Working for a charity

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• 1: Home
• 2: Training
• 3: Skills Matching Profile
• 4: Information
  • 4.2: Introduction to the world of charities
    • 4.2.1: Opportunities for paid or voluntary work
    • 4.2.2: What skills do you need to work in the sector?
    • Current page is 4.2.3: Practical tips for finding the right job
  • 4.3: Resources
  • 4.4: Careers guide: Working For A Better World
• 5: Links
• 6: Host a Work Placement
• 7: Contact
• 8: About
• 11: Bespoke workshops

• Do voluntary work and become a member of a charity you are particularly interested in. Volunteering can provide you with new skills and a better understanding of the ways in which the charity operates.
• Think very carefully about the type of organisation you will be joining and whether you are temperamentally suited to it.
• Make sure you are wholly in sympathy with the aims and objectives of the charity you plan to work for.
• Meet as many people as you can who work in the voluntary sector and ask their advice.

If you could choose the charity that you could work for which charitable causes would you want to join? List your thoughts here:

What steps could you take today to get some voluntary work in an organisation that interests you? List your actions here:

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This sector has the highest proportion of workers with higher level qualifications (degrees and post-graduate qualifications) and there are opportunities for professional development supported by the employer.

People often ask whether gaining a specific sector qualification such as an MSc in overseas development will assist with getting a job. On balance employers in this sector value experience and skills over formal qualifications but it is well worth researching the particular requirements of employers before making decisions about further study.

For people already working in the sector there are a number of training courses, conferences and exhibitions which are organised annually and some of the key providers have already been listed.

Working For A Charity provides training for individuals wanting to enter the voluntary sector and can tailor make in house courses and seminars for organisations and careers services.

For further information on Working For A Charity's training courses go to the training pages on this site.