The temptation to pursue a big ticket job at a publicly-traded company is one that dangles above many accountants like the fruit of Tantalus–forever enticing, but just out of reach. And for some, the desire to be America’s Next Top CFO acts more like the sword of Damocles, hanging perilously overhead and threatening to doom once-promising careers with over-ambition and presumption.
(We actually wanted to open this blog with some Norse mythology references in honor of the bizarrely awesome Thor: Ragnarok, but those names are really hard to spell.)
What we’re trying to get at here, in our obtusely metaphorical way, is that there are some private businesses out there that can provide just as much opportunity for growth and job satisfaction as their publicly-traded counterparts. You just have to know where to look.
Nonprofits don’t profit, but you can
And here’s one place you should definitely be looking: The nonprofit sector.
Nonprofits are big business these days. There are 1.9 million nonprofit organizations in the US–more than twice as many as there were roughly 30 years ago. Together they employ 13.5 million people and make up 5.5% of the country’s GDP.
Nonprofit executives earn anything from peanuts to salaries so obnoxious, their nut equivalent would be a 50-foot-tall mutant cashew.
So yeah, there’s money in the nonprofit sector–if you go to work at the right one.
A decidedly different kind of nonprofit
One great example of a nonprofit offering substantial rewards to its employees is BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee (which happens to be hiring accountants, by the way.)
You read that right: BCBS of Tennessee is a nonprofit. Technically, it’s a taxpaying not-for-profit. See, BlueCross BlueShield allows the individual state companies that make up its massive network leeway in their structure. And some, like the Tennessee rendition, have chosen the nonprofit route.
As we said, nonprofits can be big business. BCBS of Tennessee brings in $7 billion in revenue annually. It employs approximately 5,000 people. And it’s the largest health benefit plan company in Tennessee.
Complex, rewarding work at a nonprofit accounting job
At a large nonprofit company like BCBS of Tennessee, you’ll get to work on big, complex projects. You’ll earn the sense of self worth that comes from operating in a challenging environment. All while knowing that you’re helping to improve the health of the people in your community.
Compare that to for-profit companies, where you’ll be spending most of your time improving the health of numbers. Last time we checked, numbers get by pretty well on their own.
It’s all about the benefits, baby
Some other benefits you’ll enjoy while working at BCBS of Tennessee include:
- Insurance – health, dental, vision, life, short- and long-term disability, voluntary life, accident, long-term care, domestic partner benefits, health savings and flexible spending accounts
- Professional development – online and classroom-based trainings and skill development, tuition reimbursement for college-level coursework, mentoring programs, leadership development
- Performance and rewards – corporate incentive programs, employee discounts, credit union, casual day every Friday
- Retirement – 401(k) and/or Roth 401(k) savings plan with matching funds and immediate vesting, company-funded retirement program, financial planning classes
- Wellness – quarterly incentive program, health coaching, biometric screenings and personal health analysis, flu vaccines, member discounts, onsite fitness centers, onsite clinic and pharmacy (Chattanooga campus), tobacco-free facilities, employee assistance program
- Work/life balance – paid time off and holidays, flex time, telecommuting
Don’t count out a nonprofit accounting job as a viable career path. You could be missing out on rewards and job satisfaction that only companies like BCBS of Tennessee can provide.
Apply for a job at BCBS of Tennessee now
If you are interested in a career with BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, click on one of the links below to apply for a specific job or submit your resume for future jobs here.
