Considering a career in the public or non-profit sectors?
Here’s what you need to know.
What are the public and non-profit sectors?
These terms refer to jobs in Government, government-affiliated agencies and institutions, and charities – essentially any entity that provides a public good or service or operates on a basis where they aren’t trying to make any money beyond what they need to run.
You might be interested in a career in the public or non-profit sectors because you want to work towards a purpose that does not involve making profit. Perhaps you are especially passionate about a particular issue or problem that you want to solve. If so, these sectors are the perfect place for you – public and non-profit agencies are primarily mission-driven.
At the same time, these sectors are extremely diverse, depending on the country they are in, the level at which the entity operates (national, regional, local), and the specific focus of the job itself. Examples of public sector jobs could range from Negotiator in the UK Department of International Trade (DIT); Cyber Analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in the USA; Public Health Officer within Southwark Borough Council in London; Head of Strategy at Amnesty International in New York City; or Volunteer Coordinator at a five-person, community-based not-for-profit in any location around the world.
Are these sectors the right place for me?
If you struggle to find motivation in jobs where the primary end goal is to make profit, you should consider whether you might find more fulfillment in the public or non-profit sectors. And if you are eager and excited to make a difference in the world, then look no further.
Beyond that, it can be difficult to generalise the public or non-profit sector experience. Organisations in these sectors can be anywhere from a handful of people to an international body with tens of thousands of employees. They have different employee cultures, aims, and progression pathways. If you want to build a career in this sector, you should think about the other things you want from a job that might impact the kind of place you apply to.
What are important skills should I have?
Like jobs in a lot of sectors, communication is key in public and non-profit spaces. Because the bottom line for these organisations has nothing to do with making money, it is important to be able to convey to key audiences – like taxpayers, regulators, and donors – why these entities exist and what difference they make in the world.
There are many other transferable skills that will come in handy, like prioritisation and time management. Public and non-profit entities do not have endless amounts of funding, meaning that achieving a lot with limited resource can be quite common. Efficiency is important in order to hit key milestones and get the job done.
Finally, government, government-affiliated, and charity bodies are very evidence-led. These agencies have to be able to justify how they spend their money, and use rigorous analysis to make decisions about how they can improve the goods and services they provide. So if you have any kind of research skills, these can definitely be put to good use.
How do I apply?
Most public and non-profit entities will require the standard CV and cover letter when you are applying for jobs. Compared to corporate positions, these CVs can be longer than the standard 1-2 pages – often running more at 2-3 pages – and are also allowed to have more of a narrative format. You are also encouraged to include any volunteer experience you might have beyond your previous professional positions that might be relevant to the post in question.
Some universal truths about your CV will still remain, such as using verbs and statistics to convey with greater specificity what exactly you have achieved. “In charge of volunteer programme at university club” does not read nearly as well as “implemented new phase of volunteering programme, increasing recruitment by 170%.”
Cover letters will also require greater detail on your motivations for applying for a position. You will need to do in-depth research on the entity’s background, and clearly explain not just why you are the right person for the job, but also why you want to work on the particular issue that this public or non-profit body aims to address. E.g. beyond showing you are the right person to be a Communications Officer at a mental health charity, you need to also explain why you are passionate about supporting people with mental health challenges, whether through your own experience or that of family/friends, materials or media that have inspired you, etc.
Government positions tend to have a more specific application process where you need to demonstrate evidence of your skills aligned to key competencies for the position in question. In these situations, it is essential to repeat the language the Government itself uses to describe each competency to make it easier for assessors to sift through your application. For more information on this, please get in touch with Pagoda.
Finally, positions in these sectors usually end with a competency-based interview, usually involving the line manager of the job you have applied to and at least 1-2 other colleagues. Higher positions might also require second-round interviews.
Salary and Other Benefits
Unfortunately, salaries in these sectors are not as high as in the corporate sector. But, you can expect to work regular 9-5 hours five days a week; receive at least 25 days of holiday; and enjoy greater options for flexible and home working than in the private sector.
The greatest benefit, of course, is the feeling that you are making a real difference in an area that you care about.
For these reasons, public and non-profit jobs are actually extremely competitive, with most applicants being overqualified. This is why it is so important to receive the right careers advice.
Available Graduate Schemes
In the UK, the main Government-based graduate scheme is the Civil Service Fast Stream.
Also in the UK, the main charity sector-based graduate Scheme is Charityworks.
Applying?
If you are an undergraduate, in your final year of university, or have graduated university but are considering a switch to the public or non-profit sectors, do feel free to get in touch with us for a free initial consultation.