3 External Hiring Tips

The first place nonprofit managers do when beginning a hiring process is to see if they can fill their open position from within. This is preferable for many reasons not the least being that the candidate is already familiar with the inner-workings of the organization.

As Kirk Kramer and Preeta Nayak noted in the Bridgespan Group’s book “Plan A: How Successful Nonprofits Develop Their Future Leaders,” the beginning of the external hiring process isn't something that makes nonprofit leaders scared. Citing Bridgespan's Leadership Diagnostic Survey, they noted that 77 percent of managers agree or strongly agree that they “effectively screen external leadership candidates to ensure they are correct for the role and the organization.”

When it comes to the transition phase, however, that confidence is not present. The survey indicated that 38 percent of respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed that their organization has a successful on-boarding plan.

So where to begin? Kramer and Nayak sought to ease hiring manager's fears by detailing three steps for a successful external hiring campaign:

• Step 1: Define requirements for the role. 
• Step 2: Create opportunities for both the organization and the candidate to assess whether the candidate is a good fit. 
• Step 3: Design an on-boarding process that supports the new hire’s capabilities and relationship development.

Featured Nonprofit Job: Fund Development Director

Revenue is important for any nonprofit and most of that comes in the form of donations. Organizations need individuals who know how to maximize fund development activities, which is why the Girl Scouts of Orange County (GSOC) is looking to hire a Fund Development Director.

The chosen candidate for this position will manage assigned fundraising initiatives to ensure the achievement of annual goals and objectives within the framework of the department’s budget. The employee will also be responsible for managing the achievement of annual Family, Staff, Community Alumnae and other direct mail campaigns.

Other required duties include, but are not limited to:

• Partner with others in Fund Development to ensure GSOC’s signature event, Celebration Leadership, is successful;
• Work with the Fund Development team, as well as other constituencies, in promoting and strengthening GSOC’s “Culture of Philanthropy” and fundraising results through implementing and utilizing best industry practices; and,
• Work with other fund development team members to integrate a disciplined use of “Moves Management” methodology to identify, cultivate, solicit and steward Girl Scout major gift and planned giving donors is an important part of this role. 

Qualified applicants should have at least five years of experience of increasing responsibility in managing fundraising activities for 501(c)3 organizations. For full details on what it takes to qualify for the Fund Development Director position, and information on how to apply, visit the NPT Jobs Career Center.

4 Poor Job Search Attitudes

There are a lot of factors that can affect your job search. Most job seekers tend to blame the lagging job market and the highly competitive environment it breeds. But did you know that your attitude can play a role in how successful your job hunt goes?

You have no control over the economy but you do have such power over your attitude. Having a bad attitude -- such as believing you are never going to be hired -- can hinder how hard you work every day. After all, why would you go the extra mile if you don't believe your work is going to pay off anyway?

Below are four of the most common attitudes that can hurt your job search. Make sure that you do your best to avoid them so you can have a happy ending to your search:

• I will never be hired: This attitude can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you believe with all of your heart that you will not get a job, chances are you won't.
• Poor, poor, pitiful me: It is easy to fall into a cycle of self-pity when you have been searching for work over a long period, but nobody is going to want to help you if you give off this kind of vibe. 
• I'll take anything: It's never a good idea to act with desperation when searching for a job. This will likely land you at an organization that has a poor work environment, which will only make you more unhappy and will likely land you back in the job market before too long.
• I'm not good enough: A lack of confidence is one of those things that a hiring manager will detect easily. Think about it this way: If you got selected for an interview, chances are the employer thinks you are good enough to at least be considered for the position.

6 Steps To Find A Career Mentor

Whether you are still looking for a job or just starting your career, finding a great mentor is an important first step to take. Getting the best possible mentors is important not only because of the possibility of disaster with a bad choice but also to provide the best possible experience for those being guided.

Finding a good mentor isn't just a matter of throwing darts at a board and hoping one sticks; there are a set of principles that, if you adhere to them, will make the process easier. In their book “The Mentor’s Field Guide” Gail Manza and Susan K. Patrick offer standards for effective mentoring, which they obtained from MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership. The standards include:

• Recruitment. Recruit appropriate mentors and mentees by realistically describing the program’s aim and expected outcomes.
• Screening. Screen prospective mentors to determine whether they have the time, commitment and personal qualities to be effective mentors.
• Training. Train prospective mentors in the basic knowledge and skills needed to build an effective mentoring relationship.
• Matching. Match mentors and mentees along dimensions likely to increase the odds that mentoring relationships will endure.
• Monitoring and support. Monitor mentoring relationship milestones and support mentors with ongoing advice, problem-solving support and training opportunities for the duration of the relationship.
• Closure. Facilitate bringing the match to closure in a way that affirms the contributions of both the mentor and the mentee and offers both individuals the opportunity to assess the experience.

Featured Nonprofit Job: Midwest Regional Development Manager

Are you living in or around the Chicago metro area and looking for a fundraising job? Look no further, as the Alliance for Lupus Research (ALR) is now hiring a Regional Development Manager.

The chosen candidate for this position will work in ALR's Chicago offices to help with the organization's fundraising efforts. Specific tasks include achieving budgeted fundraising goals for assigned Walks and working closely with the National Office (located in New York City) on the development of the Walk program and other events for development for Midwest target markets.

Other fundraising-related duties include:

• Recruit Walk Corporate Chair for each assigned Walk to solicit corporate sponsorship and teams from major companies in the Walk region.
• Personally solicit companies and organizations to obtain new sponsors and new Walk participants.
• Forge relationships with the local Lupus communities in order to increase participation and funds raised for lupus research.

Qualified applicants will have a Bachelor's degree in a related field plus a minimum of five years experience working in a fundraising, non-profit office, as a lead for a multi-location fundraising program in special events. Walkathon experience is required. 

Interested? You can apply for the Regional Development Manager position at the NPT Jobs Career Center.

Featured Nonprofit Job: Volunteer Development Manager

The Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles (GSGLA) is looking to hire a Volunteer Development Manager. Interested? Read on for more details.

The chosen candidate for this position will develop, implement, and oversee all components of an efficient and effective Volunteer-Management System for volunteers in all pathways and capacity building roles. He/she will also be asked to recruit and engage, gather information, screen and interview, appoint, prepare and support, recognize, and evaluate and reengage (or excuse) as appropriate.

Other major duties include:

• Conduct a volunteer needs assessment survey in coordination with GSGLA’s annual planning processes to determine volunteers needed to ensure sustainability and growth.
• Work in partnership with all departments to identify and create volunteer roles with clear accountabilities and needed skills sets.
• Match the skills, experiences and interests of volunteers with the needed skill sets and accountabilities within each department.  
• Oversee the Council’s efforts to “open doors” for the recruitment of new volunteers from diverse and emerging populations – use multiple innovative strategies and methodologies to reach adults volunteers.

Qualified applicants will have a minimum three to five years’ experience in volunteer management with demonstrated understanding of effective volunteer management/customer service practices. Prior scouting experience is preferred but not necessary.

You can apply for this job today by visiting the NPT Jobs Career Center.

Are Your Career Skills Right For A Small Nonprofit?

What type of nonprofits do you usually look for on your job search? If you are like a lot of job seekers, you probably look for big organizations as these are most likely to provide the best opportunities and pay. Depending on your skill set, however, it might be a good idea to expand your search to small nonprofits.

Just like working for a big business is not for everyone, joining a small organization requires a certain mindset. If you are most comfortable working with a larger group of people, you will probably have better success at a more brand-name organization.

In general, you should have the following traits before sending your resume to a small nonprofit:

• Self-Starter: Employees at a small or mid-size nonprofit should be very capable of motivating themselves and have a creative mind when it comes to business solutions.
• Team-Player: While the ability to collaborate with other employees is important at any organizations, it is even more critical in a smaller environment. When you are working with a small group of people every day, all it takes is one negative attitude to bring down the whole team.
• Capable of Wearing Multiple Hats: Unlike big organizations, you are probably going to be asked to handle things you aren't used to doing. You should be comfortable handling tasks big or small and be willing to help co-workers that need assistance.