Looking for a Nonprofit Job? 3 Reasons to Pursue an Onsite Role
As a writer who primarily spends her days on a computer, I am no stranger to the perks of remote work. After years of in-person service jobs, pursuing a remote-only role at a nonprofit was my main goal when I started job hunting in the sector.
I’ve since held two positions that allowed me the freedom to work from anywhere, and the lack of commuting time was definitely a bonus. But now that I’ve spent some time in a hybrid work environment at Idealist, my feelings about remote-only positions have changed; in fact, I’ve come to love the opportunity to work onsite.
The case for more flexibility
Last year, Idealist surveyed almost 4,000 social-impact professionals from across the country who shared their wants, needs, and hopes for the future of work in our sector. (Let us know what you’d like out of your social-impact journey by participating in this year’s survey!)
Unsurprisingly, 89% percent of respondents said they were interested in remote work. They listed long commutes, familial obligations, and health concerns as just some of the reasons why they needed the flexibility that remote opportunities allow.
Not everyone has the option to pursue an onsite role, particularly when outside factors are at play. But pursuing a mission-driven career can mean that there are fewer remote opportunities available, particularly since many nonprofits rely on in-person staff members to keep onsite operations running, provide direct-care services, and lead programs.
While remote jobs allow for more time to balance professional and personal needs, it’s important to remember that not all onsite opportunities are the same. In fact, more organizations are responding to job seekers’ desire for flexibility by allowing hybrid work schedules.
Embracing onsite positions can bring value (and additional benefits!) to your career. If you’re a job seeker who is willing and able to expand your search radius, here are three reasons why pursuing an onsite position may work for you:
1. There are more onsite jobs available than remote-only positions.
The availability of remote job listings has decreased over the past two years, with more job descriptions requiring that applicants be able to come to an office; in fact, 83% of jobs posted on idealist.org are listed as onsite or hybrid positions. While your current location or ability to relocate matters more for onsite roles, you’ll have less competition than if you only applied to remote jobs (which are technically open to everyone).
2. More organizations are offering additional benefits for working onsite.
If you’ve been job hunting for a while, you’ve likely noticed a shift in how organizations speak to job seekers about working onsite. Instead of expecting all staff members to come in for eight hours a day, five days a week, more employers are hoping to attract applicants with cool perks, such as flex hours, subsidized lunches, and commuting reimbursements.
The data on whether remote or onsite positions pay more is unclear, partly due to fluctuations in role location, job type, employer size, and other factors. What will always be true is that salary is an important part of deciding whether or not to accept a job offer, but it should not be the only factor you consider.
Benefits that can improve your overall compensation package, career advancement opportunities, and funding for professional development are just some perks you may have a better chance negotiating for when applying to an onsite role.
3. You’ll have more opportunities to interact with colleagues.
In my previous remote gigs, I had a hard time getting to know my co-workers. I employed all of the tips and tricks to build community—sharing book or music recommendations, slacking people about their weekends—but it was difficult to create relationships with people I only saw on a screen.
Working a hybrid schedule has allowed me to actually know my colleagues. The shared lunches, horror movie outings, game nights in the office, and organized happy hours have helped me feel more connected to the people I collaborate with on a daily basis. I feel excited coming into the office when I know others will be there.
Outside of the personal benefits, you’ll likely have more opportunities to form meaningful professional connections when you go into an office. Whether that means finding a mentor/mentee, getting tips on how to move up at the organization, or securing a professional reference for future roles, in-person relationships can help you advance your social-impact career.
Additional resources for your career
Whether your next role is remote, hybrid, or fully in-person, I hope you know that the Idealist team will always have your back. Here are some of our favorite resources and tips for navigating today’s changing work environment, as well as pointers on finding your next great job:
I oversee the content and resources we share at Idealist to help organizations, prospective grad students, and job seekers make an impact in their personal and professional lives. In my spare time, I love to read, cook, and explore NYC's parks.