What Does It Take To Work For An NGO?

By Selipha Kihagi

Almost everyone wants to work with NGOs. From fresh graduates to senior professionals, job seekers are looking for opportunities in the NGO family. Reasons being that NGO jobs are well paying, have great benefit packages, are more flexible and allow for constant travel. Who doesn’t want such a job?

But a job with an NGO does not come on a silver platter, you have to work hard for it and have a strategic plan. If you were lucky enough to get one right out of school or just when you decided to change jobs, then you can count yourself among the lucky few.

For those seeking jobs in the NGO sector, you might want to pay extra attention to the guidelines below. Having the education and years of experience needed is nearly just another basic requirement; you will need more on the specifics. You will also need to make timely applications and demonstrate prowess in your field of study. In short, getting a job with an NGO is another job altogether.

What It Takes To Work For NGOs

1. Prior experience with a government institution or donors
For you to get a job in the NGO sector, having the right number of years experience will not be enough if it has not been with either a government institution or another NGO body. Almost all NGO jobs that are advertised have this experience as a requirement.

You will either be required to be knowledgeable in the policies of particular government ministry, have worked with the government or NGOs on a community project (whether on volunteer or employment) and have liaised with donors. How well you are able to demonstrate this experience will portray how well qualified you are or not.

2. Great communication and negotiation skills
The NGO environment requires constant interaction with individuals, be it donors, clients or even members of the community. For you to join the team and blend in, you cannot afford to be a loner or lone wolf.

You need to have great interpersonal skills as you will be engaged in discussions every now and then, and the negotiation skills will come in handy when you are working on a project and needs to get things done. In addition to these skills, you will need to be very flexible. If you are a rigid person and have a problem initiating a conversation, then the NGO sector may not be your area.

3. Knowledge of a local or foreign Language
This may not be a necessary requirement across all NGOs, but most and especially international organizations will be more inclined to hire someone with an added language. With the UN for example, knowledge of French and Spanish will come in handy. And so will knowing the Somali language for projects in that region, which are numerous in this time.

With others, knowing your local language i.e. Dholuo, Kikuyu, etc will be required. And all these are in addition to being fluent in English and Swahili. So before applying for that job, ask yourself, what other languages do I know?

4. Post graduate Qualifications
Most NGOs will always have this as part of the requirements. Unless of course you are applying to an internship position as a fresh graduate or are joining the organization as a trainee or in driver positions, NGOs will lean towards candidates with a Master’s Degree, post graduate diploma or even added professional courses. IT professionals for example, the more your training certifications and working experience, the better you are.

It may be requested as an added advantage, but you all know what this means – if you have it you are considered more qualified than other applicants.

Remember to also take up a project management course if you want to rise in ranks in the NGO sector, the skills are vital and will be necessary as you go up.

Do you work for an NGO? Let job seekers know what else they will need by leaving a comment below.

18 Comments

  1. You must be transparent in the least of accountability. Enthusiasm and dedication will be your staircases to the top.

  3. This is fantastic indeed,it really makes job seeker to be a ware about how to work with NGO’s.

  4. As a driver of Nairobi International School. I believe in being a multi tasked person who works for long hours and taking children to different places for tours and also visiting the children homes within Nairobi like Amani, Dagoretti and others. my passion community work

  5. Most NGO jobs are pegged on donor funding hence they dictated by project duration,you have to be on toes always strategise for the next move!

  6. I call it ‘humbition’…humility combined ambition, then doing it with passion! This leads to success in any NGO, FBO or CBO…this is my experience!

  9. 1. Specific postings may call for different age groups, especially jobs entailing extensive or frequent travel. NB: Family persons (especially those newly engaged) may have a challenge due to distant work stations

    2. There is the low tone “NGO culture/experience”…working in security-threat zones remote areas with minimal infrastructure & leisure

    3. Western-kind of lifestyle, multi-cultural, ethnic & racial diversity…

    ..Choices many have to make in between!

  10. Comment:
    An organised person with the right attitudes including flexibility.
    Be able to market yourself with an excellent cover letter & CV that articulates clear achievements that stand out strongly!

  11. Over the past decade, the NGO sector, which shares the same work ethics and modus operandi as the corporate sector, has been known for its keen focus and investment in measurable performance, work alignment to strategies and roadmaps, delivery of results and sustainability measures; qualities that are quite deficient in government jobs.

    Consequently, NGO employees tend to aptly develop more consecutive work styles rather than the normative culture of the government system, which perpetuates the traditional focus on disciplinarian and administrative orientation to work. The NGO sector therefore prepares employees for a more progressive than conservative approach to work, permitting innovation, liberal diffusion and continuous improvement on the basis of learnt lessons and best/most promising practices.

    It takes not just knowledge, qualifications and connections, but an adaptive aptitude, altitude, latitude and attitude.

  12. There’s a lot of donor reports every month which i do not like, this is especially to those who work in the finance department

  14. Not all pay good packages thus you must be patient to stay for months without salaries coz at times there are no salaries and you have to work

  15. Ability to blend and work with a team.You cannot achieve the targets alone.Being a team player is key.
    Most NGOs implement there projects in the community…so you must be accomodative and simple.simplicity is noble.This is because each community has its dynamics.

  16. be ready to sometimes work for long hours. attend company functions without failing and be accountable with all resources at hand. time, money, staff,

  17. if you are a counselor let that profession be a passion in you coz you will meet with people of all walks of life and must be ready for anything.

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