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Talent Trade Tidbit - Recruiting in the Nonprofit Space
Chris Spagnola and Jessica Martinez, Partners in ThinkingAhead's nonprofit practice, explain the unique feeling of satisfaction that comes from making placements in the nonprofit arena, and the distinct way they approach their work for organizations, that leaves a lasting impact even after the role is filled.
Transcript
We get to spend our time every day talking to very talented people who have consciously chosen to give their very best to making the world a better place Whether they're serving people or stewarding the amazing resources that we've been given on this planet, and whether they're focused locally or nationally or globally, they're doing their best every day to make an impact on really
Speaker:meaningful missions, and that's truly inspiring.
Speaker:The reason I love my job and, and what we do is because you do get to see how leadership directly impacts the organization.
Speaker:I really enjoy helping people align their career with their purpose, and I love working in complex environments where strategy really matters.
Speaker:These aren't just people's jobs, this is their life's work, and when you place the right leader, you're helping an entire organization do better work in the world.
Speaker:We love being at the intersection of mission and long-term sustainability, and we really respect the emotional career decisions that people are making, especially in mission-driven work.
Speaker:We're gonna take on the work for them.
Speaker:We're the workers, so whether they're a volunteer board member or a leader within a nonprofit, recruiting takes time and effort.
Speaker:Uh, there's outreach, there's vetting, and there's the process itself, and we take on that work.
Speaker:And at the same time, we're brand ambassadors for the organization.
Speaker:We're taking their story to the market, talking to talented-- a vast network of talented passive candidates.
Speaker:We do offer guidance and coaching throughout the process.
Speaker:When we work, especially on CEO executive director searches, the search committees are made up of varying levels of experience working with search firms.
Speaker:For some, it may be the very first time that they've gone through this process.
Speaker:For others, it may be the first time they've done this in a nonprofit capacity, and we meet the hiring team where they are, and we provide, uh, counsel at the level they need it every step of the way.
Speaker:And then lastly, we also help search committees think through the eyes of the candidates.
Speaker:Only one person at the end of the day can get the job, and we want every candidate to have a great candidate experience interacting with this organization, and their impressions through the interview process are a really big part of that.
Speaker:We're an advocate for both the organization and the candidate experience.
Speaker:Sometimes we're coaching boards through tough decisions.
Speaker:Sometimes we're coaching them to talent that they'd never reach on their own.
Speaker:So we're also balancing organizational needs and candidate realities, which builds trust on both sides.
Speaker:We love being brand ambassadors.
Speaker:We like telling the, the story of the organization, especially if it's an organization that's brand new and just starting out.
Speaker:It's really exciting to tell the brand new story and, and what's yet to come for the organization So even people who aren't hired should walk away with respect for the organization and with excitement about where the organization is headed.
Speaker:This affects future hiring, it affects reputation in the market, and it affects donor relationships.
