I am thinking of moving into the non-profit sector. I have been in the private and now government sectors. I really want to do something more meaningful and think this might be a good way to do so. What kind of things do you like/dislike about your job? What kind of job do you have? What kind of degrees do you need to be in your field? any other info is great. TIA!
Re: non-profit working moms
I have worked in non-profits for years and I love it. I enjoy the 'making a difference' aspect. I love that profit is not our bottom line. I love the atmosphere. I love that my coworkers were drawn to the job because they have a genuine compassion for people. I dislike that I will, forever, make less money then people with a similar degree working in the private sector. That being said, I certainly make enough money to support my family. I'm a Social Worker with a Master's degree and provide case management services to the elderly.
Good luck to you!
I just got a job working in the non-profit sector, and transferred from a sales position. I start in January. The pay is less, but my hours are going to be more flexible, they are allowing me to work from home a few days a week after the baby is born. I'm psyched to be working towards a good cause, as I've been working for such a superficial one for a long time.
I am going to be allowed a lot more creative liberty at this position, which really excites me. I have a bachelor's in business/marketing, and will be an events coordinator and volunteer trainer, my technical title is "Community Director."
My DH is in higher ed. We actually met while working at a university (I worked for corporate food services, so it really was the best of both worlds). I miss it so much. I had to leave when we moved for his job. I've not been happy since I left.
I'm a writer for an international NGO. I have worked in the non-profit sector my entire career. I have an M.A.
I love what I do and when I get frustrated for whatever reason (lower pay, regular work annoyances), it is tempered by the knowledge that I am helping people.
Although the pay is lower, the benefits are excellent: flexible hours (I now work p/t), generous vacation, 403b match, highly subsidized health insurance, smart & dedicated colleagues, etc.
I work in a non-profit as a social worker. I have an MSW and state license. (However, there are many jobs within my agency that don't require this). Honestly, I'm a little down on the non-profit world right now... In addition to poor pay, the benefits SUCK (they just stopped paying into our retirement... and they weren't contributing much to begin with, I have friends in both the govt and private sector who get more vacation time) the flexibility is not always there... my employer was very flexible and family friendly a few years ago... now they have much more of a business mindset and really aren't family friendly at all (no flexibility on maternity leave time (and it's all unpaid, mind you, so could I please have 2 more weeks?), we are switching to basically a time-punch-clock system - even for salaried professionals, workload demands are crazy, etc.).
It could be just my employer but really, I don't think it is a great time to be in a nonprofit - with funding concerns come greater demands on a smaller workforce. And depending on the type of nonprofit, the workload can be stressful (high-risk populations like abusive families, substance abusers, homeless, etc.) - but that depends really on the field. Sorry to be so negative but I want people to realize it can be tough! One good thing about the field is that there can be a lot of opportunities to grow and develop professionally.