Positioning Your Organization to Compete for Top Talent

Whether your not-for-profit organization is implementing strategies for long-term growth or addressing the immediate needs of succession planning, the competition for reaching and acquiring top talent is fierce! Candidates have multiple options. Implementing the following talent acquisition best practices will not only elevate your not-for-profit organization’s recruiting strategies but also position it to compete for top talent.

• Invest in your recruitment function. A successful workplace requires a well-structured, strategic hiring plan. Talent acquisition and retention strategies should align with an organization's strategic plan. With a solid recruitment budget, talent acquisition can implement recruitment campaigns and invest in sourcing technology. An outside recruitment firm can streamline the process and save money in the long run by finding the best talent in the marketplace.
• Leverage your mission. Not-for-profit organizations have an inherent advantage to their for-profit competitors when recruiting top talent: mission and purpose. A mission-focused message appeals to future talent, such as Millennials and Generation Z, who are eager to contribute to organizations with a positive mission and vision.  More and more senior executives want to exit the rat race to obtain positions that will impact their communities.  Elevating the mission message and emphasizing the organization’s strengths in recruitment efforts can be very attractive to top talent.
• Focus on culture and growth. Many not-for-profit organizations attract talent, but struggle to develop and retain those individuals.  A retention plan is essential and must include a strong organizational culture and plans for employee growth and development. An employee survey may identify cultural and managerial strengths and weaknesses. Creating opportunities for advancement that rival the for-profit sector will help ensure better retention, ultimately saving money.
• Pay as competitively as possible. Competitive salaries should be augmented by great benefits. A prospective employee should be able to envision a prosperous future. To compete against the for-profit sector for the best talent, not-for-profit organizations need to invest in their greatest asset – their employees! - and provide competitive benefits.  Not-for-profit organizations may be able to shrink the compensation gap by focusing on their culture.  These practices will boost retention and overall morale.
• Invest in leadership. The key to nurturing a top employee’s development is to invest in professional development programs. Many not-for-profit organizations hesitate to spend money on development efforts and therefore suffer as a result.  To realize its potential, not-for-profit organizations should invest in the recruitment, development, and growth of their future leaders, similar to the for-profit sector. Developing and implementing these best practices and strategies may better position your organization to compete for top talent.

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