Making the change: how to move from corporate to social impact

Are you caught in a repetitive but lucrative nine to five job, with constant board meetings turned zoom calls, and yearning for more depth in your professional life?

There are scores of career opportunities in the social impact sector for the rising generation of changemakers to apply their skills to. So, why do people make that move from the corporate sector to the social sector?

Stanford Social Innovation Review revealed that, “unlike anything we’ve seen in modern times”, Millennials want “their contributions… to achieve actual results for a cause” and have “the potential and desire to create a new model for social change”, transforming the world for the better.

This trend was accelerated in 2020 with the world-shattering global pandemic and exposure of further racial inequalities which, in turn, highlighted the power of community action, more money flowed into Sustainable Investment funds than ever before, and now, in an effort not to resort to pre-pandemic life, many are concentrating on social responsibility and impact (see Sarah Gordon’s opening address at the recent Impact Investment Institute’s first anniversary event).

The message from social and impact investor leaders is that impact entrepreneurs will rebuild the economy post-pandemic and purpose-driven businesses are the future.

For many potential changemakers, engaging with community groups and grassroots movements is compelling but, they don’t know how and where to start. It is never too late for mid-career professionals either. Armed with 20 years’ experience and a passion for social impact, they are suited to social sector leadership positions – they can take their corporate learnings to the social sector, leveraging their skills from their first career to pursue a more meaningful path.

                                                   Social Impact Career guide

 

                                                                       Step 1: About You

 

What are your strengths and skills?

  • Consider what you are good at
  • What skills do you want to use in your next role?
  • How can you leverage that know-how to contribute to social change?

What did/do you enjoy about your previous/current role?

 The Team Working Hours
Flexibility Level of Seniority
Benefits & Perks regarding healthcare and pension The senior leadership team
Workload  Opportunity for promotion

Why do you want to move on?

Poor relationships with the team/managers Personal values not aligned with the organisation
No sustainable company vision or benefit to local communities No career progression
Lack of flexibility for family life Company closing down

Your purpose

  • Reflect on your values, aspirations and motivations. Look at the Sustainable Development Goals for inspiration.
  • Think about previous volunteering experience, humanitarian work and philanthropic projects—how and why did you get involved?

                                                  Step 2: About Your Dream Organisation

 

What type of work environment?

  • Start-up or established organisation, working with internal or external stakeholders, fast-moving or slower-paced, working with a big or close-knit team etc.

Do extensive research on your area of interest.

  • Understand the landscape in terms of the influencers, NGO players, government policy, foundations, trusts and funders in that space. This will help you identify the exact niche you wish to concentrate your efforts on.

Find an organization which aligns with your purpose/ social mission

  • A social enterprise, impact/social investment firm, foundation, trust or charity and do they play a part in climate action, community-based projects, empowering protected groups, international development, ethical products and supply chain etc.

                                                                  Step 3: Next Move

 

Build your network

  • Meet with people in the industry—a networking coffee (even virtually!)
  • Ask for mentoring from key players.
  • On Purpose provides training sessions to transform your career and clarify your purpose.
  • If you want a career break to enrol in an Impact Mentoring Programme, or want to start up your own social enterprise, talk to Social Starters.

Expand your knowledge of the industry

  • Follow the organisations that appeal to you and those that are seen as leaders on different social media platforms, and analyse their blogs.
  • Check out our Twitter & LinkedIn channels too, plus our blog & market insights.
  • Read the relevant job descriptions and understand the qualities & skillsets they are asking for.

Go to conferences and events

  • Many are on Zoom at the moment and easily accessible. Find these events on Twitter and through joining LinkedIn Groups.

                                                         Step 4: Documenting Progress

 

  • Produce an excel document with lists of your network, influencers in the sector to watch out for and applications submitted. Keep updating it and growing your reach.
  • Think about your cover letter and elevator pitch—a snapshot of your skills and writing down why you want to move to social impact will crystallise your objectives.

GOOD LUCK!

A career transition can be emotionally draining and a complete identity adjustment. It might be frightening but it will be an enriching experience. We are here to help!

Contact us on Twitter, LinkedIn or at sheena.pentin@careers4change.com .

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Reflecting on Black History Month: 10 social sector organisations aspiring to make change

Every October for over 30 years, Black History Month (BHM) has taken place in the UK to celebrate all aspects of Black life, to educate and teach others about the important contributions of Black people throughout history, and learn from the history of Black oppression.  This year, BHM came at a time when there was already an increased amount of focus and attention attributed to the struggles and discrimination that the Black community face in the UK; the wave of international activism against structural racism, and the Black Lives Matter movement, had demanded reform and accountability.

At such a crucial time in history, we, at Careers4Change, wanted to capture the different efforts by a selection of social impact organisations who covered BHM, and who are working to be more diverse and inclusive in their approach. At Careers4Change we make a conscious, real effort to provide our clients with a more diverse pool of candidates, by liaising with BAME Recruitment, attending BYP Network and Diversity Forum events and guiding BAME candidates towards their ultimate ambitions.

As we reel from the extended presidential election day in the USA, and as the Democratic President and first female, Black and South Asian Vice President Elect prepare to take office, we are reminded of the divisions within the global international community and how there is still so much to do for transformational change to take place. Before this news, the Third Sector in the UK reflected on its shortcomings in achieving diversity and, during BHM, acknowledged a need to promote, showcase and celebrate the contribution of Black-run businesses to the UK economy.

These are some of the many social sector organisations which celebrated Black figures, culture and heritage and engaged in dialogue about ethnic minority representation at all levels of seniority:

  • Social Enterprise UK celebrated the achievements and contributions of Black British entrepreneurs each week during October; those aspiring Black CEOs, Founders and “heroes” who run social enterprises and ventures, encouraging the next generations of leaders. One of their tweets stated: “This is more than a month. Black history is British history”. Therefore, by recognising and respecting the experiences of those impacted by racism and, with a commitment to disarming institutional racism within the sector, they decided to continue that celebration of Black figures past the month of October.

  • UnLtd adopted a similar approach to celebrate Black social entrepreneurs on Twitter. Also, on the 30 October, they released an article with a list of their highlighted Black-led social ventures including; Built By US, Rose Tinted Financial Services, Feed My Creative, Women with Wings and Cracked It, among others. They also indicated how to better support the Black British community by encouraging people to buy from Black-owned businesses on #BlackPoundDay – the first Saturday of every month. Furthermore, they provided resources on how to dismantle anti-blackness through books, podcasts, YouTube videos, Netflix series etc.
  • Social Investment Business (SIB) released a blog article by Ebru Buyukgul, Diversity Coordinator. She discussed why we should take this opportunity to think about “fairness and representation within the social investment sector and how we can continue to drive sector change”. She listed several of their ongoing initiatives: to have transparent internal and external reporting about the diversity pay gap etc, offer safe spaces and mental health support for Black colleagues,  make sure the recruitment process removes unconscious bias, strive for a more inclusive social investment sector through strategic partnerships and engage with educational resources.
  • Diversity Forum, with SIB as their Secretariat and current host, highlighted a number of funds and support available to BAME-led and BAME-supporting organisations including; The Community Business Renewal Fund from Power to Change, Nesta’s Rapid Recovery challenge & Smallwood Trust’s Women’s Sector Resilience Fund, among others. They also hold Breakfast Talks about how social sector organisations can adopt a more equitable and just approach by bringing to light the “norms and practices that lock out BAME communities from social investment” and the “inherent power dynamics within organisations that perpetuate discrimination”.

  • Social Investment Forum relaunched in October with an updated governance structure and new Secretariat, SIB, aspiring to embed principles of  diversity, equality and inclusion into the leadership of the forum.  The election process of the Inaugural Chair & Steering Committee was carried out in partnership with Diversity Forum, who saw this updated structure as a “proactive approach” to tackle “issues of diversity in the social sector”.
  • The School for Social Entrepreneurs created a BHM spotlight on a range of different Black social entrepreneurs, discussing topics such as overcoming imposter syndrome and creating equal access and opportunities for a fairer world. Also, acknowledging that Black communities have been disproportionately affected by Covid-19, they are offering a programme “aimed at Black social entrepreneurs based in the West Midlands who want to increase their impact and trading income”.

  • CharitySoWhite adopted three approaches to cover BHM; Black Joy, Black Heroes and Black Imagination. They recognised the grief that the Black community had suffered in 2020 and wanted to “create a space for black joy” by sharing positive stories about how leaders in the sector were celebrating BHM with calls to action such as, “Indulge in the abundance of Black Excellence”. They signalled that the Third Sector is “overwhelmingly white” and that the innovative and creative projects of Black people are often overlooked. Therefore, they highlighted some of their heroes such as, Amicky Carol, CEO of Money4YOU. They also had a collection of articles or visionaries to reimagine the future of the social sector.
  • POCIMPACT and Charity So White joined forces to launch a listening survey over October to reach out to BAME individuals working in social impact. They encouraged them to share their experiences and perspectives on how the sector needs to make change: “We hope to develop the approach to our campaign so that BAME and white people can work together to build an anti-racist charity sector.”

  • Nesta released a long article about the Black pioneers often left out of the “mainstream innovation narrative” and how Black-owned businesses face setbacks with “higher interest rates and lack of access to overdrafts from lenders”. They also celebrated a range of Black-led initiatives and what they are doing to challenge white-dominated sectors. For example, they spoke about social impact projects for Black communities such as Do It Now Now and fair access to finance through Lendoe for Black, early-stage entrepreneurs.
  • The National Lottery Community Fund celebrated the charitable work and projects supporting Afro Caribbean & BAME communities, that they had funded, and shared the positive impact of these projects’ work.

    The Social Sector has recognised the importance of diverse teams to achieve better outcomes in terms of productivity, resilience and mitigating risk and , as we saw that the social impact investment market now has a net worth of more than £5 billion, more organisations are working to harness social and impact investing to tackle inequality too.

     

     

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Zoom in on the do’s and don’ts of virtual interviews

As we approach another period of lockdown here in the UK, the ‘virtual’ nature of recruitment will be ever more important. Many in the social sector have been adjusting to the new technologies for the interview process such as Zoom or MS Teams…. but not everyone is ready for the change or prepared to embrace it. Don’t be disheartened: you can sell yourself and your skills through a screen, just as easily as you would in person. Just take a step back, and think about any adjustments which could make a difference.

Here, at Careers4Change, we have held some very amusing interviews during lockdown, from a candidate based in a camper van to avoid the noise of their children, to interviewing during a hailstorm in a glass conservatory where the candidate was inaudible. We’ve had dogs racing across the screen, cats jumping on laps, kids finishing their allotted film time and asking what’s next, Amazon ringing on the bell not once, but several times during the call, dubious clothing hanging from bookshelves, beds not made in the background ….and it goes on!

Of course, what is most important is what you say and how you present yourself but, it is also important to think about what else you are revealing to your interviewer through your living space behind you.

With most social sector clients doing interviews virtually, here are some hard, fast rules:

Before the Interview:

  • Dress as you normally would for a social sector interview with a potential future boss. No joggers or PJs I’m afraid! Be fully dressed, not just from the waist up — what you wear can influence your thinking and negotiating skills, and even hormone levels and heart rate.
  • Be informed and well-prepared. Make sure you have done your research on the organisation, know who the team members are, explore the background of the CEO, understand the organisation’s values and their social impact ambitions. Sitting in your bedroom or lounging on a sofa in your living room can feel very casual, but get yourself interview-ready by writing down a few quick pointers before it begins.
  • Trial a Zoom call with a friend or family member first, especially if you have never conducted one before. With our sudden reliance on technology, candidates do run the risk of being judged by their technical capabilities. By testing out the technology and being fully prepared, you can avoid any technical glitches. Having said that, as recruiters we do take into consideration the potential that virtual interviews have to create unfair bias.
  • Set up your interview ‘space’. Think about the backdrop. Find a room with a neutral background which is not too distracting and make sure that the space is as uncluttered and organised as possible. Again, conduct a test call to see what your friend/family member can see behind you. This may be judged, even subconsciously.
  • Check your internet connection. If it is likely the line will go down, make sure you have the interviewer’s contact details so you can continue on a Whatsapp video call or skype instead. You can agree that with the interviewer in advance, but normally they should offer that option themselves.
  • Make sure you will not be disturbed by anyone else in the house, including your pets, kids, partner or the DPD delivery man! Let your household know a few minutes before and even put a sign up if necessary.

During the interview:

  • Try and be natural – don’t read your answers off cards or post-it notes. Our experience shows that some candidates will over prepare and therefore come across as robotic and struggle with questions they aren’t expecting.
  • Don’t move around too much. Try and sit still and poised, as you would do in a normal interview and avoid taking continuous sips from large coffee mugs!
  • Give yourself time to answer and give additional interviewers time to interject, if there are others. There is often a time lag on Zoom calls so we all have to be patient and mindful of the pace.
  • Be as energetic and enthusiastic as possible as Zoom calls can become monotonous exchanges. The conversation should be dynamic where you really emphasise your motivation for wanting to join the organisation and express your passion for contributing to social change.
  • Don’t leave the interview without asking a question. As an interviewer, my pet hate is to ask ‘do you have any questions?’ – and there are none. It can be interpreted as lack of interest.
  • Ask what the next steps of the process are so you are aware of the decision-making time frame and know when to follow up.

Technology has impacted on the balance between work and home life. The nature of recruitment and employment has potentially changed forever and, when Covid-19 restrictions have eased, we will be faced with a different working environment, new kinds of digital collaboration and remote working being accepted as the norm. But it is too early to predict what the future of work will really look like.

Employers will have to think more strategically in future, building a workforce that is ‘future-fit’ and able to respond to other crises going forwards. How this will impact on the recruitment process, and what employers will demand of new employees, is yet to be seen.

If you have been job hunting during Covid-19 and have learned some valuable lessons along the way, whether it is with regards to Zoom calls or anything else, and have managed to secure your perfect job with your dream employer, please share your stories of success with us on LinkedIn or Twitter.

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Are you exploring social impact investment as a career option?

Ethical investing, responsible finance, ESG, SRI, impact investing, social investment, good money…We have so many terms which reflect the power of money to make significant change in the world. Yet, it seems that the potential of creating sustainable outcomes through the use of capital for good is still a nascent phenomenon in some circles.

Covid-19 has invoked the need for all of us to come together and support communities, in some cases by setting up funds to support the critical care teams at a local hospital, or other such actions. This has had the sobering effect of highlighting that we could all be doing more to drive change. The lockdown imposed on many of us gave us time to stop and reflect. Therefore, the global pandemic is progressively being seen as the main catalyst for the much-needed systemic change which is beginning to unravel, coupled with racial injustice and the climate change crisis.

With the extractive capitalist system fundamentally broken, it is time for something new. Investment managers are warming up to the idea of impact investment; where they can still achieve a competitive return on their investment, but also generate a social return, whether that means impacting on communities or the environment. Meanwhile, entrepreneurs have been establishing mission-driven businesses for decades in an ecosystem commonly referred to as the social investment sector but, they too could stand to benefit from asset managers and family offices allocating capital in the direction of impact investment.

At the recent Global Steering Group (GSG) Global Impact Summit 2020, the Chair of GSG for Impact Investment, Sir Ronald Cohen, also Founding Chairman of Big Society Capital, the leading social impact-led investor, said that a “tipping point” had been reached as impact investing globally was predicted to reach USD1 trillion this year.

You may have considered working in the social economy for a social impact investment firm, or indeed, for a commercial organisation which is engaging in impact investment. Whatever the case, Careers4Change can help you to connect to those organisations where you will use your skillsets while generating a positive, transformational outcome for people and the planet. Of course, the key to finding a role in an organisation which combines profitability with ‘doing good’ in the world, is having a passion for purpose.

If you are interested in hearing more about the organisations which make up the social impact investment sector, or you want to explore impact investment as a career option, as well as discuss specific job opportunities, please contact us at Careers4Change on 07791 959355.

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Working to deliver social impact in a pandemic-ridden world

Careers4Change firmly believes this time of upheaval is a pivotal moment to engage more talent with the skills and motivation to drive social innovation and bring about systemic change.

The crisis around Covid-19 may have been the wake-up call many of us needed to do things differently. The pandemic has focused our attention on supporting local communities, with the role of social organisations and social investment becoming more critical than ever before. The economic turmoil and major health crisis have exposed deep flaws in how society and its systems function. The Stanford Social Innovation Review states: “The interconnectedness—and vulnerabilities—of the complex systems that make the modern world run have never been more apparent”.

It is clear that in terms of the job market, the pandemic has had far reaching repercussions, with the UK having witnessed the biggest quarterly economic contraction since the financial crisis in 2008. The number of people out of work and claiming work-related benefits in the UK jumped to 2.7 million as the coronavirus crisis has forced thousands of businesses to close.

Meanwhile, the attitude of some job seekers has changed for good, with more candidates after the lockdown ‘pause’, rethinking their futures and pressing re-set on their career trajectory.

Many of those looking to contribute to social change going forwards may be asking themselves: How do I find a job which creates a positive impact on people and the planet? How do I pursue a career with an organisation whose purpose aligns with my values? How do I connect with like-minded passionate changemakers? Or, how can I hone my skills to be even more effective in the social sector?

Careers4Change has already helped many would-be changemakers redefine their career path.

The pandemic has also exposed many socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, and gender inequalities. During the doorstep campaign series for the Women In Social Finance (WISF) community, Suzanne Biegel, co-founder of the Gender Smart Investing Summit and Chief Catalyst at Catalyst at Large, shared her hopes and visions for social finance amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. She stated that it has exposed the lack of women in finance and said this is the moment to raise the visibility of extraordinary women so that their voices can influence policy.

The activism for racial justice taking place across the globe has coincided with the health and economic disparities revealed by the virus.  Only with our collective action and responsibility, and with more attention to diversity and inclusion, will we be able to make a lasting change.

At Careers4Change our recruitment drives aim to be as inclusive as possible, connecting with our diverse network and welcoming applications from all candidates.

Meanwhile, as we navigate a humanitarian and financial catastrophe, Private Equity International (PEI) suggests that “in some respects the outbreak is turning every investor into an impact investor”.  There are likely to be substantial opportunities for impact investors who don’t only look for financial objectives, but also to meet a range of social impacts. Gianluca Romano, Global Head of indirect capital research at JLL, said: “The current crisis is refocusing decision-making on the sustainability of investment opportunities and on building more resilient portfolios to guard against future crises”.

Hopefully, we will observe private equity firms increasingly investing in social impact post-pandemic, prioritising the allocation of capital in the direction of social organisations to support local community action, drive the economic recovery and #buildbackbetter.

Careers4Change works closely with a number of social investment organisations to identify talent which will make them more robust and resilient than ever to deal with the post-pandemic world.

Out of adversity comes opportunity. With the right talent and responsible leaders in place, we will be in a better position to guide our people and planet towards a more sustainable future. Do you want to be part of this post Covid-19 world with a focus on careers which service societal need and environmental imperatives?

Careers4Change can help you clarify your objectives, hone in on your skillsets and crystallise your purpose!

Despite the restrictions, we, at Careers4Change, have been operating throughout ‘lockdown’, are open for business and ready to help our candidates and clients connect to deliver positive social change during these difficult and challenging times.

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