Looking for Some Job Ideas?

By Courtney Doggart
MIA 2009

In The History of the Siege of Lisbon, author Jose Saramago explores the historical implications of a book proofreader slipping in the tiny word “not” into a historical account of the 1147 siege of Lisbon.  The ensuing romp underscores, among other things, how words are indicators with long-lasting implications. A more modern version of the proofreader’s tale can perhaps be found in the unfortunately named “nonprofit sector.” With urban legends of underpaid, overworked employees and a sector name that is less than tantalizing, it is unsurprising that the nonprofit sector consistently draws the fewest SIPA students into its ranks.

While I don’t make a habit of reading career guides cover-to-cover, I can confidently say that this one is far from dry.

Last week, I sat down last week with Shelly Cryer, SIPA alum and former adjunct professor, to talk about her new book, a guide to the nonprofit sector. From the beginning both she and the book emphasize that the sector is done a disservice by being defined by what it is not. Rather, Cryer believes that the nonprofit sector should be recognized for what it is—a sector that “emphasizes mission and not the financial bottom line.” The book, aptly titled The Nonprofit Career Guide: How to Land a Job That Makes a Difference, dispels some of the common myths (salary...) about the sector about and provides a thorough analysis of its job market.

Cryer begins by profiling the sector and highlighting future trends. Notable is the observation that salary in the nonprofit sector depends on field of work and size of organization—in certain fields, nonprofit pay is higher on average than that of their private or public sector counterparts. Furthermore, as the sector grows in prominence, more attention is being paid to salary as a means of recruiting talent. Other trends include a growing need for leadership and increased diversity. The book continues with lively chapters covering sector subsections (arts, education, health international, etc.) and job functions (management, communications, development, consulting, etc.). Its snapshots of different people working in the industry provide a good sense of what to expect from the different avenues the sector has to offer.

In fact, though I hadn’t been considering a job in the nonprofit sector, I found the questions the book asks and the book’s rendering of the sector’s job areas and functions to be applicable to all job seekers.

SIPA students often say they are at SIPA to do some good in this world. Cryer’s book is a great guide to doing just that. With any luck, it will help refashion the nonprofit sector into the attractive field that it should be.

Comments

[rachel]

I just read about a new service that uses matches job seekers with employers free:

http://venturebeat.com/2008/05/13/realmatch-offers-a-fresh-take-on-job-sites

Maybe it helps...maybe not.