Nonprofits? Not a Recessionary Refuge for Job Seekers

I worked for a non profit. If you like long hours, old tech as in museumware, a tiny salary at a place that has ancient chairs and desk, (turn of the century), not 1999, more like 1899, and want your friends to say "When are you going to get a real job?"

Well, come on in!

I'm not sure what nonprofit you worked for but I think you have it all wrong SeoBro. Working for a non-profit is a real job that requires hard work and dedication, and, get this, at the end of the day, you know you've actually made a difference. It's sad that we have to go through a recession for people to suddenly feel like they want to do something that has actual meaning, and even sadder that many assume that those who work in the philanthropical world do so because they can't get a job anywhere else. We're actually highly intelligent, educated people who would rather do something with meaning than sell our souls in the very companies that are now falling apart... Karma anyone?

See the post at my blog http://mitchellsfriedman.blogspot.com/ about this article.

I have known "Do Something" given that I had worked with one of their associates in raising funds for an initiative that they were interested in. I had great respect for the generosity that this organization had shown. But little did I know about the arrogant leader behind the scene! Its sad to see a person who holds the leadership role at a non-profit come out and lash at potential candidates because she is frustrated by the innumerous job/referral requests she gets on Facebook and LinkedIn. If she is the CEO (especially of a non-profit), she should expect inquiries from all types of people - students, interns, volunteers, for-profit managers, etc. If you do not have the ability, or enthusiasm, or desire to actually channel these requests appropriately, or refer them to others that could help, you do not deserve to be a head of any organization or a team. It just defeats the purpose of a leadership!

Having volunteered for a non-profit myself, and with a wife who has only worked in non-profit environment for close to 10 years, I am fully onboard with the trials and tribulations of the non-profit sector. Nancy has my sympathies for that. It does not mean that she can just bark (yes, that's the tone of your article) at anyone who shows interest in the sector for whatever reason. She also has my sympathies in having to field a large number of job and referral requests. It is to be expected in this connected world. Get off of Facebook or LinkedIn if you cannot take it. I just think her attitude in her article is belittling and vengeful, at the very least. Who is to stop a candidate from advertising his facts on being a banker or Harvard alumni? If you do not like the facts, too bad. In fact, during the good times, I am sure most, if not all your chicken dinners, were sponsored by some corporate donations - directly or indirectly. If they are not donating money now, and that pisses you off, that's no reason to have a vengeful attitude towards everyone coming from for-profit sector.

People choose careers for a reason, and these people that you are thrashing in your article are making choices for whatever reason. And you are shutting them off with your nasty article. If you have a problem with it, there are many other ways to help the situation than publish something insensitive that will come to haunt the sector in general. I think a CEO regardless of what sector he/she works in should try to understand any situation and create opportunities. But you chose to write this article which can only do harm for an organization, as well as the sector. And its not fair on other non-profits for Nancy to self-represent them in her article.

Request to FastCompany: It might be time that you vet the authors and their articles before you publish. As someone who pays for your magazine, I would like to see informative articles that help people rather than some woman's rants because she woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Please do not have people on board just because they have some pedigree, but because they have the ability to write something that will influence thinking your subscribers/readers.

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PG

Wow, nice work Nancy. You’ve managed to alienate an entire segment of employable people. And you built your career trying to get poor women better access to jobs?

To those who might have been scared away from considering a job in the non-profit world should know that Lublin's holier than thou attitude is not the norm in our industry. Lublin's right to discuss how today’s job crisis creates opportunities for personal and career reflection. Instead, I would have liked to see her write a passionate pitch encouraging people with the skills she needs to apply for a job and help make her organization thrive, (the non-profit world is so diverse I don’t think only she represents all its interests). Instead she used the article as an opportunity to whine and belittle those who have reached out to her. (PJ’s comments are spot on – in today’s digital world if you don’t want to be connected to a million people, get off the networking sites).

Rest assured Fast Company readers; everyone I know welcomes the opportunity to nurture and mentor those wanting to work with us - with or without an MBA from Harvard. If the environment isn’t right for you, we’ll let you down respectfully.

You sound bitter, which is really unfortunate and I hope not the way you meant to come across. I get that it's frustrating to have people from the for-profit world roll in and want to make things happen in a manner that they are used to, because I'm guilty of that. Perhaps, if you could tailor your management style to be more inclusive, you could figure out a way to harness their good intentions and focus them on helping you meet the goals of your organization. I often see this tug-of-war within non-profits and it's unfortunate. In today's tough economic environment, the survival of the cause you care so much about depends on being accepting of new ideas and new people.

You sound bitter, which is really unfortunate and I hope not the way you meant to come across. I get that it's frustrating to have people from the for-profit world roll in and want to make things happen in a manner that they are used to, because I'm guilty of that. Perhaps, if you could tailor your management style to be more inclusive, you could figure out a way to harness their good intentions and focus them on helping you meet the goals of your organization. I often see this tug-of-war within non-profits and it's unfortunate. In today's tough economic environment, the survival of the cause you care so much about depends on being accepting of new ideas and new people.

This woman has a fat ego. Shame on you!!!!! While I regularly volunteer, do pro-bono work with heart, I never underestimate the amount of work, dedication and commitment of those who work in non-profit. After reading "No Vacancy" a bitter taste is left in my mouth. Nancy Lublin, do you still expect us to donate and support your efforts or be sympathetic to non-profits with this attitude. Sick it babe.

This woman has a fat ego. Shame on you!!!!! While I regularly volunteer, do pro-bono work with heart, I never underestimate the amount of work, dedication and commitment of those who work in non-profit. After reading "No Vacancy" a bitter taste is left in my mouth. Nancy Lublin, do you still expect us to donate and support your efforts or be sympathetic to non-profits with this attitude? Sick it babe.

While I'm at it...I'd like to remind Nancy that a LARGE majority of the for-profit workforce supports and makes possible many ventures of non-profit organizations. We are likely paying your salary. Make nice for you might find yourself in a situation where you may be tapping into your LinkedIn resources/friends to find work in the private sector one day - you never know. This is a time in history when there is much new hope inspired by Obama and his urge for us all to reflect and be of service. You (non-profits) are NOT the "lucky ones" or the "chosen few" who have been ordained to help the needy. It is for each and every one of us to make a difference and be part of positive change. I grew up in Zimbabwe, I know what it is like to be on the receiving end of caregiving - and now I am in a position to give back - and why the hell not seek to get more involved in non-profit's? For some people who start out in the for-profit business direction only to find out later on that the could be doing work of meaning, may not have ever had the opportunity to begin a career in non-profit, or perhaps their paths lead them elsewhere first.
So...why don't your "put your lights off" on your narcissistic ways and we'll chose to keep burning the midnight oil on lending a hand or offering to be of permanent service to those who need us most.

I've been working in the nonprofit sector my entire career, and I really don't see that much of a distinction. The organization I work for is relatively large but there are many "mom and pop" businesses that have much in common with small one-person-shop nonprofits. I think it's a great thing to be able to sleep at night because you spent the day having an impact on an audience that needs your help, rather than helping rich people get richer.
All that aside I would like to point out another source of up-to-the-minute information for those seeking jobs in the nonprofit sector - the Job Corner on the Foundation Centers' PND (Philahthropy News Digest). You can visit it at http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/jobs/ or sign up for the free weekly e-letter that announces new job postings.

I've been working in the nonprofit sector my entire career, and I really don't see that much of a distinction. The organization I work for is relatively large but there are many "mom and pop" businesses that have much in common with small one-person-shop nonprofits. I think it's a great thing to be able to sleep at night because you spent the day having an impact on an audience that needs your help, rather than helping rich people get richer.
All that aside I would like to point out another source of up-to-the-minute information for those seeking jobs in the nonprofit sector - the Job Corner on the Foundation Centers' PND (Philahthropy News Digest). You can visit it at http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/jobs/ or sign up for the free weekly e-letter that announces new job postings.

I've been working in the nonprofit sector my entire career, and I really don't see that much of a distinction. The organization I work for is relatively large but there are many "mom and pop" businesses that have much in common with small one-person-shop nonprofits. I think it's a great thing to be able to sleep at night because you spent the day having an impact on an audience that needs your help, rather than helping rich people get richer.
All that aside I would like to point out another source of up-to-the-minute information for those seeking jobs in the nonprofit sector - the Job Corner on the Foundation Centers' PND (Philahthropy News Digest). You can visit it at http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/jobs/ or sign up for the free weekly e-letter that announces new job postings.

Are you serious? Not only have you alienated and taken aim at an entire segment of the population, but you are doing it in a way that only supports your obviously oversized ego. "I take these meetings out of the goodness of my unnaturally large heart, which should be considered a handicap". You can't be serious. I happen to work in the non-profit sector, and we certainly aren't the divisive, bitter people you make us out to be, nor do I feel that my friends who have switched over from the for-profit sector are the kind of people you are making THEM out to be. These friends never had someone else "turn out the lights" for them, or have a fancy car service pick them up. They are simply people, looking to work in a different sector, bringing many transferable skills to the non-profit world, just as I would bring mine to the for-profit world. This rhetoric reminds me of the bi-partisan bashing that most if not all of us are sick and tired of, because it doesn't yield any solutions, only more problems and more misunderstanding. This article is in poor taste and has such an air arrogance that I am left with nothing but a bad taste in my mouth.

Wow. As soon as I read this that was my first reaction. And after re-reading it, it's still my reaction. Wow.

I'm hoping you've had a bad day and forgot to have the presence of mind to step away from your computer and re-read what you wrote before hitting the "publish" button here.

My parents paid for me to go to an Ivy League school and I spent most of my life trying to find a job that earned enough to (in my mind) justify their investment.

I put in 16-20 hour days working at one of the top four public accounting firms. I also busted my tail at an internet startup with similar hours. We may have had some perks - but we also worked hard for our clients, our employers and ourselves. I don't think that the fact that we were making money makes us any less deserving of recognition - financial or otherwise. That ride to our car was out of concern for our safety - do you begrudge someone that?

All that aside - after being laid off two years ago and going from a 6 figure salary to a zero-dollar income, I've often thought that the silver lining is I now feel free to choose a job based on what I want to do - where I think I can make the biggest difference in the world - and not on financial compensation. Granted, I don't have a family to support, so that gives me the added freedom of choice.

To me, being able to work at a non-profit would be a luxury - not based on a misconception of it being an easier job - but based on being able to follow one's heart instead of chasing a dollar.

Nancy -my prior employment aside, the fact is you WOULD be lucky to have me work for you - I am ambitious, bright, creative, energetic, outgoing, warm, compassionate and a hard worker. And I've been blessed with a life that allows me to bring my business experience to the table as well.

With all due respect, unless anyone's in the market working for a woman with an overwhelming chip on her shoulder, who either doesn't have the self-awareness to realize how judgmental she sounds (or possibly doesn't care) my guess is you've pretty much resolved your problem with this post. After reading it, I have a hard time understanding why someone would apply for a job working for you.

Nancy Lublin, where exactly do you volunteer. How much are you scrimping to pay yourself $178,228 in 2007 (over 5% of the organizations budget)? Oh I see it is by paying your Associate $30,000/year. You must be wonderful to work for. It shows how bad the economy is that people even bother to call you!

I have spent most of my career in startups, but for 2 years I was the IT manager for a not-for-profit social services agency in Chula Vista. They do amazing work there and pay their people well, and their grant writers are aces at getting grant support for modernizing IT equipment. I don't see any distinction among my work environments: both for-profit and not-for-profit groups drove their teams with clearly-defined mission statements and the kind of visionary leadership that inspired their teams to put in mega hours and tons of dedication with nearly zero budgets and massive creativity. Most of us had Master's degrees and very specific skills that were developed from our time in the trenches. However, the kind of bitterness you are experiencing here seems extreme. I was really put off by your condescending tone. In reality, good candidates come from all walks of life and pedigrees, as do poor candidates. I would hope you would put general postings on your sites that were helpful, reminding people to pick up a copy of "What Color is My Parachute?" or something to get back to basics, and to approach any potential job with the same zeal they did when they were 22, working feverishly in the career center at college, desperately practicing how to package themselves for the career of their dreams. Basically, with a lot less contempt, you can still get it across that these people who were high-fliers until their recent layoff just need to jettison the ego-identity they indulged at the top, and remind themselves that now that they are out, they are back at ground zero.

Anyone who has ever done customer service knows that you have to please the customer, and rattling off their pedigree-laden resume will never do that. Any job hunter needs to remind themselves that the hiring manager is like a customer, always thinking, "What's In It for Me?" (Remember everyone's favorite radio station is WIIFM.)

You can deflate their outsize egos with kindness and leadership. The bitterness and condescension smacks of someone who has allowed her frustration to escape prematurely and unpackaged. I wish you joy and balance and peace, and a return to your generous spirit. Put some nice suggestions on your facebook and delegate to your assistant the task of responding to repetitive banal or lazy questions, or set up an autoresponder. But don't let the pressure get you down. Best of luck to you!

I bridge the two sectors currently as a nonprofit board member & staff member, and a consultant for a number of forprofit corps. I've been routinely frustrated by the sentiment that nonprofits aren't real jobs, or that they could be a break or "refuge" during a down economy. But... Ms. Lublin... this is just plain ridiculous. While you're a natural when it comes to writing rants, you've revealed an ugly and intolerant part of your character in this piece. You've lost my trust, at least, in your ability to effectively and ethically lead any organization, nonprofit or forprofit.

Wow, how I DO LOVE a good rant! We all need to vent once in a while and I think that the non-profit sector is such a good place to do it. You might like to see the rant I posted "You Call Yourself a Social Entrepreneur?" here http://tinyurl.com/bau5dv

I loved this rant so much, that I promise to write a blog entry about it today. I help successful folks figure out how to make the financial leap into doing more meaningful things. Often this includes social entrepreneurship related activities, thinking about volunteer or opportunities to give money/time, starting a private foundation, or something else that is not about self, rather doing for others. Without further clarification from Nancy Lubin, I'm afraid she's done a real injustice to herself and possibly alienated good people who wanted her help to move to a more meaningful career.

My blog post was designed to inspire people to "Do Something", just as Nancy says, but unfortunately, after reading this, I'm not inclined to do anything for "Do Something". Stay tuned.

The key is DOING what you are passionate about! The world doesn't need any more technically proficient mechanical men/women in the for profit OR not-for-profit sectors. Yeccchhhh!!

in fact i didn't work in the non-profit sector.
But I hope that in future I hope that I would be present in this sector.

But between then and the other by trying to offer assistance to this sector and I volunteer to do so, he was a great help to do something not intended for profit, a beautiful feeling ..
I wish you a happy day ..
And happy to read these words ..

Regards

Wow, you've somehow made us all feel bad about ever thinking about doing something good. Is this how you encourage people to serve mankind? If we should all feel bad about wanting to do something good, then does this mean we should feel good about wanting to do something bad?

Yes, hiring is in the deep freeze and nonprofit is not going to be an exception. But, here's another resource for nonprofit jobs for those who really are determined...

Eric Shannon

President, LatPro, Inc.

LatPro.com | JustJobs.com | DiversityJobs.com

Hi Nancy,

Thank you for your article on overheads in non-profits.

I had once attended a volunteer event for Katrina victims, taking donations
for a renowned non-profit.
During our training we were specifically asked not to answer questions
around overheads, and the numbers were not shared with us. This troubled me
since, and I favoured non-profits with very low overheads.
However, your article has been an eye opener, overheads can mean better
support or higher efficiency going forward. Charities need better metrics
defined for measuring their success.

Regards,
Saket K,
Likebucks LLC,
www.likebucks.com

it is unfortunate that even nonprofits are not recession proof, but there are jobs still out there that can be found on idealist.

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While I agree with the other comments that us non-profiters should not alienate the for-profiters, but rather welcome them happily into our field, I very much enjoyed the credit the author gave to those of use that are in this field. I work in this field because I care deeply about the social outcomes it brings about-not for the cash it puts in my pocket (obviously). Though just because the non-profit salaries are not competitive, does not mean the workforce or field is not! Not too long ago I applied for a somewhat entry-level, not-for-profit position at a great organization I interned with (for free) for 6 months, and for which I had great internal references. Hundreds applied (to make $35K in NYC), and I came in a close 2nd to a woman who spoke far more (relevant) languages, and had an ivy masters...I was amazed I got as far as I did! ...thats just to put it in perspective. Of course for-profit jobs are very competitive-but so are non-profit. And, thankfully, for-profit institutions fund many non-profit endeavors-but the non-profit endeavors they fund keep your world as great as it is, and are committed to making the world better for those individuals that for-profits have the luxury of ignoring.

The author's point, I believe, is that for-profiters should make the switch because they care about the career path, not because they think it is easy or the only option in this economy. As many commenters noted, the former does indeed happen quite often. But the latter does too, and I am as tired as the author of laid-off 3-figure friends "thinking of getting a job in your field" (as if it is that easy) and for-profit others laughing at the cushiness of my field.

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Working in the not-for-profit sector is a career. It isn't a sabbatical from your "real" job. We have skills. We require training.

And the number one skill many if not most nonprofits value is grant writing: just as for-profit businesses tend to value most highly personnel who bring in money, most nonprofits do as well. I discuss the grant writing issue in this post on consultants versus employees for nonprofits.

Those who want to learn more about what grant writing actually entails might want to see the rest of the site.

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If she is the CEO (especially of a non-profit), she should expect inquiries from all types of people - students, interns, volunteers, for-profit managers, etc. If you do not have the ability, or enthusiasm, or desire to actually channel these requests appropriately, or refer them to others that could help, you do not deserve to be a head of any organization or a team. It just defeats the purpose of a leadership!

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