When you begin hiring people for your nonprofit, it is vital that they not only have a certain skill set but certain fundamental qualities as well. After all, working for a nonprofit is much different than working in any other industry.
Unlike other industries where many of the employees, as much as they love their job, are there to provide skill and receive a paycheck. Working for a nonprofit is unique which is why it is important you remember these important tips before hiring your employees.
Make Sure They Have A Passion For The Work
When interviewing for a corporate job, they will often ask about your skills, your experience with that specific field, and perhaps a few “fun” questions. However, when interviewing potential employees for a nonprofit, it is important that you let them know that it is fun, but important and serious work.
As you are interviewing, let them know the mission of the nonprofit, how you accomplish it, and how they feel about the mission. This is where the difference is between nonprofits and the corporate world.
The most productive and successful employees are those who truly have a passion for the cause. Be sure you truly listen to get a sense of how they feel about your organization’s mission.
Level of Patience
Much like working in retail, or in the food industry, there is a level of patience employees must have when working for a nonprofit. Depending on what your nonprofit offers, your employees may be working with some very difficult and demanding clients.
You must make sure your employees are patient and do not act out, yell, get angry, and so on. Your employees must be able to withstand potentially being yelled at, handling angry clients, or other things along those lines. Be sure to ask your potential employees if this is something they can handle and have the patience for.
A Nonprofits Success Depends on the Motivation of its Employees
It is important that during the interview process that you look for someone who is already motivated. Remember to also ask them what is that motivated them.
This can be feedback from a supervisor, praise, or even compensation. Hiring individuals who are already motivated and keeping them motivated bring about growth, efficiency, and better service.
Leadership Skills and Potential
Leadership is one of those skills that can be taught over time and depending on the position that you are currently looking to fill places leadership at a different rank every time.
Say for example that you are looking to fill a position for a director of a program for your nonprofit, you would need someone who has not only experience but the leadership skills to manage the said department.
Whereas an entry-level position has the time to learn those leadership skills before they are put into a leadership position.
Leadership is important to look for because it will help with the overall outcome of your organization. Great leaders require little management, whether it be entry-level or higher up, there will be less need to micromanage and open up time for necessary work.
Leaders follow through with their ideas, they also tend to have better ideas to contribute. It is also helpful that people who are leaders go through training faster and with ease.
Strong communication skills
In order to have an effective work environment, employees must be well rounded in communication skills. During the interview look for the necessary communication skills of verbal and non-verbal communication, as well as writing ability.
Communication is so important that it can make or break relationships inside the office between coworkers and those outside the office with partnerships.
Blue Field Law
If you haven’t already, and you are looking to start your nonprofit, look no further! Blue Field Law helps you through the process from beginning to end of getting starting your dream nonprofit! With only one flat-rate fee, we will make sure you can fulfill your dream of helping individuals, communities, the environment, or whatever your dream is!