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Words by: Ian Humphreys

Image by: e (special thanks to michael tunney & takacsi75)

There comes a time in all our lives when one must put aside procrastination and idle fantasies and pick a career path. Well, perhaps not, there is always the nomadic life, the constant interning, and all sorts of fun ways to avoid responsibility. And of course running away to join the circus holds a significant appeal.

Nonetheless, for many Twenty Somethings the time is now for big, life changing decisions. Its time to answer the most dreaded question known to the young, aspiring Lemon Lifer: what are you going to do when you grow up?

Here’s one suggestion: start a career in the Not-For-Profit Sector. Its rewarding, provides a broad range of experience and is sure to attract the opposite sex (provided they are interested in people who have no money).

I took a few hours out of my busy, unemployed schedule to interview Neil Hetherington, the CEO of Habitat For Humanity Canada, hoping to discover some of the pros and cons of working for ‘good.’

Neil got started as a volunteer with Habitat For Humanity working on a project in Uganda. Habitat For Humanity is an international charity which builds homes for disadvantaged families. Neil caught what they call ‘habititus’ while on a gap year: falling in love with the charity, its mission and the not-for-profit sector. Just seven years later he was the CEO of Habitat for Humanity Canada.

He had some interesting things to say about the industry, ‘Generation Y’, and most importantly the coming season of Entourage (maybe not).

Q: What is the best thing about working for a Not-For-Profit?

A: Being able to work everyday towards a vision and being surrounded by people who care.

Q: What is the worst thing about working for a Not-For-Profit?

A: Not being able to be all things to all people, when things go wrong its personal.

Q: Why didn’t you consider a career in the private sector?

A: I can’t get into a mission statement that says we want to be the best telephone manufacture in the country. The world needs a private sector, but once you go non-profit, you don’t go back.

Q: What do you think of Generation Y?

A: They have a feeling they can download a career rather than earn it. They are the most caring, compassionate group with phenomenal characteristics, but with a self entitlement that is foreign to baby boomers. New grads have all of the talent - I worry about the entitlement, and I worry about the job hopping.

Q: What advice would you give to someone trying to get into the industry?

A: Make sure you get to know the charity [you’re applying to], intern, do filed placements.  Throwing a resume on the internet gets you nothing. Network to get in.

Q:And finally, what advice would you give to Gen Y in general?

A: Be passionate, authentic, be patient, and be a life long learner. And play tennis with someone better than you.

At these concluding remarks I wondered (once again) whether Neil was being literal. I managed to struggle through an inane visual image of Neil and I playing tennis to eventually grasp his point. In one’s working life it is important to surround yourself with talented, intelligent people who can help you grow as a person and as a worker bee. And perhaps the not-for-profit sector is the place for you to find those people, and a cause that can inform your life in a positive manner. If not you can always dedicate yourself to the jobs that populate your idle fantasies; the circus beckons.

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