A day in the life of a nonprofit worker

1. What is your name, organization and job title (you don't have to give your name/organization if you don't want to- it can be anonymous)
Nicole Garst, Program Coordinator, Minnesota Council of Nonprofits

2. What is the first thing you do when you get in the office?
Fire up email, check Twitter, and make a short list of my main priorities for the day.

3. How do you spend your lunch break?
Most often at my desk, catching up on reading, the blogosphere, and social media. I try to go out to lunch once a week with someone interesting – though I can’t always make it work – building relationships helps me keep learning and exposes me to wide variety of ideas.

4. Which part of your work do you enjoy most?
I love co-facilitating the Nonprofit Leadership Institute and helping to explore how nonprofits are using social media. Teaching and researching are emerging as themes in my career, and I love thinking about where folks are, what skills they might need or want, and how to meet them where they’re at with relevant and accessible information. I’m excited by instructional design and information architecture, usability and user experience, and really like to facilitate changes in individuals through ideas, supportive learning spaces, and contexts where growth is encouraged. I am actually on my way to graduate school for Library and Information Science this fall, where I’m excited to explore all these interests and geek out with my fellow Information nerds.

5. Please finish this sentence: If someone wanted my job, they would have to…..
be organized and comfortable juggling many different projects at once. She or he would also have to love the nonprofit sector and be interested in networking across a wide variety of organizations.

6. What advice or tips do you have for other nonprofit professionals in your position?
Be proactive in growing your networks, both online and off. Read widely, not just in nonprofit and management topics. Experiment with emerging technology by using it in your personal life. Hobbies are the best way to keep up work life balance. Use an RSS reader!

If you are willing to be featured, please email me - kristen@advancementcompany.com