Non-profit work in Washington, DC?

Question

I'm a college student in Washington, DC and I'm looking into non-profit work- either internships, small jobs, just anything to get my foot in the door somewhere or get some experience for my resume. I want to do nonprofit work when I'm older. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

The best way to get your foot in the door at nonprofits is to volunteer (unpaid work). You can use

http://www.volunteermatch.org

http://www.idealist.org

http://www.change.org

to find volunteering activities in DC. Remember that finding a volunteering activity is like finding a job -- you have to apply several times before you are chosen.

If you want paid work -- what can you *do*? What skills do you have? Just like any business, a nonprofit needs employees with at least some kind of skills. Are you great at answering phones? Can you type? You could use the above web sites to identify in nonprofits in your area, and then call ones that look interesting to you to see if they have part-time work for someone with your skills. Also, look in the classifieds for weekly and daily newspapers in your area -- nonprofits advertise there with jobs.

If you are needing money and some experience, contact temp agencies. They probably won't place you at a nonprofit, but you will be getting two things you are looking for (money and experience for your resume).