Nice, short profile in today’s Wall St Journal about pursuing a career in the nonprofit sector:
For those who are interested in doing the same, he stresses the importance of volunteering for a cause first. “Your best bet is to join up with a cause pro bono or part time,” he says. “You have to be realistic and see the value of each experience.”
Among the various types of nonprofits, some of the most visible are community-based organizations that provide direct services such as Meals on Wheels, job-placement assistance and child care. Others are concerned with arts and culture, advocacy and social policy, scientific research or international outreach.
How do you go about targeting a nonprofit with which to work? Mr. Doctorow recommends approaching organizations as a donor would and looking carefully at their statistics. “Find out their ideology, how they pay their executives, how they administer their funds and how they handle crises,” he says.
If your hope is to procure a full-time job, your odds will be better if you select a larger nonprofit. Staff roles at these organizations include the executive director, the director of development (fund raising), the director of programming and the director of marketing.
