If you work in the nonprofit sector, advocacy is likely already part of your everyday work. You show up for your community, champion your organization’s mission, and help tell stories that inspire action. 

But as career development practitioner Wanda Kusumajuda Pichette asked during a CharityVillage webinar on digital advocacy for nonprofit professionals: Are you also advocating for yourself? 

For many nonprofit professionals, that question can feel uncomfortable. When your work is centred on service, talking about your own experience may seem secondary or even self-promotional. But Wanda, founder of GROW Career Development, encouraged participants to think differently about their online presence, particularly on LinkedIn. 

Your LinkedIn profile is more than a digital resume. Used intentionally, it can become a practical career tool: a way to communicate your values, highlight your expertise, support others in your network, and build professional trust over time. 

Many professionals have LinkedIn — But aren’t using it fully 

Before diving into strategy, Wanda polled the webinar audience of nearly 160 nonprofit professionals. The results showed that while most participants had already created a LinkedIn profile, many were not using the platform regularly. 

Eighty-four percent of attendees said they had a LinkedIn profile, but only about half of those people were actively using it. Most participants also described their knowledge of digital advocacy as basic to intermediate. 

In other words, many nonprofit professionals already have access to a platform that could support their career growth, but they may not yet be using it with intention. 

Digital advocacy is not just self-promotion 

One of the biggest barriers to using LinkedIn is the feeling that posting about your work is the same as promoting yourself. For people in mission-driven roles, that can feel at odds with the values that brought them into the sector in the first place. 

Wanda reframed digital advocacy as something much more aligned with nonprofit work. It is not about broadcasting accomplishments for attention. It is about becoming visible as a thoughtful, values-driven professional. 

That might mean sharing a project your team brought to life, celebrating a community success, commenting on an issue affecting your sector, or amplifying the work of a colleague or partner organization. These small actions help create a public record of what you care about, how you contribute, and the kind of professional relationships you build. 

“Being seen and trusted as a thoughtful, mission-driven professional can actually open doors to roles you may not have been actively seeking,” Wanda said. “A solid digital presence can make that visibility possible without needing to leave your values behind.” 

Your digital footprint shapes how people understand your work 

Every post, comment, share, and profile update contributes to your digital footprint. For nonprofit professionals, that footprint can influence how hiring managers, funders, collaborators, and peers understand your experience before they ever speak with you directly. 

Wanda shared an example from her own career. She had earned a Google credential months earlier but had not posted about it publicly. When she finally shared it on LinkedIn, a potential client who was already connected with her saw the post and emailed within the hour to confirm a contract they had been discussing. 

“I had no intention of targeting him,” she explained. “But the post reminded him of why we were talking in the first place.” 

That is the quieter power of a consistent digital presence. It does not require going viral or posting constantly. It requires showing up with authenticity, relevance, and intention. 

Amplifying others can strengthen your own network 

One of Wanda’s most practical pieces of advice was simple: give first. 

For nonprofit professionals, generosity is already familiar. The same principle applies online. When you share a colleague’s work, comment thoughtfully on a sector issue, recommend a helpful resource, or highlight an organization doing meaningful work, you contribute to your network in a way that reflects your values. 

Over time, that kind of engagement helps build a reputation. You become known as someone who pays attention, makes connections, and supports the work of others. 

Wanda described connecting with someone she did not know personally on LinkedIn who, after reading her profile, invited her to become a business mentor for a newcomer program. That one connection later led to additional mentoring opportunities. She did not make a direct pitch. Her profile and activity had already communicated her experience, interests, and values. 

A simple blueprint to get started 

For those who are new to LinkedIn, or returning to a profile that has been inactive for a while, Wanda recommended starting small. The goal is not to do everything at once, but to build a habit that feels manageable and authentic. 

Start by identifying three guiding principles that reflect your mission, values, and professional interests. These can help shape what you post, share, and respond to. 

From there, aim for consistency over volume. Wanda suggested sharing one story per month and one post or article per week. That might include a reflection from your work, a sector trend you are paying attention to, a resource others may find useful, or a colleague’s accomplishment you want to celebrate. 

She also recommended paying attention to timing and format. Posting during weekday mornings, particularly Tuesday through Thursday, can help increase engagement. Including photos, especially images of real people and events, can also make posts more engaging and relatable. 

And if writing posts feels difficult, AI tools can help you get started. They can be useful for brainstorming wording, identifying possible hashtags, or adapting a longer idea into a shorter LinkedIn post. The key is to use those tools as an initial support while ensuring the final message still sounds like you. 

The bigger picture 

A consistent, values-based digital networking approach is an important part of making sure the right people are familiar with your experience before an opportunity even appears. 

For nonprofit professionals, LinkedIn doesn’t have to be about chasing likes or building a personal brand in a flashy way. At its best, it is a space to build relationships, exchange ideas, and help others understand your skills, strengths, and values over time. That kind of trust can lead to opportunities that may not have emerged through a traditional job search. 

You are likely already advocating every day — for your organization, your community, your clients, and your cause. Wanda’s message is a reminder that advocating for yourself can be part of that same mission. When you show up online with generosity, clarity, and consistency, you are not stepping away from your values. You are allowing them to be seen more clearly. 

And that visibility matters. Not because everyone needs to become a LinkedIn influencer, but because your experience, insight, and commitment can open doors,  especially when others have had a chance to understand the value you bring. 

This article is based on the CharityVillage webinar “Digital Advocacy for Career Progression in Nonprofits,” presented by Wanda Kusumajuda Pichette of GROW Career Development. 

Wanda Kusumajuda Pichette loves to see people advance and GROW in their careers! That’s why she founded GROW Career Development www.GrowCD.ca, a learning portal for career development education with free mini-courses and peer-reviewed professional development courses that can be used as continuing education credits. With over 10 years of experience as a Career Strategist in government-funded employment programs, she has obtained the Certified Career Development Practitioner CCDP designation in BC, speaks at provincial and national conferences in Canada yearly and was honored with the Outstanding Career Leader award by the Career Professionals of Canada in 2019. Read on about Wanda at GrowCD.ca to view current course offerings and subscribe to be notified when new topics become available. 

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