Category: Philanthropy

Executive Director: “Put In The Work”

Rahsaan Harris went to school a biology major, but by the time he became Executive Director of Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy, he’d been to the Peace Corps, taught in New York City public schools, led a community technology center, and worked at a foundation. He says he’s not lucky; just good at being able to come off the bench and make a difference. Now he’s teaching others in the social justice and philanthropy worlds to do the same.

What is your job title and what industry do you work in? How long have you been doing this job?
I am the Executive Director of a nonprofit called Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy. It’s a lot of fancy words to say that we bring together people that work in philanthropy and provide leadership development for them so that they can have more impact through the work that they do. The organization was founded on the principle that people who work in grant-making foundations and other organized philanthropy need support, but there’s also space in our network for people who are committed to social change work and making an impact, even if they don’t currently work in a foundation.

How would you describe what you do? What does your work entail?
On the program side, I’m constantly looking for opportunities to highlight what young and emerging leaders can do and how it can transform philanthropy. So what does that look like? It’s encouraging people to become thought leaders by getting them to write blog poss and lead webinars. It’s trying to get people to act locally by organizing convenings and leading meetings of their peers to discuss issues and share best practices. It’s trying to identify common themes that could be part of a curriculum to help our leaders stretch themselves beyond where they would typically go.

On the financial side, to keep this thing going, we have to raise money. So I’m out there every day thinking about how we add value to the field of philanthropy and social change movements. I’m making the case about our value to those who would be our institutional supporters and help fund the work that we do. The reality is that without the funding, none of the other stuff would be able to happen.

I also engage our board in making sure that what we do fits our mission and tell as many people as possible about why that mission is so important.

What was your journey to doing this kind of work? How did you get here?
In school, I was a bio major, but after I graduated I decide to join the Peace Corps after graduation and do environmental education in Uruguay for my 2 years. When I got back, I became a teacher in the New York City Public Schools, inspired by my Mom’s work as an educator and the work I’d done abroad, and my mentors at the time told me that technology was going to be more and more important to being a good educator, so I looked for after-school programs that would let me use technology and started volunteering for HarlemLive.

HarlemLive at the time had a very inspirational director who was basically the soul of the organization, but he didn’t like a lot of the functional work that has to get done on the administrative side when you’re running an organization. I applied for and got a Fellowship from the Open Society Institute to become Associate Director and help him organize what he was doing – it was one of my first formal leadership positions. When my Fellowship ran out, the community technology center Playing2Win, which is where HarlemLive was located, needed an Executive Director and had seen the work I’d done with HarlemLive, so they hired me. That was the first time I got the Executive Director title.

It sounds easy, but along the way, I’d taken a lot of executive training programs and coaching programs on how to write a strategic plan and how to meet people and how to create a budget and all of that. I did all of that while I was at HarlemLive, because I was trying to educate myself on what it takes to be a leader, from how to excite people about what you’re doing to how to know when you’ve made an impact.

While I was Executive Director at the Playing2Win, I got connected to the foundation Atlantic Philanthropies through my landlord at the center, of all people. He helped me get the interview at Atlantic Philanthropies and I ended up staying there for seven and a half years. That’s when I learned about grantmaking. During that time, I did a lot of work trying to be an ambassador to the Harlem community and people of color to make grantmaking less mysterious and more accessible.

When the Executive Director position at EPIP became available, it took everything I’d done and brought it together – my Executive Director experience, my experience that building networks across the field is the way that you build power and make yourself more important than whatever your title says, and my network of different foundations and organizations that I built over my career. Now I help to build those networks for other folks.

What is your ethnicity and gender? How has it hurt or helped you?
I’m a black man who comes from a legacy of community work and activism and politics. My mom is an educator and my dad worked in politics for years on campaigns and as a public administrator. They both emphasized the importance of giving back to the community, especially the black community, because they believe we stand on other people’s shoulders who came before us and we have to honor their struggles. That always stayed with me and has helped to motivate me no matter what I’m doing.

I think that sense of community is now ingrained into who I am. A bunch of buddies and I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro last summer and we did it together and I loved having that shared group accomplishment. I remember at one point, one of my friends wasn’t feeling as well and I had the choice between going ahead with a group that was going faster or hanging behind and going with him, and I made a choice to stay with him, because it wasn’t about how fast I could go, it was about doing it together.

Do you love what you do? Do you think you’ve found the right path?
Absolutely. I love the fact that it’s entrepreneurial. It’s not guaranteed that my paycheck is going to be there every day. It’s scary, but I do like the fact that I get to put together a vision and programming that will attract funding and that it’s up to me to make sure that my paycheck will be there by doing what I need to do.

What kind of challenges do you face?
The fact that funding landscape for this kind of work is always changing means that nothing is guaranteed, even my pay. That’s especially true because we’re an intermediary organization – we’re not directly saving the whales or creating the after school program. We’re supporting the people who fund those efforts and work in those fields. Sometimes people take that for granted and that can make raising funds so much harder. Always making sure that we’re sustainable and relevant keeps me up at night.

What do you need to succeed in this field?
As far as education goes, having an undergrad and some kind of Master’s degree is what I would recommend to be able to advance and not feel like anything’s getting in your way. But once you get past a Master’s, there’s no need to get education for education’s sake. Just getting an education without worrying about what it means or how you’re going to use it isn’t going to cut it.

A lot of the experience that I got, especially with HarlemLive, was through volunteerism. I wasn’t getting paid to do that after school program but it ended up educating me in a number of different skills. I learned how to manage a board of directors, how to write grants, how to apply for a 501c3, how to do research on potential grant-making organizations. I learned by seeking opportunities and finding organizations that gave workshops on topics I needed to know more about. The first step, though, was getting involved in a community. Once I put myself out there, I could see where the opportunities were.

What is the single most important thing you have learned outside of school about the working world?
Put in the work. Volunteer and do it before you’re paid to do it. Try to lead and manage teams in your volunteer time, at your mosque or synagogue or church. If you’ve never mentored, be a Big Brother or Big Sister and try to teach a younger person something. Do things that bring you feedback – go do public speaking or have someone critique your writing. Try to raise money, whether it’s for your alma mater or your church or a Race for Kids or the New York City Marathon. Create space to do the things in your volunteer life that you might not be able to get from your work life. That way, when they come up in your work life, you’ll be ready.

No one is just going to bring you the perfect opportunity at the perfect time just because you deserve it. You have to be ready at any moment to be put into the game. It’s kind of like the backup basketball player who’s sitting on the bench – if the starting point guard twists his ankle and you get put in the game, you’ve got to be ready to go. And that moment can come at any time. So you’ve got to always be ready for it. Ambition alone does not give people opportunity.

I think that some of my colleagues at times feel like they’ve gone to a good school or gotten the right degree or found the right passion and they’re clear on what they want to do, but they’re not clear on how they’re going to continuously improve their skills and be ready for opportunities. You have to go beyond that and think about where you’re week, where you should be shoring up your skills. You’ve got to think beyond yourself. The more that you get out of our own needs and comfort zones and work on being open and available to others and to yourself, the more opportunities you’ll find.

What advice can you give those who may want to put themselves out there but are introverted or shy?
If you like your job and want to do it better, you’re going to want to get out there and see what other people are doing and learn best practices. Plus, there’s no guarantee that your organization is going to want to employ you forever, and the connections that you make may be able to help you find your next opportunity. I think it’s a mistake hiding your head in your one organization and thinking that doing a good job there is the be-all and end-all and is going to get you to the finish line. Because the moment a boss changes or funding changes, that could be all gone. If you don’t have a network to rely on, it’s a harder row to hoe.

If you could write your own ticket, what would you like to be doing in five years?
I hope to have executed a successful transition out of EPIP. I love my job, but it’s not about being the King of the castle forever. In five years, I hope to have done a great job figuring out who the next leader of EPIP is. My next focus is going to be on helping at-risk communities get the resources they need to be successful. I’m not sure exactly how or what that looks like, but I want to be able to move resources around to make lives better for the most vulnerable folks.

Diversity Career Stories Philanthropy

Non-profit fundraiser finds employment through volunteerism

You may have heard advice before that when you are looking for work, you should spend time volunteering as it could lead to a job. This professional spent 20 years working in sales while volunteering, and when she needed a job, that experience she had gained lead to a job in the field of philanthropy. In her interview she shares what she has learned through real life experience in the sales world and in fundraising.

What is your job title and what industry do you work in? How many years of experience do you have in this field? How would you describe yourself using only three adjectives?
I have just taken a position as a fundraiser for a non-profit anti-litter campaign. My previous professional experience was in construction sales; however, I obtained fundraising experience through volunteer activities. I am smart, outgoing and humorous.

What’s your ethnicity and gender? How has it hurt or helped you? If you ever experienced discrimination, how have you responded and what worked best?
I am a Caucasian female. Being a woman in the construction industry could have been an excuse to fail. Many times, I was over-looked for promotion although my superiors often acknowledged my “go-getter” attitude, my professionalism and my superior field knowledge. I always had to work harder to prove to the clients that I knew my stuff. I learned over time that the only attitude I could control was my own. I studied my craft and widened my knowledge base so that I became the person everyone came to for the right answer. I still am sometimes confronted with a person that won’t listen to a woman. Usually, when I start asking the right questions and pointing out problem areas, they quickly realize they need my expertise. If not, I hand them over to the second best designer and move on.

How would you describe what you do? What does your work entail? Are there any common misunderstandings you want to correct about what you do?
My new position involves encouraging companies to donate funds to pay for litter clean-up projects throughout my state. I meet with company VIP’s and provide them information on our programs and the benefits of partnering with our campaign.

On a scale of 1 to 10 how would you rate your job satisfaction? What might need to change about your job to unleash your full enthusiasm?
TWENTY! No leashes here!

If this job moves your heart – how so? Ever feel like you found your calling or sweet spot in life? If not, what might do it for you?
My previous career in sales and design was monetarily rewarding but I was not excited about going to work each day. Now I am utilizing all the skills I have learned throughout my life in a position that does make an impact on the quality of life in my state. I am opening a new career path and adding a valuable feature to my resume. I am moving into an area more closely matched to my abilities and interests.

Is there anything unique about your situation that readers should know when considering your experiences or accomplishments?
I began volunteering over 20 years ago because I thought the work was important. I never really thought about the experience I was gaining as I took on different tasks and helped on projects. The first fundraising dinner I attended, I was just showing people to their tables. Over time, I became more involved and eventually was a major player in the organization. Through that experience and the connections I made with the organization, I was offered my current position. I’ve read hundreds of articles telling jobseekers to volunteer as an avenue to future employment but I did not want to work in the arena in which I volunteered. The work I did there gave me the skill-set to move into a totally different field that I had never considered an option.

How did you get started in this line of work? If you could go back and do it differently, what would you change?
A friend learned I was looking for work and asked for my resume. I thought he was just being nice. Turned out the non-profit on whose board he sat was considering creating a position in one of two areas. He knew I could do either and suggested bringing me on to do both. I actually took about two weeks to get him the resume. If I had to do it over, I’d have gotten it to him in two seconds.

What is the single most important thing you have learned outside of school about the working world?
Being smart doesn’t always equal stressfulness. The best doesn’t always win.

Why do you get up and go to work each day? Can you give an example of something that really made you feel good or proud?
I get up and go to work each day because I can’t figure out a way to get paid to spend all day at the beach.

I have always been honest with clients about my products and will not sell something I do not fully believe will fulfill their needs. One client needed a barrier-free design. I had a product that was considered universal access but I knew of a product which my store did not carry that would better serve his particular needs. I contacted the company that carried the product and provided the info they needed to supply him. Although I did not get that sale, he is now a loyal customer and has purchased items from other departments. He has sent many referrals to me. Had I sold him my product, I would have known I mistreated him every time I saw him.

How stressful is your job? Are you able to maintain a comfortable or healthy work-life balance? How?
Every job has stresses, but I never allow work to become all-consuming. Life is not about work. Losing my oldest sister 20 years ago taught me that no matter how much I enjoy it, a job is only a way to pay the bills. Life is about people that you care about. I never lose that focus.

What’s a rough salary range for the position you hold? Are you paid enough and/or happy living within your means?
A rough salary range for this position is $35,000 to $ 50,000. I am paid adequately and always live within my means. Over-spending and debt are too stressful!

How much vacation do you take? Is it enough?
2 weeks. Wish I had more!

What education and skills do you need to get hired and succeed in this field?
The best education is practice and experience. Asking people to give money is not easy. Just like anything else, the more you do it, the better you get. Being a good conversationalist is important. Watching and listening for the right opening is a skill that takes time to learn.

What would you tell a friend considering your line of work?
Believe in what you are selling. If you aren’t 100% sold, you won’t convince anyone else of the value.

If you could write your own ticket, what would you like to be doing in five years?
I would love to be writing for a political magazine in five years!

Diversity Career Stories Healthcare Philanthropy

Giving Coordinator struggles with the emotions of helping sick children

This professional with five years of experience in fundraising shares how his work, raising money for a children’s hospital, is both rewarding and emotionally taxing. He shares his dream of becoming an administrator at one of the hospitals in the system where he works, and how being willing to help out however needed on his first day on the job gave him a great relational advantage with his coworkers.

What is your job title and what industry do you work in? How many years of experience do you have in that field?
I am an annual giving coordinator at a regional hospital system. I have 5 years experience in philanthropy.

Would you describe the things you do on a typical day?
On an average day, I spent an hour or two on e-mail communication, an hour in meetings, and up to an hour each day on the phone. I generally spend the rest of my day writing content for our newsletters, websites, pamphlets, and other mailings. My office is not located at one of our hospitals, so I go to the main hospital 2-3 times a week for at least an hour where I interact with patients and staff, and conduct interviews and take photos for philanthropic publications.

I interview donors and patients in order to communicate patient stories to the community. I also organize the stewardship program. Stewardship involves making sure that all our donors are educated on the programs to which they are inclined to give, and properly thanked when they make a gift.

The majority of my time is dedicated to raising funds for the Children’s Hospital, so I visit that hospital a lot. I also work on fundraising for cancer research, heart health, and women’s programs.

What’s your ethnicity and gender? How has it hurt or helped you? If you ever experienced discrimination, how have you responded and what response worked best?
I am a Lebanese-American male. I do not believe it has hurt me at all, but it has helped me be more sympathetic to those who are from another culture that may not be commonly understood. My heritage has helped me build relationships because people will sometimes start a conversation by asking about my olive complexion.

Do you speak any language other than English? If so, how has it helped you in your job?
I speak a bit of Spanish and I have used it in my job. There is a little boy who is regularly in and out of the hospital and he and his mother are native Spanish speakers. I like to say hello and have little conversations in Spanish. I can tell it makes them more comfortable conversing in their own language.

My grandfather tried to teach me Arabic when I was a boy, and regrettably at the time, I was not interested. I would recommend that anytime someone has the opportunity to learn a language, they do so. Also, as it is easier for children to pick up a new language, parents wanting to give their children a leg-up should find opportunities for them to learn other languages at a young age.

On a scale of 1 to 10 how would you rate your job satisfaction? What would it take to increase that rating?
I would rate my job satisfaction as an 8. In order to increase my rating, I would like more responsibility in budgeting and strategy.

What did you learn the hard way in this job and how did that happen?
Never underestimate the power of a veteran administrative assistant. They can be a great help or an awful nightmare. Anytime I need to find out organizational information, get a contact, or set up a meeting, an administrative assistant is the person I go to. On the other hand, anytime one of those said people has a problem or complaint, they get heard first by the administrator for which they work.

I learned this the hard way when I had some expensive promotional displays made and set up to promote a program at the hospital. An administrative assistant for one of the top executives at my organization did not like the design, and complained to the executive for which she worked. This assistant and her executive worked in a completely department, and had no involvement in the program. Still, the signs were removed the next day. There was nothing inappropriate or offensive about the signs, and they had gone through the proper channels of approvals before being made. At the end of the day, those things didn’t matter because of the clout this administrative assistant had.

What don’t they teach in school that would’ve been helpful to you?

They didn’t teach that a far greater emphasis is placed on relationships among your coworkers than your actual ability in the workplace. The ability to build good relationships with the people you work with is often more important than your ability to do the job.

How did you get started in this line of work? If you could go back and do it differently, what would you change?
I fell into this line of work. After graduating with a degree in communication research, I got a job at a political organization in DC where I worked for 2 years before relocating and landing my current job. If I could go back I would have done something more technical in college, like sticking with chemistry or engineering (my original majors) that used more of my natural talents.

What’s the strangest thing that ever happened to you in this job?
It was my very first day at the office at my current job. When I arrived, our special events coordinator approached me and told me that she had a project set aside for me that day. It turns out, there was a fundraiser scheduled for that day, and there was to be a Santa Claus appearance. They had arranged for a proper Santa to be there, but he had suffered a heart attack the night before. The nature of my jolly new assignment wasn’t revealed to me until we were at the hospital and I was handed a fluffy white beard. This was certainly not in my job description, but gave me the opportunity to show I was a team player my first day on the job. I couldn’t have started out on a better foot. My coworkers were both thankful and impressed at my willingness to jump in and help in this very unexpected way.

On a good day when things are going well, can you give an example of something that really makes you feel good?
The editors for my philanthropy magazine come back with no or few changes on my work and it is able to go to press ahead of time or on schedule.

When nothing seems to go right, what kind of snafus do you handle and what do you dislike the most?
I dislike being pulled into a new project that is not clearly defined and doesn’t have a plan set out for it, especially when a group of people are working on a new project. A lot of time is wasted while the group to comes to a consensus on the direction of a project and I feel that my time is wasted in hours and hours of meetings.

How stressful is your job? Are you able to maintain a comfortable or healthy work-life balance?
There is not a whole lot of stress involved with my work. Work doesn’t interfere with my work-life balance. I am currently in grad school working on my MBA with an emphasis in hospital administration in the evenings, which takes away time I would rather be spending with family.

What’s a rough salary range for the position you hold? Are you paid enough considering your responsibilities?
$35-45,000 a year. Yes, I think my pay is fair.

What’s the most rewarding moment you’ve experienced in this position? Of all the things you’ve done at work, what are you most proud of?

Meeting families whose kids have come in with awful illnesses and leave as normal healthy children is the most rewarding part of my job.

I am most proud of raising the first planned gift our hospital had received in a long time. We had never talked about planned giving in the community before, so I wrote an article for one of our publications, and because of that, I was contacted by a community member who made a significant planned gift for our hospital in his will.

What’s the most challenging moment you’ve experienced? What would you prefer to forget?
It is sometimes difficult to keep myself together emotionally when I interview folks who have beaten cancer or have a child who has spent their whole life in the hospital. I have to remind myself that it is more important to get their story and share it with others than to get lost in emotion myself.

What education and skills do you need to get hired and succeed in this field?
You need a strong background in writing and a basic understanding of psychology.

What would you tell a friend considering your line of work?
The other duties as assigned in the job description can sometimes be overwhelming, but the personal satisfaction you get from your job in this field will be well worth it.

How much vacation do you take? Is it enough?
The hospital awards me with 27 days for vacation, holidays and sick time that I may use at my discretion. I end up taking between 15 and 20 days a year. I don’t take the remaining days because my wife gets less vacation time than I do, and if I insist on taking time off when must work, the honey-do list she gives me makes staying home more laborious than going in to work.

Are there any common misunderstandings you want to correct about what you do?
Asking for money is a very small part of a fundraisers job. We spend more time saying thank you than we spend asking for money.

Does this job move your heart? If not, what does?
This job absolutely moves my heart. I cannot think of many jobs that would be more fulfilling than working toward improving the health of one’s community.

I enjoy volunteering with children at my church as well as at a local under-resourced school in my free time, and both move me significantly.

If you could write your own ticket, what would you like to be doing in five years?
I would like to be an administrator at one of our smaller hospitals or outpatient centers.
Is there anything unique about your situation that readers should know when considering your experiences or accomplishments?

In the fundraising field you are fortunate to meet a lot of good-hearted people, and it is easy to find people who are willing to mentor you and give you advice on your career and life in general. It is another perk of the job and I have been very fortunate to be mentored by several directors at my organization and it has made a difference to me personally and professionally.

Diversity Career Stories Philanthropy

Data analyst pushes past personal weaknesses: finds inner-confidence and success

Only two years into her career, this data analyst has already overcome academic discrimination, achieved international recognition for her research, and has earned a management role with her non-profit organization. She shares how she must often push herself outside her comfort zone to project confidence and strength professionally in order to stay on a path of success.

What is your job title and what industry do you work in? How many years of experience do you have in that field?
I work as a data analyst for a non-profit social research organization. I’m young and new to the field, having worked in my current position for 2 years.

Would you describe the things you do on a typical day?
I work for several grants and my work is largely project based. Currently, I split my schedule into thirds. I spend a third of my day consulting with psychologists and project managers about how to improve the research tools they are creating for a new grant. I spend a third of my day working on data analysis projects for research papers. I spend the last third of my day creating a data management flow structure for one of our newest grants.

In addition to these tasks, I was recently promoted to a management position. Throughout the day, I coach and direct a team of data management staff members that input data, assist me in basic programming, and check the accuracy of incoming data.

What’s your ethnicity and gender? How has it hurt or helped you? If you ever experienced discrimination, how have you responded and what response worked best?
Being a woman has its challenges in a technical field. Luckily, I faced discrimination at my university and was forced to confront it and learn from it there, and had some amazing mentors. Social scientists tend to be highly sensitized to race and gender discrimination, which makes it far less of a problem in my current position.

Understanding my own reaction to discrimination was important to getting my job. I have a “cute” disposition and a very feminine voice. In college, people rarely took me seriously or considered me a worthy contender in the classroom. It took time and mentoring for me to learn that the issue was theirs, not mine, and to not cast doubt on myself in response to their evaluations.

If I had doubted myself, I wouldn’t have gotten my job, or taken on the scary-sounding assignments that ultimately got me raises and a promotion. I am not strong, direct, and confident naturally, but I work hard at fostering these traits in myself. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to flourish in this work environment.

On a scale of 1 to 10 how would you rate your job satisfaction? What would it take to increase that rating?
I would rate my job satisfaction as a 7 on a scale of 1 to 10. I work with incredible people and an amazing body of work. Despite the freedom I have, I take my work home a lot, and tend to carry a lot of hours. If I worked with another person who had skills similar to myself, who I could trust to handle some of my workload, I think my job would be an 8 or 9.

What did you learn the hard way in this job and how did that happen?
I learned the value of solid reporting skills the hard way. I had one project manager who gave me an incredibly difficult project, requiring hours of complex mathematics. I focused so much on the math that I didn’t notice some labeling problems, poor report formatting, and typos.

The project manager had little understanding when it came to theoretical mathematics; her job was to manage the grant. She didn’t understand what I had done mathematically, so couldn’t see the hard work and brilliance that I had put into it. What she did see was a shoddy, confusing report containing typos and errors. She wasn’t exactly eager to work with me after that.

I took classes on report writing and word processing to improve this. Writing and communication skills, not obscure technical strengths, are what ultimately got me raises and promotions.

What don’t they teach in school that would’ve been helpful to you?
In general, school didn’t prepare me for the complexity of reality. Math problems in textbooks, even very advanced textbooks, are child’s play compared to real data sets and actual problems.

They also did not teach me the importance of fearlessly asking questions. I am successful because I get out of my comfort zone and am not afraid to ask for what I want. The worst thing that can happen when you ask for something big is that you’re told no, and I was surprised how many times I was actually told yes. This realization made all the difference for me. Often, people doubt their worth and settle gratefully for the status quo.

How did you get started in this line of work? If you could go back and do it differently, what would you change?
I got started in this field unexpectedly. I graduated just as the U.S. economy began to fall into crisis. Basically, desperation goaded me into applying for a position that seemed above my skill set as a new graduate with no experience, and out of alignment with my own career goals. I’m glad I did it because the experience has been invaluable.

What’s the strangest thing that ever happened to you in this job?
When my boss asked me to help her hire new subject interviewers, I experienced the strangest moment of my job. The interviewers have to deal with people that can be intimidating, violent, mentally ill, or simply horrendously rude, so my boss asked me to “act like a subject with an array of problems” in a mock-interview. This was nowhere near my job description, and I’d never acted before, but it was a hilarious and fun day.

On a good day when things are going well, can you give an example of something that really makes you feel good?
When the employees that I supervise succeed and do well, I feel good. It makes my work much easier, and, since I find management and training to be the most challenging aspects of my work, it makes me feel successful.

What do you dislike the most about your job?
The worst aspect of my job is hiring, disciplining and firing employees. Luckily, I’ve only ever had to fire one person.

How stressful is your job? Are you able to maintain a comfortable or healthy work-life balance?
Currently, my work is incredibly stressful. I work with academic, research-oriented professionals that are on career-building warpaths. That mindset tends to disseminate into the very fiber of the company, and I feel that stress regularly.

What’s a rough salary range for the position you hold? Are you paid enough considering your responsibilities?
In the non-profit sector, people in positions like mine generally start out at something like $30,000 per year, and, unless you have a PhD, you’ll probably top out at around $45,000. Social sciences don’t pay well, and the same skill set is worth much more in a for-profit environment. Nonetheless, it’s a great way to get experience in the field, gain proficiency, develop a portfolio or CV, network, get published, and start a career.

What’s the most rewarding moment you’ve experienced in this position? Of all the things you’ve done at work, what are you most proud of?
I’ve created amazing programs and solved pernicious data flow problems. I am most proud of my accomplishments with challenging data sets. Earning the respect of leaders in the field, and networking globally due to my success has been very rewarding.

What’s the most challenging moment you’ve experienced? What would you prefer to forget?
Managing others, and being responsible for their success or failure, is definitely the most challenging job I have ever had. My most challenging moment came when an employee directly defied my request and insulted me in front of other employees. They were all looking at me, expecting me to do something, and I just shrugged it off and did nothing. My boss expected me to fire her due to this and some other problems, and it was hard to confront her, especially since I had not disciplined her or corrected her problems on the spot. Avoidance is the worst form of management and backfires in the long run.

What education and skills do you need to get hired and succeed in this field?
Analysis is a broad field with varied application. To get hired, you need a background in mathematics, computer science, or disciplines that emphasize statistical and modeling work. My ability to think critically and grapple with complex problems helped me succeed in analysis. However, the most important skill I developed was the ability to communicate clearly and concisely to a variety of people about technical material.

What would you tell a friend considering your line of work?
I would tell a friend considering my line of work that working in a research environment requires a significant investment with little immediate compensation. If you are passionate about the work and want to get somewhere, you’ve got to volunteer for projects and go beyond the basic requirements.

How much vacation do you take? Is it enough?
My job has amazing benefits. A lot of non-profits do, because they know that they can’t pay employees competitively. I get 6 paid weeks of vacation per year and I take advantage of every minute of it.

Are there any common misunderstandings you want to correct about what you do?
Many people tend to think that analysts and others in technical positions are introverted geeks who lack communicative abilities and can do nothing about it. I am not naturally an extroverted person, but I’ve worked hard to improve my networking, public speaking, and teamwork skills. It can be learned like anything else, and it is an essential part of any career track.

Does this job move your heart? If not, what does?
While I am fascinated with problem solving and enjoy my job, I don’t believe I have the aggressive commitment to this field that some of my mentors do. Some of them live for social research. I love traveling, rock climbing, and working with disadvantaged populations in ways that empower them. I look at my job as a way of supporting the purposes of my life, not as the purpose in and of itself.

If you could write your own ticket, what would you like to be doing in five years?
If I could do anything in the next 5 years, I’d want to travel and apply my education and problem solving skills to work with disadvantaged communities, helping them to build and create solutions to problems such as water needs and sanitation development. It’s a major shift from my current work, but our research points to the importance of communities banding together and finding answers, and I’d like to do more than merely crunch numbers about it. I see myself shifting away from analysis, despite how enjoyable it’s been.

Is there anything unique about your situation that readers should know when considering your experiences or accomplishments?
I am successful because I get out of my comfort zone and am not afraid to ask for what I want. Often, people doubt their worth and settle gratefully for the status quo. The worst thing that can happen when you ask for something big is that you’re told no, and I was surprised how many times I was actually told yes. This realization made all the difference for me.