The most common question we get is how people can pursue a career in organizational development. Here are some tips which may or may not work.

Career tips for the organizational development crew

Networking is by far the best way to get a job. As far as how to network:

• Check out the professional organizations such as ODHRM, ISPI, OD Network, and SIOP can be quite helpful (ISPI seems to have particularly good job listings). Once you are tied into one of these organizations you can usually learn about the rest. OD Network has a national careers listing service and a number of publications to help budding OD people.
• Try to get to know any professionals in your area.
• You probably had to or will have to do an internship; these are very good opportunities to prove your worth.
• Seek out opportunities to volunteer in or present to professional groups, e.g. quality organizations.
• Volunteering your services to nonprofits often leads to recommendations that lead to work.
• Remember - if fate offers you the life of a freelancer, maybe fate knows what it’s doing.
• Don’t call us or write to us asking for career tips...you’ve already read them!

Other OD career resources: books

• The Perfect Interview : How to Get the Job You Want - a specialty book that can help you to clinch the job instead of losing the opportunity.
• Best Answers to the 201 Most Frequently Asked Interview Questions
• Selling To VITO: The Very Important Top Officer - planning on setting up shop on your own? This book will help you to make some sales.