fragments frozen, Nicole Czapinski

Author: Chiyomi McKibbin

Featured image: fragments frozen, Nicole Czapinski

Let’s talk about two aspects of the job search process that can feel completely daunting to navigate: networking and job boards.

The term “networking” may seem corporate, but the act of engaging with others is incredibly valuable as you start to explore other opportunities and options. For the sake of this post, let’s change that phrase to “relationship building.” 

Building new, and strengthening existing, relationships is essential to overall career growth, and especially crucial when you’re looking to make a move.  When I started realizing that I wanted to explore opportunities at other organizations, I began telling friends, trusted coworkers, and people who knew a lot of other people. I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to do, but had a basic framework of something that helps or supports BIPOC folx. I had a few great “informational interviews” with different people that were helpful for me to narrow down what I was looking for.

I had also signed up for a women’s networking group, signed up for a mentor-mentor program and was connected with an incredible mentor.  During this time, one of my best friends got a new job in a recruiting department and was telling me about the work she does, and how one of her coworkers had started to focus on specifically recruiting BIPOC candidates. I knew then that this was what I want to do: support BIPOC folx in finding better, more meaningful jobs. 

After further refining this idea, and talking to my mentor about it, she connected me with Linda at Movement Talent. Linda was generous with her time, and we had a really honest conversation. For me, it clicked right away that Movement Talent was the type of organization I want to work for.  That’s a super-fast version of what in reality was a months-long process, but my point is that through intentional relationship building, I was able to go from a vague notion of what I wanted to do to being at the right place at the right time for me.

This brings me to job boards. I checked out the usual places – LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Indeed, and the like – but wasn’t sure where else to look. Plus, I was frustrated because most of the position descriptions didn’t include salary information.  I wish I had had additional guidance on quality job boards, as these listings can be incredibly valuable tools in identifying your next potential opportunity. In fact, it’s through our Movement Talent Opportunity Board that I’m often sourcing great candidates for careers in the movement space.

We’ve created our version of a job board in response to what we have seen is helpful – and not helpful – in many online listings.  For us, it’s essential that job listings are aligned with Movement Talent’s purpose, include salary range, and indicate detailed location information.  The last one is especially important as some organizations are deciding whether and how to bring employees back to a physical office.

As for other valuable job boards for those looking to work at movement organizations – and for organizations looking to post their own openings in this space – we always recommend sharing Management Center resources because they’re high-quality and also free to access. Some additional sites we recommend are:

  • Black Remote She – facilitating job creation for historically excluded, underrepresented, and underemployed candidates, with an emphasis on Black LGBTQI+ job seekers looking for to safe and flexible remote work environments.  Black Remote She also conducts an annual job search check-in survey to align with the job opportunities posted to their platform with the needs of their community.
  • Sujata Strategies – this job list is one of the most well-read and respected in the progressive community, posting positions from Organizer to Executive Director and everything in between. Campaigns, non-profits, philanthropies, and related progressive organizations and consulting firms are known to post to this list as a part of their search strategies. Joining the list is free.
  • Inclusv – a Black and Latinx owned business that has done the organizing work to build a membership of thousands of individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of color who are interested in government and political campaigns. They also engage in public advocacy efforts to elevate dialogue around racial diversity, equity and inclusion within the political sector by sharing best practices and fostering an environment of transparency and accountability.

I want to share one final thought: landing an amazing new opportunity is not a zero sum game.  I truly believe there’s a right opportunity (or many opportunities) out there for everyone.  That’s why it’s helpful to frame your relationship building in terms of collaboration, and not as a competition with others. It’s not just what you are hoping to get out of it but also how you can help someone else.

If you’re an individual looking to make that career pivot, I invite you to explore our Common Application and Talent Talk process.  If your organization is hiring for a position that aligns with Movement Talent’s goal of providing a cohesive infrastructure for people interested in movement careers to find the right roles and organizations for them, I invite you to contact us to connect.  And wherever you are on your job seeking or job hiring journey, keep building those relationships! The world is surprisingly small and you never know who you will meet next.