By Amy Potthast, Director, Service and Graduate Programs, Idealist

As a non-techie, I think I can safely say that a hiring nonprofit's current staff may have so little technical knowledge, they don't even know what skills are needed to do a job they want done. This lack of clarity on the employer's part can translate into some confusion and challenges on your part when you apply for a nonprofit job. I chatted with my colleagues on Idealist's web team for pointers to pass along.

The following are some things you can do when you're interviewing for a nonprofit tech job. (For general career and job search tips, check out Idealist's Career Center.)

1. Clarify the job. It's always a good idea to ask basic questions about a job early in the hiring process. But, especially in IT, the posted job description may accidentally misrepresent the help needed.
2. Expect some curveball questions. Especially if this is the only or the first IT job at the organization, the hiring team may think generically about your work. They might want to hire a "techie", and expect you not only to handle social media, but also develop an events registration site – and fix the copy machine when there's a paper jam. Your challenge as the job candidate is to answer questions and present solutions that help the hiring team trust you, even if they don't understand exactly what you're talking about. And if you're not up for becoming the go-to person for office equipment malfunctions, clarify your boundaries (after you've been hired) – or simply admit ignorance.
3. Look for their pain points. What (if anything) is the employer currently dissatisfied with, and how are they hoping the new hire will help? From the job description and the interview, determine the skill sets that the organization currently needs, and make a case for those you possess. Point to past work that illustrates your capabilities.
4. Avoid jargon. When you walk into a nonprofit interview, you may be chatting with people from all professional backgrounds. It's a great time to show you can communicate technical information in language that all can understand. Break concepts down into smaller chunks, explain acronyms, and define special terms. Assume your audience is smart, but not necessarily familiar with the topics.
5. Show a commitment to the organization's mission. Nonprofits care about their work. Show that you do, too. Be able to converse about the social or environmental issues at play (even if you're not an expert). If you're completely unfamiliar, spend time before the interview on the organization's website; find a thorough magazine article that introduces you to the issues; and, if possible, spend an afternoon (or more) volunteering with a related organization.
6. Avoid expressing your dissatisfaction with your current or last employer. If you're leaving a soul-crushing corporate job for the nonprofit sector and hope to have more of an impact in the world, feel free to say so in the interview. But otherwise, try to stay upbeat in your answers. And, my colleagues say, be prepared for the slower pace of nonprofit work including more complex decision-making processes.
7. Share your offline interests. As with all nonprofit jobs, the hiring team will not just be judging your skills, but also your ability to fit in. You'll be interacting with people and need to communicate – about tech needs, but also about the World Cup, baby showers, and other day-to-day things people talk about. In the interview, engage in friendly small-talk by complimenting the smiling kids framed in a photo on the desk, or asking about what influences staff culture. (In our office, we're all foodies; a candidate who tells us about a new food cart in the neighborhood definitely gets our attention.)

Nonprofits in a hiring process are at a disadvantage, operating with one hand tied behind their back until the new employee is selected, hired, oriented, and trained. Jobs open up in the nonprofit sector because current staff don't have the capacity (skill, time, etc.) to do the work themselves. And yet the hiring process in itself can be a time suck.

You, as a job seeker, should know this and take full advantage – especially when your tech skills are in demand.

You can learn more about nonprofit culture, hiring practices, and more in our free Idealist Guides to Nonprofit Careers.

Amy Potthast directs Service and Graduate Education Programs at Idealist, and is author of Service Corps to Social Impact Career. Read more of Amy's columns on the Idealist blog.