By Kay Zhang
As a professional who has worked in the Chinese charity sector for more than three years, I have networked with a group of colleagues from different organizations. For certain aspects of our work, I have discovered that many people are unclear about our specific goals and duties. This essay is for those colleagues as well as some tips for those who plan to work in this area.

Are you working at a paid job?
Lynn is a colleague who works for a foundation in Beijing and she used to work for about three years in the NGO industry in the United States. One day after we left an event, she told me sometimes feels a bit uncomfortable and never had such a feeling when she worked in America. Here in China some are feel surprised when they know that she was paid her job.

This reminds me of one time when I did a presentation to a sponsor, one of their staff asked why we have salaries. I explained to her that NGOs need professional and stable teams to ensure that the practical work is well managed and implemented. Also, if you want to be successful or you are working for a fast-growing organization, a professional team is essential.

It must be a relaxing job?
Some friends are curious about my salary and some of them even told me frankly they would consider working for a charity if the salary was suitable. They think that work for a charity must be less stressful than a regular business.

Most people perceive working in an NGO as relaxing. But the truth is: not really. Obviously it's a place that has less internal competition and stress. You don't have a 'sales target' to report to your boss. But most people when they choose to work for a charity, share vision: as well as regarding it as a job. This vision is the drive behind their daily work. So, generally speaking, employees in charities have a less 'let it be' attitude. From the external side, when a charity accepts donations for a mission, the transparency and the public's expectations are higher than they are for a business. So that means effectiveness and professionalism is more required in a charity.

Is it a place full of harmony?
If a pool of 'nice people' get together, then it must be a harmonious place to work. That's people's image for a charity in China. To be frank: this is not a mathematical game and it's not all harmony all the time. Any place that has passionate people will have different people with different ways of doing things, and these differences generate disagreements. Most disputes in work, I believe, occur not by people's desire or intention to create difficulties or problems. I think this is a rule that we all understand. Admittedly, most people in the charity industry perhaps are more idealistic, but they are still social humans and it is hard to ask them be pure idealists and peacemakers all the time. In certain situations, it is difficult to do things by just being nice — charities need people to be 'sharp'.

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