Areas such as international development have long been a popular choice with graduates and young people, and can therefore be hugely competitive. It's an area that offers the allure of international travel and the opportunity to work on a vast range of projects – including human rights campaigning and disaster relief. This is work which can have a real impact on the communities involved and can therefore be both challenging and hugely rewarding.
But those looking to break into the sector for the first time need not despair about the competitive nature of some areas. There's an enormous variety of roles in the sector, where you can still feel like you're working towards making the world a better place.
The number of people working in the sector has remained pretty stable despite the recession – the workforce has actually continued to increase. There is likely to be a reduction in numbers at the end of the current funding cycle - many charities have secured funding until March 2011 - however, with the government's big society agenda at the forefront of current political debate, there may be further opportunities for funding.
I've highlighted just a few of the entry level roles available in the sector below but the list is by no means exhaustive. To get a feel for the type of work you might be interested in doing in the sector and what is available, scanning job listings can be useful – many advertise entry level roles and give you a feel for what skills are needed and how much you'll get paid. The Working for a Charity website also has a free Skills Profile Tool which can give you an idea of what roles are out there and where your skills might best fit in the sector.
Administrator/office assistant
Don't write this role off because it sounds too general – administrative roles are an excellent way of getting a foot in the door and can be a great way of building skills in a number of areas by assisting teams across an organisation. For example an administrator in the marketing or fundraising team of a large charity will be able to gain skills in the area they're working in, such as managing campaigns and helping to organise events.
This kind of role can also be a good way of allowing you to figure out which area of the charity sector you'd most like to work in. Not only that, it's always easier to move up the ranks internally than to step straight into a more senior role.
Employers will usually be looking to recruit someone who can prove they're highly organised, are able to multi-task and take initiative and you'll definitely need good IT skills – particularly using Microsoft Office packages such as Word, Excel and Outlook. Knowledge of using CRM (customer relationship management) systems is also a definite advantage.
Charity administrators generally earn from around £18,000 a year.
Fundraising assistant
Fundraising is a real growth area, there is always a demand for fundraisers in the sector, and the role doesn't usually involve door knocking or chasing people down the high street for donations.
Other fundraising roles include corporate or major donor fundraising, which involves developing relationships with businesses, securing funding partnerships with them and managing business accounts. Fundraising events coordinators often work on organising a huge range of events from charity afternoon tea events to fun runs and everything in between. Trusts and grants fundraisers are responsible for securing and managing income from trusts, foundations and grants which generally involves managing relationships with existing funders and developing strategies to generate additional income.
This is a role that will usually be office based and involves supporting the above roles as well as general administrative duties. Fundraising assistants need excellent communication skills, creativity and the ability to build relationships with people at all levels.
Charity employers who are recruiting to these roles will be looking for someone who is results driven and can show dedication to the cause. One of the best ways of demonstrating that is by gaining some volunteering experience and be sure to mention any volunteering that you have done in the past on your CV when you apply. Fundraising assistants usually earn £15,000 to £20,000 per year.
Policy and/or research assistant
This is a popular, competitive entry level role among graduates as it's an ideal starting point if you're looking to develop your career in policy and research. Policy and research assistant roles are usually found in larger charities and provide general support to the research/policy team.
Skills required are usually things like the ability to understand and analyse complex information, a high level of written and verbal communication skills and a talent for information gathering and desk research. These types of roles usually pay about £15,000 to 20,000 a year.
Marketing/communications assistant
This role is a good starting point for people who have studied marketing, media or journalism or are interested in writing and social media and are passionate about the cause of the charity. Marketing/communications assistants work across the whole organisation, usually within a marketing team, to promote the charity in general as well as particular campaigns.
These roles require someone who has excellent written and verbal communication skills, is able to work to tight deadlines, and can think innovatively about promotions on an often limited budget. IT skills are also important – knowledge of how to effectively use social media such as Twitter or Facebook is also becoming increasingly valued. These types of role usually earn from around £17,000.
Development assistant
A number of international development charities recruit new graduates as development assistants. This role is primarily to support the administration of the development department in tasks such as organising meetings, taking minutes and updating databases. However, where this role differs from an general admin role is that it often involves carrying out and analysing research, writing briefing notes and summarising papers.
Employers recruiting to this role will be looking for someone confident, articulate and who has an understanding of diverse cultures. Most employers will also look for volunteering experience and competence using Microsoft Office, Skype and social media like Twitter and Facebook. This role pays £20,000 per year.
Campaigns assistant
Campaigns assistants often act as a vital link between an organisation and its campaigners. Usually this role will act as support to a campaigns manager, helping them to develop material for campaigns. This can involve writing emails and letters, producing e-campaigning materials, drafting press releases and general office admin tasks as well as taking part in campaigning.
This is a role that usual requires someone with some campaigning experience, gained through either voluntary or paid work. It can be a good entry level role if you were involved in campaigning or volunteering during school or university. You'll need to be confident and excellent at working with others. This role usually pays around £20,000.
Kelly Ventress Kelly Ventress is the communications officer for NCVO Working For A Charity.
