Why not try these next steps?

Brush up on your CV skills
Consider doing a training course
Volunteer to gain work experience
Where else to look for jobs
Be patient and have commitment!

Brush up on your CV skills

Quality not quantity: remember to keep your CV brief. The general rule is that a CV should be no longer than two or three pages long.

Keep it organised and functional: Be sure to list your name, contact details, work experience and education. Avoid gimmicks and communicate your message clearly – if you are sent a person specification or job description for the role you’re applying for, try to tailor your CV to the requirements so it is immediately obvious how your skills match what the employer is looking for.

Experience and skills – not the same thing: If you don’t have a lot of work experience, focus on what skills you have as well as what work experience you have – for example, that you are good at problem solving, managing projects or communicating with others. These skills can be equally valuable in the workplace.

Include any voluntary work you’ve done. Employers in the voluntary and community sector will regard volunteering as favourably as paid work experience.

Consider doing a training course

There are a variety of courses available that are aimed at those new to the sector. Working For A Charity runs a series of short courses, and an online course which is accredited by Roehampton University. Read more about their course at www.workingforacharity.org.uk.

Training courses that relate to specific roles within the sector are also available - for example the Directory of Social Change and Institute of Fundraising both offer Introduction to Fundraising courses that contain fundamental information for the job, aimed at those new to the role.

Volunteer to gain work experience

You can improve your chances of getting a paid job with a charity by volunteering – experience doesn’t have to be paid work - employers in the sector will recognise voluntary experience as being just as valuable as paid work.

You can easily volunteer in your spare time – hours are flexible to suit you.

Volunteering can also give you access to an organisation’s internal vacancy list and can sometimes lead to a paid job. Visit www.volunteering.org.uk for more information.

Where else to look for jobs

There are a number of recruitment agencies that specialise in contracts in the voluntary and community sector – the Working For A Charity website has a comprehensive list of voluntary and community sector recruitment agencies.

You may want to call agencies before sending your CV to them, to check which particular areas or levels of experience they require - and whether your skills mix is of interest to avoid wasting CVs and postage.

You can also look for job advertisements in the press for specific roles – the Guardian’s Wednesday ‘Society Guardian’ edition features public sector and charity roles. The Times, Independent and The Economist also feature voluntary and community sector jobs regularly. Voluntary and community sector press also advertise roles – these include:

Third Sector Magazine
VS Magazine
Professional Fundraising

Otherwise, specific charities’ websites will usually feature any current vacancies.

You can also select a few of your favourite charities and write to them or email them directly. Always send a covering letter with your CV in which you outline clearly what your skills are (don't forget to include word processing and any other IT skills) and the type of work you feel you can do for them.

It’s also a good idea to enclose a stamped addressed envelope as it tends to ensure a speedier reply and shows you are sensitive to the limited resources of your chosen charity.

Be patient and have commitment!

The voluntary and community sector allows for quick career progression – many people start off as administrators, for example, before moving into the area they’re interested in. Be prepared to start at the bottom and work your way up.

There is no doubt that commitment is required to make a career in the third sector. Perhaps this is not so surprising since tackling the problems of society both in the UK and globally is never going to be for the faint-hearted!