Winston Churchill once said that humans make a living through what they get, but make a life through what they give to others. The day and age that we live in today have moved beyond the traditional motto where people study to enter a rat race to see who gets to the top of the corporate ladder first.
Remember Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs? Today’s youth sits much higher on it than their grandparents or even their parents, as their core focus is no longer just earning money to satisfy the body and its physiological or safety needs. Today, empathy prevails, and the heart leads the way rather than the mind.
As a student, you may have been part of countless discussions where someone asked, “What are your plans for after graduation?”, and the query left you perturbed. While your mind draws up many corporate avenues, your heart isn’t content with the idea. You know that you want to make an impact and find work in a place where you can feel a sense of contentment and fulfillment in your heart. Well, your dream career might just be working for a non profit organization.
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What is a non profit organization?
As the name indicates, a non profit is any entity that is registered without the intention of generating a profit for its shareholders. It primarily serves more benevolent agendas pertaining to charitable causes, literacy, science, community upliftment, or various others. They raise money for prevalent issues in various communities across the globe.
Today, there are specific educational courses that allow students to pursue careers working in these organizations. You can enroll in some of the best non profit management programs out there to pursue an opportunity where you serve a cause close to your heart.
Working for a non profit doesn’t necessarily mean you will work as a volunteer. The amount of money being donated to charitable causes worldwide is staggering, which means that non profits can pay employees decent salaries.
All that aside, the real reason you would commit to working for a non profit is because of passion and a sense of fulfillment. Even if you don’t think that committing full-time to such a non profit is your cup of tea, try volunteering, working short-term, or even as a part-time gig to support a cause close to your heart. At the end of the day, you walk away with professional experience and some immense gratitude for everything you have.
4 Reasons To Work For A Nonprofit
Here are a few other reasons why you would want to work for a non profit:
1. An opportunity to become a change maker
One of the biggest motivators for any student to devote time from their professional careers to a non profit is the ability to make a change. Working in a corporate firm, you are facilitating certain objectives for the growth and sustainability of the company. However, with a non profit, you are making an impact on society at large, solving critical issues one step at a time.
While working for a non profit, you are not just a finance or marketing professional. You are a catalyst for change. Whether you are building shelters for people in need or feeding underprivileged communities, whether you are using technology to bring safe drinking water to far corners of the globe or fighting to free individuals from unjust prosecution, your work is a beacon of hope and a source of satisfaction to you as well as the people you are helping.
2. Your responsibilities can vary considerably
One of the many reasons why corporate employees feel burnt out eventually is because of the repetitive nature of their work. At a non profit organization, this element is completely taken out of the equation as your responsibilities can vary on a day-to-day basis. One day, you may be handling communication and PR, the other, you may be presenting a crucial idea to potential donors. Similarly, you may be involved extensively in fieldwork, interacting with the people you are helping, listening to their stories, and experiencing the joy this field of work truly entails. In essence, you grow both as a person and as a professional while working for a non profit.
3. Donning numerous hats can eventually advance your career
Working for a non profit organization is a benevolent task, but sooner or later, you may decide to move on to something different in your life. This is where you’ll realize that having handled an extensive set of responsibilities over time has made you a more seasoned professional with relevant skills for the modern job market. Team and event management, leadership, vendor coordination, effective presentation skills, and being quick on your feet are just some of the qualities you’ll bring to the table. On top of that, even with a marketing degree, you’ll be a professional who understands budgets, optimal resource allocation, and even supply chain management depending on the role you serve.
4. The money is there too
Many people feel that doing social good is their heart’s calling, but the fact that they believe non profits won’t offer them the means to support themselves holds them back. That is not true, though. In the year 2022, US non profits alone generated revenues of $2.62 trillion. They employ 10% of the country’s total workforce and contribute 5.7% to the national GDP. On top of that, average salaries at non profit organizations are $40,000 per annum, which may not sound lucrative, but it comes with other benefits.
Firstly, these are average payouts, and depending on your role, you may be making more. On top of that, employees at non profits get access to numerous rebates and incentives. For instance, working for a 501 (c)(3) registered non profit makes you eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, which can write off all your student loans. Other monetary benefits come with the job, too, but let’s just say that you won’t have to worry about living a decent life.
Conclusion
When it comes to matters of the heart, there is nothing that a person won’t do. Working for a non profit organization is one such benevolent act that is attracting immense attention from individuals, including fresh graduates. The ability to embody the change you want to see in the world and a chance to watch entire families and even communities smile are indescribable feelings. However, they are fulfilling to exemplary extents, and once you actually feel it, there will be no going back. This is reason enough for many to devote themselves to working for non profits.