How to Build of a Career in Non-Profit Organizations

If you considering a non-profit organization for work, so you can help improve the well-being of the society, whether, through charitable, educational, or other means, there are important things to be aware of, and misconceptions to avoid. You are probably wondering if you’ll get paid, and what kinds of jobs are available.

We will share in this blog post important information you should have on how to work for a nonprofit organization.

People often view nonprofits as small organizations that only use volunteers to carry out their operations, but this is not correct most of the time. A nonprofit may depend on donations alone, or combine volunteer efforts with those from paid professionals depending on its size. A nonprofit can be a small organization with operations and programs involving small spendings or a big one with budgets, like the typical small businesses with payroll and permanent staff.

The operating capital for nonprofits are usually from crowdfunding, and subsequent fundings come from a number of sources like grants from the federal government, corporate sponsorship and revenue generation from the organization's activities. So big nonprofit organizations usually have enough money to pay staff befitting wages.

Jobs Available in a Nonprofit organization

Nonprofit is a fast-rising niche that provides so many career opportunities. There are volunteer related jobs and others similar to the jobs available in small businesses. Examples of opportunities to offer an unpaid volunteer effort:

• Volunteer as an Online Ambassador.
• Volunteer as a Translator.
• Lend your eyes to solve tasks for blind and low vision people.
• Assist research works.
• Offer emotional support online and offline.
• Proofread ebooks.
• Assist in collaborative problem-solving.
• Record audiobooks.
• Transcribe historical documents.
• Share your voice and help drive innovation in voice technology
• Offer motivational speech to Children
• Develop videos and applications.
• Offer vocational training.

Examples of opportunities that are paid for in Nonprofits are as follows:

• Management
• Director, Member Board of Director, Chief Operating Officer
• Programs and Service Coordination
• Program Coordinator, Program Associate, Director of Special Ideas
• Administration, Human Resources and Finance
• Accountant, Administrative Aid, Head of Recruitment, Resources Manager, Information Technology Manager
• Development and Fundraising
• Grant Writer, Director of Major Gifts, Donor Relations Manager, Gift Coordinator
• Communications and Outreach Coordination
• Publicist, Community Outreach expert, Marketing team, Public Relations Manager, Social Media Coordinator, Graphic Artist, Customer care.

5 Actionable Tips to Get Hired by a Nonprofit Organization

Identify a cause that you are passionate about

If you’re passionate about a cause, you would easily commit more effort to research and feel accomplished to learn about it. Identify the cause that you can work for without pay. Whatever you are passionate about, whether it’s Nurturing the motherless, Raising Cancer awareness, HIV awareness or others.
During job interviews related to it, you would feel relaxed and confident. The human resource department will prefer to employ someone who understands and feel passionate about their cause.

Penetrate the Organization with information interviews

Nonprofits are open to grant requests for information interviews to people that want to known about their cause. While you’re making the interview, you can learn about job opportunities available. Make appropriate preparations for the meeting to improve your chance.

Apply for an Internship

Internship opportunities can help to gain access into nonprofit organizations, which can result in landing the real job in future. Large nonprofit organizations often put internship opportunities on websites and also advertise through various media. You may be able to find them listed on the many nonprofit job search sites.

Network

You probably have heard about the saying, “Your network is your net worth”. Nonprofit organizations want to achieve their goals by spreading the cause and its benefits to as many people as possible. Therefore, they are always willing to help people within the nonprofit community.
Some helpful tips to start off your networking:

• Start from your current contact list. Check for those who can assist.
• Start to attend local networking events
• Use both online and offline means for networking
• Proceed to requesting one-on-one meetings with contact list.

Be Professional

Nonprofit organizations usually require each workers to do multiple works. This is majorly to save cost of operation. However, the expectations do not fall short of what is obtainable in the for-profit organizations.

Depending on the size of the nonprofit, workers in the non-profit organization are required to offer a similar, if not better level of professional services compared to for-profits. To achieve the desired standard services, the Hiring manager of the organization would ensure that the jobs are given to competent people only from the outset.

You want to make sure every interaction you make with each worker show that you are useful and reliable to the cause. You will have easier run-in by presenting a clear, organized application, supported with necessary documents showing your outstanding skills set, and a presentation stating why you want to work for the nonprofit organization.

Useful Websites for Nonprofit Job Seekers

• Idealist: Idealist would be great for you if you consider switching your job from a for-profit to a nonprofit sector.
• Foundation Center PND: Own a databases on how Grant is given and taken worldwide. You can use data obtained from The Foundation Center Philanthropy News Digest to appear more professional and versatile when applying for nonprofit jobs.
• Commongood Careers: Top entrepreneurial conventional nonprofits organizations that help solve the toughest issues in the most innovative ways.
• Bridgespan Group: A consulting firm to nonprofits that also list jobs.
• Devex job board: One of the best platforms to explore development positions around the world.
• Young Nonprofit Professionals Network (YNPN): A networking organization supported by several high profile foundations, like Annie E. Casey Foundation, for theyoung generation of nonprofit leaders.

Conclusion

Everyday, more people are becoming aware of the potential benefits of the fast growing nonprofit sector. Reading and understanding the informations in this blog post will certainly give you a major advantage in your pursuit of a career in the sector.