As with all professions, NGOs have sporadic job openings, so keep an eye out for what they have listed and when more become available. If no positions are listed, contact the organization’s Public Relations team to see if you can leave your resume. In addition to each organization’s website, NGO job openings can be found at places like NGO Job Board, NGO Recruitment, and Idealist.org. Create a version of your resume that places emphasis on relevant work experience, prior volunteer work, and education, in that order. Include a 2 to 3 sentence Summary at the beginning of the document paraphrasing the resume and stating your commitment to the NGO’s goal. Along with listing your general duties at each job and charity, include a brief statement about what you personally achieved, such as:  Created and managed 3 fundraisers for the local crisis center. Helped build houses for 12 low-income families. Ran multiple community center seminars on preventing child abuse. Just like applying for regular jobs, prepare a short, clear cover letter to send with your resume. In addition to work experience and qualifications, include 2 to 3 sentences about what you can bring to the organization’s mission and why you care about this type of work. Small anecdotes are fine, but cover letters are supposed to be brief, so make sure the stories are short and relate to your qualifications and goals.  For humanitarian organizations, include something like “Throughout my life, I’ve always wanted to help people, and I believe now more than ever that this is the best way to do that.” For education organizations, include something like “My dream has always been to teach, and I believe I can have a greater impact through your organization.” For medical organizations, include something like “I love the work I do, and I want to use my skills to help those who truly need it.” for the position. Double check your resume, cover letter, and any additional texts you are required to submit. Then, take a deep breath and send in your application. If you’re lucky, they may request an interview or skill test to see if you’re right for the organization. If not, it simply means your dream job is located somewhere else, so keep applying! Remember, major organizations receive tons of applications every year, so a rejection is not a statement about your qualifications or character. If you get called back for a job interview, take some steps to make sure it goes well. Dress in business formal attire, make sure you are clean and groomed, and refresh yourself on the specifics of the job you applied for. Arrive early, bring a copy of your resume, and remember your manners. Most interviewers will ask questions about your background, and though many of these are position-specific, some common ones include:  “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” “Why do you want to work for our organization?” “Why are you interested in this line of work?”
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One-sentence summary -- Look for job openings or internships. Prepare your resume. Write a specialized cover letter. Apply Have a successful job interview.


Sometimes, when someone we care about feels crappy, the best thing we can offer is a listening ear. Give your loved one the opportunity to air his or her grievances about academic problems. Being able to express oneself in this way can be incredibly soothing. Plus, allowing your loved one to vent shows that you care.  Demonstrate active listening by turning to face the person and making regular eye contact. Nod your head or make appropriate sounds to show you’re listening, such as “uh-huh.” When the person is done talking, try to reflect back what he or she has said using emotion. For example, you might say “It sounds like you’re really angry about your performance on the test.” At this point, simply let the person talk. Refrain from trying to “fix” the problem just yet. One humbling way to support your friend during this tough circumstance is to share a situation in which you struggled. It might pertain to academics or it might merely be an anecdote about a different obstacle you have to overcome. Just make sure that the message is clear, and that you don't make yourself seem better than your friend. It may be scary at first to open up and tell someone about a difficulty you faced. However, it’s important to note that sharing your story may help your friend see that everyone encounters hardships and that it’s entirely possible to succeed despite setbacks. Although you can’t fix the situation, there may be something you can do to help the person through it. Are you good in the subject that he or she is struggling in? Perhaps you could casually offer some tips on how to improve. Do you have pretty good study skills? Maybe you can share some of those nuggets of wisdom with your friend. Keep in mind that your friend may not want your help. Instead of thinking in advance of how you will help, simply ask “Is there anything I can do?” and see what the person’s response is. If he or she wants help from you, let them make a specific request. That way you don’t put your foot in your mouth by coming off like you’re superior. Give your loved one a much-needed self-esteem boost. It’s normal for someone’s self-esteem to take a hit after performing poorly in school. Take a moment to offer a sincere compliment on some other attribute. Remind the person what else he or she has going despite having a bad grade. You can say something like “I know it sucks that you got an F in math. Luckily, you don’t have to worry about that in English. You’re the best student in that class!” Just make sure the compliment is true and the person knows you’re not just saying it to make them feel better. If your friend is upset over bad grades, the very best comfort you can offer is your presence. Just be there. Extend a shoulder for them, if they’d like. It’s not really your job to fix the situation or make it better in any way, really. It’s up to your friend to deal with poor grades, but he or she will certainly appreciate you showing support and acknowledging that it’s a sucky situation.
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One-sentence summary --
Let the person vent. Share a story of how you overcame adversity. Offer to help however you can. Remind them about other talents. Be there.