The rough-and-tumble economy has hit all sectors of the economy hard. Jobs remain tough to come by in all areas for those new to the market and the experienced worker alike.
But there is a potential bright spot on the employment horizon in one segment that often gets overlooked: the non-profit arena.
The Washington, D.C.-based American Society of Association Executives reports there are more than 90,000 trade and professional associations and more than 1.2 million philanthropic or charitable organizations in the U.S. And, the numbers grow annually.
Non-profits can be found in most major and many smaller markets, with the highest concentration located in the nation’s capital, Chicago and New York. They cover a pretty broad range, from well-known charitable and cause-driven organizations like the Salvation Army and American Cancer Society to professional societies and associations like the American Institute of CPAs and National Association of Realtors. Opportunities are in big and small towns alike. Most national non-profits have chapters, districts or offices in most states.
Here are some reasons why older workers should look to non-profit organizations in their job search.
(more…)
June 2011
Monthly Archive
Pros and cons of working for a non-profit agency
The elephant in the interview room: Are you being passed over because of age?
“I can see the look in people’s eyes when they first greet me,” says Bill Wood, a 64-year-old from Minneapolis, Minn., who is looking for a job in information technology. “It seems to say, ‘This guy is going to retire soon; we don’t want a short-term permanent employee.’”
Cyndi Pauwels, a writer in her 50s from Yellow Springs, Ohio, has had similar experiences. “I was told (second-hand, off-the-record) by a headhunter, ‘We don’t hire older workers.’ I’ve read that the longer I’m unemployed, the less likely my chances are of finding anything, and I’m beginning to believe it.”
(more…)