How to make a social impact career work for you

Social impact careers are not just jobs, they're also a calling for those driven to make a real difference in the world. Vocations of this kind stretch across diverse arenas, from nonprofits and government bodies to roles in corporate social responsibility roles or bold entrepreneurial ventures that are designed to tackle our society's most pressing needs. However, those who embark on these career paths share a common goal of addressing global issues in education, healthcare, environmental sustainability or economic development.

The most important aspect of a social impact career is the desire to make the world better. You could work extremely hard to get into a brilliant university and make a name for yourself at one of the most prominent tech firms in the world, for example. But those who have this talent and want to use it to make a difference should consider making a career or starting a business focused on social impact.

Bridging technology and social impact

That doesn’t mean you can’t pursue a career in both technology and impact – it’s not about choosing sides it’s about merging the two to tackle some of society's toughest challenges.

While tech companies tend to focus on shaking up the status quo for profit and convenience, they can also foster significant social change when they channel their innovations responsibly. More than just streamlining processes, a thoughtful application of technology can expand vital services, such as healthcare and education, to those who need them most.

Rapid and robust technology mixed with a passion to spark social change creates exciting opportunities for graduates. This is your playground if you're tech-savvy and driven. For instance, imagine using cutting-edge technology to broaden access to microfinance, transforming the lives of the impoverished, as Grameen Bank has. Alternatively, you might help reshape education through platforms that boost access to learning, such as the Khan Academy, or work towards solving the climate crisis through carbon capture technologies.

Social impact is an exciting place to be, especially for those just starting out on their career journey.

Taking a personalised approach to social impact careers

If you want to pursue a social impact career, it's crucial to understand that it’s not enough to merely identify problems, you must also connect with these problems deeply. This entails finding where your unique passions and talents align with the world's needs.

Here are a few critical areas to consider, by way of example:

• Addressing the climate crisis
• Ethical human migration
• Democratic access to economic opportunity
• Improving global health
• Working towards gender equity

Each of the above global challenges presents an opportunity for innovation, whether that is in relation to the creation of sustainable technologies, the use of data analytics to improve health outcomes, or the development of digital platforms to expand educational opportunities for underrepresented groups.

As you navigate the possibilities in social impact, you must look for what truly energises you and matches your skills. Are you drawn to environmental issues? Explore how the latest technologies can contribute to solutions such as carbon capture or renewable energy projects. If your interest lies in healthcare, think about how you could use telemedicine or advanced health informatics to diminish the disparities in healthcare access between rural and urban communities. This personalised approach will make your professional journey more impactful, satisfying and aligned with who you are and what you care about. 

Connecting the dots is often important to delivering value, so knowing that a technology in a different category might be useful to your problem statement is a vital skill. For example, the advancement of text-to-speech AI with OpenAI means that we can now auto-generate subtitles for video content that helps undereducated youth across the world read better. This is the model for the Billion Readers social impact initiative led by Brij Kothari, an Ashoka Fellow.  

Being prepared to adapt to issues as they arise

To build a career in social impact, you need to be aware of today's societal problems and stay abreast of how these are set to evolve in the future. This means being a versatile and lifelong learner that is constantly prepared to adapt their skills to tackle new problems.

Issues around climate change and human migration, for example, are dynamic and will transform, giving rise to new challenges altogether in all likelihood. Thriving in a social impact career requires that you are always ready to shift your focus in response to changing global needs. 

There is a real need for sustainable, scalable business models in the social impact sector to build long-term, enduring enterprises that can help billions. As the future unfolds, blending the altruistic goals of nonprofit work with sharp business acumen will become increasingly important. It's about crafting solutions that are ethically sound and economically viable to ensure the delivery of widespread, lasting impact.