Who in the corporate world hasn't dreamed about changing jobs or careers and doing something that "really matters?"
When you're fed up with being a cog in a big corporate wheel, or you just can't seem to care about selling more widgets, the grass looks a whole lot greener over on the nonprofit side of the fence, where they're saving the world and making a difference.
But before you glue those rose-tinted glasses permanently onto your head, take the time to assess what it is you're really wanting and needing in your career and talk to people who are working in nonprofits.
Just as there are companies in the corporate world that are well-run and poorly run, so are there functional and dysfunctional organizations in the nonprofit world. Not all of them are saving the world, and some of them are going bust due to lack of funds and lack of strong leadership.
Anita Bruzzese has a fantastic post out today on this topic that I highly recommend you read.
Also, this interview with Laura Gassner Otting, founder of the Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group, a search firm that works exclusively with charitable organizations and nonprofit job seekers, is loaded with essential advice.
If you want to see whether transitioning into the nonprofit world is for you, here's where to start:
Ask yourself why
Switching sectors is a major decision. What draws you to nonprofits? Are you merely running from the corporate world? What does the nonprofit sector offer you that the corporate world can't give you? Take some time reflecting on what you really want.
Examine your experience with nonprofits
How do you feel about your experience as a volunteer or board member? Was/is the experience enlightening, frustrating, exciting, discouraging? If you don't have experience, this is the time to sign up. There's no better way to make essential contacts and get a realistic job preview than volunteering.
Look for a compelling mission
People who are happily working in the nonprofit sector care about the mission of the organization they work for. What are you passionate about? What are your strong interests? There are many lists of nonprofit organizations online to help spur your thinking, such as this one at Love to Know and Idealist.org.
Talk to people
When you find organizations whose missions speak to you, research them online and in person through informational interviews. Learn about their challenges and successes. Test your assumptions about what it would be like to work there and how it's run. What kind of jobs exist there? What kinds of personalities and temperaments do well there? Where do they need volunteers? Consider volunteering if you feel inspired by what you hear.
Assess what you can contribute
After you learn about the work that interesting nonprofits do and the kinds of people they employ, look at your key skills and experiences. How could they match up to the needs these organizations have?
This kind of research is essential before you make the decision to switch employment sectors. You can't make a decision based on stereotypes or your imagination - you want to know the facts.
I'd love to know: How did you transition from the corporate to the nonprofit world?
photo by woodleywonderworks
