| Check Out Idealist.org for non-profit and social justice jobs and internships! |
Embarking on a non-profit job search Not-for-profit career fairs: upcoming events, career fair do's and don'ts
Resources for the Arts, Education, Environmental, International and Foreign Languages , Government, Public Policy & Law , Non-Profit, Social Sciences, and Non-Governmental Organizations
Resources for socially responsible business , social entrepreneurship & venture capital , community/economic development
Activism Links
Post-graduate Alternatives
Embarking on a non-profit job search
A non-profit career search is often conducted quite differently from a corporate career search. For example, you may have friends that apply to numerous positions and obtain interviews through the campus recruiting program. For the non-profit sector, however, on-campus recruiting is limited in its offerings. While there are a number of organizations that recruit on campus (i.e., Peace Corps, Teach for America, independent school teacher placement agencies), most non-profits lack the financial and staff resources to travel to colleges and universities across the country seeking job candidates.
If you are interested in working in the non-profit sector (or, for that matter, a smaller industry niche than that which is typically represented through on-campus recruiting), you need to take a more creative, proactive approach to your job search.
The non-profit sector represents a wide range and diversity of organizations, and there are a multitude of opportunities available. Identifying the type of organization you'd like to work for and the issue or population you are most interested in focusing on is a good way to narrow down your search.
Types of organizations:
Advocacy and political groups |
Health |
Lobbying groups |
Religious organizations |
Professional associations |
Labor organizations |
Think tanks, scientific and research organizations |
Environmental organizations |
Educational organizations |
Social change organizations |
Art, historical, cultural organizations |
Direct, social service agencies |
Foundations |
Issues/populations:
Disability issues |
Immigrants/refugees |
Children and families |
Political reform |
AIDS, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's |
Endangered species |
Homelessness |
Water quality |
Literacy |
Prison reform |
Economic development |
Consumer's rights |
Senior citizens |
Civil and human rights |
This information is linked to the Spotlight on Careers , a site with excellent resources on a variety of career fields.
Types of positions in a non-profit organization
The not-for-profit sector employs a wide range of people with an expansive array of skills. Identifying the types of positions you are most interested in is a third way to narrow down the options available to you. Below are some of the main functions within nonprofit organizations, giving you an idea of what the actual jobs might entail. Depending on the size and specific mission of the organization, several areas of responsibility may be combined into a single position. For other organizations, functions may be missing all together.
This information is linked to the Spotlight on Careers , a site with excellent resources on a variety of career fields.
Executive Director
Development
Publications
Program
Membership
Communications/Public Relations
Research
Government Affairs
Administration
On Campus Recruiting
On-Campus Recruiting: Middlebury College has an extensive on-campus recruiting program with employers representing a wide range of career fields and industries. MoJo is our online recruiting database, with a complete list of application deadlines, information sessions and interview schedules.
The following is a sample of employers scheduled to visit Middlebury College in the Fall of 2002:
Educational Resources Group
Epsilon Associates
Exploration Summer Programs
National Wildlife Foundation: Women in Sustainable Development Program Overland Adventure Travel
Peace Corps
Saratoga Foundation
Teach for America
Not-for-Profit Career Fairs
Middlebury College participates in several Not-for-Profit Fairs each academic year which are open and free to all Middlebury students. These Fairs are excellent opportunities to meet with representatives from regional, national, and international not-for-profit organizations and learn about volunteer, internship, and employment opportunities. Each Fair takes place in the spring; location and additional details are listed below:
Idealist.org Career Fair :
1. Tuesday, February 6, 2007, 1:00 – 5:00 PM
Boston University Community Service Center.
2. Tuesday, April 3, 2007; Philadelphia, Pa.
Philadelphia-area Fair at Bryn Mawr College
Friday, February 16, 2007 at Bryn Mawr College,
in Thomas Great Hall from 1-4pm.
Not-For-Profit Career Fair at Wellesley College
Friday, February 23, 2007, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.,
Multi-Purpose Gym, Keohane Sports Center.
Not-for-Profit Fair at Columbia University
Friday, March 2, 2007, 12 Noon to 4 PM
Roone Arledge Auditorium of Alfred Lerner Hall
DO'S AND DON'TS FOR GETTING HIRED AT A CAREER FAIR
These suggestions are mostly common sense, but they bear repeating sometimes:
Do:
Review your resume, and bring several copies
Prepare a brief but informative introduction about yourself (i.e., "Hi, my name is Karen and I am looking for an entry-level position with a Human Rights organization. I spent last summer in Kenya working with Somali refugees and I'd love to know more about your work.")
Wear casual business clothes. Jeans and sneakers may be okay once you're working somewhere, but wait until you get the job first.
Follow up. Take note of which organizations you gave your resume to, and the name of the recruiter. Then send him or her a thank-you note for your conversation. It's amazing, but few people actually do this, and it always makes a good impression. Don't:
Give a resume to every organization at the Fair. Spend time identifying those organizations you are most interested in, and focus your attentions there.
Tell people your whole biography, unless they prompt you. Recruiters want to talk to you, but they also want to talk with others.
Be afraid to ask questions about the organization, staff size, average starting salary for a candidate with your qualifications.
Be disappointed if you are not offered a job right away. Recruiters will often collect resumes and keep them on file for six months to a year after a Career Fair. That is why following up with them is crucial. Let them know you're still interested, and that they may contact you when a position opens up. (Excerpted from idealist.org )
Career Library Pages
Arts Education Environmental Government, Public Policy & Law International and Foreign Languages Non-Profit, Social Sciences, and Non-Governmental Organizations Socially Responsible Businessess
Beyond Grey Pinstripes Business Alliance for Local, Living Economies Business for Social Responsibility Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility Co-Op America GreenBiz Green Pages Online Innovest Institute for Social Responsibility, Ethics, & Education Net Impact Social Investment Forum Sustainable Business Social Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital
Ashoka Catalyst Alliance Changemakers Echoing Green Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation Institute for Social Entrepreneurs Investor's Network Leader to Leader Institute National Center for Social Entrepreneurs Social Entreprise Alliance Share Our Strength Social Venture Network
Community/Economic Development
Coastal Enterprises, Inc.
Enterprise Corporation of the Delta
New Community Corporation
Shorebank
TechnoServe, Inc.
Youth Development, Inc.
Activism Links
Population Action International Project Vote Smart Reform America Political Activism Resources