Question
Currently I work for a small non-profit educational institute and started out the year as an intern with the Chamber of Commerce, also a non-profit institution. I knew before I accepted my current job that I didn’t want to work for a non-profit based on my experiences at the Chamber, but also knew that I needed experience in order to start my career.
I have come to find that I very much enjoy copywriting and editing but my question for you is: how will I prepare myself to jump into the for-profit industry? What classes should I be taking and which magazines should I be reading?
Answer
This question piques my curiosity. Firstly, since it sounds like you’ve been able to find work you enjoy within the non-profit environment – copywriting and editing – why do you want to enter the for-profit world? Secondly, what do you consider the major differences to be between the “for-profit” and the “non-profit” worlds?
Allow me to put it another way. I don’t believe that all “non-profits” are the same any more than I believe that all “for-profit” businesses are the same. There are countless organizations of different sizes providing a wide range of products and services in both areas. Why do you want to move from one to the other? Is it just about the money? There’s nothing wrong with that, but once you’ve gotten the money issue out of the way, you need to decide what it is you really want to do with your time.
Matthew T. Grant, PhD
Minister of Enlightenment
