Job Hunting in CSR? Focus on Getting the Interview First

How does someone become a CSR executive? Check.

How does CSR translate within an organization and make sense across functionalities? Check.

If CSR is here to stay, is developing as a distinct career path, and is applicable to everyone's job regardless of experience or skill sets, how do I get a job in CSR?

Our in-depth interview with Suzanne Fallender, director of strategy and communications for Intel's Global Corporate Responsibility office, continues as she discusses how to pursue a career in CSR and offers six essential tips:

"It goes back to practical hiring issues: If you're not applying to a specific listing for a CSR job, having a resume where all you talk about is CSR won't help if you are applying to a finance job. It will confuse the hiring manager because he/she is not going to know how to fit you in.

I don't think having some aspects of CSR on your resume is going to hurt you, but I do think you need to have a functional area of expertise for most roles and make sure you’re leading with what skills they're looking for.

Once you are in the interview, then you can say, "I'm also interested in this topic" and that "I know you as a company are a great corporate citizen. So if I were to come on board, I'd love to help support that however I could."

Also, use your school experience to your advantage.

If you were the leader of your Net Impact group, that's leadership—it shows that you're taking leadership and understand these issues."

"Another factor that can make this complicated is going in without knowing how the recruiter or hiring manager feels about CSR. You may be interviewing with someone who thinks it's very important or you interview with someone who's a skeptic. But you have to stay true to yourself and make sure that in either situation you understand how the role you are applying for relates to your interest in CSR. There are so many ways to contribute and make a difference today in business – CSR is really increasingly part of everybody’s day job in one way or another."

So what does this advice come down to? See Six Tips For Jobseekers in CSR.

Previously:
How Do You Make CSR Make Sense?
A CSR Executive's Career Path