ARTSTHREAD’s guide to applying for a creative role within the third sector and how to make yourself an ideal candidate for a position within a charity or non profit.
See ARTSTHREAD’s guide to writing a CV and covering letter for further advice.
Creative roles can vary across the third sector. Smaller charities rely on staff who have multiple skillsets including copywriting, social media, photography, video editing, marketing and design. These positions are ideal for creatives who enjoy multitasking and developing a suite of skills.
Meanwhile, larger charities tend to have more money and typically hire staff to fulfil specific creative roles such as marketing designers, photographers and filmmakers. These roles are great for those who wish to develop further within one specialism.
WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR PORTFOLIO
When preparing for an interview it’s key that you include work that relates to what the charity produces. Below are some examples of what they’ll be looking out for
PUBLICATION DESIGN
Non profits produce multiple publications for numerous audiences including fundraisers, beneficiaries, researchers, grant holders and financial bodies. These range from 4 page leaflets to 32 page documents. Make sure you have examples of publications or editorial design to show you can
MOBILE FIRST
Charities are investing more and more in digital resources and increasingly focusing on smartphone users who access their website and social media profiles. If you haven’t worked on any mobile projects, have a look through your portfolio and see if any of your designs could be adapted to mobile. Show mock-ups of how this could look on a smartphone.
MULTICHANNEL DESIGN
Charity appeals often take place across multiple channels including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, physical mail-outs, postcards, e-newsletters, editorial adverts, YouTube and posters. It’s important to show that your designs can be adapted for different sizes, mediums and audiences.
VIDEO
Video is often used by charities to get across its key messages. However, many charities do not have the internal resources to create them. Showing that you have skills in not only filming, but also editing film with little to no budget, will certainly work to your advantage.
ESSENTIAL AND DESIRABLE SKILLS
The more skills you can offer a charity, the more likely they are to consider you for an interview. If you have experience with any of the below, ensure that you mention in your cover letter and CV.
· Adobe Photoshop
· Adobe Illustrator
· Adobe InDesign or any other layout design software
· Adobe Premiere Pro, iMovie or any other film editing software
· Microsoft Word
· Wordpress or any other CMS
WORKING FOR FREE AND CHARITY FEES
One of the harsh realities of working with charities and non-profits is that many have little to zero budget to hire creatives. As a result, they often rely on designers, photographers, illustrators and film makers volunteering their time and skills towards their cause. Sadly, you can’t always guarantee that this will lead to paid work in the future. However, if it’s a charity you are passionate about you could charge a charity fee. By lowering your price when pitching to charities you may fit within their tight budgets. The amount you reduce is up to you, sometimes it’s better to have conversations with your contact at the organization to get a feeling for how much they would be prepared to pay.