Intel Encore Career Fellows work for their host social impact organization. Although Intel funds the fellowship, the host organization pays the Fellow directly.

Find more information about Encore Fellowships here.

Although the typical Intel work environment is very different from most nonprofits, the knowledge, skills and abilities you have developed in your career will include many that transfer well to a new sector. General skills like teamwork, problem-solving, oral and written communications and project management are common and valued in almost all work environments. Of course, many functions exist in both environments, including accounting and finance, human resources and IT. In addition, specific expertise in areas such as technology, purposeful use of data, process improvement, quality management, marketing and communications are highly valued in many social-purpose organizations.

You may also have relevant skills and experience from outside of your work at Intel that you should leverage. For example, you may want to highlight involvement in your children’s schools, in your church or other community organizations, or any volunteer work coordinated on your own or through Intel Community Affairs.

Be prepared to describe your experience from the perspective of a nonprofit. Nonprofit managers are likely to be as interested in your general life experience, communications and work style and personal passions as in your Intel job experience. Pay attention to organizational culture and interpersonal relationships and communication, both of which may be of particular interest to many nonprofits, and may be of greater relevance than specific job titles or skills.

Also provide insight into your motivations — explaining why you’re eager to work on specific social issues. Be sure to show a high degree of respect for the work — and the complexity — of nonprofit work. Express your business savvy as an asset, and promote your willingness to adapt to a nonprofit’s needs. Approach your fellowship assignment from a “learning stance.”

In completing your application and resume, you may want to “translate” your Intel corporate experience – which often contains highly technical jargon and acronyms familiar to you – in ways that are most valuable and understandable to a nonprofit and other social-purpose organization.

We recommend that you “tailor” a version of your resume to emphasize generic skills and abilities that will be more relevant to a general audience. Avoid technical in-house jargon. The following examples illustrate this approach.

Area of experience or expertise: problem solving and management

• Say this: Significant experience with sophisticated software products, complex problem-solving and management of highly collaborative project teams.
• Not this: Expert level experience with RTL simulation and validation with the development of leading-edge simulation engine systems.

Area of experience or expertise: process improvement, quality control and analysis

• Say this: Significant training and practical experience with structured process improvement methods. Expert in data analysis and critical thinking skills, especially applied to quality process management.
• Not this: Discovered the root cause of a particle issue plaguing a Solvent Strip Tool, which was programmed for a 60-slot Opti-sensor wheel but was mistakenly fitted with a 30-slot wheel, resulting in the tool operating at twice its normal speed since a retrofit two years earlier.

Area of experience or expertise: Technical skills – software, data analysis, training

• Say this: Extensive work with complex software systems, process data analysis and development of training modules. Excellent communications ability, including technical writing skills.
• Not this: Thoroughly familiar with MES300 software, OHV delivery, and tool operation. Developed and implemented training procedures for technicians and engineers assigned to the EPI module. Writes specifications to include RFCs..

Area of experience or expertise: Training, teamwork, troubleshooting and safety

• Say this: Responsible for the safe operation and maintenance of clean room equipment, including training others. Extensive team-based work experience, including remote and virtual teams.
• Not this: Level-3 Metal Etch Equipment Technician responsible for the periodic maintenance and troubleshooting of Hitachi 308 metal etchers.

Area of experience or expertise: Financial analysis and management, collaboration and communications

• Say this: Ensure accurate cost-accounting for large production facility. Provide managers with clear and useful reports of costs and inventories. Requires skills in accounting, data analysis, written communications and cross-team collaboration.
• Not this: Calculate, book and analyze monthly wafer yield variances for 200mm fab, including adjusting for volume-related overhead application anomalies. Produce 8WD Fab CVI report.