Nonprofit Employment

Recent data shows non profit employment accounts for 9.5 percent of total employment in the U.S. with an average annual growth rate of 2.5 percent (more than the business sector and the government sector).
Non profit employment includes individuals in various sectors such as health services, education/research, social and legal services, religious organizations, civic, social, and fraternal organizations, arts and culture, and foundations. With this large rate of growth in non profit employment, recruiting can be a special challenge.

Non profit employment: Recruitment challenges

Nonprofit organizations have traditionally faced recruiting challenges. One of the main factors is the difference in compensation packages, which reduces the pool of available workers nonprofits recruit from. Regardless, non profit employment still requires individuals with a high a level of skill and professionalism who can effectively communicate with individuals of diverse language, ethnicity, and culture. This means that even with the salary discrepancy, non profit employment requires the same level of competency as the private sector.

Despite these challenges, there is still an ample supply of capable individuals interested in non profit employment. To find these individuals, it is recommended that you:

• Clearly state position requirements and benefits


• Develop a network of professionals in which to gather potential employee recommendations


• Use targeted non profit employment recruitment methods