Career Change for Social Impact
When people think about creating good, they often think about donating money or volunteering their time. While these are important activities, your career is your biggest lever to create lasting social good. Why? Simply put, you’ll put more time and energy into your career than almost any other activity. Finding a career that is personally and professionally fulfilling is key to long-term happiness, so if you're unfulfilled in your current role, this page is for you.
The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.
Social Impact Career Guidance Is What We Do.
We've helped hunreds of professionals transition their careers to make a lasting impact through our professional development programs, and we're excited to share some of our key findings with you.
Scroll down for a summary of our 10-step guide to making a career change into the social impact sector.
Looking for more? Download our full guide for tips, tools, and templates. And for more support, our MovingWorlds Institute Global Fellowship helps accomplished professionals transform their career for more impact.
Download our 10-step career change guide
10-steps to transform your career
These steps will help make sure you transition to a career path where you will thrive. Join our email list for the in-depth guide.
Audit Your Strengths
Figure out what makes you come alive (not just what you're good at).
Zero in on your purpose
Purpose is not a cause. It's what gives you energy while you work.
Shortlist the causes you want to impact
Some of us care about one cause. Many are passionate about multiple. Shortlist the ones you care the most about.
Decide on ideal workplace and team environment
Some of us like to work on teams in open floorplans. Some prefer individual work in offices. Some don't care, and others want to work remote. Which will sustain you?
Choose the type of organization you want to work in
Nonprofit? Social enterprise? Public sector? Take steps to figure out where you can do your best work.
Find your ideal organizations
Search for the type of organizations that lie at the intersection of your strengths, autonomy, purpose, and cause drivers — while also enabling the type of work environment you cherish.
Build the skills & experience you need to earn the job
Now that you know where to go, figure out what skills, experience, and knowledge gaps exist on your resume. Take steps to fill those. By volunteering, schooling, job-shadowing and traveling, get the experience you need to build the connections and your CV.
Build the RIGHT network
Strategically build your networking by "giving" more than you take. Optimize your LinkedIn profile for virtual networking to build your professional brand.
Fine-tune your professional resume
Adopt best-practices for your resume to help you stand out from the crowd.
Ace the interview
Use well-documented tips to nail your interview.
Career Change Articles & Resources
Learn more in our #SocialImpactCareerGuide blog series.
Step 1: Audit Your Strengths
Step 2 – Zero In On Your Purpose
Step 3 – Shortlist Causes
Step 4 – Decide on Ideal Workplace Environment
Step 5 – Choose the Type of Organization You Want to Support
Step 6 – Find Your Ideal Organization
Step 7 – Build the Skills & Experience You Need to Earn the Job
Step 8 – Build the Right Network
Step 9 – Fine Tune Your Professional Resume
Step 10 – Ace the Interview
Our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers.
Stories of Career Change
How this #GlobalFellow Embraced Change to Find More Purpose In Her Career
How This Finance Director Made an Impact In Ghana That Launched His Social-Good Career
#GetAheadByGettingAway: The Art of Wayfinding to Navigate Career Change with Nate Wong
How this #GlobalFellow Stepped Out of Her Comfort Zone to Learn What She Was Truly Capable Of
How I Made The Career Switch to Social Impact - And How You Can, Too
How this #GlobalFellow Stretched Herself Professionally to Find Clarity in the Unknown
There is no passion to be found in playing small — in settling for a life that is less than you are capable of living.