The job market is shifting, and more people than ever want to know how to get a remote job at a non-profit.
Why?
Because combining a paycheck with a purpose is the ultimate career hack. If you want to work for a cause you love from home, keep reading.
Here are the 8 Steps.
- Why Consider a nonprofit
- Identify your cause
- Look for opportunities
- Optimize your resume
- Craft a Cover Letter
- Get the Interview
- Consider Volunteerism
- Freelancing
Keep reading, and I’ll go over these steps in more detail. Plus some nifty hacks to find our passion in life!
Why Get a Job at a Nonprofit? (Combining Purpose and Paycheck)
Do you have feel like your a soul-crushing job?
I think we have all been there. Reminds me of a Japanese term called Ikigai.
It’s like finding your passion in life. If you can get paid while you’re doing work you love, that’s a cool thing, right?
The difference between a nonprofit and a normal company is…
- A company exists to make money
- A non-profit is more about the mission
When someone works for a non-profit, they could be following their passion. Tt could be in sectors like.
- Povert
- Medical
- Climate
- Education
- Helping animals
- Helping kids
- Helping ugly dogs (just seeing if you’re still with me)
Another reason is the culture. It could be more empathetic and less competitive than a normal job.
Lastly, there could be some tax advantages to working with a non-profit, and it can help with student loans.
Pros
- Could be more flexible
- Higher job satisfaction
- Work with people who share your values.
Cons
- Can pay 15-25% less than a corporate role
- May have to wear a few hats (do different jobs)
- Can be draining dealing with social problems.
The average pay varies, but could be $45,000-$60,000 a year to start. Executives can make over $130,000 a year.
The average working time is 40 hours a week.
Non-Profit Niche Matchmaker
Find your perfect remote mission in 30 seconds.
1. If you had a free Saturday, what would you rather do?
A typical day of a remote job at a non-profit could be something like this (just to give you an idea)..
- Morning is a Zoom meeting.
- Writing a grant proposal, designing social media graphics.
- Contacting a major donor or community leader.
- Then Updating the Sales software.
- 4:30 Pm brainstorm ways to reach more people with a limited budget.
How to Identify Your Cause and Find Your Passion in Life
This is sort of like finding your passion, and it’s not easy. Here are a few tips…
- Audit your reaction
When you view news on topics what triggers an emotional reaction? Is it plastic in the ocean, kids with disabilities, or puppies to give you some ideas?
What topic triggers a heated discussion? This could be your passion.
- Reflect on your own experiences
Maybe you faced poverty growing up or social injustice. For myself, I have lived in a few other countries and faced prejudice, racism, and unfairness. Yes, I know life isn’t fair!
Your own experiences can give you a guide on the passion you want to pursue.
- Going small or big
You could either support something small and local or a big national movement nationaly for example. Both have pros and cons.
Finding your passion might just be the hardest step there is.
Plus, your passion can change over time. It’s one of the reasons why I recommend a broader niche than 1 that is too narrow.
Where to Look for Opportunities for Remote Nonprofit Careers
Not comes the hard part in looking for opportunities. You know jobs that are hiring that align with your mission and passion.
This is another VERY hard part.
What I highly recommend is going to this place HERE. They have the largest selection of work-from-home jobs.
More importantly, they vet each and every job to ensure it’s legit and not bullshit or a scam. This is very important.
Plus, they actually help you get the job. It is a subscription service, but considering what you get for it, it’s way worth it.
How to Optimize Your Remote-Ready Resume for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
Now that you found some gigs you want to shoot for, the next step is getting your foot in the door.
This is what a Resume does.
Some companies use AI or software to filter out Resumes, so it’s good to use keywords to pass the first test.
Since Ai talk to each other (AI talk), I would recommend copying and pasting your resume to AI and telling it what job you’re applying for and what keywords you need just to pass the screening.
Then make sure those keywords are in your resume!
Also, this place HERE can help you craft a good resume to get your foot in that door.
Remote-Ready Resume Audit
Check these boxes to see if your resume is non-profit ready.
Crafting a Non-Profit Cover Letter That Proves Mission Alignment
Here comes the fun part.
Nonprofits are looking for someone to share in their mission, not just another worker.
In the cover letter, explain why their cause matters to you. The “Why” is more important than the “How.”
Remote work does have its challenges.
Some people struggle to be productive, and they just disappear. In the cover letter, you can prove or “set their mind at ease” that you are motivated.
You are disciplined and a self-starter. You don’t need someone looking over your shoulder, breathing down your neck.
If you have examples or a proven track record, that is EVEN better.
Oh, and focus on outcomes, not just activity.
How to Ace Your Remote Interview and Demonstrate Social Impact
If you’re lucky enough for the interview, make sure you have a quiet room.
Make sure you have stable internet and the right equipment.
A good webcamera like something like this, is worth its weight in gold and a wonderful investment. If you’re serious about working remotely, then it will come in handy.
If you’re going to be working with a computer screen a lot, then something like this HERE is amazing because it prevents eye strain.
Just an all-around amazing tool that comes in handy.
In the corporate world, it’s about ROI (Return On Investment), in a non-profit, it’s about impact.
A great tip is to research a recent success story with the non-profit and talk about how your skills would have supported that story.
Nonprofits also have limited resources. It’s not a bad idea to share a story on how you achieved something with limited resources yourself.
Why You Should Leverage Volunteerism as a Bridge to a Paid Role
This is not a bad idea.
Doing some volunteer work, it shows you care about a cause (it’s proven).
It’s a tangible track record. It also helps you build up skills for the non-profit like community engagement.
Another benefit is networking. You could hear about internal job openings before they are posted. Plus, if you do a great job, other leaders or team members could endorse you.
Seeing your work firsthand is WAY more powerful than a cold piece of paper (resume).
Some places to look for with volunteer work (that aligns with your passion) are…
The Freelance Angle: Using Affiliate Marketing to Support Your Passion
Another angle (thinking outside the box) is freelance work. It can be remote and align with your passion.
1 example is affiliate marketing. It’s where if you post a link and if someone clicks on it and does something like fill out a form for more information, or purchase something, you get paid.
What’s interesting is affiliate marketing, you can choose any niche.
Nearly all can be profitable. So you could follow your passion and earn money at the same time.
More good news is that affiliate marketing is very flexible; you can do it anytime, anywhere, and there are many different business models to choose from.
If you’re interested, I’ve been doing it for 15+ years (probably 20 now), and I’ll share many of my insider strategies and systems for FREE HERE.
Closing
Working from home is amazing because you save money on gas, wear and tear on a car, and your time.
It opens up lots of opportunities, and you get more time with your family.
Plus, there are little things like being there when your kids get home or supporting them during a play rehearsal.
You can be home when a repair person visits your home in the middle of the day.
I can go on and on.
To help you even more, I wrote a post that shares 10 easy steps to follow to find the right work-from-home job for you HERE.
I hope this post has been helpful. Bye for now.