Public Service: Giving Back Can Help your Career

Although public service and volunteering have become widely accepted as a norm in society, altruistic behavior can actively help your professional career and development in the long-run.

A recently published article in Forbes details why of volunteering and doing pro-bono work will positively effect your professional life.

1. Diversify your résumé and professional portfolio

By reaching out to anther field to volunteer your expertise whether it is in finance, marketing, or public relations it can add some spark to your resume and strengthen your ability to work beyond your sector.

2. Develop leadership and team-building skills

By volunteering outside of the workplace, you can develop and perfect your leadership, motivational, and public speaking skills to bring back and actively apply in the workplace.

3. Build your professional network

By working in other sectors or conducting pro-bono work , your network can grow and include possible mentors, references, and possible clients for the future.

4. Win respect from professional peers

By donating your time to an organization in your community, you can market yourself and your company for actively socially contributing.

5. Get a firsthand look at the inner workings of a nonprofit

Volunteering and public service offers a fresh new perspective on management, time allocation, and functioning that can be brought back to any working sector.

6. Create lasting and tangible impact

As a professional or one soon-to-be, you can actively volunteer your expertise to create real change. Make sure volunteer intelligently- offer your talents if you are a social media guru, financial analyst, or graphic designer in order to give what is really needed in the non-profit or organization.

Where the Jobs are in Non-Profit & Government Sector

According to recent articles published from Forbes magazine , the government and non-profit sector seek to hire those in the following fields:


Government: Education, Treasury, + More!

As companies and firms begin to hire slowly again, the U.S. government will begin to steadily hire nationally. Over the next four years, there will be a %50 increase since the previous four years , reports Max Stier of the Partnership for Public Service, a group that promotes government jobs. Check the article here for more information.

Non -Profit : Development and Fund raising.

Paulette Maehara , head of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) notes that there are too few experienced applicants for vacant positions in the development and fund raising fields. Non-Profit are actively hiring for positions like major gift officers ( those who network and net "big fish " donors ) , grant writers, event planners, prospect research staff,( those who research donor interest and areas of giving) and annual fund staff.

If you are interested in getting into the NP sector check out 3 Things to Know about Non-Profit Hiring by author Kerry Hannon.

Public Workers are higher earners in 41 States

A recent article released by USA Today highlighted the rising compensation gap between the public sector employees and private sector workers. Of the fifty states measured, public employees “earn higher average pay and benefits” than private workers in 41 states respectively.

The analysis brings to attention the fact that the salaries of public workers has increased faster that private workers since 2000 primarily due to the "rising value of benefits ". For example state ,city, and school district workers in Wisconsin earned an average of $1,800 more than their private sector counterparts in 2009.

Key State-by-state findings according to the article:

• California. Public employee compensation rose 28% above the inflation rate from 2000 to 2009 to an average of $71,385 in 2009.

• Nevada. Government employees earned an average of $17,815 more — or 35% — than private workers, the nation’s biggest pay gap.

• Texas. The state ranked last in benefits for public employees. The state hasn’t granted cost-of-living increases to most retirees since 2001.

Like Texas, Georgia and Virginia pay significantly less to public workers and more to private sector workers . To see a detailed chart depicting the compensation gap per state and for more information about the article refer to the online version.

Over 30 National Law Enforcement Opportunities

Are you a criminal justice major? Graduating this May?
Looking for a way into the law enforcement field?

The following law enforcement offices are currently hiring for entry level positions and offer full benefits, a competitive salary, and additional perks.

Gainesville Police Department
Clay County Sheriff's Office, Green Cove Springs, FL.
Boca Raton Police Services Department, Boca Raton, FL.
Brevard County Sheriff's Office, Titusville, FL.
Los Angeles Fire Department
Los Angeles Police Department
Corpus Christi Police Department, Corpus Christi, TX.
New Canaan Police Department, New Canaan, CT.
Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, Lincolnton, NC.
The City of Dodge City Police Department, Dodge City, KS.
Chestertown Police Department, Chestertown, MD.
Maryland Transportation Authority Police
Delray Beach Police Department, Delray Beach, FL.
Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office
Winston-Salem Police Department, Winston-Salem, NC.
Pasco Sheriff's Office, New Port Richey, FL.
Portland Police Department, Portland, ME.
Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, Rockville, MD.
Guilford County Sheriff's Department, Greensboro, NC.
Chevy Chase Police Department, Chevy Chase Village, MD.
City of Burlington Police Department, Burlington, NC.
Lincoln Police Department, Lincoln, NE.
Police Officer - City of Dubuque, Iowa
Loudoun County Sheriff's Office, Leesburg, VA.
Manassas City Police Department, Manassas, VA.
Winnebago County Sheriff's Office, Rockford, IL.
The Plano Police Department, Plano, TX.
Knoxville Police Department, Knoxville, TN.
Forsyth County Sheriff's Office, Cumming, GA.
Norfolk Police Department, Norfolk, VA.

For more information contact Amie Donahue at amie.donahue@shu.edu