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Charis
Student
Fremont, California
1
Question
Asked
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What are the options for someone looking to work in the non-profit sector?
I am an undergrad student and probably want to work in the non-profit sector eventually. Besides grad school and fellowships, what else can I be looking into? #nonprofit
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8 answers
Doc Frick
Career Coach and Mentor
1590
Answers
California, CA
Updated
Doc’s Answer
Most nonprofit enterprises are organized similarly to regular for-profit companies. For example, both kinds of organizations will typically have management positions like executive directors, as well as jobs in accounting/bookkeeping, human resources, and media/technology.
A nonprofit organization is one that uses its surplus revenue to achieve its goals further. It typically serves the general public through its mission, which might be working to improve education, promote women’s rights or the arts, or provide specialized healthcare. Because nonprofit work can be found in various broadly defined fields, there are many nonprofit job titles. For example, the outreach coordinator in a nonprofit promotes the mission of the organization among the local community. They might organize events, recruit volunteers, or arrange other projects to get the community excited about and invested in the enterprise. Jobs in development might attend to fundraising planning, securing financial support, creating special events for donors, and running other projects to ensure the organization meets its annual goals. A grant writer works with the development director, completing applications for funding (typically applications to foundations, the government, or a trust) to make sure the nonprofit achieves its annual financial goals. In a standard corporate job chart, all these positions would fall under the marketing/public relations category.
MARKETING – People with marketing and fundraising skills are sought after in the nonprofit sector to keep the organization and its goals sustainable and viewed positively in the public eye. Grant writers with excellent writing skills and the ability to seek out funding are always in high demand as well.
HUMAN RESOURCES – In a non-profit, people with human resources skills can put their experience to use in a variety of ways from being the point person on building skilled teams to tackle a community project to recruiting and organizing volunteers to assist with daily tasks.
MANAGEMENT – In the nonprofit sector takes many different forms, from overseeing entire national or regional efforts to guiding the direction of one crucial element of the organization’s goals. Nonprofits often draw from the corporate world for the most senior executive positions, as well as from candidates who have risen through the nonprofit route.
HEATH AND HUMAN SERVICES – Many nonprofits are concerned with the physical and mental welfare of their clients and need employees with a variety of skills in specialized areas like abuse, addiction, and life counseling for adults and youth.
A nonprofit organization is one that uses its surplus revenue to achieve its goals further. It typically serves the general public through its mission, which might be working to improve education, promote women’s rights or the arts, or provide specialized healthcare. Because nonprofit work can be found in various broadly defined fields, there are many nonprofit job titles. For example, the outreach coordinator in a nonprofit promotes the mission of the organization among the local community. They might organize events, recruit volunteers, or arrange other projects to get the community excited about and invested in the enterprise. Jobs in development might attend to fundraising planning, securing financial support, creating special events for donors, and running other projects to ensure the organization meets its annual goals. A grant writer works with the development director, completing applications for funding (typically applications to foundations, the government, or a trust) to make sure the nonprofit achieves its annual financial goals. In a standard corporate job chart, all these positions would fall under the marketing/public relations category.
MARKETING – People with marketing and fundraising skills are sought after in the nonprofit sector to keep the organization and its goals sustainable and viewed positively in the public eye. Grant writers with excellent writing skills and the ability to seek out funding are always in high demand as well.
HUMAN RESOURCES – In a non-profit, people with human resources skills can put their experience to use in a variety of ways from being the point person on building skilled teams to tackle a community project to recruiting and organizing volunteers to assist with daily tasks.
MANAGEMENT – In the nonprofit sector takes many different forms, from overseeing entire national or regional efforts to guiding the direction of one crucial element of the organization’s goals. Nonprofits often draw from the corporate world for the most senior executive positions, as well as from candidates who have risen through the nonprofit route.
HEATH AND HUMAN SERVICES – Many nonprofits are concerned with the physical and mental welfare of their clients and need employees with a variety of skills in specialized areas like abuse, addiction, and life counseling for adults and youth.
Thank You Avanti. “Remember that the happiest people are not those getting more, but those giving more.” ― H. Jackson Brown Jr.
Doc Frick
You are Welcome Charis, it was my Pleasure. Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision, the ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives.
Doc Frick
Mohamed Hidayathulla
43
Answers
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Updated
Mohamed’s Answer
A nonprofit organization is, essentially, a company without ownership.
Businesses and companies have shareholders, and the goal of the business is to generate profits through whatever product or service they provide.
Nonprofits, on the other hand, operate based on a goal. i.e. prevent and alleviate human suffering, promote healthy development for the youth, and so on, depending on the organization.
All revenue generated by the organization is used to reach this goal.
As such, the company never actually makes a profit.
Most nonprofits organize volunteering programs. So, if you’re wondering how to get your foot in the door - you can start by volunteering and THEN apply for a job.
So, ready to dive into the deep world of nonprofit jobs?
Here’s what you can expect:
5+ Most Common Nonprofit Jobs
Because nonprofits work just like normal companies, they tend to hire all sorts of roles.
All the usual job ads you’re used to seeing in a standard organization? All of them apply to nonprofits as well.
There are, however, some jobs that are exclusive to the nonprofit sector.
This includes roles dedicated to nonprofit activities like raising funds, outreach, volunteering, and more.
Some of the most common nonprofit jobs include:
Executive Director
The responsibilities of a nonprofit executive director are similar to that of a for-profit one.
An executive director sits on top of a nonprofit organization and is responsible for providing leadership, and reporting to the board of directors and its committees.
They oversee the heads of each department in a nonprofit and make sure everything is going on track.
The smaller a nonprofit, the more involved an executive director might be.
So, a lot is going to depend on the specific organization and how they do things.
Average salary: $65,732
Major Gifts Officer
The major gifts officer handles the strategy behind who a nonprofit accepts donations from.
Major gifts, in this case, are the largest “gifts” an NGO can receive.
For larger organizations, gits over 00,000 are considered major.
While for others, $2,000 can be a major contribution.
So, the role is partly tied to the size of the organization.
For larger nonprofits, the major gifts officer is likely to be part of a team of officers.
Whereas for smaller organizations, an existing staff member might be more directly involved in the gifts process
Average salary: $68,662
Grant Writer
Most nonprofits collect their grants from proposals sent to foundations or governments.
And who writes those proposals?
That’s right!
The grant writer.
The writer’s primary tasks include securing funds for organizations by writing grant proposals, and/or other supporting material.
These writers may be working on several projects at the same time on a tight deadline.
So, to develop great proposals, grant writers need to be familiar with the organization’s programs, goals, and any financial needs.
While writing and researching skills are essential here, they will also be working closely with campaign managers or even the executive board.
Though challenging, the role can also be professionally and personally rewarding.
Average salary: $49,118
Outreach Coordinator
An outreach coordinator typically works with a nonprofit, medical or an educational organization and is directly involved with public relations or fundraising work.
They’re primarily responsible for establishing connections with people or institutions in the broader community.
This can include creating sponsorship agreements and developing relationships with businesses, or other relevant organizations.
From setting budgets to managing volunteer committees and finding sponsors, you’d be relying on a lot of interpersonal and leadership skills to help the organization grow.
You would also be speaking on behalf of the NGO and be the voice of the organization by advocating for your projects in public campaigns.
Average salary: $41,320
Volunteer Manager
The main role of a volunteer manager is to efficiently coordinate all the volunteers working at the nonprofit.
This can include everything from the screening process and interviews to managing volunteer paperwork and identifying where to put their skills to use.
Most volunteer managers will end up wearing many hats, depending on what’s needed for the project at hand.
But for the most part, they will be responsible for maintaining and managing a team of volunteers working under them.
They will be helping the volunteers grow by recording their progress, challenges, and results as the organization grows.
Average salary: $38,973
For the most part, when working at a nonprofit, you should expect the salary to be lower than in a corporate setting.
But on the bright side - you get to work for a worthy goal!
And for some, that’s more rewarding than a high salary.
source link: https://novoresume.com/career-blog/nonprofit-jobs
Diana Colella
VP strategy and marketing
6
Answers
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Updated
Diana’s Answer
I would say, you need to volunteer to the causes your passionate about, network and meet as many people as you can and if possible intern there while you are at school. After several roles like this you will know if it is right for you.
Jessica Carter
Marketing Manager
2
Answers
Portland, Oregon
Updated
Jessica’s Answer
I would evaluate what you would want to do for a non-profit. Most non-profits function like for-profit businesses. They have a marketing department, finance department, HR, etc. Determine what area interests you the most and focus your degree path to match. If you ever decide to leave the non-profit world, you will have options. Take some time to volunteer with an organization as well, it will help give you better insights to the non-profit world. Good luck!
Jessica
Jessica
Ning W
Talent Acquisition
8
Answers
Singapore
Updated
Ning’s Answer
In addition to what has been shared, perhaps you can also look at volunteering your time with non-profit organization of your choice or something that is close to heart. This way you will be able to network with individuals from the industry, open doors and also gain a better insight to the non-profit community; which may assist in your decision in the near future.
Hope this helps!
Hope this helps!
Sharon Yeager
Fundraising
5
Answers
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Updated
Sharon’s Answer
I agree with all those who have answered before me - the key with a nonprofit is to work for one that is doing something YOU value. You could take any of the office-type jobs mentioned above, and you would NOT need graduate school. That said, you should think about the field or issue that is your interest. For example, if you want to work for a nonprofit that is helping people switch to solar energy, you could use grad school to become an expert in creative financing, or electrical engineering. If your interest is social issues, you could look at cultural anthropology, social work, or psychology/counseling. In other words, there are two teams in each nonprofit: One team raises the money and runs the business, the other team is "in the field" doing the mission-oriented work. You need to get your education and experience to suit where you want to be.
Decide what issue(s) spark your passion
Read up on what organizations are working on your issues and look at their Careers
If you still can't decide, pick a universal skill like accounting or fundraising
Sharon recommends the following next steps:
Laura E. Lin
Transfer Pricing Associate at PwC
8
Answers
Quincy, Massachusetts
Updated
Laura E.’s Answer
Hi Charis,
Although my career led me in a different direction after graduation, I had several internships in college for different nonprofit organizations and would recommend that as an initial step. I agree with the above advice that finding organizations with causes you are passionate about can make all the difference in finding your field of choice; those experiences may also show a more general area of work (suited for nonprofit and for-profit alike) that does not need grad school. In all my internships, I took the opportunity to speak to employees in other areas I was interested in to learn how their work differed from mine and what steps they took to get there; in some cases this involved additional education, in others it was simply life experience.
In addition to looking at specific organization websites to see job postings, Idealist.org is a great resource for finding nonprofit job opportunities, as you can filter based on location and compensation. I also used this site to see more generally what opportunities would be available after the internship phase. I would keep in mind the size of the organization; as with a for-profit organization, smaller organizations may give you greater opportunities to gain skills outside your original focus, while a larger organization may have you hone in on a specific project or service area.
Good luck!
Although my career led me in a different direction after graduation, I had several internships in college for different nonprofit organizations and would recommend that as an initial step. I agree with the above advice that finding organizations with causes you are passionate about can make all the difference in finding your field of choice; those experiences may also show a more general area of work (suited for nonprofit and for-profit alike) that does not need grad school. In all my internships, I took the opportunity to speak to employees in other areas I was interested in to learn how their work differed from mine and what steps they took to get there; in some cases this involved additional education, in others it was simply life experience.
In addition to looking at specific organization websites to see job postings, Idealist.org is a great resource for finding nonprofit job opportunities, as you can filter based on location and compensation. I also used this site to see more generally what opportunities would be available after the internship phase. I would keep in mind the size of the organization; as with a for-profit organization, smaller organizations may give you greater opportunities to gain skills outside your original focus, while a larger organization may have you hone in on a specific project or service area.
Good luck!
Holly McCaskill
Program Manager
2
Answers
Hernando, Mississippi
Updated
Holly’s Answer
Hi Charis,
A good place to start is to find a nonprofit whose mission you support. Nonprofits, just like for profit businesses, can vary greatly in size, from very large organizations, to the very small. A coordinator position may be a good starting point. It will give you a chance to learn the basics of the nonprofit organization you work at, and you will gain many transferable skills along the way. Many nonprofits will have various programs and initiatives in house that will allow you opportunities work in different areas of interest. From there, you can learn other aspects of the industry like grant writing, marketing, and fundraising. Best of luck to you!
A good place to start is to find a nonprofit whose mission you support. Nonprofits, just like for profit businesses, can vary greatly in size, from very large organizations, to the very small. A coordinator position may be a good starting point. It will give you a chance to learn the basics of the nonprofit organization you work at, and you will gain many transferable skills along the way. Many nonprofits will have various programs and initiatives in house that will allow you opportunities work in different areas of interest. From there, you can learn other aspects of the industry like grant writing, marketing, and fundraising. Best of luck to you!