What a Senior Associate at Give Better Group Wishes They Knew Before Entering the Nonprofit Industry
Chloe, a Senior Associate at Give Better Group, advises aspiring nonprofit professionals to carefully consider the significant salary disparity between the nonprofit and for-profit sectors, stating that "salaries in the nonprofit sector really don't compare" to their for-profit counterparts. A thoughtful assessment of desired quality of life and financial goals is crucial before accepting a potentially lower-paying but fulfilling nonprofit role.
Nonprofit Sector Salaries, Work-Life Balance, Career Fulfillment, Financial Planning, Industry Expectations
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Chloe Vieira
Senior Associate
Give Better Group
California Lutheran University, 2013
UCLA Anderson Fully-Employed MBA program, MBA 2018
Communications
Nonprofit, Foundations & Grantmaking
Human Resources (HR)
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, LGBTQ
Video Highlights
1. Lower salaries in the nonprofit sector compared to for-profit should be considered.
2. Carefully consider your desired quality of life and financial goals when choosing a career path.
3. Fulfilling work in the nonprofit sector might compensate for lower pay, so it's essential to prioritize what matters most to you.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone would have told you before you entered the industry?
I think the fact that salaries in the nonprofit sector really don't compare to the for-profit sector is something people understand more nowadays. When I was graduating, I really didn't, so you have to understand that and ask yourself what kind of quality of life you want or expect.
Do you want to be able to travel a lot? Do you want to buy a house, and in what timeframe do you want to do these things? It's not that you can't do things with a job in the nonprofit sector; it'll just be different.
It'll just be a different calculation. So spending some time to think about how you want your life to look will help you figure out if you can take a job that you really love that maybe doesn't have the salary you want yet because it's really fulfilling work.