When she graduates from college in December, Whitney Plumendahl most likely will limit her job search to employment opportunities in the nonprofit sector. “It’s not that I’m not open to other options, but I’m not a huge fan of corporate culture,” said the 21-year-old applied sociology major at St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minn. “For me, it’s not about making money. It’s about making a difference.”
Plumendahl isn’t alone in her desire to do good, but the likelihood of lower pay will prevent many of her job-seeking peers from considering careers in the nonprofit sector. Working at a nonprofit, however, can be surprisingly rewarding, and not just because it allows you to make a difference while making a living.
Here are 10 reasons to strike out on a nonprofit career path:
1. Nonprofit agencies need new blood
The nonprofit sector is emerging as an “economic powerhouse,” said Deborah Cuny, director of Especially for Nonprofit Organizations, an educational program at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Va. “A study is being released this summer by the Community Foundation showing how if the nonprofit sector were to shut down, the entire economy would collapse.” Moreover, as baby boomers retire, nonprofits will be clamoring for replacements. A 2004 survey of about 2,200 agencies conducted by the Annie E. Casey Foundation found that roughly 65 percent anticipated a change in top leadership by 2009. More than half of the agencies’ executive directors were 50 or older at the time of the survey.
2. You won’t have to take a vow of poverty
While it’s true that a nonprofit position pays less on average than a similar job in the corporate world, the salary gap is narrowing as the nonprofit sector recognizes the need to attract and retain talent. In fact, it’s not unheard of for large-nonprofit executives to earn six-figure salaries.
3. Perks make up for the lower paycheck
You won’t get riches, stock options or hefty year-end bonuses, but nonprofits compensate by offering flex time, more vacation days, a relaxed dress code and other non-monetary benefits.
4. Nonprofit work super-sizes your skill set
“Unlike industries where you may be hired to serve one function, in a nonprofit environment, you may be given a specific job title but actually be responsible for many different functions,” said Jennifer Cunningham, nonprofit career counselor at California State Fullerton’s Career Center. Because nonprofits make do with fewer resources and leaner staffs, you’ll be expected to chip in outside your department.
“You might be hired as a program coordinator but on any given day, you could by doing any number of things -— fund raising on one day, planning an event the next day, delivering food to the homeless the next day and developing the organization’s Web site the next,” she said.
5. Nonprofit experience is a resume builder and network expander
Exposure to overlapping areas in an organization enables news grads to develop a range of transferable skills in a relatively short amount of time. Nonprofits also put young professionals in touch with influential executives who work on their boards, as well as donors and sponsors, government officials and social activists.
6. Nonprofits can afford to be picky
“Although nonprofits rely heavily on volunteers in many areas, that does not mean that amateurs can easily get jobs in the sector,” said Associate Professor Nancy T. Kinney, academic director of the Nonprofit Management and Leadership Program at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
“A job hunter will need to demonstrate that he or she possesses the right qualifications for the job.” Nonprofits are especially on the lookout for recent graduates with superb technology, writing and organizing skills.
7. They can protect work-life balance
“There tends to be a more humanistic, people-oriented approach to personnel management,” Cunningham said.
So if you’re juggling three kids’ schedules as well as your own or pursuing personal goals like triathlon training, a nonprofit might approve scheduling changes or make other accommodations to help you succeed.
8. The back-stabbing isn’t as brutal
Employees trying to gain an edge over co-workers may resort to dirty politics, but generally, you’ll encounter fewer megalomaniacs and Machiavellian opportunists in the nonprofit sector versus the corporate world. Co-workers who share a commitment to the same cause tend to be compatible, which creates a sense of camaraderie and buoys morale.
9. You can cross over into the corporate world, and vice versa
The array of skills you’ll gain are transferable to the for-profit sector, which periodically seeks to improve its image by hiring more compassionate decision makers. On the flip side, corporate professionals who make the move to nonprofits bring common-sense business strategies to the table.
10. There are more women in the ranks
“The nonprofit sector employs more women than men, so this may be a field where women have an advantage and can really shine,” Kinney said. “However, research shows that women may face the same barriers to attaining executive positions as women in other sectors.”
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