Ask Amber: How to handle tough interview questions

By Amber Alarid, JVA Consulting

These days, with the hiring process becoming more and more competitive, employers are taking extra steps to find the best applicant for the position. With this increased scrutiny, it is important for young professionals to be prepared for the tough questions. Take these steps and you are likely to make a good impression on the person interviewing you.

House bill H.R. 5326 eliminates American Community Survey—the impact for nonprofits

By Katy Snyder, JVA Consulting

A new appropriations bill (H.R. 5326)—passed by the House of Representatives terminates the American Community Survey (ACS), which gathers social and demographic information to monitor the impact of economic trends on U.S. communities. While the bill has yet to pass the Senate, the consequences of losing the data gathered in the ACS loom large: Unlike Census data, which only come out every 10 years, ACS data are released annually, and include such statistics as age, sex, race, veteran and disability status. As a New York Times analysis says, “It is the largest (and only) data set of its kind and is used across the federal government in formulas that determine how much funding states and communities get for things like education and public health.”

Takeaways from Ways and Means Committee hearing on tax-exempt organizations

By Katy Snyder, JVA Consulting

A hearing led by Rep. Charles W. Boustany, Jr. (R-La.), Chairman of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight, was held yesterday to discuss issues related to IRS oversight of tax-exempt organizations. The hearing, which Boustany called for back in October of 2011, was the first in a series expected to take place on the topic of tax- exempt organizations. Experts from several types of nonprofits, including representation from Cornell University, the Catholic University of America, the VHA (an alliance of nonprofit hospitals), and the Independent Sector (a nonpartisan network of nonprofits, foundations and corporate giving programs) gave testimony. From the varied backgrounds and viewpoints of those assembled to testify, it seems that the Oversight Subcommittee is in information-gathering mode, collecting testimony from those who study and practice nonprofit law and those subjected to nonprofit law, such as nonprofit hospitals and universities. Read on to learn what the assembled nonprofit experts had to say.

Ask Amber: How to improve your chances of getting a job in your field

By Amber Alarid, JVA Consulting

An article from the Los Angeles Times reports that of “recession- era” graduates (those who graduated college between 2008 and 2011), only half are employed. Of that half, many have taken jobs unrelated to their field of study, a possible sign that they not using or are underutilizing the skills they learned in college.  If you are currently in a job in a field unrelated to your degree, read on for strategies you might consider to take back your career.

Ask Amber: How to stretch your donation dollars

By Amber Alarid, JVA Consulting

Studies such as The Next Generation of American Giving, by Convio suggest that young professionals (Generations X and Y) have the potential to be very committed donors. While many young professionals are already giving to nonprofits, according to the study, their donations are typically smaller than other generations. However, the small donation size might not reflect a lack of commitment to the organization but instead the stretched budgets of many young professionals. If you are looking to stretch your donation dollars without breaking the bank, here are some suggestions for you:

Funding trends and the role of evaluation: Tips from our funder panel

By Robert Jakubowski, JVA Consulting

The JVA evaluation team has the opportunity to work with diverse clients across the nonprofit sector. Rivaling the diversity of our clients is the diversity of questions our evaluation team is asked to address. Of course, the myriad of questions we face in a given week keeps the work we do exciting. Although program evaluation is presented as that place where tough and ever-changing questions meet rigorous investigation, there are some things that remain constant across organizations – the ongoing search for funding.

Ask Amber: How using social media can attract positive attention from current or prospective employers

By Amber Alarid, JVA Consulting

I’m sure it’s safe to say that young professionals have heard all about how personal social media accounts can negatively impact one’s professional life, but social media has potential for good as well. When used correctly, Facebook, LinkedIn and other sites can actually draw positive attention; remember, managing a personal social media account that is visible to influential friends and colleagues can be tricky, so being deliberate about what you post and don’t post is the first step in building and managing your brand as a professional. The following are some ways to use social media to further your career goals.

Ask Amber: How to decode organizational culture

By Amber Alarid, JVA Consulting

When starting a new internship or job, it’s incredibly important to observe and adapt to the organizational culture in place. The trick, however, is determining what makes up the company’s culture. Because culture is not always something explicitly stated in the employee handbook, use the following tools to learn more about your organization’s culture and how you fit can fit in. To learn more about what organizational culture is and how to shape it, click here.

Ask Amber: Do young adults care about the environment?

By Amber Alarid, JVA Consulting

Recent studies of high school seniors and college freshman have found that Millennials are less concerned about the environment than previous generations. While on a broad level these statistics may be accurate, at the personal and local levels, these statistics do not ring true. After doing some research, I found a number of examples of young people taking part in the green movement, and, in celebration of Earth Week, I would like to share those stories. I believe there are many more Millennials out there who care about the environment and I invite you to share your stories and eco-friendly tips in the comments section of this blog.

Colleges across Colorado, including Regis University (which celebrated last week), Colorado State University and Colorado College to name a few, are participating in week-long Earth Day celebrations.

Women’s Bean Project launches new jewelry line

By Amber Alarid, JVA Consulting

The Women's Bean Project was chosen as this year's official charity of the NCAA Women's Final Four tournament. JVA's Sarah Hidey is seen here with Women's Bean Project Marketing Manager, Sammy Emerson.

While widely known for its delectable gourmet foods such as soups and baking mixes, Women’s Bean Project has also run a successful jewelry line since 2009. Set up as a social enterprise, the jewelry is made by women who are part of the project’s job readiness and life skills training program, which provides the women with job skills and brings in revenue to support the organization. Each year the organization releases two seasonal jewelry lines, one in the spring and one in the fall, complete with earrings, necklaces and bracelets. Each piece is a limited edition item with a fun and creative name like “Twilight,” “Cherish” or “Good Karma.”