Human Resources Do's And Don'ts

A nonprofit's greatest asset is its talent. In order to attract this talent, an organization must have a Human Resources (HR) department in place that will implement the necessary policies and best practices.

HR plays a large role in determining an organization's hiring processes. These are the procedures that will determine how candidates will be vetted, which goes a long way toward filling an office with quality employees. James Weinberg, founder and CEO of Commongood Careers, wrote in the book "Nonprofit Management 101" that using a few simple processes will go a long way to improving hiring at your nonprofit. He outlined the following do's and don'ts to get you started:

• DO slow down and plan your hiring process thoughtfully before getting started.
• DO utilize a hiring process that incorporates the four tenets: clarity, consistency, equity, and legality.
• DO develop a competency model to inform all stages of the hiring process.
• DO develop a deep and wide candidate pool through multiple, strategic, and targeted sources, including job boards, listservs, organizational and personal networks, social media sites, and professional associations.
• DO use behaviorally based interview questions.
• DO provide the most competitive compensation package possible.
• DON'T make snap judgments in an in-person interview; give the applicant at least three chances to prove their qualifications for the position.
• DON'T ask interview questions that you do not need to know in order to evaluate whether or not this person can effectively do their job.

These do's and don'ts are only the beginning in guiding your HR procedures. Make sure to continue to monitor all the best practices out there to make sure you attract the best candidates possible.