In any field, having a professional mentor can help individuals develop and advance their careers. Mentors are especially important in the nonprofit sector, where structured career development opportunities are not always readily available.

Culture varies from one organization to another, but three attributes are generally true across the social enterprise & nonprofit spectrum: an international outlook, a cohort of passionate people, and a flexible work schedule.

Does the phrase "for-profit nonprofit" sound like an oxymoron? The founders of the world's most visited site - Google - Larry Page and Sergey Brin do not think so.

Roles in the nonprofit sector are as diverse as the organizations that hire for them. Learn about some of the roles available at today's most exciting nonprofits and social enterprises.

So it's your senior year and campus is buzzing with talk of job offers. But what if you don't want to sign on the dotted line for a corporate job?

Thousands of college graduates turn to AmeriCorps for a year of making a difference and building skills that will prove valuable in the future.

Although it sounds pretty straight forward, a nonprofit can be a complicated entity. It's wise to know where you can find answers to the many questions that are bound to crop up if you're trying to start your own.

Too often, people making the transition from for-profits to nonprofits assume that they have nothing to bring to the table but an interest in the nonprofit?s mission. They forget about the important skills that they bring to the table.

It's a common preconception that working for a nonprofit, and promoting one's socially-oriented ideals, involves a pay-cut. It is true that on average one should expect to earn less in the nonprofit sector than in the for-profit business sector. But do the averages tell the whole story?

Turn your next vacation into something truly memorable, and give back in the process.

The terms fundraising and fund development are bantered about almost interchangeably. But there is a difference, and if you're interested in the nonprofit field, it's a good thing to know.

Nonprofit groups compete with each other just like any other business. If you're thinking about going into the nonprofit world, here's a crash course on how these businesses position themselves for success.

The Internet has become the place to go for all kinds of information and services. In fact, the power and convenience of this technology can even help you get involved in your community.

The secret to time management is managing energy

Service Manager Allyson Schneider knows what it takes to succeed in the nonprofit sector. Find out what she thinks about nonprofit search, and what job candidates can do to stand out from the crowd.

If you're interested in the nonprofit sector with a view of working abroad, here are some interesting statistics.

In jobseeking, there is an old adage: "It's not what you know; it's who you know." Making connections with a targeted set of people can result in the acquisition of new information about a specific type of work, organization, or job opportunity.

Neil Davidson is headed back to school (MBA program at Harvard) after four years in the world of fundraising. I asked him to jot down some notes about his experience before the next phase of his life unfolds.

The growing diversity of the social enterprise world is a testament to the fact that people from all walks of life can help make change. Here are some alternative career possibilities in social enterprise and nonprofit that just might compel you to get involved.

Social enterprise and nonprofit is a broad field with a wide variety of opportunities. What are the most common pathways people take? Here's the scoop on four popular career paths.

If you want to get hired, understanding the jargon used in the industry can be vital. Here's a brief glossary of common nonprofit terms.

Finance. Marketing. Facilities Management. These may not be the first words that come to mind when you think about nonprofits, but these are all crucial parts of most nonprofit organizations' abilities to succeed.

If you love to build relationships, share your enthusiasm for a cause, and impact the resources available to a nonprofit, a position in nonprofit fundraising may be right for you.

Did you know that more people work for nonprofits than in finance, insurance, and real estate?

Ever wondered what it's like to help other countries build democratic institutions? Mark Lenzi, country director of a democracy-promoting organization in the Republic of Georgia, recounts his fascinating day's events.

His "big break" came when he realized he could build a career in line with his humanist philosophy. Writing from Uganda and soon bound for Afghanistan, David discusses the unique world of humanitarian work, infusing his responses with original thoughts on life, careers and the world in general.

Peter was passionately involved in fighting HIV/AIDS in Kenya. Curiously, that experience has led him to pursue an MBA at the Harvard Business School, where he now finds himself constantly inspired by his classmates.

AmeriCorps volunteer, wildland firefighter, PeaceCorps volunteer and Harvard Law student. All of these describe Rachel's experience to date. She says her amazing experiences were the product of her commitment to doing first things first.

Carter's first job out of college with a pharmaceutical company was a dream come true. Ultimately, though, he decided to leave his job and embark on a journey at a nonprofit. And he's learned a few valuable lessons along the way.

After spending two years in Swaziland working in HIV/AIDS prevention and care, Anna is back at school for a master's degree in public health. Anna hopes to continue her work in prevention and disease management with at-risk populations.

Lisa's passion to make a difference led her on a Peace Corps journey to Jamaica where she spent three years as a Youth At Risk advisor and volunteer coordinator. Now she is making a difference working for Habitat for Humanity.

A vivid entrepreneur with a passion for social justice, sustainability, and fashion starts her own boutique and finds an outlet for all three. Only a year out of college, Kate Goldwater is in the capital of fashion, and she's got a message.

Starting out as an intern at People Magazine, Jacki would have laughed if someone told her she'd be working for nonprofits for the next three years. Now she feels she would not be able to walk away from a career path focused on social justice.

So you say you want a....foundation..../ Well, you know. / We all want to change the world... / It might not be quite what the Beatles had in mind, but for more and more members of our generation, philanthropy seems to be a more appealing strategy than revolution.

A socially entrepreneurial organization (SEO) takes the goal of creating social impact to a new level by using innovative methods to organize, manage and measure a venture.

Like in any field, nonprofits have their own language that helps them define who they are and what they do. As a newcomer, It can be hard to understand the nonprofit vernacular, but there's no need to cue the horrifying flashbacks to sixth grade English vocabulary lists. In this article, we'll get you started with some of the words that leading nonprofits use to describe their work.

Giving to charity benefits yourself as much or more than it benefits those to whom you give. That reason alone should be sufficient to justify starting now. If you need more convincing, read on.

For those of us who have had to circumnavigate the perilous sea of choosing a career upon graduation from college, we know that the pressure to find a job that is both enjoyable and financially supportive can be overwhelming. At many prestigious universities, graduates feel burdened to land high-paying, high-powered jobs.

Catherine Carrington recently became the Manager of Strategic Initiatives for Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT). This is what she had to say about making the switch from a private company to a nonprofit organization.

The nonprofit world might be the switch you need to love your job. Here's some tips on how to avoid the some of the biggest mistakes and expectations when changing to a career in the non-profit world.

You already know that the non-profit industry is one of the largest employers in America. And do you know what major sub-sectors make up this industry?

The language of the social sector is changing, and terms like social enterprise, corporate social responsibility, and social entrepreneurship are being spoken everywhere from nonprofit board meetings to business school classrooms.

Chances are about every country in the world has proverbial variations on the saying that it's better to teach the hungry to feed themselves than to simply give them food. The emerging industry of social entrepreneurship is taking this proverb to heart.

Emily Vestal never expected to be in the same room with cellist Yo-Yo Ma, soprano Rene Fleming and socialite/philanthropist Mercedes Bass. But that's exactly where the Columbia University M.B.A. student found herself recently as a participant in the school's new Nonprofit Board Leadership Program.

So, you want to be a future leader in philanthropy? The director of a nonprofit? A fundraising executive? Do you have what it takes?

Some factors to consider before taking a job in the nonprofit sector.

Community volunteerism is key for people who not only desire successful lifework, but hunger to reap the rewards of living purposefully.

In a sector comprised of nearly two million organizations, each with its own unique mission and culture, finding your niche begins with a thoughtful process of self-discovery.

Not sure whether you want to work for a nonprofit? Here are some reasons why the non-profit sector can be a great career destination.

Foundations have been driving the nonprofit sector the since heyday of Kellogg, Carnegie, and Rockefeller, individuals who inspired the tradition of philanthropy and passed on the torch to Bill Gates and David Packard.

The good news is that business and nonprofit are no longer "either-or" and can even be said to be mutually-enhancing career paths.

I have always had two distinct passions: entrepreneurship and public service. But I thought the two were incompatible.

Most nonprofits look to hire people who possess a broad range of transferable skills, or skills that are useful and essential across multiple roles.

Is your job soul-stifling or soul-stirring? Answer carefully, because your career might take on a new direction.

Akira Johnson Barclay is Director of Development for The Catalog for Giving of New York City. In addition to those responsibilities, she is also managing the development of the first young leadership group for that organization.

The social enterprise and nonprofit world is a rapidly changing landscape, but three trends form the epicenter of its development. Read about them here.

One of the hardest things about job-hunting is finding reliable sources of information on your desired career. Check out this handy list.

Imagine a smoothly running nonprofit that reaches an underserved population with various programs, all of them focused on a mission that you strongly support. Program management can give you the chance to be a part of making that happen.

A common myth about nonprofit organizations is that salaries are low and can't compare with the corporate world. Depending on your expectations, nonprofit salaries may be more competitive than you think.

Joe Bednarek, project manager at IREX, talks about his path from college to Peace Corps to grad school at Harvard and then to a successful career in the nonprofit world.

We have some tips that will help you recruit new fundraising volunteers.

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Although he says his activist passion is in his genes, it took Fredo some luck and chance to realize it.

Realizing that her first job at the Fed wasn't right for her, Maura now works for a socially responsible venture capital fund, evaluating what companies her fund should invest in.

Majoring in leadership studies and passionate to make a difference, Tara learned it can be easy to be overextended in many activities and not maximize one's impact. Her solution: take a step back and redefine your focus.

Pulin is a PETA activist. And what is admirable and inspiring about his career is that it's dedicated to making our world a better place -- a place where people live in a kinder and more just society. Such a career is ultimately bigger than the notion of career itself. It's a calling.

Did you know that social enterprises and nonprofits comprise one of the largest industries in the U.S.?

How is writing a resume for a nonprofit job different from writing one for a corporate position? How can you create a resume that effectively markets yourself to a nonprofit audience? This week?s column provides tips and advice about how to tailor your resume to nonprofit organizations.

You've probably heard that nonprofits do not attract the best and the brightest into their ranks because they do not promise high-paying jobs and rapid promotions. This may have been true some time ago, but there are signs that this is changing.

To identify your work passion, it is absolutely critical to discover if you enjoy the work -- not just the topic.

Finding a way to break into the nonprofit sector can seem a daunting task for anyone, especially for someone looking to start a career.