Roles in fundraising and development exist primarily in nonprofit organizations. You might focus on institutional grant or donor report writing or on appeals to individual donors. Some roles are even more specialized, like jobs focused on asking people to include a nonprofit organization in their...

If you’re applying for government and civil service jobs, here are a few pointers:

• Follow all instructions. You might be required to fill out special questionnaires, answer essay questions, or even take a civil service exam.
• You may need a federal re...

Many jobs in public service require specific training or credentials that align with the particular mission and work of the organization.

An educational organization will hire teachers, therapists, social workers, and librarians; an environmental organization may hire a fisheries biologist...

Some organizations hire policy analysts, advocacy specialists, and others whose roles include analyzing the possible impacts of proposed legislation in terms of effects on the community or the cost to taxpayers. These roles often require some extra training in policy analysis or public administra...

Do you have a passion for making your community better? Do you want to help people experiencing poverty or discrimination, improve lives through education, work in international affairs, or protect people’s health and safety?

If that’s the case, you may be interested in a public service c...

For some public service jobs—especially those in fundraising, policy analysis, communications, program management, or other functions where writing is a critical part of the role—a cover letter is an important part of your application. Consider it a writing sample that can prove you have the skil...

Regardless of what type of public service job you’re applying to, it’s important to tailor your resume to match the language of public service—particularly if you’re entering the field for the first time. So c...

Nonprofit organizations pursue “charitable, religious, educational, or scientific” purposes, according to the IRS. They cannot make a profit, and must use any extra funding toward their mission or purpose. The nonprofit sector is incredibly diverse, comprising 1.3 million different organizations ...

• You want your daily work to feel meaningful and to contribute to something bigger than yourself.
• You have a passion for a particular mission or topic, possibly for personal reasons. (For example, some people work in public health after watching a family member or friend experience an...

You might work for a federal entity like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Or...

While they may be less traditional, public service jobs also exist in for-profit companies. Some companies incorporate corporate social responsibility into their work, ensuring that their goods or services are beneficial for people and the planet while also earning a profit. Others take that idea...

There are hundreds of different kinds of jobs in public service. As in any workplace, functions such as human resources, IT, accounting and finance, marketing, communications, community outreach, and public affairs are needed to keep an organization running smoothly. But there are a few other kin...

As opposed to a typical resume, where you’re trying to be concise. If the job requires specific skills, clearly describe how you used those skills in any past job that you did or you may not make it to the next round.