Questions & Answers: How Do You Find Your Philanthropic Passion? [Podcast]

Episode 71 – Marc and Elizabeth answer your career pivot questions with an emphasis on giving back.

This week’s questions are on using current skills in a part-time role, finding your philanthropic passion, and whether you should certify as a scrum master. Listen for insight.

Key Takeaways:

[:51] Marc welcomes you to Episode 71 and invites you to share this episode with like-minded souls. Please subscribe wherever you listen to this podcast, share it on social media, and tell your neighbors and colleagues.

[1:18] This week is a Questions & Answers episode. Submit your questions at CareerPivot.com on the ‘Contact Me’ link. Email, or send voicemail to Marc. Marc may play your question on the podcast.

[1:45] Next week, Marc will interview Alexander Buschek, who completely rebranded himself to become a digital transformation thought leader. Alexander is a former client of Marc’s. Marc recorded the episode right before he left for Mexico. Marc is recording the intro and outro in Ajijic, Mexico.

[2:29] Marc asks his ‘sidekick’ Elizabeth Rabaey to introduce herself and the Questions & Answers.

[3:18] Q1: How do I translate my current job skills as an IT project manager into a second career that gives me more time to give back by working ad hoc or part-time? I would prefer to work outside the corporate world. I like animals, the fitness industry, and would consider teaching. What do you think?

[3:47] A1: For most people, Marc would throw out the teaching piece. If you think you’re going to teach and have time, you’re probably smoking something and inhaling. Teaching is incredibly time-consuming. Project management skills are transferable to other positions. Test drive some of these organizations.

[4:22] Marc has a former client who test-drove Best Friends animal rescue organization recently. She volunteered for seven days over the holidays. Volunteer somewhere you think you would like to work.

[5:09] Q2: Homelessness, illiteracy, education, and conservation — what cause really matters most to you when you graduate from being a reactive giver to a more thoughtful and strategic giver? It isn’t always easy to connect with a cause that stirs your soul. How do I find my philanthropic passion?

[5:34] A2: This question was posed to Marc by the folks at GivingCityAustin.org in an interview. Marc talks about Courtney Clark, a multi-time cancer survivor. Courtney is very passionate about cancer survivorship. She speaks of it; she has written books on it. But what are you passionate about if nothing has ever happened to you?

[6:27] Marc says, you’ve just got to go try stuff. Marc uses Elizabeth as an example. He told her just to go try stuff. She tried jewelry making, oil painting, and other things until she found what was right for her.

[8:08] A former client of Marc’s went to Best Friends and remembered that she liked horses. So she cleaned barns and did a number of things she remembered enjoying as a kid. Try various things.

[10:20] Q3: I am a certified Salesforce administrator. Currently, I am volunteering my time with a couple of nonprofits to gain experience. I see a lot of conversations about a scrum, and I am considering becoming a scrum master to further my education and increase my employment opportunities. What do you think?

[10:42] A3: A scrum master is a project manager. A scrum master is promoted as being neutral as to area of expertise. No one really believes that. Hiring Managers want industry-specific expertise. If you are not in software development, no one is going to care. Marc shares a case study of a woman who is scrum master certified.

[12:28] The woman got interviews but never got hired. She needed a software background in order to be considered. You need to get expertise in the area where you want to be hired. A scrum master is focused largely around agile software development.

[12:50] Marc has seen over and over people with project management experience getting certified in a skill and trying to break into a new industry. It doesn’t work.

[13:24] Becoming a scrum master is between $1,000 and $1,500 and it is probably not worth it, just to have it. Before you start pursuing a certification, talk to some people (not to the certificate issuer) about whether it makes sense.

[13:56] Marc invites anyone having questions they would like Marc to answer on the show to please submit them at CareerPivot.com or email Podcast@CareerPivot.com.

[14:20] When this episode airs, Marc and his wife will be in Ajijic, Mexico. He is currently looking for dentists, chiropractors, and endocrinologists.

[14:58] Marc hopes you enjoyed this episode. Next week will be a regular-length episode.

[16:26] Listen next week for Marc’s interview with Alexander Buschek.

Mentioned in This Episode:

GivingCityAustin.org

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