Five questions you should ask yourself before considering a nonprofit career

A career working for nonprofits is appealing to many people who want to do more than just work for money in their jobs. No, they want to work to make change in their communities, if not the world, or to further some cause that is extra special to them while still earning a living. However, a nonprofit career is not always the easiest path for a variety of reasons. Here are 5 question to seriously consider before embarking on such a career track.

1. Are You Willing to Work for Rewards Other than Monetary Ones? Except for a few lucky cases, most nonprofits do not have the budget to pay their employees very much. Employees often work for less than the wages of those with comparable skill sets and titles in other industries. Additionally, it is harder for a nonprofit to measure success. For-profits know how well they are doing based on how profitable their organization is. For nonprofits, it may be much more difficult to see the impact the organization is having on their targeted group or community.
2. Can You Do the Work of Several People at Once? Many nonprofits are understaffed (and in some cases significantly so), so you must be ready to wear several hats and go outside what a given position typically requires. This has its benefits in that one is able to learn so much more and receive hands on experience in many varied tasks than with for-profits. The downside: burnout is very common, a major reason why turnover is so high at nonprofit organizations.
3. What Kind of Work Environment Are You Comfortable In? This question can apply to any type of position under consideration, but is especially important when contemplating a nonprofit career. Work environments may be casual and occasionally chaotic. At the Day Workers' Center for Hispanic Immigrants (DCW) I worked at, I received many welcomed visits from the day workers but sometimes found it hard to bear down and get my work done. Center events and more attendance than expected meant my workspace was taken over, and I had to relocate. Make sure you can be flexible and won't get married to a certain desk or rolling chair.
4. Do You Excel at Doing More with Less? Like the space issue I just mentioned, nonprofits often work on (at times very) limited budgets with limited resources. Nonprofits are at the mercy of their donors and supporters, and during tough economic times such as these, money can be hard to come by. Less money means smaller budgets and sometimes less people to work with. To be successful, you must be creative with money and willing to ask for help from those who have it. Do not expect a lot of the luxuries for-profits have -- when I started at the Day Workers' Center they had just bought computers for those who answered phones and took work orders for the first time, and this was in 2009. Before that, it was all pen and paper, and real maps for directions to work sites rather than MapQuest.
5. Can You Work with Uncertain Job Security? Unfortunately, nonprofits are not always the most stable organizations to work for. Budget cuts, at their very worst, lead to job cuts. While I worked at the DWC one employee was let go due to a lack of funds, with her dismissal decided because she had spent the least amount of time employed on staff.

These questions are not meant to discourage anybody from working for a nonprofit. This type of work can be the most rewarding and enjoyable experience available. Just make sure you know what you may potentially be getting into, and like with any job, consider whether you can thrive under these conditions.

Guest blogger Joseph Gustav writes for the up-and-coming career blog, Pounding the Pavement. In his free time, Mr. Gustav also tackles topics related to call center management for Guide to Career Education.