve

encountered

 Personal

sonal conn nnect ections ns

 Care

reer er or educatio tion n next xt steps eps

• Resumes, networking, informational interviewing and job interviews
• Online: Resources from JVS Career Moves & Denise Riebman

webinar/handouts

• Doing another year of service (e.g. AmeriCorps / Peace Corps)
• ( You can find a list of MA AmeriCorps Programs on MSA Website)
• College, grad school, or other coursework/certifications
• Community volunteering

 Celeb

ebrat rating ing and nd capturin uring g your ur accomplis plishmen hments ts

• Documenting experience and successes (legacy projects,

sustainability conversations)

• Assessing and capturing your leadership and skill development
• Downloading/printing your monthly reports and/or capturing

highlights from your timesheets/reports as you do them

• MSA end-of-service celebration in June

 Cont

ntinuing nuing to serve e / staying ying active e in n your ur community munity

• How will you use the skills and passion you have cultivated through

Commonwealth Corps?

• How would you like to stay connected to your host site as a

volunteer, if relevant

 Transition

ansition planning nning

• Closing out or continuing connections with your clients/students
• Financial (budgeting, health insurance, housing/moving, etc.)
• Exiting from a member-development-focused program
• Potential change in supervisor relationship post-Commonwealth Corps

 Staying

ying connect cted ed to the Common mmonwealth ealth Corps, rps, your r host t site, e, MSA, and the nation ional al servic vice e movem ement nt

Job searching is a long process and your CC term doesn’t end until June, but there are things you can do now:

 Explore yourself/goals (activities from Jan. & Nov. trainings)

• MSA-Related Time: Completing activities distributed in MSA

Trainings/online; maximum time per activity of 60-90 minutes.

 *Map out network of people/organizations you know  *Researching fields and organizations of interest  Set up informational interviews

• MSA-Related Time: A maximum of 10 hours through June (including any

relevant preparation, travel, and actual interview time)

 *Update resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, etc.

• Also keep in mind your larger online presence (Facebook, etc.)

* To complete on your own t time me, , unless an MSA-pro provided vided activi vity

 “Why is self-knowledge so critical” by Cathy Wasserman

• Ch. 3 in the Idealist Guide to Nonprofit Careers for Sector Switchers
• The benefits of self-knowledge:
• Strategically directing your career
• Identifying jobs and organizations that fit
• Authentically and specifically communicating your fit

 What Color Is Your Parachute?

• Ch. 5 “You Need to Understand More Fully Who You Are”
• “I am a person who…” (aka “The Dick Bolles’ Flower Exercise”)
• See handout: “7 Ways of Describing Who You Are & Flower

Exercise”

 Knowing Yourself Reflection Activity

• See handout: “Knowing Yourself: Skills and Experiences”

 Translating Your Service Into Job Speak  Your Greatest Skills

 See handout:

“Translating Your Service Into Job Speak & Your Greatest Skills”

 Check out the webinar on “Translating Your Service

Experience To Your Resume” by Denise Riebman, her resources, and the JVS Career Moves resources on resumes, networking, and interviewing on the CC Resource Page

 Four Questions (courtesy of JVS Career Moves):

• What do you want to do?
• What are you good at?
• What have you done so far?
• How well have you done it?

 Resume Tips (courtesy of JVS Career Moves):

• Let the reader know what you want to do (objectives optional)
• Lead with your strengths (top third). Start with a summary
• Keywords are important
• Always have your readers’ POV/Know your audience (WCYDFM)
• Results, accomplishments, benefits
• Quantify/Qualify
• Prioritize the order of your bullets
• Summary not history
• Appearance Counts
• Tailor your resume/have more than one
• Be honest

 Think about how to mention Commonwealth Corps & Host Site  Importance of the cover letter: Do not skip

 Customize, Address letter to someone, Keep it short/focused  Try to reference something you learned about the company/job  No Negatives/ No apologies  T-Analysis: Their requirements vs. your qualifications  Your letter should answer:

• Why should you be invited to interview of this position?
• What value do you bring to the employer?

 General Format

• I am interested/Why am I writing you
• I know the company/I know the job/industry
• I am qualified/I can add value
• I will call you/I want an opportunity to meet you

 End with what you want to happen next  Are you putting the employers interests over yours?

Usef eful ul for r co cover er let letter ers s an and d inter ervi views ws too:

• :

Challenge: Increa

ease se number ber of yo youth th receiv eivin ing g tutoring ing

Context. Partnered

tnered with school,

• l, three

ee nonprofit it organ aniz izat ation ions s and paren ent t assoc

• ciat

iation ion; ; Limited ed finan ancial ial resou

• urces

es and lack of volunteers. ers.

Action. Identif

tifie ied d three ee local al comp mpan anies ies for voluntee eers; s; Prese sented ed to emp mployees es about t bein ing a voluntee eer tutor; ; Negot

• tiat

iated ed with h HR f for emp mployees es to being g able to take time off; Train ined ed 10 new tutor

• rs.

s.

Result. 15 addition

ional l yo youth th receiv eived ed tutorin ing g during ing the acade demi mic year; ; Brokered ered three e new w corporat

• rate

partn tner ersh ship ips s result lting ing in 10 voluntee eer tutors s and in-kind ind/f /fina inancial ial donations tions wor worth h approxi ximat ately ly $10,00 000. 0. Quoted From Denise Riebman’s webinar.

 Nonprofit

it Sector

• Mission and culture fit; Commitment to service
• Accomplishment driven but understand that not everything can be

quantified

• International NGOs - often longer, more detailed, cv-like

 Public

ic Sector

• Longer (3-5 pages on average)
• Very specific employment information (dates, salaries, etc.)
• Highly detailed, responsibilities AND results.
• Format will vary for state/local government

 Priv

ivat ate e Sector

• r
• Big names, Big scores, Big Achievements
• Short and Strong
• Understanding of industry/using the right language
• Leverage transferrable skills

Quoted From Denise Riebman’s Webinar

 Differences Between Networking and Interviewing  Resources online  Time to practice

• Up to 10 hours of MSA-Related Development Time for Informational

Interviews

 Don’t ask for a job (If there is a job match, people will tell

you)

 Be brief (~10-20 minutes)  Be clear/convincing an don’t manipulate  Try to meet in person as often as possible  Don’t let your guard down

• Your networking may be judged as your best work

 Help your network contact help you  Learn to handle objections and be flexible  Thank the person and reciprocate  Be positive and patient  Stay in touch

Adapted from: Career Moves at JVS: JVS Keys to Networking www.career-moves.org

 Make a connection/chemistry  Be able to answer basic questions  Prepare some good questions to ask the interviewer (also a

way to evaluate if you like the job)

 Strive for a 50 – 50 conversation  Keep answers short  Anticipate tough questions and/or objections  State interest in job  Get information at end of interview on what happens next  Be polite, professional and persistent in following-up

Adapted from: Career Moves at JVS: JVS Keys to Interviewing www.career-moves.org

 “Elevator Pitch” for Networking

• An overview of your skills/strengths to get conversation started
• A good elevator pitch includes:
• A hook
• Brevity (<60 seconds)
• Passion
• A request (a referral, interview, business card)
• A tag line

 Prepare an elevator pitch that will be useful for introducing

yourself, finding a job opportunity, and/or making a professional connection in the coming year.

 Idealist.org has created a wonderful series of guides for

those interested in careers in the nonprofit sector:

Service to Career Transition: Service Corps to Social Impact Career Early Career: Guide to Nonprofit Careers for First-Time Job Seekers Mid-Career: Nonprofit Careers for Sector Switchers

 You may also find helpful worksheets created by the

Corporation for National and Community Service: What’s Next- Life After Your Service Year

See especially the “Everything to Know about Getting a Job” toolkit, developed by Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) for its AmeriCorps members. Download tools and forms including:

• Creating a 5-year career plan
• Completing a career development self-assessment
• Leadership / Volunteer Assessment

(Up to 60-90 minutes for Toolkit page and activities listed above)

 Continue to take part in professional development from

MSA and your host site and reach out for ideas/support

 Think

nk Abo About t & Wri rite e Do Down: : On One personal nal goal

• Plus:
• One short term action step
• One long term action step

 Think

nk Ab About t & Writ ite e Down: : On One professio sional nal goal

• Plus:
• One short term action step
• One long term action step

 Longer

r term visio ioning ning and goal sett etting ing

• Resources from Shoshanna Cogan and beyond

 Reach

h out to your supervis visor

• r and MSA for suppor
• rt

t and ideas as