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How about a career with NGOs
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One friendly remark that has made a deep impact in our day-to-day life is “The world is getting shrunk every day”. It is evident from the global products on the supermarket shelves in the neighbourhood, to the “real time” telecommunications that occur every second. Apart from the technological boom, the globalisation process has pushed human services and social work on to the international agenda. Earlier social work was done voluntarily. With the changing social system and the population explosion, humanity’s problems have not only doubled but become more complex. Today there is a need for people with specialised skills, coupled with a genuine concern for society, to solve them. And that is where the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and non-profit organisations come in. How about a career with them? “Anybody can take up a career with NGOs, subject to the thought that he or she has got an inclination or passion to serve society. Commitment to serve, a desire to understand the problems and having an attitude to learn form the basic qualifications for joining an NGO,” says Shamik Trehan, a commerce graduate from Delhi’s Hansraj College who is now working for CARE India. According to Amarendra of CARE India, NGOs can be basically classified into two - international NGOs like the ones under the control of the United Nations, Oxfam and CARE and local NGOs like Khushi and Ekata. “For a start, a stint with a local NGO could pave the way for a better career in a global NGO.” Though passion to serve is the main criterion, a degree in social welfare ia an added advantage for recruitment. A master’s degree in social welfare, social sciences or a degree in rural management is the ideal educational qualification for those seeking to enter the NGO sector. Some wellknown institutes offering such courses are Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai; Xavier Institute of Social Sciences, Ranchi; Institute of Rural Management, Anand; Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi; and Vishwa Bharati, Shantiniketan. To seek admission into any of the post-graduate courses, one has to qualify in the entrance test conducted by the university. Graduates in any discipline are eligible to take up the courses offered. For professionals who are seeking to enter social work from diverse professional specialisations, the career opportunities depend on the individual’s area of expertise. The NGOs recruit people from specialised sectors like finance, marketing and communication. However, the role of these professionals depend on the size and the scope of the organisation. Large organisations with branch offices spread in several countries like UNICEF, CRY, Oxfam, CARE, etc., aim at recruiting professionals in various positions. Similarly an NGO takes into consideration its scope of work (the issues it tackles) while hiring such people. For instance, the Azim Premji Foundation (India) which aims at eradicating illiteracy will be in search of counsellors, teachers and researchers. But an NGO like TERI (The Energy Research Institute), which mainly focuses on research activities in the areas of energy, environment and sustainable development, would look for researchers in disciplines like economics, physical sciences, biotechnology, forestry and engineering. Thus the scope is wide. But before plunging into it, one has to identify his or her skills and domain expertise and then look for opportunities. The non-profit sector is also a great place for part-time jobs, though opportunities for part-time workers vary from organisation to organisation depending on the availability of projects. “In this sector, one area of concern is the contract basis employment. But a performer with good track record need not worry. Such performers are always in demand world over,” says Amarendra. Resume A candidate’s resume is the interface between him and the recruiter. It plays a vital role in enhancing and putting across the qualities of the job seeker. To evade confusion and misinterpretation, one should tailor the resume according to the position and organisation applied to. There are several positions open in an NGO, so summarising one’s skills and objective will help the interviewer to understand the candidate better. It is important to research the needs of the organisation prior to appearing before the interview panel. The research can be based on the issues that the NGO addresses, the background and the size of the organisation and the source of funding, etc. How lucrative The salary ranges from Rs.3,000 to Rs.7,000 for support staff, for executives it is Rs.7,000-10,000, middle management Rs.10,000-20,000, and for senior management it is Rs.20,000-50,000. In some international NGOs the salaries are higher. A career in an NGO has become an attractive proposition both for the entry-level graduates and mid-career changers who are looking for a more fulfilling and challenging work. “The most satisfying factor while working for an NGO is the sense of achievement. At the end of the day, an honest and sincere worker would have a feeling of having achieved something, be it by educating a few tribal youth or by taking care of a refugee in a strife-torn country,” says Shamik. Tags: commerce graduate, global ngo, hansraj college, institute of rural management anand, jamia millia islamia, jamia millia islamia new delhi, non governmental organisations, social welfare, specialised skills, supermarket shelves, tata institute of social sciences, tata institute of social sciences mumbai |