When it comes to finding a job in the non-profit world, there are some things you can do that can put you at an advantage over others that may also be looking. These things are not complicated or difficult to do, but can mean the difference between a non-profit job offer and not.
Getting non-profit experience — If you have non-profit experience already, you can bypass this section and continue on. If not, you need to get some.
This can be done by volunteering with any of the non-profit agencies in your area, and then putting that information on your resume. Just be sure to do volunteer work that would be relevant to the type of job you would like to have.
Researching local non-profits — Your next step should be to spend a few days doing research on any non-profit organization in your area that you may be interested in working for.
First, look for general information about what they do, who works there, how long they have been in existence and what type of programs they run. If the agency seems to be a place you would like to work for, put them on a list of agencies to check into further.
Send resumes to your list — Once you have a list of non-profits you would like to work for, it is now time to send a resume and a cover letter to each of them.
While you will not be applying for a current position, the agency may have job openings they have not advertised yet. They may also keep your resume on file until they do, and then contact you for an interview.
Use online job listings — There are several non-profit job listings that are very useful when it comes to getting a job in a non-profit organization.
You can start with a non-profit job board that specialize in non-profit jobs, as you will usually find a huge number of job adverts here. They also update several times a day, so do keep checking back.
Look at the website for your local branch of the Center for Non Profit Management, as they also have a large job list that is updated every day. This is often the best place to look, as you will find jobs not listed anywhere else, as well as many of the higher level positions currently available.
Go to area job fairs — If you live in a larger town or city, there are likely to be job fairs several times a year that target the non-profit sector.
Register with all of them, take your resume and a photograph, and speak to as many people as you can. You will usually find, if you make a good impression, you will be remembered. Then, when it comes to calling people for interviews, you will be one of the first people they call.
Do these few things, and you should find your chances of getting a non-profit job quickly and easily improve quite drastically.