Nonprofit organizations (NPOs) commonly advocate for a social cause or shared goal. Currently, there are more than 1.5 million active NPOs in the United States, according to Statista. Some of the best-known NPOs include Doctors Without Borders, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP).
The need for counselors in the nonprofit industry is growing, as organizations seek to provide specific human services and meet needs that the government is either unwilling or unable to provide. Nonprofits respond to needs that arise from changes in the political climate, often expanding their services and adding new ones. This creates the need for more personnel.
For those who are interested in serving the public good and improving their community, there are several benefits of working for a nonprofit as a counselor. In addition to the challenging yet meaningful work, nonprofits afford several perks and professional opportunities.
What Are the Benefits of Working for a Nonprofit?
When considering career paths, there are several benefits of working for a nonprofit that may not be offered in the for-profit sector. One big myth about the nonprofit industry is that salary and benefits aren’t competitive, when, in fact, the opposite is true. Below is a summary of some career and quality-of-life advantages nonprofits offer.
1. Work Flexibility
Nonprofit organizations usually can’t promise stock options or huge year-end bonuses, but they can offer other benefits not always found in traditional counseling settings.
- Vacation Time: Many nonprofits offer their employees more vacation time than traditional jobs, making it easier to take time off.
- Flexible Scheduling: Nonprofits are often more inclined to give counselors control over their own schedules, providing better opportunities for clients as well as flexibility for employees.
- Casual Dress Code: Often, human services and counseling work for nonprofit organizations is with underprivileged populations, and typical corporate dress can be off-putting. The dress code is often casual.
Working for a nonprofit can give you a certain amount of autonomy in your work and vacation schedules, along with allowing you to be more comfortable at work. This type of flexibility means nonprofit counselors often have more time to spend with family, on hobbies and on other endeavors.
2. Nonprofit Retirement Plans and Benefits
Employee benefits at nonprofits vary by organization; however, Business Benefits Group reports that performance bonuses and incentives may be available. For instance, an NPO may award monetary bonuses or extra vacation time for meeting certain goals. Other benefits may include:
- Life insurance
- Health insurance
- Stipends
- Tuition reimbursement
- Travel reimbursement
- Continuing education
Additionally, nonprofits typically offer the same types of retirement plans as traditional companies, such as Roth 401(k) plans, SIMPLE IRA plans and SEP plans.
3. Nonprofit Counseling Skill Set Development
Working as a counselor for a nonprofit enables you to develop important skills — some of which you will use daily in your practice and others that will help enhance your professional career growth.
Nonprofits are embracing modern technology to increase efficiency. From telemental health to mental health apps, the use of technology in the counseling field is becoming more prevalent. Through digital and internet advances, counselors are able to:
- Allow clients to participate from their homes where they may feel more comfortable
- Meet with clients more regularly
- Meet with clients who wouldn’t be able to meet otherwise
- Handle crises in a more timely manner
- Conduct initial interviews and assessments before clients arrive in person, speeding up the intake process
Mental health apps are gaining in popularity. Nonprofit counselors often teach clients how to use them to help when immediate in-person counseling is unavailable or to assist with therapy between sessions. These apps can help clients practice self-care. They can record, analyze and reflect on negative thoughts or feelings, and relax or practice breathing techniques, among other self-care strategies.
Using telemental health channels and teaching clients to use mental health apps requires a different skill set and more knowledge of IT. Nonprofits are investing more in technology today than they ever have before. This offers counselors a great opportunity to develop their technological skills.
Also, since nonprofits often operate with a smaller staff, counselors may assume more than just one role. This means you could be involved in fundraising, planning events or any number of other activities beyond those in a standard job description.
These skills can allow you to expand your professional competencies, lead teams and give you the opportunity to apply your talents in ways that can promote innovations in counseling.
4. Resume Building
One of the other benefits of working for a nonprofit is that the skills you gain can enhance your resume for future job opportunities. Even if you choose not to stay in the nonprofit sector, you can easily transition to more traditional counseling roles and back again. Many counselors do both: operating their own practices and working part time for nonprofits.
When employers are looking to hire counselors, they’re not only looking for experience and the time you spent working in a certain field or with certain individuals, but also for these specific traits:
- Leadership
- Active listening and interpersonal skills
- Empathy for clients and co-workers
- Patience
- A goal-oriented mindset
- Adaptability
- Perceptiveness when it comes to client and organizational needs
- Organization and detail orientation
- Dependability
All these traits can be further developed, honed and proven while you are working for a nonprofit. This can enable you to move forward in the counseling field in general, regardless of whether you choose to stay in the nonprofit arena.
5. Expanding Your Network
A counselor for a nonprofit often works with peers and leaders from government agencies, other nonprofit groups and educational institutions, and collaborates with them to meet client needs and build a better community.
This level of cooperation offers unique networking opportunities with community leaders, executives and other counselors you might not otherwise come in contact with. You can use this network to keep up with changes in the counseling field and stay abreast of new outreach and counseling efforts in the community, as well as changes in the nonprofit scene.
This network can also be leveraged for job seeking, whether it’s to join another organization, change specialty fields or work with a government entity.
6. Avoiding Office Politics
Nonprofit employees usually have similar goals and passions. This means much of the intraoffice politics found in some counseling practices are much less likely to manifest themselves in a nonprofit setting.
People who share common goals and passions also tend to have similar political beliefs and shared moral values. Additionally, employees at nonprofits tend to be more collaborative because of the team-oriented nature of their work.
Start Your Career in Nonprofit Counseling
Many people are motivated to work for nonprofits because they want to do good in their communities, serve populations who are disadvantaged or otherwise make a difference in the world.
This may mean somewhat lower compensation, but on balance, there are many highly rewarding benefits of working for a nonprofit. These include rising salary levels as well as personal and professional advantages that are often just as meaningful if not more so.
Nonprofit organizations are seeking talented and well-educated counselors. The online Master of Arts in Counseling from Wake Forest University can provide you with the skills you’ll need to enter the counseling field and make a difference in your community.
Recommended Readings
The Role of the Substance Abuse Counselor in Addiction Recovery
What Is a School Counselor? How to Help Students Thrive
Sources:
Business Benefits Group, “Nonprofit Employee Benefits 101”
Firsthand, “5 Best Reasons to Work for a Nonprofit”
Foundation List, “The Benefits & Challenges of Nonprofit Job Seeking”
Fraser, “What Are the Benefits of Working at a Nonprofit?”
G2, “30+ Types of Nonprofits: Which One Is Best for Your Community?”
Harvard Business Review, “Is a Nonprofit Job Right for You?”
LinkedIn, “Benefits of Working with Nonprofit Organization”
Payscale, Salary for Certification: Certified Nonprofit Professional (CNP)
Pulse, “Why Work for a Nonprofit Organization?”
SOS Children’s Villages Illinois, “The Multiple Benefits of Working for a Nonprofit”
Statista, Nonprofit Organizations in the U.S. – Statistics & Facts
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021, Counselors, All Other