After conducting thousands of interviews and leading countless talent searches for mission-driven organizations, I am well-acquainted with the mistakes organizations make when selecting a recruiting staffing agency. Clients relate to me the challenges they faced, the troubles they encountered—and what they learned to look for in a recruiting partner.  

Representing YOUR Nonprofit Is the Recruiting Company's Job

In my over twenty years in the employment and recruiting field, I've said these words to new candidates untold times: “I’m the first interview with the client.” 

This reinforces that the candidate needs to meet with me, have an in-depth interview, be screened, and then be referenced before they can move along to the hiring manager at the client organization.

We (the nonprofit recruiting firm) have been entrusted with this search, and take this responsibility incredibly seriously. A good recruiter will focus on identifying and engaging with top-tier candidates who are aligned with the hiring client’s mission and values.

I spoke recently with a prospective client (a nonprofit Catholic organization) who was vetting three different recruiting agencies to determine which would work on a key fundraising opening. It was critical to them that they find a recruiter who understood the authentic Catholic identity, knew where to find and engage with (orthodox) Catholic candidates, and would ask the right questions to screen out candidates who were not mission-aligned.

The organization needed to identify the recruiting agency that would find them a faithful, active Catholic candidate who could best represent their mission when cultivating major donors.

THE Checklist for Nonprofit Recruiting Agencies

When you're considering hiring a recruiting agency to work with your nonprofit, here are some key points to consider.

What are their core values and are they aligned with your organization?

First, if you're going to identify candidates who share your organization's mission and match with your culture, you need to find a recruiting partner who's similarly mission-aligned. Don't just rely on what your contact tells you. Check out the agency's social media channels and what its leaders highlight on their profiles. Examine their clients, both past and present, to better understand who seems to be a natural fit for their services. A recruiting firm advertising that they work in the nonprofit sector doesn't guarantee they're aligned with your mission. As I was researching one of my competitors, I discovered that they had worked with Planned Parenthood and similar left-leaning organizations. Sure, they specialize in nonprofit recruiting, but do you really want to partner with a firm that supports clients like Planned Parenthood?

What kind of network does the recruiting company have in the nonprofit world?

Recruiting high-quality talent is only possible if you have a high-quality network. In other words, a recruiting firm with access to a vast network of similar organizations and like-minded nonprofit leaders is invaluable. If you ask an agency what type of network they have to find talent, the answer has to go beyond the standard recruiting channels. 

What is their reputation in the nonprofit sector?

The challenge nonprofits face is that many recruiting companies focus only on staffing and recruit in virtually any space. They will tell you that all agencies are the same and that they have special tools because of their size or experience, but when it comes to finding great talent, that's just not sufficient. If an organization wants to retain productive employees beyond the national average of eighteen months, they need to identify both mission alignment and the unique set of skills required in a nonprofit. Without a great match of both skills and culture, an organization risks quick turnover and the accompanying opportunity, training, and hard dollar costs. 

What is their approach when engaging candidates?

A recruiting firm should be a trustworthy partner for your hiring needs. They should be people whom you'd want to work with on a long-term basis. That's why its crucial to look beyond their sales pitch and interview those who will represent your organization to candidates. Since the firm's employees will be the first introduction to learning about YOUR org and YOUR opening, you want recruiters who will treat candidates with respect, compassion, and kindness. This spurs the candidate to want to learn more about your opportunity, meet with you, and move ahead in the interview process. They will also trust the recruiter to have their best interests at heart and ensure their voice is heard, even before they meet you.

Trust must be at the heart of their relationship with you as the hiring organization. If the recruiter puts your best interests first and foremost, then it’s a win-win. The best recruiters act as a bridge between the candidate and the hiring organization. They mediate, negotiate, and help overcome obstacles for both candidate and the client. They are not passive after they present the candidate—they are actively engaged with both sides until the opening is filled with the right person.

Whom you choose as your recruiting firm directly reflects your values and your mission. In the words of the ancient knight to Indiana Jones, “Choose wisely.”

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