Want to maximize your chances for selection for a non-profit board or committee?  These helpful hints can help you to become more marketable to non-profits.

• Start volunteering for the organization if you aren’t already - this helps you to get more familiar with the organization, lets them get more familiar with you, and shows that you are truly dedicated to the organization
• Do your research on the board/committee. Know their goals and visions so if/when you get an interview you will be prepared to talk about why you would be a good fit.
• Know what you can bring to the table in a board or committee - Point out if you are a great salesperson, if you are a CPA/CFO, if you have HR experience, if you are a computer/technology genius. Be prepared to share specifically what an asset you will be.
• Be prepared to wait for an answer. Have patience with non-profits. They tend to move slower than for-profit companies because many only bring on new board/committee members once a year. Most boards vote to bring on a new member, and if their meetings are infrequent, you will be waiting until a decision can be reached.
• Get connected. Boards often expect that board members bring more than just their own personal strengths. They want the added benefit of social and financial networks. Expanding your social networks not only gives you a great opportunity to meet and learn from new people, it also gives you the added benefit of being able to bring those connections to the table in the board.
• Find out how long the organization has been around - that will give you more insight on what to expect from the experience. A fledgling organization might not have guidelines yet and you could get in on the ground floor and help mold that organization. A more established organization will most likely have a more structured approach.