7 Job Research Questions

The job of a recruiter is to make their organization sound as attractive as possible to potential candidates.  They're probably not going to tell you any negative things, so it's up to you, the job seeker, to do your due diligence when researching a potential job.

This is not to say you have to be ultra cynical when reading a job description.  It's more likely than not that you're going to get an accurate picture of what the job entails.  The trouble is, that's only half the information you need.  You're going to need to do some serious job research to make sure this is the nonprofit you want to join.

There is a lot of information you need to gather when conducting your job research.  To help speed the process along, here are 10 questions you should ask yourself:

• Who is the owner, and how frequently does that position experience change?  You probably won't want to join an organization that experiences a lot of ownership turnover.
• Does the nonprofit have a good reputation in the industry, or is it considered a bad apple?
• How are the finances?  You should be able to easily find the organization's income for the latest fiscal year.
• Who are its key competitors?
• What do current and past employees think of the organization?
• Who are the major clients?  Are they financially stable?
• Is there room to advance past the current position?  You don't want to be stuck in the same job for years, so find out if there are opportunities for growth.

These questions will not only help you get a better idea of the nonprofit, but they will also help you with future job interviews.  Employers are always going to be impressed if you know a lot about their place of employment.

Doing Your Homework: Researching Non Profit Organizations

So now that you have decided to work for a nonprofit organization, it is time to start looking for the right job for you.  There are hundreds of thousands of NPOs out there, so it is essential that you know exactly the kind of nonprofit career you are looking for (i.e. are you more interested in marketing or management?).  Once you have this out of the way, you can begin researching non profit organizations in your area.  Now, even though you have significantly narrowed your search engine results down, you will still likely find that the amount of nonprofits that are hiring are still pretty overwhelming.  How on Earth are you supposed to know which one is right for you?  Well luckily for you, I have some simple questions you can ask yourself that will help you find the right NPO for you:

1. Does your world view align with the organization you want to join?
2. Is the organization the right size for you?
3. This might seem obvious, but it isn't always thought about: does it seem like there will be a chance to move up in the NPO?
4. Research the nonprofit work environment: does it seem like a friendly environment that you would thrive in?

If you answered yes to most or all of these questions, then you will most likely find that this is a non profit company that you will be comfortable working at.  As much as pay is important, comfort is even more so.  You can get what you think is the best nonprofit salary you can get, but if you don't ultimately like the place and people you work with, then you will be missing out on the best parts of working at a nonprofit: enjoying the work environment.  This is not to say that salary should not be a part of your decision.  We do live in a world where making money is necessary to your survival, so you have to make sure you are being compensated fairly for the work you did.  Still, you should put enjoyment of your work ahead of salary; with salary being your number two concern.  There is really nothing worse than dreading going to the place you work everyday for the forseeble future. 

So when you are researching potential not-for-profit job opportunities, make sure you go over these questions in your head.