How Nonprofit Hiring Is Different from For-Profit Hiring

It may feel like hiring is the same no matter what sector you’re in—you submit a resume and cover letter, the hiring manager interviews you, an offer is made, a contract is signed, and voilà! And while that process is generally the same across the for-profit and nonprofit sectors, there are a few key differences in their recruitment that reflect each sector’s priorities and values.

Understanding these differences can help job seekers better tailor their applications and interviews to meet the specific needs and expectations of nonprofit employers, increasing their chances of landing a meaningful role in the social-impact sector.

Three key differences 

Since nonprofits usually have a limited budget for job postings and recruitment, openings may be harder to find on your own (that’s why Idealist exists!). Second, as a result of grants, fiscal years, and other factors, nonprofits don’t always recruit and follow a typical hiring calendar. Third, while for-profits and nonprofits alike seek talented and dedicated individuals, nonprofits tend to focus more on mission alignment and passion for their cause.

Nonprofit human resources professionals overwhelmingly agree that the earlier you start volunteering, interning, and networking with organizations that interest you, the better. The more exposure you can get to an organization, the more chances you have to get a sense of its culture and acclimate yourself to its operational style.

Join a nonprofit before your job search

Early involvement benefits both the job seeker and the organization. For the volunteer or intern, it allows you to get involved with the organization to see if you are a good fit and share a passion for their mission and activities. For the staff at an organization, they can likewise see how dedicated you are to the work you do with them.

For those without the experience of volunteering or interning, there are two possible approaches to bolstering your nonprofit involvement. The first approach is to look back over your volunteer history and find a common trend in your service. Ask yourself:

• What is the greatest commonality in my volunteerism? Is it a particular cause? A certain structure of organization? A specific demographic served?
• Have I served similar functions within different organizations for a long time?
• Is my service mainly with faith-based initiatives? Advocacy organizations? Direct-service opportunities?

By focusing your networking, cover letter, resume, and interview language to reflect these common trends in your volunteer history, you can better demonstrate to employers your commitment to the cause, as well as the clear trajectory of your social and professional choices (even if they did not seem clear at the time!).

Tailoring your application to a nonprofit job

Once you get a sense of which missions you enjoy working on, it’s time to make sure your skillset and work history lines up. Generally, nonprofit hiring managers won’t fault you for not having prior social-impact experience as long as you highlight transferable skills in your application materials.

Pro Tip: If you’re not sure what type of nonprofit job to pursue, check out our latest quiz on Idealist!

Use our resources to discover how previous experience in sales, communications, administration, customer service, and other roles can help you find the right nonprofit job for you. The important thing to remember is that your resume should feature both qualitative and quantitative aspects of your work history. 

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It doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned nonprofit professional, current student, or aspiring sector switcher—by recognizing the nonprofit sector’s focus on mission alignment, you can better tailor your job application to stand out to nonprofit employers. But remember, the path toward a meaningful career is as much about building your professional skills as demonstrating your dedication to a cause—so start engaging, volunteering, and learning today!