Idealist
*Idealist.org* is well known on college campuses as one of the best places to go to find jobs, internships, and volunteer opportunities in non-profit and community organizations around the world. It is expanding its reach to offer online resources for those interested in mid-career changes and encore careers.
An introductory tour, "_Can You Imagine a Better World,_":http://www.idealist.org/if/idealist/en/Invite/default?sid=92848929-46-iUm lays out the Idealist's vision of connecting people with similar values, dreams, and challenges and helping them to work together.
The "job-search engine":http://www.idealist.org/if/idealist/en/AdvancedSearch/Job/default# lets you search through nearly 7,000 opportunities, from entry-level to management, and to quickly see the latest postings.
When you create a profile on Idealist, you can receive daily email alerts with opportunities matching your criteria and connect with other people who share your interests, locally and around the world. To get started, complete the "Sign Up":http://www.idealist.org/if/idealist/en/MyIdealist/Register/default?sid=92993317-220-KCA form. If you don't want the alerts, you can search for jobs on Idealist without creating a profile.
"*A series of Graduate Degree Fairs for the Public Good*":http://www.idealist.org/if/idealist/en/CareerFair/AllFairs/default?career-fair-type=GRADUATE&sid=92848929-46-syS offer information about programs such as Divinity, Education, Environmental Sciences, Global and Public Health, Nonprofit Management, Public Interest Law, Public Administration, Public Policy, Social Work, Socially Responsible Business, and Urban Planning.
A new season of "career fairs,":http://www.idealist.org/if/idealist/en/CareerFair/PastFairs/default?sid=92973198-126-Fov beginning this fall, will bring together non-profit employers offering jobs, internships, and volunteer opportunities.
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Bridgestar
*Bridgestar*, an initiative of the Bridgespan Group, provides talent-matching services, content, and tools to help nonprofits build strong leadership teams and individuals pursue career paths as nonprofit leaders.
"Bridgestar's listing":http://www.bridgestar.org/Jobs/Search.aspx of more than 200 career opportunities is focused on nonprofit leadership positions that generally pay more than $60,000. The site lets you to set up alerts to notify you of new postings that match your interests.
Bridgestar's "_Guide to the Nonprofit Sector_":http://www.bridgestar.org/Resources/Toolkits/GuideNonprofitSector.aspx contains a trove of information for people considering making the switch from for-profit work to nonprofit organizations.
Specific sections of Bridgestar.org are geared to "chief financial officers":http://www.bridgestar.org/Resources/Roles/CFO/Default.aspx and "chief operating officers":http://www.bridgestar.org/Resources/Roles/GroupCOO/Default.aspx
Through a relationship with "boardnetUSA":http://www.bridgestar.org/Boards/JoinaBoard.aspx, Bridgestar helps introduce experienced individuals to nonprofit organizations with board openings -- a valuable first step in getting to know the nonprofit sector and demonstrating an interest in social impact.
"Bridgestar's free membership":http://www.bridgestar.org/Membership/Register.aspx includes access to all of the above, plus a subscription to the monthly e-newsletter, _Leadership Matters_.
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More Jobs!
_*Nonprofits*_
"*Commongood Careers*":http://www.cgcareers.org facilitates the recruitment and screening process for nonprofits who are looking to hire. When we last looked, they had about 40 job openings, mostly in Boston and New York.
The "*Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group*":http://www.nonprofitprofessionals.com/current_searches.htm usually has about two-dozen active searches for high-quality jobs in the nonprofit sector.
_*Older Adults*_
"*Retirementjobs.com*":http://www.retirementjobs.com is geared towards job-seekers aged 50+. In our test run we found postings for 50 nonprofit jobs, 60 teaching jobs, and 1,200 health care jobs. Their "Age Friendly Certification logo":http://www.retirementjobs.com/aboutus/resources/Certification.html identifies employers that have adopted a dozen "best practices" and want 50+ candidates to know they are valued for their knowledge, experience, maturity, reliability, and productivity.
"*Jobs 4.0*":http://www.jobs4point0.com targets job seekers ages 40+. There are fewer jobs posted here, but according to the site, employers who recruit through Jobs 4.0 "understand and embrace the value that experienced workers can add." When we last looked, there were about 50 postings nationwide for nonprofit jobs, an equal number in teaching and education, and about 150 in health care.
_*General Interest*_
"*Monster.com*":http://www.monster.com is the largest job site on the Web. Our test run turned up postings nationwide for nearly 1,500 nonprofit jobs, 2,800 teaching jobs, and more health care jobs than you can shake a stick at. Their "Careers at 50+ section":http://content.monster.com/GetTheJob/factor/3/home.aspx has ongoing coverage of issues facing older workers.
"*Yahoo Hotjobs*":http://hotjobs.yahoo.com serves job-seekers of all ages. Our test run found postings for more than 1,000 nonprofit jobs, 1,300 teaching jobs, and an avalanche of health care jobs nationwide. They also have thousand of other job openings in dozens of fields.
"*Careerbuilder.com*":http://www.careerbuilder.com has a large serving of helpful career advice and resources. Our test run revealed postings for 800 nonprofit jobs, 4,000 teaching jobs, and a whopping 64,000 health care jobs.
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Health, Education and Social Services
_*Health Care*_
Health care is one of the top job-growth areas in America and not just for doctors or nurses. There are more than 100 other areas of specialization—from music and art therapy to occupational health and safety — all generally known as the “allied health professions.”
Demand is so strong that the American Hospital Association actively encourages hospitals to recruit midlife career changers. In some areas and occupations, you may be able to find part-time work at a hospital while participating in a clinical training program for a new career. Refresher courses and reentry programs are becoming more common.
The "*American Medical Association*":http://www.ama.org publishes an annual guide, _Health Professions Career and Education Directory_ as well as a free monthly Health Professions E-letter that covers career-related issues for more than 60 health-related professions.
"*Discover Nursing*":http://www.discovernursing.com includes information on nursing jobs and training programs.
"*American Association of Colleges of Nursing*":http://www.aacn.nche.edu/publications/issues/Aug02.htm has a wealth of information on accelerated programs that provide a fast track to careers in nursing.
_*Education*_
The nation faces a chronic shortage of teachers – particularly in math, science, and special education. If you have a bachelor’s degree in any field you could qualify for an alternative teacher preparation program that enables you to begin teaching, with salary and benefits, within a short time.
"*American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence*":http://www.abcte.org/passport.html provides a “Passport to Teaching certification” for individuals interested in entering teaching, including retirees.
"*Experience Corps*":http://www.experiencecorps.org/ offers opportunities, and small stipends, for Americans over fifty-five who want to tutor and mentor kids in underserved schools.
"*Troops to Teachers*":http://www.proudtoserveagain.com/ helps veterans make the transition to teaching with subsidies and bonuses. Civic Ventures has published a "background paper":http://www.civicventures.org/publications/policy_papers/pdfs/troops_teach.pdf with more information.
"*TeachNow.org*":http://www.teachnow.org, the website of the National Center for Alternative Certification, is a clearinghouse of information about paths to a teaching credential.
"*National Teacher Recruitment Clearinghouse*":http://www.recruitingteachers.org/channels/clearinghouse has resources for career-changers interested in becoming teachers.
_*Social services*_
The vast underfunded and underappreciated world of helping vulnerable populations – at-risk youth, disabled people, the elderly and others – presents huge opportunities for people who want to help others, and maybe change the world.
"*Cornerstones 4Kids*":http://www.cornerstones4kids.org/resources_and_links.htm links to resources in youth development, child welfare, and juvenile justice.
"*Generations United*":http://www.gu.org has compiled the nation’s largest database of intergenerational programs.
"*National Caregiving Alliance*":http://www.caregiving.org provides resources on caregiving, information, contacts.
"*Exploring Careers in Aging*":http://www.exploringcareersinaging.com is a guide to the explosion of entrepreneurial and job opportunities in gerontology.