CAREERS
England, but the sector employs people across the entire UK in organisations of every size. In 2016, there were approximately 167,000 charities registered
with the Charity Commission, the body charged with supporting and policing the activities of charities in England and Wales. Nearly one-half of these are tiny, with annual income of less than £10,000, and most operate on incomes of less than £100,000. About 11,000 charities have incomes above £500,000 and only 2,000 charities with income above £5m. Tese big organisations are household names and the biggest employers, and include Cancer Research UK, Save the Children, National Trust, Oxfam and RSPCA. A total of 62% of workers are employed full-time and there is plenty of scope for part-time working in charities. Te profile above describes the paid workforce, but it is worth
bearing in mind that in addition to employees, there are many more people who work for charities as volunteers (unpaid) often alongside paid workers. Working for pay, working as a volunteer, or working as a trustee are all possibilities if you want to work for a charity. Every job type exists in charities from CEO to finance officer
to database manager and HR administrator, and the big employ- ers match the professionalism and complex structures of private and state sector organisations. Two key areas of expertise in high demand are fundraisers (or income generators) and impact evalu- ators who can demonstrate the value and effect of the charity’s ac- tivities. Achieving and surviving in the current economic climate requires adaptable and flexible people who have good negotiating skills and the ability to do a lot with limited funds. Soft skills such as listening and good teamwork are highly prized in the sec-
tor, while resilience, optimism and tenacity are key attributes. If you are attracted to the idea of working for a charity there
are plenty of job opportunities available, but the first hurdle for new applicants is often that charity employers appear only to want people with previous relevant experience. Tis can be hard to overcome and frustrating for talented and motivated people to deal with. Tis is where volunteering can be a tremendous help, as well as one of the best ways for you to test the water to see whether the culture and environment will suit your tem- perament and life view. Volunteering can provide you with good experience to add to your CV and is hugely satisfying in its own right. Even if you have no wish to seek paid employ- ment volunteering can help you learn new skills and meet new people and it can offer a different perspective to add to your ex- perience. Should you want to find out more there are a number of re-
sources to help you to start your research and a list of useful websites is listed at the bottom of the page. Begin by writing yourself a brief, outlining what you want to achieve, what you have to offer, questioning whether you need to earn money, and if so, how much, detailing practicalities such as the hours you have available and the distance that you are willing to travel, as well as which causes motivate you and those that don’t interest you. Let your friends and family and acquaintances know that you are looking; it’s often through networking that opportuni- ties become apparent. Te internet will give you lots of links; charities typically
have their own websites, which advertise jobs and volunteer va- cancies; recruitment agencies abound; while charity recruit-
Volunteering can provide you with good experience to add to your CV and is hugely satisfying in its own right.” 30 FOCUS The Magazine July/August 2017
www.focus-info.org
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