What’s the deal with Social Impact Careers?

What’s the deal with Social Impact Careers? How to live that “men and women for others” spirit beyond BC.

At Boston College, there are a multitude of ways for students to give back to their communities and work toward creating a more just society. A sampling of these opportunities include the Appalachia Volunteers, PULSE, 4Boston, Arrupe International, BC Bigs,and the Campus School Volunteers. Students are taught, and are given numerous opportunities, to be men and women for others. This commitment to service and to humanity is woven into coursework and extracurriculars. But what happens when students graduate, and aren’t surrounded by this mission?

Many students feel passionately about continuing to serve their communities upon graduation, but aren’t sure that a full-time service position is the right path for them. While incorporating volunteer work into one’s regular routine is one great option, there is another way to make a difference: pursue a social impact career.

What is a social impact career? According to Bmeaningful.com, a website that connects professionals to purpose-oriented positions, an impact job is one that addresses specific social or environmental issues. Impact jobs can include positions related to corporate social responsibility (CSR), impact investing, and sustainability. These are topics that have become increasingly popular on the BC campus. In fact, so many students at Boston College are interested in this idea of social impact, that there is now a Managing for Social Impact minor.

Interested in learning more? Here are a few tips on how to get started:

• Be self aware. Determine what causes or issues you care deeply about, and become an expert in that area. Figure out what your values are, and create a personal mission statement. In addition to core competencies, employers in this industry are looking for candidates who truly care about a cause.
• Research organizations that share your values and are committed to making a difference.
  • Check out Idealist.org, an online portal—you guessed it, for idealists—that serves as a database for jobs, internships, volunteer opportunities, and organizations that serve the social good. In their words, “Idealist is all about connecting idealists – people who want to do good – with opportunities for action and collaboration.”
  • Bmeaningful.com is another site that can be used to research the social impact of organizations, and to search for social impact careers. Check out their tips for landing a job in social impact
• Network! Search LinkedIn to find BC Alumni working in social impact careers. Reach out to them, and ask if you can talk to them about their paths.