Entry-Level Positions For Aspiring Nonprofit Professionals

An undergraduate learning how to fundraise and host events is a great skill, especially if it's something they are uncomfortable with. The skills it takes to host an event can be used for any kind of job, and they would be appreciated.

The skills required for fundraising, such as asking for money, are relevant for any business operation. It may look different, but it's the skill of creating something and getting people to show up and understand what you're doing. These are things any nonprofit always needs.

It's hard to make fundraising a paid job because most nonprofits don't have the budget to hire someone solely for that. However, they might be able to offer commission based on what you produce. This is a common need that most people have to do themselves, or it's part of another role because it's difficult to fund.

Social media and communications are huge for this industry and really any business. While it might be hard to start off in a full-time role, you could also volunteer or intern, and people would gladly accept the help. If you are good at it, they might be able to keep you on.

A lot of it is about letting an organization get to know you and what you can contribute. They need to see how you fit in and how you adapt. There might be multiple roles you can contribute to that the organization didn't even know they needed.

Marketing, fundraising, and hosting events are all great ways to demonstrate your value without them having to take too big of a chance on you. Nobody will ever say no to a grant writer. If you help out and write a successful grant, they might have the capacity for you.

Volunteering and networking are also valuable. Admin roles can be tricky because you need to understand the organization. For small nonprofits, it's hard to onboard someone if they don't have the capacity to teach you what's needed.

Anything you can do with minimal guidance is ideal. For example, if an organization needs to have an event in three months and raise $10,000, and you can take the details and make it happen, you will be valuable anywhere.

This means having the creativity, skillset, and confidence to execute with minimal information. You would be contributing something valuable, and if they have to give you more than what you contribute, it won't make sense for a small company. That's something to be aware of.