Congratulations on getting an interview! This is a great chance to get to know a nonprofit, understand the project roadmap in greater detail, and ask questions. So how do you get started with scheduling? Read on to find out!

Already scheduled your interview and want some tips on what to ask during the interview? Skip ahead to Conducting Interviews!

Catchafire's scheduling system makes it easy to coordinate a time to speak with a nonprofit Organization. Once you've matched on a project, the Organization will propose at least 5 different dates and times for an interview, so all you need to do is check your calendar and see if any of them work for you! If so, feel free to select your choice on your Catchafire dashboard.

Don't forget to take note of the time zone a call is scheduled in! If you need to change your time zone at this point simply select "Send alternatives" and select to edit your time zone at the top of the page before sending new relevant times to speak. After you select your time to speak, you will be prompted to confirm your phone number.

Enter a U.S. phone number for the call. If you are located outside of the United States, please check "I'm not in the U.S," and we'll provide you with a suggested list of free online conference call systems that you can use to help schedule your interview.

Tip: Interviews can be scheduled over the next 14 days. If you are not available until after this timeframe, return to the scheduling page when you're ready to select times.

In the event that an Organization's proposed dates and times don't work for you, no worries! Just select "Send alternatives" on your dashboard. You'll then be prompted to choose a handful of times to speak. If you need to edit your time zone, you can do so at the top of the page!

After selecting "Submit" or "Send Availability", your selected time slots will be sent to the Organization, and you'll receive a confirmation with call-in information via email, as well as a message pop up on your dashboard. You can also easily set a reminder for yourself by selecting "Add to Calendar" from your dashboard.

On the day of the interview, our system will automatically call you at the agreed-upon time.

In case you miss or disconnect from the call, no worries! You'll be able to call right back in using the dial-in and PIN provided to you in your confirmation email or in the project details section on your Catchafire dashboard:

💡Tip: If you have to reschedule your call, you can do so directly through your dashboard by selecting the the "Reschedule interview" option from the Interview Actions dropdown menu. Don't forget to update the time on your personal calendar, as well!

Start your call by introducing yourself, your professional background, and why you're interested in assisting this Organization. Be sure to mention:

Take some time to get to know the people you’ll be working with, and the type of assistance the Organization is looking for, to ensure you're interested in working with them and are a good fit for their needs.

💡Tip: If you don't understand something about the project, Organization or personal profile, just ask!

Make sure you allot plenty of time to answer their questions and ask your own so they can understand your background fully and make an informed decision on whether they'd like to work together.

💡Tip: You'll also want to make sure that you and the Organization are aligned on logistics and timeline for the project. For example, if they need the project done within a certain timeframe, you should let them know whether you have the availability to do so.

Give the Organization a sense of your timeline in making a decision (and let them know if you're interviewing for other projects, too) to keep them in the loop.

If you’re ready to make a decision about a project, go back to your Catchafire dashboard. You can either:

Not ready to make a decision yet? That's okay! If you are interviewing for multiple projects, we still suggest taking no more than 1 week to respond after an interview.

Remember: The Organization has to choose to work with you, too! If both parties think it's a fit and select "Start Project," then it's a match! You'll be notified and receive next steps via email.