How to find a job in social enterprise

Social enterprise is a burgeoning field, and it’s easy to see why. Who doesn’t want a job that allows them to indulge their creativity and change the world at the same time? But not everyone can be a social entrepreneur, and not everyone should be. Like any business or nonprofit, social enterprises need accountants, marketing experts and IT specialists, but finding a social enterprise job can prove tiring and overwhelming. Here are 8 tips to make the process more bearable.

Understand the tradeoff. Most social enterprises can’t pay employees as competitively as a traditional business. Instead, many offer flexible hours and other nonfinancial perks. You’ll have to decide whether the sense of pride in your work makes up for a lower salary. (Research says it does, to a degree.)

Refine your narrative. When telling your story, try to think about events or experiences that have shaped your interests. Explain why — in cover letters, your resume and in interviews — your history makes you the perfect candidate for the job. Be sure to learn the jargon the company uses, so your experiences can be told through the language they live in.

Master your trade. Passion is only half of the equation; you’ll also need expertise. Even if you can’t go back to school, there are plenty of ways to brush up on marketing, coding, strategy and more.

Expand your network. Join a network like Social Enterprise Alliance and attend local events. Pinpoint organizations you admire and reach out for informal interviews. Ask questions about working with the company and the kinds of candidates they like to hire.

Check postings. Sites like The Good Trade, Idealist.org and SEA maintain updated job postings and serve as a great starting point. Make sure to tailor your resume and cover letter to each specific job.

Volunteer your time. Volunteering isn’t just for charities. For-profits welcome volunteers as well. Offer to take on a project that shows off your skills, then demonstrate how critical you could be for the team. Your effort will show potential employers that you’re willing to go above and beyond for the company, and the experience will provide a good insight into the company culture. If in the end it’s not for you, your time won’t be wasted. You’ll have a broader network and a new reference in the field.

Get creative. Perhaps you can have the most impact as a social intrapreneur. If you work at a nonprofit, how might your organization create revenue generating models? If you work for a traditional company, how might you leverage your organization’s market share to create social good? mPesa, a mobile money social enterprise in Kenya, was borne out of Vodaphone, where two middle managers launched the mobile payment product in 2007. By 2012, mPesa had over 17 million customers, many of whom had never opened a bank account. For more on social intrapreneurship, check out this series.

Be patient. Many social enterprises are understaffed and underfunded. Social enterprise is a small, but growing field. There are still far fewer jobs than there are talented people who want them. It will likely take a while to find a match.

Finding a job in social enterprise is no easy task, but there are plenty of ways to get involved. Even if you can’t find the perfect job right now, you can bring social impact to your current job as a social intrapreneur, attend social enterprise events, and volunteer. Learn the ins-and-outs of the field, and grow your network so that when a job does open up, you’ll be the first to hear about it.