DialogueDirect

Site Representative

June - August 2019 • Washington, DC

What I liked

Working at DialogueDirect has developed and advanced many new skills; leadership, working through adversity, confidence, responsibility, assertiveness, determination, public speaking, and being comfortable with the uncomfortable. These are all skills I will take with me not only throughout the development of my career but also through the development of my life. Regarding the work environment, our team of incredible people brought so much joy and life to my summer. These people, who truly care about what they do so much that it is amplified in their efforts at work, have filled my life with happiness and will forever treasure as close friends of mine.

What I wish was different

It was a difficult job to do. I learned how important it is to be true to who I am as a person because by being genuine, being true to what you stand for, so much so, that you are willing to turn that passion into action and not let anything deter you from that because at the end of the day it’s an aspect of you. Working outside on the streets every day definitely isn’t the easiest job. Far, far from it. Come torrential rain, exhausting heat, continuous rejection, sometimes even harassment… We were out there fundraising daily amidst adversity. We fought against it all because we believed in what we were doing. We’d just remember why we were doing it; to save kids, animals and the environment. We were out there because it was important to be and because we were the ones who got to create a direct impact on a daily basis. I don't actually wish anything was different as I don't think I would've learnt so much if it wasn't so challenging from the get-go. Additionally, succeeding at something that is objectively hard work feels really good.

Advice

Well, I joined the team unsure of what the summer experience would unfold to be. I had fundraised before by organizing events and worked in outreach marketing for a couple of years, but street canvassing was completely new. Within my first few days I recognized 3 things; Firstly, how challenging this job was going to be, I came home exhausted daily both physically and mentally, and yet, secondly, I discovered that as long as I kept pushing I could do it. The dopaminergic rush that came with succeeding at something challenging kept me wanting to push, and learn, and grow. Lastly, I recognized how fun this job had the potential to be, and how that was entirely within my control. This job is the epitome of what you make it. If you work hard and strive to learn, you’ll enjoy it and succeed. That's something that I think is broadly applicable to many aspects of life.

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DialogueDirect Canvasser

May - August 2019 • Washington, DC

What I liked

The communal atmosphere

What I wish was different

I wish I could stay for longer

Advice

Keep a positive attitude

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Fundraiser Intern

June - July 2018 • Philadelphia, PA

What I liked

I enjoyed how the environment was extremely focused on working as a team. Everyone supported each other whenever it was necessary

What I wish was different

The expectations; they're somewhat high for some people. Especially those who don't really talk much. If the expectations were a little bit lower, I think there would be much more success without loss of quality.

Advice

Break out of your comfort zone quick. It is a very hard thing to do but once you do, this job becomes a lot easier

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Dialoguer

May - August 2018 • Chicago, IL

What I liked

The teamwork atmosphere The creative process required to be attractive The interpersonal conversation with literal strangers Assisting with charity

What I wish was different

That the salary change that occurred in Chicago had happened earlier

Advice

Have confidences in your ability to approach others Have your own personal goals set beyond that of the company’s.

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Fundraising Intern

June - July 2018 • Portland, OR

What I liked

I liked the community support and office spirit. I also like the communication experience I received.

What I wish was different

I wish the organization had been more up-front about what the interns would actually be doing. They were a bit vague and misleading.

Advice

It gives you a lot of confidence and a lot of experience with rejection.

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Fundraiser Intern

June - August 2018 • Washington, DC

What I liked

I was meeting and interacting with new people everyday. I was able to handle rejection better. Learned how to approach different type of people.

What I wish was different

More prior experience.

Advice

You have to really be a in your face type of person to do well at this job.

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charity ambassador

June - August 2017 • Washington, DC

What I liked

It was amazing to develop such interpersonal skills and face to face communication skills through this experience. I really liked how I could meet so different people everyday and to learn how to more effectively sympathize with them to really earn what I want from them.

What I wish was different

The position is rated on performance which means it can be very competitive and a lot of time consuming if there are no donors earned at the end of the day. You might be encouraged to go on extra miles and keeping hard work on which I was not hesitant to do but some of the interns that I worked with was frustrated on their low performance leading some of them to quit.

Advice

I would say to get ready to learn, self-motivated, and talk. If you are the one who is passive and shy, you must break out of your comfort zone to do this. It is not really a job that will make you active and talkative. I think this is for people who is already active and social.

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