JobsAndCareersWithSarahWillingham2016 - 52

FOCUS :

CHARIT Y

Job satisfaction

tick is that the work is meaningful and
they're doing something worthwhile to
improve society.

Skills needed

Getting the opportunity to make a
difference every day at work means
there's great satisfaction to be had.
Other perks can include a passionate
and positive working environment,
flexible hours and lots of scope for
training and career development.
Many charities are known for being
great employers and command
long-term loyalty from staff.

Different areas of the charity sector call
for different specific skills, but generally
speaking, if you're hardworking,
proactive, dedicated, resourceful and
driven, this can bring benefits.
Great communication skills are vital,
too, particularly on the frontline of
charity work. You may be working with
vulnerable people or in stressful
situations with probably a very limited
budget at your disposal.

What are salaries like?

Different roles

While the pay may be a little lower than
in the same jobs in the private sector,
salaries in senior positions in larger
charities are generally competitive. Pay
rates tend to depend on the size and
nature of the charity.
However, many people aren't attracted
to this kind of career by the thought of
giant salaries. What really makes them

There's nearly every career choice
available if you choose charity as your
path. These may include administrative,
campaigning and lobbying, marketing
and PR, financial management,
fundraising and policy development to
name a few. Here, we look at some of
the roles which go to make up this
diverse and exciting sector...

0 5 2 /// J O B S & C A R E E R S

❛

Sarah says...

I'm full of admiration for
people in the charity sector as
they do amazing things, often
with very limited budgets.
Working with the charity Save
the Children and Morrisons,
my husband Michael and I
were proud to start the
#feed5000 campaign to
deliver 5,000 Christmas meals
to the most needy families.

❜

Words: Francis Price. Images: Shutterstock. Wage information provided by National Careers Service unless otherwise stated.

o you feel a regular
pay packet is no
more important
than working for
a group which is
campaigning for
positive change?
If so, you might be one of those
people who is suited to embarking on
a career in the charity sector.
There are certainly no shortage of
charities to choose from: in England
and Wales there were more than
165,000 registered with the Charity
Commission at the end of last year.
The work is roughly divided into
paid positions and voluntary roles.
For a paid career in the charity sector,
especially if you're after a technical
or executive role, you usually need a
degree or a formal qualification.
But volunteers make up a huge
chunk of the charity sector, and without
dedicated and enthusiastic people
giving their time free, many good
causes would be forced to close.
Many of the volunteers have a
personal interest in the issues affecting
a particular charity, but even if you
don't, lending a hand can be a great way
to position yourself for when a paid role
comes up. After all, it's far easier to
make the transition to full-time or paid
work if you're known and have
previously volunteered there.

JobsAndCareersWithSarahWillingham2016

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