1-900-HUSTLER - Non-profit is NOT for me

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1-900-HUSTLER - Non-profit is NOT for me

Dear Cubicle Hustler,

I’ve been on a serious job hunt for the better part of the past two years. I’m currently working for a non-profit but realized that the non-profit world just isn’t for me. Before I went back to school for my Master’s, I was in corporate America but that was six years ago. Now that I’m looking, I do pretty well in getting interviews, and always get past the first few rounds. But it seems that every time I get to the final round interviews with the senior level leaders (SVPs and such), I never close the deal, even though all other members of the team seem to really like me.  I’m only targeting jobs that I am qualified for and would essentially be lateral moves from my current position. What am I doing wrong? Is coming from a non-profit holding me back?

Signed,

Not for profit, not for me

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The Two Most Important Questions to Ask in ANY JOB

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The Two Most Important Questions to Ask in ANY JOB

A good friend of mine was recently preparing for a big time speech in front of a big time audience.  To prep, she asked a group of us for our best career advice.  Since I've been in CH-mode, jotting down all the nuggets that I've learned along the way and wished someone had just told me when I started working, I had a bunch of things swirling in my mind.  After a little thought, I narrowed it down to the two most important questions anyone can ask in any job, no matter what their role, industry, or organization.

(No they are not how much do I get paid? and when will the direct deposit hit my account?)

Wanna hear em, here they go.

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The No Experience Personal Brand

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The No Experience Personal Brand

Personal Brand.  

Much like "hustle," the word brand takes a whole lot of undeserved abuse.

"I'm building my brand."  

"I decided purple doesn't fit in with my personal brand."  

"I had to weigh the negative impact to my brand."

We've all heard it.  And we've all rolled our eyes and thought to ourselves, "your brand?  Aren't you a checkout girl at the grocery store?" (No shade to the hardworking checkout girls of the world, all the shade to the big talkers who would rather sound like they work than actually, you know, work).

As someone who actually does build brands, it annoys me too.  So roll your eyes one good time and get it out.  Now, truth time.

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Hustle Harder AND Smarter

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Hustle Harder AND Smarter

Work smarter not harder.  

One of those things people say all the time but never explain what it means.  And, another career term I generally don't like.  Mainly because it tends to discount the value in persistent effort.  Persistent effort is generally what it takes to truly learn something for yourself and get better at what you do.

In my world, I prefer to hustle smart and hard.  

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