Explaining Your Nonprofit's Hiring Policy

When writing a job description for your organization, it is important to hit all the key points job seekers want to know. That means explaining the salary and benefits they will earn, the culture of the nonprofit, and the skills required for the job.

Yet hiring managers shouldn't neglect to explain one other thing about their organization: Its hiring policy.

Most candidates want to know as much as they can about how an organization hires employees. This allows them to set reasonable expectations about when they should hear back. In his book "Managing a Nonprofit Organization," Thomas Wolf wrote that the clearer your policies are, the less chance there is for misunderstandings.

Wolf recommended organizations answer the following questions about their hiring policies:

• How are employees hired and is there a formal process with public notice required?
• Are current employees given first preference for a job vacancy?
• Is there an affirmative action policy?
• Is hiring done solely on the basis of competency and qualifications?
• Is every prospective employee allowed to see a job description?
• Is there an official training period?
• Do temporary or permanent part-time employees enjoy the same rights and benefits as full-time employees?
• How often are salary ranges and job classifications reviewed and by whom?