I recently took an opportunity as Senior Grant Writer for a local non-profit. I believe in the work they do (ending homelessness) and I enjoy researching and writing. I never figured I would use my skills in this way. How can I maximize this opportunity?
Do you mean you want to do something outside of that formal role?I’d say maybe you use your past experience and contact to get a sense of their needs and mention your entrepreneurial aspiration, that’s usually how these things start. You can also start doing light work pro bono or go the Upwork / freelancing app route?
@andreemiller I'd try to have some conversations with the organization to see where else they need help and whether the role could turn into something more, and/or research other roles and other organizations where you can do similar work elsewhere! Given what you're writing, I'd recommend pursuing career exploration, which is a process that is distinct from and a precursor to the job search, including a series of steps of practical learning and self-reflection in order to compare, contrast, and clarify which career path you are confident in pursuing. THAT is the process whereby you can confidently narrow in on which role, industry and environment is the best fit for you. In fact, I've helped numerous professionals to figure out, clarify, and pursue their ideal career direction. While pivots might seem big and scary, they're often more feasible than you think, but you at least deserve to identify which path would be the best fit for you first, and then determine what your strategy, approach or next steps would be. Since you're already doing work you really like, its just a matter of figuring out where else that lives, what its called, and what that'd look like to go pursue it in a bigger way, to see if that feels like the right direction for you. By the way, I'm Rachel Serwetz, a Career Exploration Coach (iamwoken.com), and I'm happy to chat further if you'd like! (calendly.com/woken/demo )