Forget those age old days where people were neither serious nor willing to peruse a career in an NGO (non-governmental organization) sector. They planned to work with an NGO only after their retirement and hence it never became a good career ground for them. However, with increased professionalism, ample growth opportunities, and a challenging career ahead, there has been a quantum change in the thought process of young aspirants who today foresees the NGO sector as a great hotspot for future career aspirations. Moreover, with so much industrialization and developments happening everyday, this sector also needs future leaders who have a vision and a mission to serve the society and fight for its justice.

The NGO sector of today is much more organized and has come out of the transition phase. NGOs are ensuring good practices in terms of communication, accountability, responsibility & authority. There has been a major investment by multi nationals in India which has enabled upbeat support by foreign donors thereby making NGOs more professional and structured in their approach. It is fulfilling the gap between resources and social needs and can be compared to any service industry of today.  The people who are contributing nowadays are much more responsible, intelligent and are able to link such an act directly to their business results.

Many professional have left the corporate world and joined hands with an NGO. They are using the same skill sets that were earlier being used by them to boost an organization’s bottom line however today they are much happier as their efforts are towards making this world a better place for all us which is all the more satisfying and a rewarding career move for them. Following are the reasons why a career in this industry is a lucrative one these days:- 

1. Competetive compensation and perks offered nowadays.
2. Lot of opportunity to showcase your talent by trainings, seminars etc
3. Flexibility of choosing the kind of assignment you would like to pursue both at ground and in a supporting function.

If we compare the current scenario where unlike other sectors that offer good pay packages, ensure career growth and provide several opportunities to hone one’s skills, does working with an NGO will offer any of that? In many organizations the growth opportunities are limited and so is the remuneration which is majority of times set according to the industry standards. Most of the NGOs today offer better perks and are also investing in employee welfare activities like insurance, retirement benefits etc.

To spread the awareness among people, many universities are nowadays offering specialized courses in this sector and are spreading the word to everyone. Many NGOs are targeting schools & colleges to sensitize children at an early age so that they can think of building their future in this sector. Non governmental organizations mainly have openings in project/program management, fund raising activities, advocacy, events, communication and networking, etc. Hence, if you are planning to contribute towards the betterment of the society, this sector will provide you a lot of opportunities and much more!!! 

How can a person go about looking for a job in this industry?

 There are different types of organizations working in different geographies and on different issues and across different scales- there are small to big to large NGOs as well as specialized organizations. There are some that only provide funds to others. There are some who only provide technical support and then there are those that are issue based.

 A candidate has to choose between:

 a) What geography he/she likes to work – South, North or state, urban/rural, etc.

b) The organization setup– larger the organization smaller the role, smaller the organization larger the role.

c) Issues- children, micro finance, social security, education, health and so on.

d) Type of organization – grassroots, technical support agency, donors, multilateral institutions like UNICEF, UNDP, etc.

Last but not the least, I can’t write better than this to conclude…

 Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

Remebering you ‘Michael’ Always…