Administrative Assistant/Coordinator Office Manager
Campaign Organizer Planning Analyst
Canvass Director Policy Analyst
Case Manager Press Assistant
Communication Organizer/Administrator Program Director
Community Organizer/ Project Director
Direct Mail/Marketing Manager Research Assistant
Editor Associate Residential Counselor
Field Director Vocational Instructor
Following the entry level, one may assume positions of increasing responsibility in functional areas, program or service delivery, and/or general management. Primary job functions can include working with a Board of Directors, public and community groups, fundraising, media, clients and other nonprofit organizations. Career advancement depends on the size and mission of each nonprofit, as well as your dedication to the organization. There are unlimited opportunities to jump from the nonprofit sector to the private and public/government sectors because of continuous interaction with institutions in these areas. Probable career outcomes are Senior Executive Director, Program Manager, Government Affairs, or equivalent positions in the private and public sectors.
Earnings in the nonprofit sector range from none for volunteer service to the six-figure incomes of top executives of some national organizations. To be sure, a small number of employees in nonprofit earn that much, but numerous nonprofit organizations offer competitive entry-level salaries, not to point out the intangible rewards that go along with work in this sector.
Typically, individuals seeking a career in the nonprofit sector know that this is not the type of career that provides a millionaire's salary. According to Wilson and Pimm (1996), the first and most crucial step is to understand the motivations of those who are prepared to devote their skills and time to the purpose of the organization. However, it is a misconception that people in the nonprofit sector cannot make ends meet. A number of statistics in fact point out that in certain sub-sectors of the economy; nonprofit workers are paid better than their for-profit counterparts. The health care field is a good example of this.
WHAT OPPORTUNITIES IN NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS?
Nonprofit organizations can be viewed as organizations that attempt to deliver a wide range of services to society. Typically, the Executive Director reports to a volunteer Board of Directors comprised of citizens within the community. The Executive Director serves in the same role as a Chief Executive Officer within the for-profit sector. In accumulation to executive administration, employment is available in fundraising and development program development, public relations, membership development, publications, marketing, and numerous other areas, depending on the individual nonprofit organization. There are career opportunities for financial specialists, accountants, human resource managers, counselors, program specialists, doctors, lawyers, nurses, and many more. Nonprofit organizations are not just looking for volunteers, but somewhat for individuals who think in the organization and can help it achieve its goals and purposes.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF WORKING IN THE NONPROFIT SECTOR?
Working in the nonprofit sector provides you with more than just a job. Nonprofit opportunities are vast and can encompass most types of skills. Freedom of action and a caring workplace are all characteristic of the nonprofit environment. Although lower pay often comes with a move to the nonprofit sector, the advantages of a less competitive, more people-oriented atmosphere can outweigh this cut in pay.
Many professionals also mention their work environment as noncompetitive, non-threatening, and less pressured as advantages of working in the nonprofit sector. Because they share a common cause, these professionals have a keen sense of closeness, cooperation, and unity with co-workers. According to a volunteering unit in the UK (Anonymous, 1995), the reason people apply for volunteer work are: being active participants; out of a sense of shared responsibility; because they want to help others; in order to seek change; and to give something back to the community.
Many nonprofit organizations have a positive impact on the health and welfare of people. They do "good works" that are compatible with the religious and social values of individuals who want to help others and become involved in improving their communities. People who seek meaningful work find nonprofits provide an excellent job "fit". They enable many people to pursue their passions in well-focused work environments.
Many nonprofit jobs lead to career advancement within the nonprofit sector. This often involves moving from small to larger nonprofit organizations. Nonprofits also are excellent stepping stones for acquiring jobs in government and business. Indeed, many people working in government and business today first acquired work experience with nonprofit organizations.
Much of the work of nonprofits is very interesting and exciting. Arts, cultural, historical, community-educational, social service, advocacy, political, and business and professional organizations engage in some of today's most important work. Many of their missions center on pressing social and political issues. If you want to change the attitudes and behaviors of individuals, groups, and communities, you'll find many nonprofits to be ideal employers.
Easy entry and valuable experience: Nonprofits offer excellent opportunities for acquiring work experience. Indeed, it is often easier to acquire entry-level positions with nonprofit organizations than with government agencies and businesses. Indeed, nonprofits offer a large number of volunteer and internship experiences for acquiring work experience. Recent college graduates and women reentering the workforce often find nonprofit organizations to be more responsive to their job search initiatives than government agencies and businesses.
Careers in nonprofit organization can be developed through appraisals such as: knowledge and understanding of the tasks to be performed; (where there is a degree of empowerment) quality of judgment and extent to which the individual is prepared to exercise it; ability to communicate with others (written and verbal); reliability in fulfilling commitments; the volume of work produced or undertaken; the quality of output; and consistency in attending and performance (Wilson and Pimm, 1996). When performances are rated to such extent, performances can be easily improved because where the volunteers fail to perform well has been already determined.
Some of the nicest, most caring, and selfless people you will ever meet work for nonprofit organizations. Many of these organizations also hire very bright and well-educated individuals who contribute to an intelligent and stimulating work environment. If you like working with such people and especially those who share your values and are very likable a nonprofit organization may be the right type of work environment for you.
They can also have the benefit of more autonomy, variety, and challenge than many of their colleagues in equivalent for-profit or government positions. A young professional can be given a lot of responsibility right from the beginning. As a result, there can be greater opportunities to make an impact in the organization earlier on in your career than in the for-profit sector.
In general, nonprofits are becoming more business-like. Economic and political pressures are requiring them to operate as efficiently as possible. Nonprofits are setting more stringent financial goals, discussing strategic planning, and repositioning themselves to take advantage of market niches.
Nonprofit work does have its drawbacks, especially in small organizations. It is still true that salaries and benefits have generally lagged behind the for-profit sector, as mentioned previously. The problem in nonprofit organizations is that extremely low rates of return on income-generating activities have caused many to question their long-term sustainability (Ahmad and Townsend 1998). Since many nonprofits are small organizations, your career within such an organization may quickly plateau. Career advancement requires leaving a small nonprofit organization for a higher level job in a larger nonprofit organization. Many of the large nonprofits organization are located in major metropolitan areas. The organizations have large full-time staffs that offer excellent job opportunities leading to career advancement within the nonprofit sector. However, more than 90% of all nonprofits operate at the local level as community-based organizations. While these groups have smaller staffs and fewer positions than the large nonprofits headquartered in major metropolitan areas, nonetheless, the local nonprofits generate millions of job opportunities. If you are unwilling to seek employment with larger nonprofits headquartered in these cities, don't expect to advance your career much in the nonprofit sector. However, this trend is changing and more comprehensive benefit packages and increased wages are being offered. Also, nonprofit organizations are often funded by "soft" sources that can result in funding levels that may be uncertain from year to year. Consequently, job security can be a major concern for nonprofit employees. “Soft” money also hinders the acquisition of adequate equipment and furnishings. However, nonprofits are seeking more and more corporate support versus governmental funding to rectify inconsistent funding problems.
Work environments of many nonprofit organizations leave much to be desired. While many problems relate to the financing of nonprofits, other problems are endemic to the traditional voluntary structure and organization of nonprofits. Many nonprofits are stressful places to work because of the chaotic nature of their organizations and decision-making. Some are highly political and bureaucratic. Boards of directors often work against their best interests (Lewis and Milano, 1987). Some nonprofits have notorious reputations for administrative incompetence and disorganization; lack quality personnel and staff development; operate with antiquated equipment and from cramped quarters; and have attitude problems. Relationships between the CEO, board members, staff, and volunteers can become a nightmare. If you prize strong leadership, clear decision points, high levels of efficiency, and the latest in office technology, many nonprofit organizations will disappoint, frustrate, and discourage you. If you can tolerate ambiguity, inefficiency, and chaos and function well in make-shift work environments, you may do well in such work environments.
While many nonprofits promote positive social values, many of these same organizations are hard-pressed to point to concrete measurable results to justify their operations. Unlike a business that measures its performance by its bottom-line profits; few nonprofits have similar types of performance indicators. They operate processes which may or may not be directly related to specific performance and outcomes. Many of these processes involve frequent meetings, reports, and other related activities but few measurable outcomes. Like government agencies, nonprofit organizations have annual budgets which they must expend. The closest they may come to performance is a clear mission statement of what they hope to accomplish. Only a few nonprofits have clear mission statements that guide their performance and hold them accountable.
By definition most nonprofits depend on a variety of unstable fundraising activities, from membership fees, public donations, and corporate sponsorships to foundation grants, government contracts, and commercial activities. Fluctuating from year to year, such unpredictable revenue streams can create anxiety amongst employees, generate job insecurity, and affect motivation. Many nonprofit organizations operate as if they were in a permanent downsizing mode.
Another disadvantage to working in the nonprofit sector is being used up of burnout. Although the work environment may be less competitive, regularly nonprofit employees work with less fortunate individuals who may have not many material resources.
It is important to consider both the advantages and disadvantages of the nonprofit sector. Only after examining these aspects can you make an informed, accurate career decision. What is most important is to get the facts rather than to jump to inaccurate conclusions based on incomplete information.
REFERENCES
Ahmad, M M and Townsend, J G (1998). Changing fortunes in anti-poverty
programmes in Bangladesh. Journal of International Development, No.10;
pp. 427.
Anonymous (1995). Make a Difference: An Outline Volunteering Strategy for the
UK, Volunteering Unit, Home Office Public Relations Branch, London.
Eberts, Marjorie and Margaret Gisler (1991). Careers for Good Samaritans and
Other Humanitarian Types. Lincolnwood: VGM Career Horizons.
Lewis, William and Carol Milano (1987). Profitable Careers in Nonprofit. New
York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
McAdam, Terry (1986). Careers in the Nonprofit Sector: Doing Well By Doing
Good. Washington: The Taft Group.
Wilson, A. and Pimm, G. (1996). The tyranny of the volunteer: the care and
feeding of voluntary workforces. Management Decision, Vol.34, No.4;
pp.24.