Work Wanted: More millennials attracted to nonprofits

I’ve spent a good part of my career in nonprofit organizations, and I’ve loved (almost) every minute of it. But I never made a conscious decision to enter the nonprofit sector. I simply found work that interested me and followed where it led. But as Millennials, the oldest of whom turn 37 this year, build their careers, many are choosing to work for organizations that are focused on a mission instead of profitability.

It has been widely reported that millennials are driven by a sense of purpose and want their work to contribute to making the world a better place. The 2013 Millennial Impact Research Report by the Washington, D.C.,-based Case Foundation reported that 72 percent of millennials want to work for a non-profit organization. They’re not alone.

According to a 2012 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, with total employees numbering 10.7 million. The nonprofit workforce is the third largest of all U.S. industries behind retail trade and manufacturing.

Robert A. Sellery Jr. spent most of his career helping nonprofits find executive talent, first with Booz-Allen &Hamilton, then as an independent consultant. He offers advisory services to organizations and to people in the nonprofit sector, and has recently completed an e-book called “Careers, Jobs, Internships and Volunteer Opportunities in the Nonprofit Sector.” Sellery says that entry level wages in nonprofits are comparable to for-profit companies, and offer clear pathways to leadership positions.

One reason to choose the nonprofit sector is that in most organizations, you’ll get exposure to many aspects of the business, allowing you to explore your strengths and preferences. You’ll learn about different functional areas, building your credentials for leadership positions. Sellery says that workers who choose communications, finance, or fundraising as an entry into the organization have the best chance of reaching executive director or CEO.

“Nonprofits have the same need for talent that other kinds of companies do,” he says. “They often have interesting problems to solve, and incidentally, also help change things for the better.” Working for nonprofits may also build your creativity, since you’ll be challenged to solve problems with smaller budgets.

Nonprofits offer easier transition into new occupations than traditional companies because you can start as a volunteer. You’ll work alongside experienced staff and build skills. Many nonprofits give hiring preference to volunteers and board members, so you may also be auditioning for a future job.

Sellery’s e-book also mentions a choice that merges the idea of mission-based work and profit. “A whole generation of social entrepreneurs is pioneering new product concepts that meet social needs using viable business models,” he writes. Social entrepreneur Muhammad Yunus founded the Grameen Bank, an institution that provides microcredit loans to those in need to help them develop financial self-sufficiency. Founded in 1983, the bank has brought in a net income of more than $10 million, and his work with the organization landed Yunus a Nobel Prize in 2006. That’s something you generally don’t receive for your work at a traditional bank.

Find more of Robert Sellery’s information on nonprofits at sellery.com.

Candace Moody is vice president of communications for CareerSource Northeast Florida. Her column appears every Wednesday in the Times-Union, and she can be reached at cmoody@careersourcenefl.com.