Could Your Career Use a Mentor?

Are you interested in moving into another nonprofit vertical?
You may benefit from a mentor who works in that vertical and can help you understand the unique aspects of fundraising in that arena. For example, if you have always worked for environmental groups and want to move into educational fundraising, a mentor with a background as a development officer at a college may help you discover what skills are transferable and where you need to get additional training or experience — or where you should focus the next year or two — in order to successfully transition. Don’t expect the mentor to be your personal employment counselor or to find you a job. Rather, the mentor’s job is to help you understand what specific skills the new vertical values so you can focus on those to prepare yourself.