Is Nonprofit Work Right For You?

My fervent commitment to equality and my commitment to advocate for my family led me to GLAAD after what I assumed would be a professional for-profit career.

I didn’t expect to do nonprofit work. And I didn’t know what I didn’t know. 

I didn’t do any due diligence. I didn’t talk to folks who were in the nonprofit sector to determine if I would be a good fit or how it might be different from what I was used to. I’m not even sure I asked myself if I would like it.

Today, I know people are quite intentional about this move – I talk to a lot of them. They reach out for advice. Sometimes I believe they are overthinking.

I was seriously underthinking.

That said, I am not sure the overthinkers are asking the right questions, nor am I sure that I am offering the right advice.

I have a client who moved to a nonprofit leadership role two years ago. She’s been successful by all metrics but one.

Personal satisfaction.

I’m not exactly talking about burnout. I’m talking about fit. And my client is both very successful and simply not sure it is the right fit.

Is a nonprofit career a good fit for you? 

Today, I offer some thoughts about the unique attributes you need to not just succeed in the nonprofit world but for it to be so fueling that you can barely imagine being anywhere else.

You may currently be working in the sector and find yourself wondering about the fit or, if you are like me, you get asked all the time for advice from friends, family, and colleagues – “I’m considering a move to the nonprofit sector. I am hungry for work with meaning and purpose. Can you tell me about what it’s like to work in a nonprofit?”

So today, I write for you as a nonprofit leader and to provide you with a tool to share with folks knocking on your door for this advice.

THE FIT ‘SNIFF TEST’

I have a bit of an assessment for you or for that friend or relative wondering if a gig in the nonprofit sector may be their next move. For each question, rate your response on a scale of 1 to 5.  

When you have rated yourself on each question, take a look below for what you have learned about your appetite for nonprofit work.

Imagine you have been offered a new job with a nonprofit organization…

1: Do you have a fierce passion for the mission of this org?

1 = I need a job.

3 = I’d like a job where I feel like I am giving back.

5 = The mission of this organization speaks to me, and I’d feel like I won the lottery to work there.

2: What is your tolerance for process and different perspectives?

1 = Enough already with the conversation – can we just decide and move on?

3 = I get that process and engaging diverse voices are important but I can be a bit of an eye-roller.

5 = This org is trying to fix a giant problem – it’s a marathon, not a sprint to fix, and we need to hear lots of perspectives.

3: Can you be flexible?

1 = I probably should have been a CPA in a different life.

3 = I’m becoming much less anxious that a new idea I have might not work out.

5 = I actually love everything that comes with change – being open to ideas and trying new things.

4: Are you in control, but not a control freak?

1 = I don’t delegate well; it takes too long – I would rather do it myself.

3 = I manage staff well but I think it would be really hard to hold a volunteer accountable.

5 = I can’t do it all myself, people want to feel a sense that their work matters too and I work to provide good direction upfront.

5: Are you both humble and confident?

1 = If I am being honest with myself, I have been told I can be arrogant.

3 = They say that admitting failure is important in a leader – I’m not there yet.

5 = I take constructive feedback really well because I don’t pretend to know all the answers.

6: Are you hopelessly optimistic?

1 = I poke holes in ideas; sometimes people call me a cynic or when they are being kinder, they call me the “devil’s advocate”.

3 = I have a positive outlook on things but don’t know if I make others feel that way too.

5 = I believe that challenging times make new things possible and that one person’s actions can create a movement.

7: Do you find people endlessly fascinating?

1 = Chatting with strangers kinda makes my skin crawl.

3 = I am very chatty and can do cocktail party banter well.

5 = I am legitimately interested in knowing the stories of the people I meet.

8: Are you OK with people crying at work?

1 = There is no crying at work.

3 = I get it – the work is taxing – but I can’t imagine using my tissues at work.

5 = I bet nonprofit work is emotionally taxing because people care so much. When they cry, it shows they care.

HOW TO INTERPRET THE SCORE

Tally up your score. 8 questions. All 5s = 40. All 1s = 8. See where you land. And here’s my take on what the score might tell you

Score: 30-40

Get thee to the nonprofit sector with all due speed. More importantly, we need you!!! With more and more leaders hitting retirement age, our sector is always on the hunt for folks like you.  

Start looking. Right now. Two ideas:

1.  Go to www.idealist.com

2.  Go to a few nonprofit search firms and click on current searches. Here are some of my favorites. They list current searches and often have monthly e-blasts with new searches and placements:

And if you took the test and you are already working at a nonprofit, this is where you belong. Thank you.

Score: 15-30

Time for more homework. Clearly, the score indicates some interest and appetite but there are a few issues that could be your kryptonite in the sector.

So take a test drive. Sign up to volunteer at a nonprofit in your community – ask friends for recommendations. Or take a look at Catchafire, one of my favorites. They match high-level volunteers with organizations with a very clear need.

Score: 8-15

Compassionate truth teller here. Working in the nonprofit sector might not be for you. My descriptions are offered with humor but think deeply about how you stand on each of these questions. Be honest with yourself.  

But whatever you do, don’t write off the sector. We need people and lots of them. Maybe you can advocate for an organization within your company to help create a relationship. Take a grandkid to your local museum or zoo. Or to a jazz concert. Maybe you are a checkbook activist.  

Please, please, please remember that you don’t have to be a nonprofit leader – paid or unpaid – to support the work of the folks who help to make the world more fair, more just, and more beautiful.