Posted on November 10, 2005

More Corporate Professionals Jumping to Nonprofit Sector

An increasing number of burned out, restless professionals are turning to the nonprofit sector for inspiration and a job that means something, the New York Times reports.

According to Independent Sector, a coalition of nonprofits, foundations, and corporate giving programs dedicated to strengthening philanthropy, employment at nonprofits and foundations is up more than 30 percent in the past decade. Steve Pogorzelski, a group president of Monster Worldwide, attributes some of that increase to mid-career changers who choose nonprofit work because they are looking for inspiration and a professional challenge, despite salaries that routinely are 20 percent to 50 percent lower than in the private or public sectors. "Mid-career changes are not usually about money," he said. "American workers want to be able to manage their own careers."

Still, many people have an overly idealistic view of nonprofit work. According to Mark Green, vice president of the Grantsmanship Center of Los Angeles, which teaches people to be better grantwriters and fundraisers, many people don't understand the level of business acumen required to succeed in the sector. "Nonprofits don't operate on air or good intentions," he said. "If you can sell, market, or work with money, you have a skill that is highly prized in the nonprofit world."