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Mar 13, 2026 • 5 min read

First jobs

Are entry level jobs in nonprofits, policy, social good even out there? And building relational infrastructure.

Ted Fickes Ted Fickes
First jobs

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What's become of first jobs?

If nonprofits, advocacy, and policy organizations aren't creating roles for young staff then who do they think will work for them in 5, 10, 15 years?

I read through what must be an unhealthy number of job posts. I've saved almost 5,700 job descriptions to a file over the last few years. Almost all of them are put out by nonprofit organizations. Some are from foundations. A few are from political candidates and for-profit news organizations and social good start-ups. My commentary on them is informed.

Much has been made of how AI is wrecking the American job market. Especially the "entry level" job market. I'm sure AI is doing something to the job market and entry level jobs. It's also possible that our country is being run by a cadre of incompetent mobsters whose choice may be impacting American economics and the labor market.

Who's to say what's going on? And does it matter if you're the one looking for a job?

I have a child graduating from college in May. 🍾🎉 😱 So I've been part of conversations about a bleak job market for college grads. And I've been looking more closely at job descriptions for the kinds of roles that environmental policy and math sorts of recent grads might pursue.

Look, it's always been tough to find a job after college that isn't more or less scripted through research, finance, medicine, law or engineering sorts of internship and professional school paths.

But I'm seeing somewhere between zero and very few nonprofit, policy or adjacent job descriptions that don't demand several years of experience - even for rather underpaid "coordinator" type roles. There seems to be an unspoken expectation that people will slog through a series of minimum wage internships - the sort that are only survivable to people with family support.

I don't think AI has much to do with this. Perhaps it's a reflection of a sector with a scarcity mindset that makes it hard to think about (and fund) full career paths.

That said, it's a tough time for those looking for work at all levels. And it's tough for people running organizations who are having to make tough choices, often with little good support or shared awareness of the complexity involved.

End Citizens United is looking for a National Political Director. This person will run all federal and non-federal political, PAC and partnerships strategy. It's a key role in the 2026 cycle. You'll be based in the Washington, DC, area and the starting salary is $112,000-$120,000, commensurate with experience.

Learn More & Apply

Bright Ideas

A good portion of my work is done with the intention of shifting nonprofit communications and fundraising away from storytelling and fundraising that's driven to optimize return through crisis and fear. Instead, let's help organizations construct community-focused models that with longer, even slower, horizons. Here are a few pieces I read this week about relational infrastructure and designing programs to meet people's needs. Something to think about.

Welcome to the Era of Relational Intelligence [Isabelle Hau / Stanford Social Innovation Review]

The version of research we actually need [Sabrina Meherally]

From rented audiences to engaged communities: Why participation is the new moat for publishers [Mark Zohar / Digiday]

Memory Against Authoritarianism [Cayden Mak / The Revival Lab]

Building bridges, expanding power: Strategies from the environmental movement [Eva Hernandez / Candid]

Politics newsletter makes nearly $4m in subs despite giving most content away [Alice Brooker / Press Gazette]

Trainings and Learning

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Hey. Ted here. I run Bright+3 where we give changemakers the ideas, inspiration, and tools to create content that builds stronger communities.

I also write this newsletter, Future Community, and run the Future Community Jobs list.

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Ted Fickes
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