Nonprofit Hiring Secrets
A month or so ago we had the privilege of helping a midwest nonprofit hire the best candidate to join their philanthropy team. I always love being able to partner with nonprofits when they are being strategic and working toward a stronger future. For this nonprofit, adding this key position to its philanthropy team was part of its strategic plan.
The client was excited about the role, but also a little apprehensive. I remember on our first Hiring Partnership call, they said, “We keep posting for this position and don’t find anyone. There aren’t any good fundraising people out there. And, if there are, we cannot afford them! But, we’ll see what happens…”
Well, our client was shocked and pleased by the quality of candidates we were able to attract to them as part of their Hiring Partnership with us. And, we are excited to share with you that the person we helped hire is now working happily in their current role!
What’s the secret? I’d love to tell you that we have a magic hat where - instead of pulling a rabbit out of it - we pull out your ideal nonprofit team member. But, that’s not the case. From our experience helping nonprofits attract, grow, and keep great people, we have learned a few tricks that help us to best help nonprofits! And, I’m excited to share a few of these tips that helped us fill that role on the philanthropy team - and will hopefully help you!
1 - Don’t post the job description. Post the job so it markets the role and attracts the right candidates.
A job description often includes a list of all of the things a person will do in a role. Sometimes these tasks or responsibilities are specific and specialized. In a job description (a summary of what the role is), internal or highly technical language can be found. In a job posting (a marketing tool to describe the role and attract individuals to the position), you want to present the position accurately, but also market the job and your organization.
You want language in your job posting to be positive, candidate-centered, and inviting. Your job posting is an opportunity to paint “a day in the life” in the role and give a candidate a clear view on what it would be like to work at your organization. READ 4 JOB POSTING MISTAKES.
2 - Stop listing unnecessary education requirements.
You want your job posting to attract potential applicants to your nonprofit organization - not scare them away! By listing requirement after requirement, you are giving applicants a list of reasons they should not apply. Before using the term “requires” in a job posting, be honest with yourself about whether this qualification is an absolute or a preference.
For education especially, only list requirements on a job posting that are actually required! Is a Bachelor’s degree really required? Or can you remove that as a requirement and put ‘five years of experience’ as the requirement instead?
If you are not getting enough candidates - let alone qualified ones - focus on casting a wider net through your job posting and learning more about the candidates during the interview process.
3 - Tighten up your applicant reviewing and interviewing timelines!
We understand you are busy! And, I’m going to be honest, I’ve been there too! When I was the director of adult education in Decatur, IL, I remember being overworked, understaffed, and pulled in all directions. So overworked that, even though we NEEDED staff, I could never seem to find enough time to review resumes and schedule interviews. So by the time I got to the resumes (sometimes letting them sit in a manila folder on my desk for 2-3 weeks), the applicants would have already found other jobs.
Losing candidates because of slow timelines is one of the biggest consistent problems with nonprofits when it comes to hiring. Before we begin our Hiring Partnership process, we have seen applications of qualified candidates sit with no communication or action for weeks or even months.
And, I get it! Often, hiring at nonprofits get pushed to the end of the to-do list. And, if you or your hiring managers are like many nonprofit leaders, one of the biggest internal issues is “there’s never enough time!”.
At Talbott Talent we review candidates on a rolling basis (as soon as they come in), so we are able to screen and interview candidates when they are actively seeking employment. After all, chances are if someone is submitting a job application to your organization, they are most likely applying to other places as well.
We encourage nonprofits to be realistic about how much time goes into screening, interviewing, and communicating with candidates to fill a role. And, if you don’t have the time internally, our hiring services can help!
4 - You are trying to impress them as much as they’re trying to impress you.
In January 2023 the unemployment rate was 3.4%. Unlike the market a few years ago, you are more likely to find candidates who aren’t desperately seeking “a job”! They are looking for the right job or the next step in their career.
You know when people talk about it being a “buyers’ market” in real estate? Similarly, Spring 2023 is a “candidates’ market”!
Not only are you trying to find the best person for a role, but you are also trying to present the best, yet realistic, face of your organization so the candidate can get a good idea of what a day in the life of that role at your nonprofit would look like. If you are truly trying to find the best candidate for the role, especially a leadership role, candidates most likely have other employment opportunities as well. They are interviewing you just as much as you are interviewing them!
5 - You might need to consider going out to find - or recruit - a passive candidate.
Do you know what a 3.5% unemployment rate might mean? It might mean there are fewer people out looking for jobs because they already have one. We’ve seen that the best approach, especially for leadership and technical positions, is to go out and recruit a passive candidate!
What is a passive candidate?
A passive candidate is a person who is not actively searching for a new job but may be interested if approached. They typically have successful careers, are employed at reputable organizations, and may already possess the skills necessary to effectively contribute to your organization. So, if your organization is focused only on putting out job postings to attract candidates, you’ll never attract passive candidates! They aren’t looking.
We recognize that time is the most valuable resource for nonprofit leaders, that's why we created Hiring Partnerships. It's our way of saying, "Let us handle the heavy lifting so you can focus on what matters most – your mission."