By Brenda W Hargroves
Charitable organizations face a two-fold challenge in their efforts to recruit and keep employees. They have to compete with market salary levels in order to function efficiently and effectively, while at the same time meet funders’ administrative and salary constraints.
How can nonprofits creatively recruit staff? While newspaper advertising, word of mouth, employment websites and other social media outlets are conventional sources for candidates, nonprofits must often rely on nontraditional methods to recruit employees. One way is to establish relationships with organizations that can provide a potential labor pool.
Nonprofits can partner with government, private and other nonprofit programs that provide training for people who wish to re-enter the workforce. They can also collaborate with organizations that help find job opportunities for the disabled. These are all often excellent resources for entry level and more advanced positions. In addition, a tax benefit could apply when hiring candidates from these programs.
Volunteers often provide the much-needed administrative help nonprofits rely on to successfully run their programs. This strong core of dedicated individuals can also serve as a suitable source of potential employees. Prior commitment to an organization’s mission might even ease the negotiation process.
Is it time to make a change? Kathy has a high-pressure job as a manager for a consumer service company. After recovering from a kidney transplant, she learned about a nonprofit that assists transplant candidates before and after the surgery. She served as a volunteer for several years and helped organize fundraising campaigns. When a member of the fundraising staff resigned, Kathy seriously considered applying for the position.
Her employment background was totally different from one that would normally qualify for the job. But to her advantage, she was familiar with the organization’s culture and had established positive relationships with many of their employees. Plus, during her years of service, she’d gained the skills outlined in the job description. While Kathy realized she’d take a pay cut, she also weighed the many hours she worked with no overtime compensation because of her management status. That factor, and the decreased stress level, versus doing work she found enjoyable, made the career change appealing. Plus, the opportunity for advancement was also a consideration.
You’re retired. Now what? Another viable source for non-profit staff are candidates who have retired but still want to earn extra income or keep their mind active. Many retirees have done well in their careers and want to give back to their community. Flexibility is the key when recruiting from this audience. Some will seek full-time work, others part-time, and still others more flexible schedules. These seasoned employees can bring a wealth of experience, often accompanied with lowered salary expectations.
Can you keep them satisfied? Once you’ve found talented employees, retaining them becomes the challenge. Every business or organization, large or small, must concern itself with this reality. Pirating expertise is a way of life in a capitalistic society. Competition threatens even those entities that offer the highest salaries and superior benefits. However, more professionals are becoming increasingly disillusioned with the corporate world and weighing the benefits of job satisfaction vs. how much they can earn.
One last note: It’s important to remember that everyone wants to feel appreciated, no matter their compensation. As opportunities present themselves, be sure to show your staff you value them. Simple, kind gestures often generate more loyalty than you can imagine.
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