Wondering how to attract better talent to your nonprofit?
It starts with your job posting.
The job posting is the first opportunity to establish trust.
We’ve all heard stories of private sector job postings that demand 10 years of experience in software that’s only existed for four, or required a master’s degree for tasks that could easily be learned on the job.
In nonprofit, we have the opportunity to be better.
Treat others with respect from the start and your organization will be an employer of choice.
Do your job postings use any of these phrases?
You can elevate your postings by thinking critically about what you REALLY want to communicate:
“COMPETITIVE PAY”
Competitive against whom? In relation to what? Unless you’ve benchmarked your compensation against industry norms, this phrase can ring hollow. Consider the value of transparency. If you had to publish the role’s annual total compensation, could you stand behind the “competitive” label?
“OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED”
This phrase is like the junk drawer of a job posting. It could mean anything. “Wearing many hats” is a coy alternative that can also be avoided. Consider how different it sounds written this way: “Other duties as agreed.” Remember, autonomy is one of the biggest factors in reducing turnover!
“FAST-PACED ENVIRONMENT”
This private sector favorite has little place in many NPOs. While every organization has seasonal ebbs and flows, a constant “fast-paced environment” suggests ongoing crises or poorly defined objectives. Plus, it creates the expectation that candidates have to pretend they enjoy constant stress.