Ask Questions About Culture

But on the flip side, mission and culture are — or at least should be — thriving and abundant.  Savvy candidates inquire about these areas when applying to leadership positions.  Consider questions such as, “What are the core elements of your mission and culture,” “How have they changed recently,” and “Where do they influence daily operations?”  Do not be afraid to push on these topics, for doing so will demonstrate a mission-aligned approach to leadership.  But most importantly, do not hesitate to walk away if you find serious cracks in the mission or culture of a prospective nonprofit employer — or, and this is often a harder pill to swallow, if they are not aligned with your personal values.  Getting a big raise is hard enough; changing mission and culture on your own is all but impossible.