The Launchpad by Second Day

Overall estimated read time: 15 minutes

Last updated: July 2021

Progress relies on individuals coming together to fight for a cause. Enter: the organizer. Organizers have the crucial job of mobilizing communities of workers, tenants, and advocates to agitate for change. Therefore, if you are interested in getting in the weeds and fighting for what you believe is right, Organizing may be the job for you. In order to succeed in an organizing career, you need to be fully invested in the cause. You will be working to inspire and empower others, a task that is impossible if you don't believe in yourself. As an Organizer, and especially in union or tenant organizing, you will be working with populations who have experienced discrimination and trauma as a result of the systems in power. Therefore, it is crucial to enter into this work as informed as possible about systemic injustice and to be invested in the fight to dismantle those systems. Furthermore, you should understand the specific community where you seek to organize. Most importantly, you must be able to listen with empathy to the goals of community members. 

Community organizers are not satisfied with the status quo and are prepared to challenge systems of power. Organizing is all about meeting new people and building relationships. Since your primary role will be talking to workers, volunteers, and donors, you should make sure you are okay with the constant interpersonal interaction and rich relationship-building required of an organizer. 

If this career path sounds exciting to you, this guide will take you through everything you need to know about working in community organizing. To inform our work, Second Day has spoken to experts in the field and gathered the best information out there for upcoming graduates and recent graduates. First, the guide will take you through the different entry-level positions to look out for in this field. Then, we’ll provide tips on actually getting those jobs in community organizing. We’ll finish with our next three steps: actionable items you can take to make progress towards finding your first job in community organizing. Let’s get started!