Benjamin Todd

Most importantly, find ways to start managing on a small scale.

Ideally, work under a great manager or find a mentor or coach who is, and then regularly check in with them about what is and isn't working.

Make sure to collect feedback from the people you manage.

There are also lots of concrete habits and processes that can make you better as a manager, which you can practice applying while doing the above.

To learn more, we have a list of resources in Appendix 7.

Information security.

Protecting organizations from cyberattacks that could compromise their mission, data, or assets.

Some organizations need help protecting information that could be hugely dangerous if it was known more widely, such as harmful genetic sequences or powerful AI technology.

Breaches in areas like these could have disastrous consequences, which makes information security a great option for people who want to have a high-impact career.

And because it's an in-demand skill with high salaries, it provides great backup options.

Data science and applied statistics.

Data science is a cross between statistics and programming.

The boot camps are a similar deal to programming, although they tend to mainly recruit science PhDs.

If you've just done a science PhD and don't want to continue with academia, this is a good option to consider, but we'd probably recommend ruling out programming first.

Similarly, you can learn data analysis, statistics, and modeling by taking the right graduate program, as discussed above.

Learning to market toilet paper doesn't seem like the most socially motivated option, but almost all types of organizations need marketing, and demand for the skill is growing.

You can learn the skill set, then transfer into an organization with a social mission.

Failing that, you'll have a lot of backup options, and you could earn to give instead.

You can learn marketing skills by taking an entry-level position at a top firm, or working under a good mentor in a business.

We'd especially recommend focusing on the style of marketing that's more data and technology driven, rather than traditional creative advertising.