acknowledgements
	foreword
	rewards & challenges of nonprofit work
	understanding the nonprofit sector
	education
	who are you & where do you want to to go?
	managing the job search process
	getting your foot in the door without starving
	start as an intern or volunteer
	contract & consulting work
	temporary employment
	canvassing & fundraising
	national service: AmeriCorps & Vista
	union internships/apprenticeships
	entry level positions
	job listings resources
	gathering information
	informational interviews
	marketing yourself
	getting an interview
	the job interview
	negotiating
	following-up & staying in the loop
	appendix 1:  common nonprofit job titles
	appendix 2: assessment of nonprofit wages & benefits
	contributors

It is an exciting and important time to be working in nonprofit organizations. There is a breadth of interesting options for breaking into different nonprofit fields, augmented recently by the growing presence of national service programs and expansion in the field of nonprofit consulting. Be advised, however, that the nonprofit career path is neither well defined, nor streamlined for all people. If you commit to "thinking outside of the box" in terms of how you enter the sector, you will be best equipped to find meaningful work right for you. The following are several different ways to start out your nonprofit career.

Start as an Intern or Volunteer
For those who can and choose to afford it, a great way to get a job in a public interest group is to start as an intern or a volunteer. Many nonprofits are supported by a large intern staff (either unpaid or with low "stipends," or weekly reimbursements) and there can be a fine line between internships and paid jobs. Internships are easy to find because they are often listed in internship guides, and they are obviously less competitive than paid positions (though some internships are relatively competitive because they are viewed as a foot in the door to a particularly attractive organization). Volunteering similar to interning but unpaid and generally understood as a smaller time commitment - is essential for job seekers with little hands-on experience in their field of interest or those with little experience in the Bay Area. You will gain skills, contacts, and, potentially, local references. More importantly, volunteer positions, like internships, can turn into paid positions if you happen to impress your supervisors and be in the right place at the right time. Volunteer opportunities can generally be located through citywide volunteer centers, volunteer web sites, or simply by knocking on a door. Nonprofits do not regularly refuse cheap or free labor!

Get creative in combining "jobs" - you could intern during the day and work in a cafe at night. We would not recommend this as a permanent lifestyle, but it can be done!

Internship Guides
Action Without Borders
www.idealist.org/career.html  (internship guide and internship email list)

The Complete Guide to Washington Internships. Jeffrey Parness, ed. 1988.

International Internships and Volunteer Programs. Will Cantrell & Francine Modderno. 1992.

Peterson's Internships 1999.  Peterson's Guides, Inc. 1998.

Princeton Review Internship Bible 1998 Edition. Princeton Review Internship Bible 1998 Edition. Princeton Review Internship Bible 1998 Edition. Princeton Review Internship Bible 1998 Edition. Princeton Review Internship Bible 1998 Edition. Mark Oldman and Samer Hamadeh. 1997.

Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteer Center of San Francisco
Phone: 415-982-8999
www.vcsf.org

Volunteer Center of Alameda County
Phone: 510-419-3970
www.volunteeronline.org

Hands on San Francisco
Phone: 415-263-8949
www.sanfrancsico.sidewalk.com/detail/33464

Impact Online's Volunteer Match
www.volunteermatch.org

Contract & Consulting Work
Before turning into a job, volunteer or intern work could turn into "contract" work - special projects for which you charge an hourly rate. Many nonprofits prefer this type of arrangement to hiring full-time people with benefits, so as you volunteer, think of skills you can offer. If you already have marketable skills, you can skip the voluntary step and seek out contract work immediately. Nonprofits hire contractors to perform all sorts of tasks: writing a report, conducting research, compiling data, developing a database, etc. While contract work is a great option for people who need paid work while they are looking, it is also a great strategy for carving out a role for yourself in an organization that interests you.

During informational interviews, let the interviewer know you are interested in contract and permanent work. Highlight some of the skills you might contribute to that person's organization or a partner organization. You may also want to research nonprofit consulting firms, individuals and groups who make a living off this type of contract work. Nonprofit consultants often have projects for which they need to subcontract portions of their work for a limited period of time.

Temporary Employment
One good way to volunteer or intern but still make money is to work part-time as a "temp," or temporary worker. Temp agencies will allow you to work either short- or long-term assignments and allow you to work as much as you want. Many temp agencies take your career interests into account and help place you in organizations that interest you or at least help you build a particular skill. Also, temporary may turn into permanent. Be aware that most temp jobs are clerical and can be boring and repetitive. These situations, however, prove to be great opportunities to (ahem!) write cover letters while you pass the time answering the phones (temping will also put you in close proximity to a fax, computer, and copier. . . )

Blue Moon Personnel, Inc.
Phone: 415-394-9500
Email: bluemooncc@aol.com

Office Team
Phone: 415-434-2429

Truex Temporary Staffing
Phone: 415-433-6222

Braintrust
Phone: 415-977-1180
www.braintrust.com

Most temp jobs are found through agencies. They may also be found through word of mouth, so inquire about opportunities during informational interviews (hint: look out for people going on maternity leave). For other temporary job listings, visit JVS (see page 24 for contact information).

Canvassing & Fundraising
Canvassing (knocking on doors to raise money for an organization) and telefundraising (doing it by phone) likely pay at least a minimum wage for work you believe in, have flexible hours, help you learn about some issues, and may give you a chance to make connections with like-minded people or organizations. Note, however, that in these jobs, the issues usually take a back seat to fundraising. This can lead not only to monotony but, in some cases, cynicism. Still, these jobs may be more relevant to your job search than making lattes, and the hours are very flexible. Check the classifieds, especially in weekly or alternative papers, for these kinds of jobs.

National Service: AmeriCorps & Vista
AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps*VISTA are excellent year-long national service opportunities to get your foot in the door of an organization and immediately do substantive work. Both programs pay a small monthly living allowance, health care, and offer, at the end of the year, a stipend of $4725 to pay off student loans or further your education. They also provide excellent credentials and networking opportunities for future full-time jobs. While the cost of living in the Bay Area makes it difficult to live on AmeriCorps stipends, many people do it and find the program leads to great (salaried) opportunities once the year is complete.

Responsibilities and activities vary among programs. Most AmeriCorps members do direct community service in a human service, environmental, or education setting. AmeriCorps*VISTAs tend to do grant writing, program management, or volunteer recruitment and are more focused on community organizing and building the capacity of the nonprofits in which they work.

AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps*VISTA Positions:
Corporation for National Service (VISTA)
Phone: 310-235-7421, 415-561-5960
www.cns.gov , www.nationalservice.org

California Commission on Improving Life Through Service (AmeriCorps)
Phone: 916-323-7646
www.cilts.ca.gov  

Other National "Year of Service" Opportunities:
The National Service Guide. The National Service Guide. The National Service Guide. The National Service Guide. The National Service Guide. Access: Networking in the Public Interest. 1994
Phone: 202-785-4233
www.communityjobs.org

Avodah, Jewish Service Corps
Phone: 212-545-7759
www.avodah.jsc@worldnet.att.net 

Jesuit Volunteer Corps
Phone: 503-335-8202
www.jesuitvolunteers.org

Union Internships/Apprenticeships
Labor unions are becoming the focal point of much of the progressive work being done around the country. If you are interested in a job in the labor movement - or just interested in gaining the skills of a professional organizer, be it in a union or community setting - there are paid internship and apprenticeship opportunities available. Union Summer is an AFL-CIO (American Federation of Labor/Congress of Industrial Organizations) summer internship that helps you learn the basics of labor organizing and gives you access to a network of organizers and activists that may help you land a permanent job later. Union Summer usually has a site in the Bay Area. The Organizing Institute at the AFL-CIO is a more formal recruiting and training mechanism that sponsors a three-part training and paid apprenticeship in union organizing. Initial training sessions are offered around the country at different times of the year. There are also other organizing-focused internships sponsored by a range of organizations around the country.

Union Summer
Phone: 800-952-2550
www.unionsmr.org

AFL-CIO Organizing Institute
Phone: 202-637-5000
www.afl-cio.org

Democracy Summer (New Majority Education Fund)
Phone: 888-818-9098
www.nmef.org/ds.html   (this is a national community organizing summer internship program)

National School for Strategic Organizing
Phone: 213-387-2800
www.igc.apc.org/lctr

Entry Level Positions
Depending on the organization, newcomers to the nonprofit sector may be eligible for a range of entry-level, salaried positions. You could start as an administrative assistant, receptionist, or office manager, as these jobs are prevalent and can be springboards to higher level jobs. It does happen. However, make sure you find out whether an organization views its support staff as potential higher level workers. You could end up bumping up against the support staff "glass ceiling" if you don't ask the right questions.

Some other good entry-level positions to consider include program assistant (generally clerical but specific to a substantive project rather than just general office work), development assistant (there are always a great number of jobs in fundraising and organizations are always interested in giving good writers or event planners a chance at this), and volunteer coordinator (these jobs often capitalize on skills you already possess, enable you to have human contact, and can be stepping stones to other program positions). Relief counselor and activity leader are also good possibilities that pay minimally but offer very substantive, hands-on experience. You can find these jobs listed in the newspaper sometimes, but more often in specialty nonprofit job publications and web sites such as those listed below.

Job Listing Resources
Opportunity NOCs: This publication of The Management Center (www.tmcenter.org; 415-362-9735) comes out every Thursday and exclusively lists positions in nonprofit organizations. You can read it online at www.opportunitynocs.org  or you can subscribe to get a copy mailed to you each week. (Some of the announcements only appear online, others only in print, and some you will find in both places.) A three-month subscription for an individual is $24. You may also be able to read it at the public library, and at the bulletin boards of some nonprofits that subscribe.

San Francisco Chronicle and Examiner: You can pick up the newspaper on the street or you can read classifieds online every day. You can set up a free "e-mail alert" which will search the classifieds for you and e-mail ones that match your search criteria every day. Follow the prompts when you do a classifieds search at www.sfgate.com.

Jewish Vocational Services (JVS): This career counseling office is open to the public. For $2/day, you can read their job binders, which are updated daily. They are located at 77 Geary near Market in San Francisco. They also have a web site, www.jvs.org. Phone: 415-391-3600.

Young Nonprofit Professionals' Network (YNPN): YNPN runs an email list that posts nonprofit job listings almost daily. To subscribe, visit their web page at www.ynpn.org.

Bay Area Nonprofit Job-search Organization (BANJO): We have a small virtual job bulletin board on our web site, and we have an email list where employers can list openings for free. Visit our web site at www.delphi.com/nonprofitsearch for more information, or to join our email list.

Craig's List: This giant community listing service doesn't have a ton of nonprofit listings, but it is a good place to find some contract work to feed yourself while you look for nonprofit jobs. They also list events, apartments, and other things of interest. Check it out at www.craigslist.org.

Coleman Advocates for Youth puts out a newsletter called Y-MAC news. They often list openings in youth-oriented organizations that are not listed anywhere else. A subscription is available by fax for a sliding scale fee. Call 415-641-4362 or visit www.colemanadvocates.org for more information.

The Support Center: The Center has job listing notebooks available to the public and puts out a newsletter entitled Food for Thought that often includes job listings. It's located at 706 Mission Street in San Francisco.
Phone: 415-541-9000.

Idealist.org: This is one of the more comprehensive (and national) web sites specializing in nonprofit job announcements. You can search by state or city and will generally come up with quite a few fairly recent job openings. Visit www.idealist.org .

Bridges Online: This is a local web site focusing on job resources for women. In addition to job listings and an e-mail job listing service, there is good information about temporary companies. Visit www.bridgesonline.com.

The Women's Building: This is a building devoted to progressive nonprofits; on the top floor, they keep a binder of job opportunities available to the public. The Building is at 3543 18th Street in San Francisco. Phone: 415-431-1180.

Environmental Career Opportunities: This is a national organization that publishes a job listing guide as well as maintains a job search web site. Check out www.ecojobs.com. Phone: 800-315-9777.

Public Interest Clearinghouse: This is an organization that sponsors the Public Interest Employment Service Job Alert, a job listing bulletin specializing in public interest legal jobs, many of which are in the Bay Area. Visit www.pic.org/pies. Phone: 415-255-1714.

Alumnae Resources: This is an organization that offers individuals a career resources center, comprehensive workshops, career coaching, networking opportunities, support groups, and job listings. Visit www.ar.org. Phone: 415-391-3600.

The Foundation Center: This is an organization who's mission is to foster public understanding of the foundation field. The San Francisco office maintains a job binder with current listings of job openings at nonprofit and educational institutions in the Bay Area. Visit www.fdncenter.org. Phone: 415-397-0902.

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