NGO Jobs

Especially for young people, working in an NGO is attractive. After all, nonprofit jobs promise meaningful activity, with which one can really make a difference in the world. Often, the work of NGOs contributes to the 17 sustainability goals of the UN - such as reducing poverty, health and well-being, or combating inequalities. This is particularly more appealing to Generation Z than traditional professions that primarily pursue economic purposes. But can you really make money with NPO jobs? And what about career opportunities? We have researched this topic for you.

Anyone aiming for an NGO job should be aware: The salaries are lower than in the private sector. This is quite logical. After all, the business model is not designed to achieve the economically best situation for the company and its employees. Goals such as protecting land ecosystems or decent work are much more of a priority.

Nevertheless, it must be stated that salaries also vary greatly in Non-Governmental Organization jobs. If you start after university as a representative of interests, you can expect a gross starting salary of 2,090 € to 2,670 €.

If you take on personnel responsibility, gain experience and manage to negotiate skillfully, you can achieve a significantly higher salary after just a few years. However, the ideological purpose should always be at the forefront for you.

NGOs offer great entry opportunities, especially for well-educated academics. These jobs are now very sought after and usually attract several applicants. If you are specifically interested in an NGO or an ideological purpose, it is worthwhile to volunteer in this area or ideally in the NGO during your studies. This way, you will stand out later with your application and might already know the right people who could be convinced of your commitment. Generally, it is to say: High resilience, flexibility, and social empathy are expected for Non-Profit jobs. In an internship or volunteer work, you should demonstrate these skills to also make yourself noticed.

In a job at an NGO, you learn for life. Clearly, the ideological purpose is paramount. You see what it feels like to make a difference in the lives of other people or animals with your own work, for example, by fighting against hunger in the world. This develops a very special dynamic and a cohesion in the team that you will rarely find in the private sector.

During your NPO job, you also learn skills that are especially in demand in modern start-ups. Interdisciplinary work, flexibility, quickly acquiring new skills, efficient communication. The experiences you gain here will help you throughout your professional life.

The contacts you build are valuable for your entire career. After all, you get to know committed people in a social context here, from politicians to future managers, and work with them towards a common goal. This creates bonds for life – and will open many doors for you later.

Since NGOs vary so greatly in size, no blanket statement can be made about career opportunities. Some NGOs are now set up like large companies and accordingly offer similar opportunities. Here you can take over personnel responsibility in your department and maybe eventually ascend to the executive board.

In other NGOs, very flat hierarchies prevail, so a promotion is practically not possible. Just as in the private sector, you can choose an organization that exactly matches your vision of a professional career when applying for NPO jobs.