Finding meaningful work at a social enterprise or non-profit

More people today are looking for meaningfulness in their job, so working at a social enterprise or non-profit organisation for a cause they are passionate about can seem attractive, even if passion sometimes does not pay the bills.

That passion for doing meaningful work comes through in people of all ages.

Perhaps more so than any generation before them, recruitment firm BGC noted, millennials want to feel invested in their jobs. They want to make a positive impact in the organisation they’re working in, and if the business is positively influencing its external environment and community, that’s an even bigger source of motivation.

Recruitment firm Michael Page also found that millennials are more likely to take a job with a lower pay if they believe that this position gives them a sense of meaning. Although pay should be fair and appropriate for the job duties, this isn’t their main motivating factor.

That desire to do good comes through whether they’re working in a large organisation or a small one. Deloitte’s Millennial Survey 2018 found that at large organisations and small ones, young workers want their employer to make a positive impact in society and the environment, and to be responsive to employees’ needs.  

Yet it isn’t just millennials who yearn for more meaning in their work.

A survey at Facebook, led by head of people strategy Lori Goler, found that contrary to the belief that millennials are more concerned with meaning and purpose, “younger people cared slightly less about cause and slightly more about career than older people”. People aged 55 and above are the only group at Facebook who care significantly more about cause than about career and community.

Along with advancing in their career and being part of a community at work, then, people of all ages are motivated by making a meaningful impact and believing that the organisation does some good. 

COMPENSATION AT NON-PROFITS

While working in a company can be meaningful, joining a non-profit or social enterprise that focuses on a specific cause can lead to more direct impact for a specific purpose.

When people consider working for a non-profit, though, they’re also often concerned about how much they will earn.

Although salaries may be lower in non-profits than at investment banks or big consulting firms, compensation is often better than before and can be comparable to private companies.

Part of that improvement comes from efforts by non-profit leaders to increase compensation.

The National Council for Social Service (NCSS) helped, too, by launching a National Social Work Competency Framework in 2015 and providing salary guidelines for the social service sector.

NCSS’ guidelines for 2018 recommend a minimum salary of S$3,270 for fresh executives, for instance, and at least S$8,380 for a master social worker.

And even though wages are important, they are not the only component of compensation.

An increasing number of people now prioritise responsibilities, professional and personal development, meaning and purpose. Even though social enterprises may offer lower salaries compared to for-profit agencies, as lecturer Nuno Delicado from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy explains it, they can be competitive in dimensions such as making a social impact and providing meaning in a job.

PICKING THE RIGHT ROLE

If you do want to work for a non-profit or social enterprise, you will have plenty of options. There are more than 2,000 non-profits in Singapore and hundreds of social enterprises.

What’s most important, though, is finding a cause and a role that fit your interests.

One way to find out about opportunities, NCSS advises, is to volunteer at social service organisations to gain real-life exposure.

NCSS also has training programmes to equip you with the skills needed in the sector.

Once you know what is available, finding the right role at a non-profit is similar to finding a job at a company.

“Career planning begins with discovering your career interest, by taking the time to reflect and learn from your experiences,” the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) suggests.

Setting aside time to self-reflect about what you really want to do, learning from your experiences in companies or internships, seeking professional input or attending workshops such as Optimise Your Career via SkillsFuture can help you to find the best type of work.

Building a rewarding career is all about knowing how to find the right job for you, recruitment firm Robert Half similarly observed.

Then, as with finding any job, it’s a matter of using your network, searching job boards and sending in applications to organisations where you can make a difference.

As Eco-Business noted, too, many young people are keener on starting their own business than working for other companies. Beyond just finding a job, you could join hundreds of other social entrepreneurs here and set up your own non-profit or social enterprise.

Even though common perceptions are that non-profits are not as attractive places to work as companies, salaries are better than people expect and doing meaningful work with a real impact can be better than a job in the private sector. If you want a meaningful career, a role at a non-profit can be a great option.