Why Young Professionals Should Work for Small Nonprofits

If you're looking for a new nonprofit job, it can be tempting to only apply to the big organizations like Girl Scouts of the USA, Catholic Charities, Boys and Girl Clubs, American Red Cross, etc. Especially in this economy, applying to a larger nonprofit organization is usually a path to receiving a higher salary than you would at a smaller agency. But there are long-term benefits for your career if you choose to work for a small nonprofit with less than 10 employees. You may forego some perks, like having an HR department or having your own administrative assistant, but the experience you can develop at a small shop will help propel and prepare you for leadership positions in the future. In other words, if you're looking for your first nonprofit job or looking to switch jobs, I recommend you consider working for a small organization because the experience can put you on the fast track to leadership. Here's why:

You Gain Experience Outside of Your Job Description
Small nonprofits usually require all employees to work outside of their job descriptions. Office managers may get opportunities to write grant proposals and learn all about fundraising. Receptionists could be called upon to organize a group of volunteers for a rally on Capitol Hill. Joining the staff of a small organization can be hard work doing several jobs in addition to the one you were hired for, but you quickly become a generalist in many different areas of skill and knowledge. I didn't know anything about nonprofit insurance for boards of directors until someone handed me the task of setting it up for a small nonprofit I worked for.

You Build Stronger Relationships WIth Senior Leaders
When you work for a small nonprofit, it's likely that your immediate supervisor is the Deputy Director or CEO of the organization. That means you get to spend more time with top leadership than if you would at a large organization separated by layers of middle management. You could have the opportunity to creat a mentor-mentee relationship from the big boss, helping to cultivate your own leadership in the process. If you have a strong relationship with the CEO, it's likely that they'll be able to serve as a strong references for you when you apply for future jobs.

You're More Likely to Get a Fancy Job Title
True story: I was offered a job as a Director of Development when I was 22 years old. I couldn't believe the organization wanted to hire such a young person to be in a leadership position to fundraise for the organization. Then I learned that the nonprofit only had one employee,  and I would be the second. I wouldn't be supervising anyone and I would be the agency's first Director of Development. This type of situation may not appeal to everyone, but if you play your cards right and stay in a role with that title for at least a year, you can use it to your advantage when negotiating for future jobs.  If you can obtain a job as a 'Director' in a small organization, it will look much better on your resume than being a mere 'Associate' at a large nonprofit. You want be the big fish in a little pond versus a little fish in a big one.

Paul Light points out that younger leaders get a priceless opportunity to learn in smaller settings, and often obtain the skills to move up to larger organizations, where there are usually more vacancies and the salaries are higher. But don't work yourself to death too long; this should be your training ground, not a career in grunt work.