Whenever I ask someone to look for employment opportunities in the social sector, I often get vague responses. Some say, “I don’t want to do social work”. Some tell me “I don’t want to do charity or work for free”. Some even go to say “I don’t like teaching kids”, or “I prefer doing an office job and not field work”, and so on. There seems to be much lack of awareness amongst youngsters about the social sector in general and the fact that it offers a host of career opportunities.
Broadly speaking, the social sector can be classified into:
- NGOs, Non-profits, and Social Organizations: These are organizations that actually work towards a cause. NGOs like Goonj, HelpAge India, Smile Foundation etc are a few examples. There are nearly 3.4 million such organizations in India.
- For profit social enterprises: These are organizations that sell a product or service but have a social cause built into their business model.
- Funding Organizations: Organizations such as the Tata Trust, Azim Premji Philanthropic Initiatives, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation etc who fund social causes.
- CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) departments of companies
- Social Incubators and Consulting Organizations: Organizations that offer various support services to the whole social ecosystem. Examples of these would be Villgro, UnLtd India, Intellecap, BCG Social Consulting etc
- Research and Academic organizations: Organizations that do research on several aspects of the social sector. Centre For Early Childhood Development and Research or The India Development Foundation would be examples of such an organization.
Skills required to work in the social sector
Like any sector, this sector too requires professionals from varied backgrounds. Organizations in these sector hire fresh graduates from various fields, they hire MBAs from top b-schools, finance professionals, marketing and social media experts, lawyers, as well as programmers, software experts, and business analysts. Whatever be your qualifications, you can always find a suitable position in this sector. If you, however, want to work with a social organizations at a position where you are actually involved in fieldwork, working directly with the organization’s beneficiaries, then perhaps a degree in social work (Masters in Social Work) is preferred.
Pay and more
Some people have this misconception that jobs in the social sector do not pay well. I have also heard people saying that those who work in this sector should not expect any monetary benefits, as they work for a good cause. Now this is not just absurd but also not true. Organizations in this sector do pay professionals, and they pay at par with companies in the corporate sector. Additionally, the feeling that your work is in some way making a positive impact on the society, is an added motivation for those working in this sector.
For those looking for career changes or just about to start your career, if you haven’t thought of jobs in the social sector, do give it a thought.
In 2005 Jay Rege, along with his wife Jothsna Rege, co-founded Academy One, a career guidance and study abroad counseling venture. Prior to co-founding Academy One, he worked as a software developer with HCL Technologies. He holds a computer engineering degree from Mumbai University and a MBA from the Mays Business School at Texas A&M University, USA. He has also been a visiting faculty at a few colleges where he teaches topics related to entrepreneurship.