Episode Details

How do you get a nonprofit job? This is a big question that we hear from all kinds of job seekers: recent college graduates, corporate employees who want to switch careers, and government workers who want to continue to serve the public.

Like the question, the nonprofit sector is big. Almost 11 million Americans work for nonprofits in all kinds of jobs, from running soup kitchens and serving Girl Scouts, to managing organizations with billion dollar budgets.

Starting and maintaining a nonprofit career can be challenge. There’s a lot of competition for social good gigs, and professionals in the private sector may perceive cultural barriers to entry into the nonprofit space. Plus, there’s the question of how to making a living while working for a nonprofit.

This week on Find Your Dream Job Mac talks with a nonprofit expert: Allison Jones, Marketing and Publications Director at the Nonprofit Technology Enterprise Network. Allison previously worked at Idealist.org and as a career-focused journalist. In this episode she discusses the different pathways to entering the nonprofit sector and her tips for building a rewarding social good career.

In this 34-minute episode you will learn:

• Why you need to get specific when you think about a nonprofit career
• Different ways that people enter the nonprofit space
• What nonprofit hiring managers are looking for in new employees
• The most enlightening questions you can ask in nonprofit-focused informational interviews
• Why language matters when you apply for a nonprofit job
• Salary and benefit expectations for the nonprofit sector

This week’s guest:

Allison Jones (@ajlovesya | LinkedIn)Marketing & Publications Director Nonprofit Technology Enterprise Network (NTEN)New York, N.Y.

Listener question of the week: 

• How important is volunteer experience when applying for nonprofit jobs?

Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to Cecilia Bianco, Mac’s List Community Manager at cecilia@macslist.org.

Resources referenced on this week’s show:

• CharityNavigator.org
• GlassDoor.com
• Salary.com
• Nonprofit Technology Enterprise Network (NTEN)
• NYU Wagner Career Tracks Exercise
• Idealist.org
• Craigslist.com
• National Council of Nonprofits - Find Your State Nonprofit Association
• Heather Krasna - Jobs that Matter
• Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) - 2016 Edition

If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at

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