Are You Interested in Working for a Cause?

There used to be, and may still be, a bumper sticker that was proudly flaunted by many vehicles in Florida which read, "Is it Friday yet?" It advertised an approach to life which was to do some job--any job but preferably a high paying job that would earn enough money to pay the bills and finance the activities that one really wanted to do which would then be crammed into the weekend.

There is another approach to life. Perhaps someone should produce a bumper sticker, which reads "Is it Monday yet?" This approach is to spend one's working life doing something that one is passionate about, believes in and feels is valuable. This is the kind of life where one gets up in the morning looking forward to that day's work.

Far from every job in the private commercial sector falls into the "Is it Friday yet?" category. And, far from every job in the nonprofit sector falls into the second category. But the likelihood is that someone who chooses a career in the nonprofit sector is doing so because of personal belief in the cause and a desire to contribute to society in some way, not just to a personal bank account.

What is a nonprofit?
From a legal point of view, a nonprofit organization is one that has tax-exempt status from the IRS and does not engage in profit making activities. In the United States over 1 million nonprofit organizations, ranging from one or two people operating a voluntary tutoring center in a living room to large international organizations, employ around 10 million people, which is close to 8 percent of the work force. A nonprofit is not a government or public institution. Nor is it a commercial venture responsible to shareholders.

Nonprofits frequently exist to tackle social issues neglected by government. Many hospitals and educational institutions are nonprofit. Nonprofits address themselves to issues such as drug rehabilitation, AIDS, homelessness, illiteracy, child abuse, road safety, human rights issues and so on. They include many charities. Some nonprofits are dedicated to the arts and culture. They also include a wide range of professional associations and religious organizations. Youth development organizations, foundations, scientific research organizations, even some local utility companies, fall under this bracket.

The common denominator is that these organizations are there to help the community in some way, rather than being set up to make a profit for their owners or shareholders. In a commercial enterprise, the motive is money. In a nonprofit, the motive is contribution to society.

All the types of careers that you find in the commercial world are available in nonprofit organizations, requiring the same skills, intelligence, education and expertise.

The difference is the purpose or the motivation.

Pros and cons of nonprofit careers
"Nonprofit work is not just a career opportunity," says Lorraine Cortes-Vazquez, president of the New York-based Hispanic Federation, "It's commitment and passion."

"There was no sense of mission, of promoting social change," says Gerace, who switched from a good journalistic job with Dow Jones to a similar job in a nonprofit organization where she helps young Latina women with reproductive health issues.

The biggest single..." is that you can spend your working life contributing, working to improve some aspect of the world you live in and to raise the human condition."

On the other side of the coin, salaries tend to be lower in the nonprofit sector than for the same job in the commercial world. Make no mistake; you can earn a decent living at a nonprofit. You will not starve. But you may have to wait a little longer to buy a house and you may not eat at the fancy restaurants so often or drive the luxury car.

It's often easier to get a job in a nonprofit than in a commercial or government organization. Especially if you are looking for your first job or if you are re-entering the job market, a nonprofit organization may be more receptive to your application.

On the other hand many nonprofit organizations are small and provide little room for career advancement within the organization. Career advancement in the nonprofit sector may consist of moving to larger nonprofits.

Nonprofit work environments are often more casual than those of their commercial counterparts. The people who work for nonprofits are often caring, community minded people who are great to work with and create a friendly work environment so it can be more fun and exciting to work in a nonprofit.