So you're looking for your first job or a new job in the nonprofit sector to further your social change career. As you seek to find a job that helps you make a difference, you may also want to consider working at an association along with the many direct service organizations out there. But first, you may be asking yourself, "what is an association and why would I want to work in one?" Here is some background information about associations:
Q: What is an association?
A: The official definition from the IRS is: “In general, an association is a group of persons banded together for a specific purpose.” That leaves a lot of room for interpretation, since associations are formed for an enormous variety of purposes and provide a huge range of products and services for their members and, in many cases, for society at large.
A sense of community coordination is at the heart of the association profession. People voluntarily join associations because they want to work together on a common cause or interest. America’s associations have deep roots in our history. The first American settlers formed “guilds,” patterned after British traditions, to address common challenges and support each other’s work and lifestyle.
Q: What sort of career opportunities do associations present?
A: As employers, associations require numerous skill sets to effectively serve their members. There are career opportunities in traditional fields like finance and accounting, marketing, advertising, communications and public relations, government relations, legal, and information technology, and in industry-specific areas like membership marketing, foundation grant-writing, event planning, and trade show management.
(FAQs provided by ASAE and the Center for Association Leadership)
Jobs for Change has a ton of association job listings for you to explore in your search. As mentioned above, another great source for you to find our more about working in an association is ASAE and the Center for Association Leadership. ASAE is the membership organization and voice of the association profession. ASAE has more than 22,000 association CEOs, staff professionals, industry partners, and consultants. ASAE & The Center serve approximately 10,000 associations that represent more than 287 million people and organizations worldwide. Here are some examples of several different kinds of associations that are looking for your talent and passion for change:
- National Association of Social Workers
- National Peace Corps Association
- Association of American Medical Colleges
- Countryside Association for People with Disabilities
- The National Association of Certified Professional Midwives
- Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs
- Association for Women's Rights in Development
Photo credit: lesterhead
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