Have you considered making a change for a career in the non-profit sector? Now might be a good time to start thinking about it.

Dan Macsai for Fast Company reports that The Chronicle of Philanthropy found:

Despite tough times for charities, a trio of new surveys of nonprofit organizations in New York, New Jersey, and Washington [DC] shows that most plan to hire in the year ahead—and that the overwhelming majority plan to raise staff salaries in 2010 or at least hold them steady.

The survey, which studied 1,200 organizations from October to December of 2009 (700 of those located in New York) points to higher salaries for fund-raising jobs, which were up by 10%. Senior-level finance jobs paid 7% more.

Gayle Brandel, president of Professional for Nonprofits, said, “Even in tough times…nonprofit clients…have a hard time filling those roles, “so they’re willing to pay a little more.”

Fast Company offers some advice:

“Safe bets include educational groups, hospitals, and charities that work with homeless people or AIDS patients–program areas that received increased government funding. However, it’d be best to avoid small social-services or arts groups, both of which “seem to have the toughest time,” says Gayle Brandel, president of Professional for Nonprofits.”

Professionals for Nonprofits 2009 salary surveys are available free on the company’s Web site. Go to: http://www.nonprofitstaffing.com.

If you are in the Atlanta area, Opportunity Knocks and the Georgia Center for Nonprofits are presenting a day of workshops and consultative sessions to help you improve your job and nonprofit career development strategies and job-seeking skills. This is how they describe the event:

Led by experienced and qualified career consultants, nonprofit leaders and subject matter experts you will learn how to become more competitive in the nonprofit job marketplace.

Who Should Attend? Nonprofit professionals seeking to advance their career and for-profit/corporate professionals looking to switch careers to the nonprofit sector.

PARTIAL SCHOLARSHIPS STILL AVAILABLE!

March 23, 2010
The Lodge at Simpsonwood
Rollins Center Building
4511 Jones Bridge Circle, NW
Norcross, GA 30092
8:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Click here for information.

(I will be volunteering for part of the day at this event. Hope to see you there!)

photo by olib

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  • http://www.whatwoulddadsay.com GL Hoffman

    This is an area often overlooked by job seekers. I can think of no other way to build experience in areas where none exists for you. There are many many organizations out there, the UNKNOWN ones, who need any kind of help. If you want to be a manager, and lack that qualification, you can pick up the experience at a charity who critically needs your help.
    Thanks Miriam for bringing this to the top of mind again,

    GL

    • Miriam Salpeter

      GL – Thanks for stopping by. There are many opportunities for those who know how to leverage their skills. Working at a non-profit is certainly one good way!

  • http://melissacooley.com Melissa

    Having been employed by both local and state nonprofits, I would hesitate to recommend that job seekers target paid nonprofit positions as a means of gaining experience in a particular field. Levels of accountability are much higher today than they have been in years past, so even the small, local nonprofits need well-qualified candidates who will be able to skillfully execute from day one.

    Now, if job seekers are willing to volunteer for an organization to learn new skills, that would be a great option. There are a variety of volunteer opportunities that can help job seekers grow their experience and knowledge base. Volunteer positions involve more training and guidance from staff, which makes for a far better fit for the inexperienced than a paid position would.
    .-= Melissa´s last blog ..03/19/2010 #FF — Honest Advice =-.