Working in a charity or non-profit making organisation can be a rewarding and fulfilling experience. As well as getting paid for a job you enjoy doing you have the knowledge that your work is making a difference, whether you are working with the charities beneficiaries or behind the scenes in the administration the work you do counts for something.

Many people still believe that the charity sector is poorly paid and full of do gooders' that can not hold down a real job'. Fortunately this is just not true. While salaries do not compete with commercial organisations, especially in IT and finance work, and, if you work in a small charity then you are more likely to be paid less than your peer in a larger organisation, you will get a living wage and of course, as your career develops your salary will too.

As for do gooders', charities are run as professional organisations and you actions will have to support that too. Everything that the organisation, or anyone that works for it, does is accountable to the people that give money to fund the work and to the beneficiaries of that work.

Getting your first job in a charity can be the hardest part, but there are several routes to consider. Volunteering for the charity that you want to work for is always a good start, or if you cannot afford to volunteer sign up to temping agency specialising in the sector. In this way you can gain valuable experience that can stand you in good stead when a job opening comes up.

Administration and donor service jobs are a route in if you do not have any specific experience or it is your first job. Build up your experience and get known in the organisation and then you can look for something in the area you are interested in. However, be aware that some jobs such as fundraising and marketing are very competitive to get into. Also some causes are more in demand than others. Overseas aid, cancer research charities and high profile causes are always very popular for jobseekers.

One way around this is to plan your career in advance. If you want to work as a fundraiser for a big cancer research charity but you just can't get an interview, let alone a job, look for a fundraising administration job in a small less well known charity. You will have more chance of getting the job and when you do you get valuable experience that will put you at the head of the application pile for your next job.

Working for a small charity is also a great way to try different areas of work. In small charities people tend to have jobs that cover many different areas, whereas in larger organisations jobs become more specialised. For example a fundraiser in a small church charity may have to organise fundraising events, write a newsletter and develop major donor programmes. A larger charity may have one person for events, one person for newsletters and one person for major donor programmes.

If you are looking to make the change over from the commercial sector to the non-profit sector then as well as a drop in salary you may come across a very different working culture. Everyone in a charity knows that their job is working towards the same end goal, so everyones work is contributing, so check your ego at the door and join the team.

The rewards of working for a non profit making organisation aren't just the warm feeling of knowing you are contributing to the world. Many organisations are also forward thinking in their employee care offering flexible working, good pension and maternity benefits, sabbaticals and more.

All in all working in the non profit sector can give you a great career while enjoying a great sense of community with your colleagues and with the wider world.

Learn more about this author, Ruth Douglas.
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