If you find yourself to be one of the 71% of American workers who are on the job market, don’t dismiss the non-profit sector as a great place to start or continue your career. While the corporate world may offer a higher salary, the non profit sector offers new experiences and a job to feel passionate about.
Here are 5 quick facts about jobs at non profit organizations:
- There are a lot of them: There are more than 1.5 million non profit organizations and they account for 9.2% of salaries in the U.S. Combined with the fact that more baby-boomers are retiring each day, this leaves plenty of open spots for fresh blood to fill. This is especially true for organizations that rely on maintaining an online presence (which is most of them). The younger generation is becoming increasingly tech-savvy, making for great additions to any organization.
- You don’t have to live in a poorhouse: When people hear “non-profit,” many will associate it with “less money.” While this may be true for some, the pay-gap between non profit jobs and for profit jobs is steadily decreasing with time. There are plenty of non profit organizations paying their employees at the same rate as large corporations.
- What they lack in funds, they make up for in character: People working in the non profit sector aren’t doing so to get rich. They are doing it because they genuinely care about the work they and the organization do. Non profits are a great place to network while tapping into your passion.
- You can build your resume while broadening your skill set: Nonprofit recruiters and for profit recruiters alike love to see non profit work experience. With less resources, organizations are expected to get creative with how they get certain tasks done. This can sometimes mean asking employees to do something outside of their regular job description. It will broaden your experiences and skill set.
- Less backstabbing, more personal attention: In the corporate world, it’s almost unheard of for the employees low on the totem pole to speak to or even meet the top dogs. Jobs at non profit organizations usually include more personal relationships with employees at every level.