What is the best way to prepare myself if I want to pursue a career in non-profit management?

Hello! I have been working in nonprofit management for 5 years after I obtained an undergraduate degree in political science and a masters degree in public affairs. I would definitely recommend obtaining some post-secondary education, either an associates degree or a four year degree. A nonprofit agency may hire someone without any post-secondary education, but there is only so far your career can go without formal education. Essentially, nonprofit management is business management, but with a focus on the "nonprofit" aspects of business. You will learn the legal and financial parts of the nonprofit field, and how to create and assess programs that would benefit the community, people, environment, etc. Every year I hire temporary staff for administrative positions, and even in those positions we strongly prefer individuals with a four year or associates degree. Also, unless you are very software savvy about using Microsoft or similar programs (ex: can you make a pivot table in Excel and explain the data?) then those types of very specific skills are also things you pick up in the safe-space you have in getting your education, instead of trying to do something your are not prepared for and losing your job. I don't think a four year degree is necessary right away, but it is something you could work toward after you have your associates. The same is true for a masters degree--there are some positions that require it, but not to get started.

Hi there! I worked in non-profit for 3 years after college, so I'd love to share my story! I originally went to school for pre-dentistry, but quickly realized that was not the direction I really wanted to go. At the same time as taking Organic Chemistry and Human A&P, I was also taking a Global Health class as an elective. This class was fascinating and was showing me a more collaborative perspective on health and community. At that moment, I switched to a public health degree - Community Health Education. This was a fascinating major which taught me about project management, health promotion, and other interesting topics. I also decided to minor in Aging Services, which helped me learn about a part of my community that I wanted to help - our elders. Then, during my junior year, I started an internship at a local non-profit that served seniors and that internship led me to a full-time paid position as the Volunteer & Outreach Manager. None of my classes directly taught me what I needed to learn about a non-profit job, but my experiences outside of the classroom really helped and prepared me well.