Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Nonprofit Technology: Jump on the Bandwagon

nonprofit technology

The great thing about the nonprofit sector is that there are a wide range of positions for different experience levels and skill sets.  While fundraising and marketing jobs are some of the more popular positions available, nonprofit technology jobs are also on the rise.  For example, there are over 30 jobs listed on our job board that fit this category.  This includes the standard IT positions, as well as graphic design.  The trend here is clear: it's time to jump on the online and technology bandwagon!

The need for job candidates skilled in technology should come as no surprise.  With the growing popularity of the Internet (including the phenomenon that is social media) and the increased reliance on computers, nonprofits are increasingly on the look out for tech savvy employees.  In the 2010 IT Staffing and Spending Report by NTEN and The NonProfit Times, it was reported that expenditures on IT remained steady or even increased.  That the spending did not decrease despite the economic recession should show how important IT is to nonprofits. 

Although IT or HTML jobs aren't the only technology positions available, I would say they are the most valuable skills to have when looking for a nonprofit job.  But if you aren't really up to learning HTML (though I would highly recommend at least considering taking a basic HTML course), you should consider becoming very proficient in social media.  With the rise of Twitter and Facebook, many nonprofits are looking to take advantage of these mediums to reach new audiences.  If you can show you know the intricacies of these tools, it can go a long way to helping you secure employment.  There are plenty of free resources online explaining concepts like search engine optimization (SEO) and more, so take advantage of these and learn as much as you can.  You should also look into seeing if there are any courses on social media available at your local colleges.

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