I’m debating whether I should quit a decent paying, completely unfulfilling and useless job to work for a non-profit for a cause I believe in.
Who has done this? Was it a good or bad decision?
I haven’t yet but I am getting everything in line to do it in 3 years. I’m doing a complete life change to get out of corporate America hell and take a job that will only pay me 1/3 or less of what I’m earning now but I’ll love it.
I can’t wait and you should go for it. Life is waaaaay to short to not do what we love.
I did, sort of. I quit a great paying job to go work for a start-up dot-com, doing work that was more or less my dream job. Took a big pay cut, but got to work from home, travel the world, and build something from the ground-up.
It was extremely rewarding, but after 3 years, I got greedy and took another corporate job. The corporate gig ended abruptly (FDIC closed the bank I was working at), and now I’m going back to doing something that I’m confident I’ll enjoy. I’ve come to appreciate that there are more important things in life than money and titles. I guess I’m wired to enjoy challenges and to work on jobs that actually mean something to me.
Everyone is likely to have a different response/reply/position; this has just been my experience. Last year at this time, I was in a corporate jet, chatting budget with the CEO. Today I’m in shorts and a t-shirt, reading slow twitch while enjoying every second of my job. Life is much better today.
I work for myself doing software consulting. I was working hard and making pretty good money when my husband and I decided that I should slow down in order to spend more time with our girls. I now work just a few hours a month supporting existing clients. It is the best move I’ve ever done. While it’s hard to live with much less money, the resulting time that I get with my girls is priceless. I coach their school teams, I’m able to attend all of the school functions and games, I have patience for them at the end of the day (my big problem before with the stress of my job always on my mind before), I have time to do my training (at least when I can find the motivation that I’ve been lacking lately), I’m in better control of our household stuff, I get a full night’s sleep almost every night, etc, etc.
Less stress is the biggest thing I gained, so I can enjoy things more. I’m a much happier person now, which is worth much more than a big income.
If I may…
Just because it’s a non-profit, doesn’t necessarily mean that it can’t be professionally (and financially) rewarding. My wife is an executive with a mid-sized non-profit organization, working in a field about which she’s passionate. She’s well respected in the community, has a great deal of professional responsibility, earns a very good salary, and most importantly, loves what she does.
Non-profit organizations face most of the same challenges as for-profit organizations do and as a result, they look for many of the same skill-sets and types of experience in their employees. If you have skills and experience that’s valued in a for-profit environment, you can likely find a rewarding career in a non-profit organization as well. One caveat though, just because the “cause” is exciting and something that you’re passionate about, doesn’t necessarily mean that the day-to-day grind is all that much different…
Good luck!
I only work 37 hours a week, and can’t imagine working 60+ hours on some corporate ladder to nowhere. The money is still decent at this level, and the rewards are more. Go for it!
me.
I work for a non profit where the work is interesting, challenging and rewarding and best of all I get to sleep at night. I spend too long working for crooks and thieves, life is much better now.
If you got a bike, pool and comfortable running shoes that is all you need. Get the bills paid and have some fun.
**If you got a bike, pool and comfortable running shoes that is all you need. Get the bills paid and have some fun. **
Damn straight. IMFL in November is already paid for, so I don’t have to worry about that!
Everyone’s encouragement and advice is really appreciated.
Do you ever get what I call “Depression Sundays” where you dread going in and starting the work week? Is so, quit that job immediatley go for the more emotionally fulfilling postion.
Another option is to keep your current job but put it in the right perspective. Its a job, its the way you earn money to pay your bills. It is a means to an end. Go in and be productive and leave. Put in your 40 hours and have the stuff you do ourside of the job define who you are.
I am a part owner of a SW company…I give it my all for 40 hours, some of the work is fulfilling, some of it drives me crazy; but my family and the organizations outside of work are what truly drive me. Good luck with your decision.
I’m a sociopath and laggard.
Never entered the Rat Race so I can’t leave it.
Farm, training, eating and drinking take 24/7…
**Do you ever get what I call “Depression Sundays” where you dread going in and starting the work week? Is so, quit that job immediatley go for the more emotionally fulfilling postion. **
There is not one single day when I look forward to coming to this job.
I once had a managment job that I hated but took it because I knew I’d only be there for 18 months (went off on intership after that). Every sunday I’d get depressed (literally) about going in the next day. The rest of the week wasn’t much better. Intersting thing, before I left I hired my replacement (someone I already knew professionally) and eased her into my role while I eased into a temporary line staff position. As my stress decreased, I noticed that her’s dramatically increased to where she was having anxiety symptons. The work I do now is very fulfilling and the pay good. More importantly, the organizational environment and my co-workers are the best- I couldn’t be happier.
Provided you have options, no one should stay in a job that makes them unhappy. It’s not healthy.
I don’t know how old you are but do this plan sooner than later. Once you get to a certain point in business, kids in college, paying off investments, it gets pretty impossible to go on this kind of adventure. You just have to earn.
Put in your 40 hours
At my job, I give 110 precent every week: 15% on Monday, 23% on Tuesday, 33% on…
**I don’t know how old you are but do this plan sooner than later. Once you get to a certain point in business, kids in college, paying off investments, it gets pretty impossible to go on this kind of adventure. You just have to earn. **
I am 42, not married, my daughter is in the Army and my bills are manageable.
Seems like the time is right.
agreed. best wishes on your quest.
I’m not so certain that life will be any happier for you in the non profit realm. The grass is not so green. Constant funding issues, poor pay, minimal benefits and very meager retirement programs. People often discount these perks and the lack thereof in the non profit world causes quite a bit of stress for the employee.
As with any job, you have to find something that you’re passionate about and at enjoy. Just because you believe in a cause doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll enjoy doing it 24/7. For example, I love to train, race and work out. However, if I made this hobby of mine a way of making a living it might very well cause me to hate it due to the inherent headaches that any job has regardless of the industry. I look forward to getting away from my job to take part in my hobbies.
I happen to be a big environmentalist and work for a very large energy company. In my role I go into existing power plants…coal, nuclear, gas…all somewhat damaging to the environment…and make them more efficient. I design and implement solutions for these plants to make more power with less fuel.
So in a way I have a role in protecting something I truly believe in and have an interest. But it’s not a non profit and I do very well. I work very normal/flexible hours and often am able to take my family with me to the plants that I visit.
Oh…and I love getting up on Monday’s and going to work. Going on 4 years now.
I’m debating whether I should quit a decent paying, completely unfulfilling and useless job to work for a non-profit for a cause I believe in.
Who has done this? Was it a good or bad decision?
I had a slightly different tactic. After 10 years as an aerospace engineer I was really ready for something else. Unfortunately everything I could think of that was really different would have been a 50% paycut… and in the final analysis not different enough.
One late night I was sitting in a hot tub and drinking beer with my cousin and trying to solve this dilemma. He says “You have some money saved up right? Why don’t you just quit.”
Of course that wasn’t an easy thing to do either, but eventually that was the best choice. The problem was that I needed to cut my living expenses drastically. I sold or gave away all my stuff, put a camper shell on my truck, figured out how to get all the essentials in there (including two bikes) and still have room to sleep, gave my notice at work and took off.
Best time of my life. I was on an ecstatic high for several months, traveling around, sleeping on the ground, bathing in cold streams, etc. Generally traveled to the Sierras and Cascades in the summer and wandered down to southern Arizona or Baja in the winter. It was so cheap that I did it for 12 years… living on the interest from my savings.
The freedom of not having a single thing to do and no plans for the future was incredibly awesome… for me at that time at least. It was just what I needed.
I never got “inspired” on a new career path, but I know how to be happy with very little and that is worth a lot.