Charities
If a career dedicated to helping people and improving the lives of others appeals to you, then a job in the charity sector (also known as the voluntary sector) could be very fulfilling.
As charities are non-profit organisations, independent of government or business, they have more autonomy than other organisations and largely rely on the commitment and direction of their core workforce, giving employees a chance to really get involved and make a positive difference.
With roughly 169,000 charities in the UK, there?s no shortage of employment opportunities ? the sector employs more than 600,000 workers and countless volunteers. Graduates make up more than a third of the charity workforce and the industry has grown over the last 10 years, with 23% more workers employed in the sector.
Charity workers tend to be highly motivated by their cause and take pride in their work, but remuneration in this sector is about 10% less than in other areas. Employees often have heavy workloads due to lack of funding and job security can be an issue, with many people employed on a temporary or short-term basis. Part-time work and job sharing is common in the sector and volunteering is commonplace. Be prepared for stiff competition when applying for jobs in the better-known charities.
As charities cover a wide range of purposes, you can choose to work in one that appeals to your passions and interests. If you are particularly interested in conservation and nature, for example, then perhaps you would like to work for the biggest charity in the UK ? the National Trust. On the other hand, if issues of poverty and international development are close to your heart, then it could be worth looking into opportunities at charities such as Oxfam.
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The average salary in the sector is £25,000.
Graduates in any discipline will be considered for employment in this sector as there are a variety of roles requiring different skills and no set career path. A degree in development may prove useful in finding work with certain charities, but it depends on the type of work the organisation does. Medical expertise is in high demand amongst some charities such as the Red Cross and Medecins Sans Frontieres. Volunteering for charities is a great way into a paid job as it demonstrates commitment and will give you relevant experience.
Good communication and interpersonal skills are important in the charity sector, especially if you are involved in working at the ?sharp end? ? in fundraising, outreach or project work. You will also need to be dedicated, resourceful and flexible to deal with sudden changes as they crop up. At a disaster relief charity, for instance, a large number of volunteers and workers may need to be deployed at the last minute. Good IT and web skills are also useful in this sector, as are string organisation, planning and time management skills.
