21 Linkedin Groups Every AmeriCorps Member Should Belong To

21 Linkedin Groups Every AmeriCorps Member Should Belong To Linkedin is probably the most valuable tool there is for your job search, networking, career path research and ability to be found for life-changing opportunities. In my work preparing AmeriCorps groups around the country, for their transition from National Service into  the working world, one Linkedin feature I highly recommend is Linkedin Groups. Linkedin Groups are virtual networking rooms that put you in the right circles with your industry peers. The Benefits of Being in Linkedin Groups A  few benefits of being in Linked Groups: theyre great places to find mentors, learn about current trends, conduct career path research, contribute expertise, establish your presence, and find jobs. The Groups feature is also important for your Linkedin SEO overall profile optimization strategy  because your Linkedin search ranking partially depends on the number of common groups you share with other Linkedin members. If youre hoping to be found by hiring managers and recruiters when they do industry searches for talent, youll want to be in those target industry groups. Linkedin allows you to join up to 50 groups and its to your benefit to do so. How to Select Your Groups The group search feature is fairly simple to maneuver. Just enter your keywords into the search bar up top and select Groups from the drop-down to the left of the search box. A simple keyword search will do but you can take it one step further. For example, I  analyzed various AmeriCorps Member Alumni profiles, at all career levels, to see which groups they had joined. I also analyzed the profiles of various professionals in the non-profit world. Finally, I conducted keyword searches around popular career targets and sectors within the AmeriCorps community. Since the value of your group often depends on the  number of members, I was careful to select groups with no less than 1000 members. Heres the list I came up with. Enjoy! AmeriCorps   The  Organization Where You Served Most organizations or companies will have their own group. Some will have a local chapter and/or  national group. Join as many as you can find so that you are fully connected with everyone in this tribe. This is a great way to connect within the organization, especially if you are hoping to land a job with the same organization in which you served like this AmeriCorps career superstar! University Alumni Group  This may not be affiliated with AmeriCorps but your university alumni group is a standard since  alumni of usually feel compelled to assist  fellow alums. AmeriCorps Alums   speaking of alumni groups, this is a no-brainer! AmeriCorps Alums Local Chapter Most major cities have a local Alumni group youll also want to join. Join your local group as well as the chapter for another city if you are targeting a geographical change for your next job.  You might also find this resume advice helpful  if searching for out of state jobs. Work for Good a national job board dedicated to helping nonprofits and others connect with job seekers looking to make a difference.  With hundreds of new jobs each month, we are the go-to source for finding purpose-driven work. Development Fundraising Professionals This group is hosted by the Chronicle of Philanthropys Development and Fundraising Group. It offers professionals in the field an opportunity to connect with their peers and Chronicle staff to discuss ideas and trends, get the latest news and information about fundraising, and to network. Young Non-Profit Professionals  YNPN National provides support and resources for local YNPN networks through leadership development, networking, and advocacy activities.YNPN National seeks to build and expand the YNPN movement throughout the United States. The focus is on building local chapter leadership and capacity, along with developing a unified, national voice for early career professionals. Non-Profit Philanthropy Jobs, Powered by ImpactFlow This group offers a community for nonprofit and philanthropic job seekers and recruiters to connect, network, and share ideas and employment opportunities. Job in Non-Profit JNP provides a community for non-profit and social enterprise connections. JNP is an excellent resource for both job seekers who are looking to accelerate their career through career coaching and non-profits/social enterprises in need of employees with purpose. Idealist.org Hosted by one of my favorite non-profit job boards (here are a few more job boards I recommend). This group is for anyone looking to make a positive impact through their career, discuss nonprofit career advice,  lessons, ideas and resources for the social impact community. Corporate Social Responsibility CSR and Sustainable Development an online network of more than 20,000 professionals engaged in corporate social responsibility CSR and sustainable development. The NonProfit Times A forum for discussing  issues that affect every single nonprofit including accounting, fundraising, marketing, human resource and much more… You might not work at a non-profit yet but if youre targeting this space, hiring managers love people who can solve problems! Nonprofit Network Social, Investment, program project management, philanthropy, fundraising, charity, development, grantmaking, health, public, policy, trade, society, green, environment, sustainability, sustainable, education, enterprise, energy, funding, jobs, job, career government, Business Corporate law, GuideStar The Nonprofit Conversation A group designed as a gathering and meeting place for nonprofit professionals. This is a group where nonprofit professionals can read, comment, and debate GuideStars content as well as share their own relevant news or information. Careers in the charity/nonprofit sector Do you love working in the charity/nonprofit sector and want to progress your career? Or, would you like to investigate the possibility of a career working for charities? Either way, this group is for you. Common Good Careers Commongood Careers is dedicated to helping todays most effective social entrepreneurs hire the best talent. Jobs in Charity â€" Third Sector Jobs Third Sector Jobs is a specialist job site for the charity, not for profit and voluntary sectors from the publisher of Third Sector Magazine and carries hundreds of charity jobs across a range of sectors, locations and experience. Jobs in NGO, International Government Jobs, Non Government Vacancies, Not for Profit Jobs A  leading development job portal providing information on jobs in NGOs, International Development Agencies, UN Agency and many other vacancies from Not-For-Profit organization. Non-Profit Leadership   A  resource for nonprofit executives and management, NGO / program management, socially responsible enterprises, grassroots organizers, and other public sector and nonprofit professionals. Share your experience and find solutions for the greater good. Not a manager? Still a great group for networking with higher ups in your target companies! United Nations Careers   Networking group for those interested in launching a career working for global causes  ending conflict and alleviating poverty, combating climate change and defending human rights. Dont forget to join 29 more groups to improve your profile optimization! Was this list helpful? Which AmeriCorps groups would you recommend based on your experience? Leave a comment below!