Guest Post by Kat English
The ‘not for profit’ sector offers a rare feel-good factor, giving workers the chance to make a real difference by helping the people who need it most, but this isn’t a easy job or career path the ‘not for profit’ sector requires passion, commitment and dedication, as well as a willingness to get the job done, no matter what it takes with very little resources and having to create miracles on a daily basis, but these negatives are outweighed by the positives. This is also one of the most rewarding sectors to work in.
A sense of well-being and a feel-good factor.
Many of us chose careers based on location and wage and it is very rare for any of us to finish work and go home feeling that we have changed the world. While working for a charity or ‘not for profit’ company the main benefit for the majority of the employees is the feeling that they have made a positive impact on the world around them with added fulfilment
Transferable skills
Most charities offer a huge variety of job opportunities from fundraising jobs to social worker jobs, so, whatever your chosen career, working within this area should provide you with valuable skills that you can call upon when you come to look for subsequent roles. Of course, having gained experience within the charity sector, many people choose to focus their entire career within this interesting and diverse area. But the simple fact is that whatever work you perform within a charity will transfer into a whole heap of other sectors, giving you a greater chance to get the jobs you want in future.
Experience
For graduates, unpaid internships are increasingly becoming a fact of life, but charities have always provided ample opportunity for the inexperienced to gain valuable knowledge of working within a certain job role. Granted, you won’t be earning a bucketload of cash (well, none at this stage), but it will get you on the first rung of the ladder.
Likewise, if you’re thinking of changing career, or you lack experience within a particular area, the charity sector could pay dividends. As long as you are prepared to do a little pro bono work – although we should make it clear that the vast majority of jobs within the charity sector are well-paid – you can reap the rewards in the form of experience you simply wouldn’t have picked up in any other way.
If you are after a 9 till 5 job then you may have to look elsewhere but after a few years it will provide you with an experience which money wouldn’t be able to buy and the skills you can use for future jobs and careers, so whether you’re looking for something to do as you aren’t sure what you want to do with your life or something, the not for profit sector is a great place to start.
Kat English works with TotalJobs.com, which includes thousands of charity and non-profit jobs.
Photo Credit: VPickering
