Non Profit Organizations Offer Career Opportunities for Graduating Business Majors
| Posted in Careers on Jun 25, 2012 by Erin Palmer |
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For business school students and graduates, finding a job after graduation can be likened to something out of “The Hunger Games. “There are an abundance of graduates, but only so many jobs available. It’s brutal out there.
Now, more so than ever, business majors interested in finding employment immediately after graduation will need to think outside the box. One of the first places they should look is at the nonprofit sector.
Why?
First, let’s take a look at the current state of the economy.
According to a recent article in USA Today, the national unemployment rate rose to 8.2% in May. The article also quoted a report from the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) that found unemployment among college graduates younger than 25 averaged 9.4%. To add insult to injury, the EPI asserted 19.1% of graduates in that same age bracket who were employed are overqualified for their jobs.
However, the sun is shining a little bit brighter on the nonprofit sector. The 2011 Employment Report from nonprofit think tank idealist showed promising growth for nonprofit organizations in 2011. Of the 3,000 organizations that participated in the survey the following results came back:
- 42% reported they were hiring new employs in 2011
- 49% are maintaining the staffing levels they have
- 82% were going to hire between one and five people
- 69% needed to hire program and direct services staff
- 36% needed to hire fundraising staff
- 33% needed to hire administrative staff
- 17% needed to hire communication staff
Although the survey for Idealist’s 2012 Employment Report is currently under way, 2011’s results should be evidence enough that there are and will continue to be jobs in the nonprofit sector.
Why Nonprofits Need Business Savvy Employees
U.S. News money reporter Miriam Salpeter interviewed Laura Gassner Otting (a nonprofit expert and founding president of Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group) and delivered good news for business majors: “Non-profit boards have become more focused on metrics, results, and accountability for money spent and invested.”
They need knowledgeable individuals who can help drive profit while reducing costs. Exactly what you are being trained for in business school, right?
Otting also pointed out that donors are considering themselves to be more like “investors.” They are no longer freely handing out money to charities they are fond of. They are tracking results and want to see how the nonprofit is helping.
Qualities Nonprofits Look for in Their Employees
Volunteering and/or getting an internship at a nonprofit in areas that you have an interest in are great ways to not only get some experience on your resume, but get your foot in the door as well.
Here are a few of the qualities that non-profit organizations typically desire in new hires:
- Individuals with passion for the cause that the non-profit is looking to aid
- Ability to multitask and wear many hats throughout the day
- Self-starters and self-motivated individuals
- Individuals who are a “people person” (the ability to encourage, uplift, and manage people is especially important)
- The ability to track numbers (in this world, being able to put together an insightful and well-put-together report could mean all the difference in the world for a non-profit)
Volunteering and/or getting an internship at a nonprofit in areas that you have an interest in are great ways to not only get some experience on your resume, but get your foot in the door as well.
Benefits of Working for a Nonprofit Organization
A large misconception about nonprofit organization jobs is that they don’t pay. Years ago, this might have been the case. But it’s become increasingly evident that if an organization wants to retain good workers they will need to give some incentive to their workers with perks that can include:
- Education stipends, grants and scholarships
- College loan forbearance
- Flexible work hours
- Larger quantities of vacation hours than corporate employers
- You get to feel good about the work you do
- Unlimited networking potential (you’ll get to meet interesting, powerful and life-changing individuals)
As you can see, finding a job outside of the traditional “business” spectrum is pretty promising inside where the nonprofit sector is concerned. Especially when you consider how employment is still down over all. As a business major, finding employment with a nonprofit organization will give you the benefit of working at a job you can be proud of while doing something good, and you’ll be able to bring a specialized set of skills “to the table” that are vital to a nonprofit’s ability to prosper.
Erin Palmer writes about online business education programs and career related topics for US News University Directory. For more information please visit http://www.usnewsuniversitydirectory.com
Tags:
Business School Students Business School Graduates Business Majors Nonprofit Careers Employment Unemployment Rate
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