Advantages to securing a career in philanthropy

Charitable work is commonly viewed as something a person does out of the goodness of his or her heart. Volunteering time and/or donating money can fos­ter good feelings and brighten the lives of both the person doing the giving and the indi­viduals or organizations on the receiving end of that generosity.

Those who embrace the ex­perience of charitable giving or volunteering may want to replicate it over and over, and a career in philanthropy may be the ideal way to do just that. Get­ting paid to do charitable work does not negate the spirit of the philanthropic effort. People who work in the nonprofit sector can bring about change that has a far-reaching impact.

According to a report by the Center for Civil Society Stud­ies at Johns Hopkins University, nonprofit employment repre­sented 10.1 percent of total em­ployment in the United States in 2010. Philanthropic careers con­tinue to grow, and the nonprofit workforce is the third largest of all U.S. industries behind re­tail trade and manufacturing. In addition, the business skills gained working in the nonprofit sector are transferable for those who want to leave room for a po­tential career change later on.

Working in the nonprofit sector has several advantages. Some may be surprised to learn that nonprofit salaries can be on par with other industries, particularly in entry-level posi­tions when career experience is limited. Working for a charita­ble organization does not mean working for nothing. And even when salaries are lower than corporate salaries, there are still benefits that can make the job well worth it.

Many people who work in the nonprofit sector find that the working environment is more in­timate. Some also feel they gain more hands-on experience in the nonprofit sector than they might elsewhere.

According to Stanford So­cial Innovation Review, a social change journal, many nonprofit workers are given the opportu­nity to do work that falls outside of their job description. Nonprof­it employment is multifaceted, and workers often wear many hats. This can provide consider­able experience in a short period of time.

Online job databases can make it easier to find job post­ings in the nonprofit sector. Do­tOrgJobs.com is one such site that allows job seekers to search for full- or part-time jobs in the nonprofit sector.