What You Need to Know Before Working For a Nonprofit Organisation

So, what makes an organisation nonprofit?

A nonprofit organisation is one that doesn’t distribute any profits to any private individuals and has no shareholders. Their purpose is to serve the community in some form or another, though that doesn’t mean they are a charity. They can range from religious associations, art centres, or even sports clubs. However, just because an organisation is nonprofit, doesn’t mean that those employed there are unpaid. Nonprofit means no profit goes to the organisation itself.

Nonprofit vs for-profit

• Getting hired

  Generally speaking, you’ll find more young people working for nonprofit, mostly because it provides a lot of entry-level jobs. More often than not, you don’t need a graduate degree to get yourself hired, though again, it depends on the organisation and the position you’re applying for. But compared to say, trying to get a job in a for-profit field, it’s much easier. Even if you don’t plan on working there for a long time, it’s still a good way to get work experience, which will be handy for your resume.

• Pay and overall budget

  I don’t think it’s much of a surprise when I say that a nonprofit organisation doesn’t pay as well as a private company. Of course, the types of nonprofit organisations are quite broad, so there will obviously be differences between them. For example, you’ll probably get paid better working at a university than a charity like a soup kitchen. The same can be said about the budget. Since nonprofit get less money than a private institution, they’re more likely to provide you with an office that may not be lavish as one that a corporate job may offer.

• Hours

  There’s a reason why corporate work is often labelled as the 9-5 job. But for a nonprofit job the hours are a lot less conventional. It’s likely that you may have to work in the evenings or on weekends, working on an event like a fundraiser. A lot of time, your hours won’t be consistent. If that sounds like a nightmare to you, then it’s best to steer clear, but you should also know that the unpredictability of it can come with a lot of different tasks that will test and challenge you. So, if you’re looking to move away from the daily grind and routine of a corporate job, then nonprofit work might just be for you.

• The benefits of a nonprofit job in general

  While some of the above may scare you into thinking that you won’t get anything out of working in this field, there are a lot of benefits that nonprofits organisations offer to counteract these cons. Some but definitely not all of these benefits include healthcare insurance, plenty of leave, sabbaticals, and retirement plans.

• How nonprofit employees feel

  This is a major deciding factor. Many people think about working for nonprofit because they resonate with the organisation’s mission. If that’s the case, then employees are more likely to feel fulfilled. With the right organisation, you’ll be able to use your full potential, and challenge yourself in ways that a corporate job won’t be able to. In a way, the benefits of working for nonprofit is very similar to that of volunteering, in that you get to contribute back to the community in a meaningful way. Also, if you’re thinking of starting up your own organisation in the future, getting into this line of work will provide you with an opportunity to learn the ropes.

So, in conclusion, whether or not you should apply for a nonprofit job depends on you and what you want.

• Do you relate to the organisation’s mission closely?
• Do you like doing several duties at the same time?
• Does it work well with your skill set?
• Will you get enough money?

If that’s the case, then you should give it a shot.

Working for nonprofit is a unique experience, and can provide you with a lot of joy if you’re passionate about the ideals the organisation stands for.