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Has anyone here worked for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation? If so, what was your experience--from hiring, interviewing, and the general "feel" of the place?
I'm finishing up graduate school and looking for non-profit jobs to apply for around Seattle--from what I can see, the Gates Foundation would be an amazing employer, and I would love to contribute to their work. I can't seem to find anything online about what it's like to work there, though... or how difficult it is to get an interview. I would just like to get a read on the place if anyone knows or has heard anything... thank you!
... seriously? No one knows anything about working for the Gates Foundation?
How about the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, downtown (but under the auspices of UW) that he plonked down $100 mill to start up a few years back? Mostly academics and research analysts there... but maybe related, if anyone knows someone working there? I'm interested in both places.
I've worked for a non-profit in the recent past, but know absolutely nothing about the non-profits here. If it was me, I would contact the companies I was interested in and either 1) ask if someone would be willing to/had the time to speak with me and perhaps answer a few questions; or 2) offer to volunteer/intern for a brief period to get to know the place. This may or may not work, due to the high volume of applications desirable non-profits receive. In my experience, there's usually so much work to be done that one has to work hard to find time to breathe.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Robineli
Hate to see this go unanswered.
I've worked for a non-profit in the recent past, ... In my experience, there's usually so much work to be done that one has to work hard to find time to breathe.
^^^from what I understand this is the case.^^^(nose to the grindstone)
(I've not personally worked there but have been in close contact with such)
openings are possible, there are a few folks working there who are the 'cream', and they may have significant influence on career path / job satisfaction of 'the grunts'. Not so untypical to a real job, but a significantly harder nut to crack (lots of folks vying for few GOOD positions, may often be filled from 'outside' / friends of friends). You can count on a LOT of grunt work and may feel fulfilled personally, for your worthwhile results, but don't expect accolades from the 'cream'. (or career advancement). Overall a very decent place to work, but you will work very hard and probably be paid on par with 'normal' jobs, not on par with an 'elite' and equivalent job. (this can be in the best interest of a 'foundation' anyway... higher std). You also may not get to pursue your career growth in such a high profile foundation, as they can be pretty picky about who knows what. Your NEW career may be best served by getting into a smaller operation that will endow you with vast opportunities to 'do-it-all'. Take grad level coursework at alma mater of B&MGF managers, be active in alumni of said institute, THEN apply (after you've been successful and made lots of mistakes elsewhere.)
plan B would be to get in the door as an intern / grunt. Make a great impression, then... Leave for a more challenging role, make significant differences in other foundations from your core learning's. RE-APPLY BEFORE !! everyone who remembers you leaves.
Thank you for the very helpful responses!! At last, some information to chew on.
Well, this is not quite what I expected... but very good to know. I was guessing that by the large number of positions open on their website that I might have a chance, but now I'm not so sure. The only volunteer jobs I saw available were at the places they support (where their grant money goes), not actually at the Gates Foundation itself, but perhaps I haven't looked hard enough.
I would actually love to work in a smaller non-profit first, but jobs at those seem very limited in terms of availability and the skills they are looking for. I don't have any previous experience with non-profits (unless you count the non-profitability of my last 7 years in graduate school :P ) either, and that seems to be a real hindrance. Strange, one would think a non-profit would be harder up for idealistic people to work there, especially given the lower salaries compared to industry... but that doesn't seem to be the case in Seattle.
Not sure what you mean by taking grad-level coursework from their alma maters, and then staying in the alumni? I can't earn any higher degrees than what I have, so I don't think I would go back to school unless it was in a completely different discipline (and certainly not "just" to get "in" on one particular job), so I'm not sure about that.
Well, slightly discouraging, but we'll see how my application turns out. Not going to hold my breath, based on what's been said here.
Are you looking for a specific genre of non-profit to work for? I just googled 'seattle non profit organizations' and found this list: Seattle Nonprofit & Charity Groups
If your goal is to work for the two foundations you mentioned, you'll have to be a bit more forward than you might normally have been.
I consider myself more practical than idealistic when dealing with unfair human circumstances, and I'm glad I was able to help serve people through my work. Having said that, very low salaries are a reality, particularly in the field of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD), and I can understand why the majority of people helping in that field are in their 50's, 60's and beyond.
I'm racking my brain trying to come up with a few solutions, but I don't know if they would be suitable for you.
Small non-profits are actually a good way to get a general view of whatever field you're interested in. Many non-profits connect with each other in some form. Ours held annual education conventions around the U.S. and some of the exhibitors were from other non-profits - it is common to waive the booth fees in exchange for a booth at another conference in the interest of reaching a wider audience. Can't speak for other fields, but in I/DD everyone knows everyone else and has, basically, the same goals in mind, but with less (read:no) money to work with.
Narrow down the field you want to work in and start reaching out.
...... one more thing:
I have an older friend who works in South Florida for a non-profit to help the homeless. She is a fundraiser, and a very, very good one at that, and is paid handsomely for her efforts.
Thanks, I will check out the website. I guess I have been relying on idealist.org for most of the job opening advertisements. Most non-profits seem to want someone who can get them money (understandable), and while I have grant-writing/obtaining experience from my graduate program, I still don't have the 5-10 years of professional experience that most of them seem to want.
I am honestly open to almost any job in Seattle that is not out to make money off people or try to sell things to them that they don't need. This generally means that I would be better off in non-profits, though I am open to less-profit-making jobs as well. Salaries are not a huge deal, though since I have spent 7+ years in graduate school it might be nice to make more than I could before I started it (which was around $35-40K as a public school teacher)--but maybe even that is idealistic? I don't know.
Above all, I am interested in working with immigrant populations--but education is also a passion for me. Again, I have experience with writing grants and getting them for my own research, but I am not sure if this is something I would be good at doing. I also feel like I am uber-overqualified given my degree, and that many non-profits would be hesitant to hire me for these reasons. Most of them want people with around a BA or less, usually not MA and almost never PhD (except for the ones I mentioned).
Am I totally in the dark here? Thanks for any advice.
Oh, what did you mean by "be a bit more forward" than I might normally have been? I am not sure how much more forward to be, since the applications are online-only and seem to have a very strict regimen of how to apply, and even when I have called the "head" offices at HR no one is even willing to give me the names of the hiring managers for my cover letters, let alone any other detailed info. What else would you recommend that I do, other than volunteering and trying to make my name known on the side, if possible?
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,724 posts, read 58,067,115 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by caravan
...
I am honestly open to almost any job in Seattle ...generally means that I would be better off in non-profits, though I am open to less-profit-making jobs as well. Salaries are not a huge deal, ...--but maybe even that is idealistic? I don't know.
...
Am I totally in the dark here? Thanks for any advice.
Oh, what did you mean by "be a bit more forward" than I might normally have been? ...
not Totally in the dark, but maybe too many yrs in school (might be able to stay in the dark by teaching in U... like many phd's.... sorry, having just completed ANOTHER grad program at post age 50, I had to vent)
whoops my bad. (having lived, worked, and hired technical staff on several continents I am CONVINCED we (USA) should 'outsource' EDU to some needy country that is actually doing a better job than US. (several to chose from). I would start with K-12, but not stop there.) JMHO
I too have been doing intern work in non-profits for past few yrs and am very disillusioned as well. (Having come from 30+ yrs of high energy / high profitability / high tech. ).
I'm starting to feel a bit 'slimey' (car salesman type) finding out that the non-profit world is all about justifying your own existence and getting ONE MORE GRANT to keep funded for a spell, and always weasel enough time and money for your boss and co-workers (none who make much). I think it might be time for me to venture into something more valuable (in pay AND service). I thought the 'kisser's were bad in business, but non-profits REALLY take care of who is buttering their bread, it is sad.
Being a bit more forward, may just mean that you are gonna have to do some serious 'digging' to land an interview and even more to land a job. There are lots of ways to 'network' with non-profits and managers of such. See if there is a bank / organization doing breakfast seminars. That is pert of the 'inner circle' in Portland area.
The Alma Mater thing is all about 'protecting their own'. It is too bad, but just like jr high, some kids (managers) never grow up and they feel most comfortable around their own kind. This is really too bad and counter productive to being 'the-best' for the company / cause. But this is very much 'life' on the streets at the moment. The higher you get in 'name-brand' organizations the worse it is.
Good luck for enduring the battle, it will be won eventually.
Thanks, I will check out the website. I guess I have been relying on idealist.org for most of the job opening advertisements. Most non-profits seem to want someone who can get them money (understandable), and while I have grant-writing/obtaining experience from my graduate program, I still don't have the 5-10 years of professional experience that most of them seem to want.
I am honestly open to almost any job in Seattle that is not out to make money off people or try to sell things to them that they don't need. This generally means that I would be better off in non-profits, though I am open to less-profit-making jobs as well. Salaries are not a huge deal, though since I have spent 7+ years in graduate school it might be nice to make more than I could before I started it (which was around $35-40K as a public school teacher)--but maybe even that is idealistic? I don't know.
Above all, I am interested in working with immigrant populations--but education is also a passion for me. Again, I have experience with writing grants and getting them for my own research, but I am not sure if this is something I would be good at doing. I also feel like I am uber-overqualified given my degree, and that many non-profits would be hesitant to hire me for these reasons. Most of them want people with around a BA or less, usually not MA and almost never PhD (except for the ones I mentioned).
Am I totally in the dark here? Thanks for any advice.
Oh, what did you mean by "be a bit more forward" than I might normally have been? I am not sure how much more forward to be, since the applications are online-only and seem to have a very strict regimen of how to apply, and even when I have called the "head" offices at HR no one is even willing to give me the names of the hiring managers for my cover letters, let alone any other detailed info. What else would you recommend that I do, other than volunteering and trying to make my name known on the side, if possible?
I sent you a DM.
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(might be able to stay in the dark by teaching in U... like many phd's.... sorry, having just completed ANOTHER grad program at post age 50, I had to vent)
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