Feature Article
Working in the Not-for-profit sector
Unless you’re studying social work or have a personal association with a not-for-profit organisation, it’s quite likely that you haven’t considered working in this sector. And yet, the positives can be huge.
If earning mega bucks is your primary motivation, then the not-for-profit will probably not suit you. However, if you want a meaningful job in an organisation that has values such as integrity, respect and compassion then please read on. “Making a difference” can be a powerful motivator that results in job satisfaction and a sense of purpose, and working for an ethical employer usually engenders loyalty in staff. The professional skills you gain will be the same as in an organisation that exists to create profit and you may even find that working with limited resources develops additional skills such as initiative, negotiation and problem solving; it’s just the context and the challenges that are different.
So, how can you find out more? Obviously you can go to the websites of organisations that operate in a community or with a cause that is dear to you; positions may be advertised on their site or you may be able to volunteer your time in anticipation of a paid position becoming available. However, there are also more generic sites you should explore; some are listed below.
www.infoxchange.net.au contains information, events and employment in the Community and Human Services fields.
- “Service seeker” lists over 200,000 organisations by type of service they offer or groups they assist
- “Job seeker” is the employment listing
- “Volunteer seeker” lists volunteering opportunities
www.probonoaustralia.com.au is a directory of not-for-profit organisations in Australia. Similar to infoxchange, you can:
- Search for jobs (most of them are senior positions though)
- Search for volunteer opportunities
- Search the directory of organisations by type of service they provide. (This is useful when seeking contacts for informational interviewing)
www.hacjobs.com.au lists Health and Community jobs.
www.EthicalJobs.com.au is a new website that aims to connect people looking for an ethical job with employers from the not-for-profit, business or government sector who see their organisations as contributing to a more equitable, just or sustainable world.