Top 7 Tips for Getting Your Dream Nonprofit Job

1. Identify those areas that you are passionate about.

You will be a much more desirable job candidate if you speak passionately about your desire to work in this particular nonprofit. You are also likely to know more about an area if you have been following it for some time. So what do you care about most? Health care? The environment? Immigration? Poverty?

2. Research those organizations that share your commitment.

Start with your city or town. There are likely to be several grass roots organizations locally even if you live in a small or medium-sized city. In larger cities, you will find many local chapters of national nonprofits. If you are in the mood to move, make your search nationwide. Check out online job listings and subscribe to key publications. Most organizations now list their job openings right on their websites so bookmark your favorite ones and check in regularly.

3. Do informational interviews at organizations that interest you.

Most people are quite willing to grant an informational interview. Use your current contacts to locate appropriate individuals. In an informational interview there is no pressure. You are seeking information...you are really doing the interviewing. However, it is not unusual for these interviews to actually lead to job offers. It is a great way to make some good contacts. Prepare ten questions before the interview and be sure to send a thank you note within 24 hours.

4. Volunteer for your favorite nonprofit.

Volunteering is an excellent way to try out an organization. You can tell a lot by volunteering, such as how organized the group is, how seriously it takes training, and what the level of resources is. The contacts you make will be valuable later in your job search. You may even have the inside track when it comes to knowing about openings. Many volunteers have become paid staff.

5. Investigate internships or co-ops in your area of interest.

If you are still in school, create your own internship by contacting nonprofits and offering your services. Your college or university may be able to place you in a nonprofit through its own channels. Many nonprofits advertise their internship opportunities on their websites and in special interest publications.

6. Cast your net broadly.

There are nonprofits in just about any field you can think of. Consider higher education where they not only need teachers but also people with a broad array of skills. Think about health care where the need for services for aging Americans is nearing crisis proportions. Take a look at museums--the American public is visiting them in record numbers. Many jobs exist in social assistance agencies. More causes are identified each year and organizations to serve them are created at a rapid rate.

7. Read some good books.

Our favorites include:

The Harvard Business School Guide to Careers in the Nonprofit Sector
Do What You Are, by Paul D. Tieger
How to Find Your Mission In Life, by Richard Nelson Bolles

Immerse yourself in the nonprofit world and you are likely to find the organization, cause, and job that you are dreaming of.