Searching for Your Next Fundraising Team Member

It doesn’t have to be difficult for you or demeaning to candidates.

I have been recruiting and hiring nonprofit fundraising professionals for over 15 years, and doing specific recruiting for nonprofits for three years.

When people learn this about me, they want to tell me stories of a hiring process they were part of. I have listened to dozens of stories in the past few months, both from people who were hiring and from people who had applied for a position. Positive comments from either side are rare.

This especially affects me when, as in most cases, the stories come from those in the nonprofit realm.

If you’re going through hiring, here are a few things to consider.

First, and most important, is to treat every candidate with respect. This is lacking in our world, and it’s awful. Respect means to keep them informed about their candidacy. You may think, how on earth do I have time for that? It doesn’t take a lot of time, and it’s the right thing to do.

I break candidates into two categories. Because of platforms like Indeed, people can apply for jobs without even seeing what the requirements are. If someone applies that has no experience with what I am looking for, I delete their application. There is no communication with the person who applied. This isn’t disrespectful, it’s just not investing time in people who apply who have nothing close to what is needed to do the job.

The other candidates are ones who meet the minimum requirements. I read every cover letter and resume. I don’t use an Applicant Tracking System, I am that system.

For those who I don’t see as a fit based on what they have sent me, I send them an email letting them know.

For others, I set up a first interview. It’s a phone interview. In that interview I typically let them know if they are moving forward or not. It’s that quick. I do this because, like you, I already know if the candidate is going to move forward or not. So why not let them know?

How I treat candidates is even more important to me because I am representing a nonprofit, and I want to honor them and their mission in all of my actions.

Please remember this.

This is just the start. The result is always a candidate who respects the nonprofit, and typically says something like “This is the nicest I have ever been treated when being told I am not getting the position”.

In fact, most candidates don’t even hear back about the position, or get an email months later.

We all can do better.

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Take a risk. Be of service. Support your friends and colleagues. Be kind.