Video: Hiring the right talent for a not-for-profit

Video transcript:

It’s really important for nonprofit organisations to develop talent and have strong, committed staff. And often, that’s a challenge with limited budgets. In my experience, over the last couple years, there’s been a real change in the way nonprofits do business. And I specifically and intentionally say “business” because we are run more like a business now, and I think that’s a really good thing because donors are giving money to our organisations because they’re in – they support our mission. And it’s important for us to make sure that that money is used to support and change the lives of the people we serve. So, getting – having staff that believe in the mission is not enough. It’s a requirement, but it’s the minimum requirement, and you really want to have staff that are – that have a commitment to personal excellence, intellectual curiosity, who are passionate for the mission, and really forward-thinking about how we can really look at things a different way, implement new ideas, to really change the lives, and improve the lives of the people that we serve.

The challenges around hiring and finding talented finance staff is real. And it’s important for me to hire smart and, you know, sometimes I get it right, sometimes I don’t. But I think I’ve really learned to trust the process, and even if it takes longer than you thought it would to hire someone, it’s really important to get that fit right through the hiring process, because it can – it costs you a lot more in the long run if you don’t hire smart. And so, it’s challenging in this job market, finding talented staff. And especially in the Washington, D.C., area, there with the government jobs that are available, as well.

I think getting the right fit, getting the personality and the experience right, but be willing to train folks to the nuances of your organisation, of your – of the environment that you work in, I think is key. If I find someone who’s really smart, really talented, willing to put in the effort to train them for the specifics of the job, because the – I think that’s – that helps you retain staff in the long run.