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Check out the organizations that are working on issues that interest you. The Internet offers many opportunities for expanding your job search and you can use Idealist to help you locate organizations in your field. Many organizations list job openings on their websites, and some have weekly or monthly newsletters that list new positions. Also, visit all of the nonprofit job websites to see what kinds of jobs are out there.

Once you identify an organization that you think you would like to work for, it's always helpful to set up an informational interview with someone who works there. Such interviews with staff members can give you insight as to how such an organization is run, the process by which they hire new staff, and how to get into the field. Always remember to bring two or three copies of your resume to these interviews so that the person you are meeting can easily pass them on to any colleagues who may be looking for someone like you. See these personal stories for some good questions to ask.

A good option is to contact various professional associations in order to meet colleagues and to get more information about work in a particular sector. The idea of most professional associations is to bring together people in order to share ideas and goals. Therefore, communicating with these organizations will often allow you to expand your networking possibilities and put you one step closer to finding your dream job.

If you're in school right now, take advantage of the career center, alumni networks, volunteer service offices, and career fairs. Once you're out of school, it becomes more complicated to find a job while holding down another. The wealth of job-search resources available at your school is something you will not have easy access to when looking for a job after graduation. (If you have already graduated, check with the career center at your school to see if they also help alumni find jobs). From helping to hone your resumes and write effective cover letters to making connections and setting up first interviews, the services offered by your career center at school provide a unique springboard and support community for finding your first job.

Nonprofit organizations themselves, most of which would love to hire young, energetic, talented staff, do not always have the resources to recruit on campus in any comprehensive, strategic or competitive way. With some exceptions on campuses across the US, there will likely be no more than one or two nonprofits, if any, which actually recruit on your campus; it is possible that there will be few nonprofits at any career fairs on your campus.

However, Idealist on Campus is trying to change this, by valuing the power that college students and their campuses have to strengthen communities and the world at large. They support students and campuses by offering resources, events, educational tools, career and job fairs, networking opportunities and other programs related to the nonprofit sector.

Take a look at the help wanted sections from newspapers all over the world. Although you will find many jobs that are not nonprofit, you may just find a great third sector opportunity that you didn't even know existed!

Your options to connect with organizations based in another country may be limited by the languages you speak, whether you can obtain a work visa, the salary the organization can afford to pay you, and how much it will cost you to get there. These obstacles, however, should not discourage you from trying to find work abroad. If this is what you want to do, the working abroad section is a great resource.

International nonprofits based in your country may be your best bet for finding work abroad. Many of these organizations list their job openings, internships and volunteer opportunities on their websites. These listings provide you with a sense of what types of jobs are available, and the qualifications required for the positions. Keep in mind that it's often more difficult to find a salaried position in an international agency without previous field experience or a relevant graduate degree. An internship with such an organization will provide you with the field experience that could eventually materialize into permanent employment.

You might be reluctant to take the "who you know" route for getting your job. Get over it—this is sometimes the only way. Speaking with people who currently work in your area of interest will give you an idea of the types of work that are available and how they got involved in the field. The people you contact usually will be happy to share their knowledge and experience with someone who is just starting out. Don't expect miracles from such contacts; you probably won't get a job offer over the phone, but do expect encouragement and inspiration from the conversation. And, if you hit it off, they might even have a good lead for you. Before you speak to someone, be prepared. Do your homework on the job and on your field of interest so that you are not asking questions you could easily research yourself. You don't want to sound incompetent and waste people's time.

Presumably you are interested in working with a nonprofit in part because of people you have met through volunteering, classes, internships, or jobs you have held in the past. These people can be your best resource for finding the right opportunity for you. The nonprofit sector is often a relatively small and well-connected community within different issues (environment, arts, labor, homelessness, etc.) and in most cities or towns. Meet with or contact all of the people in your network as you begin your job search and always ask them who else they know that you should contact.

Sending blanket resumes to organizations for which you want to work is a shot in the dark. If you decide to do this, call beforehand and get the name of the human resources person so that your letter arrives and is directed to a specific person rather than a general department. Personal story.

Searching within the nonprofit sector for your first job can be a frighteningly lonely and frustrating experience. Nevertheless, take some comfort in knowing that there are thousands of people across the country in exactly the same position. The high turnover rates in nonprofit organizations mean that there are plenty of opportunities for everyone!

Continue to "Other ways of entering the nonprofit sector" >>>

Read more...

1. What is the nonprofit sector?
   
2. What to expect from working in the nonprofit world
   
3. Where do you fit in the third sector?
   
4. Finding your dream job—or at least a position in that ballpark
   
5. Other ways of entering the nonprofit sector
   
6. Finally...