by Cameron Kobes | Jul 28, 2017 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers, Recruiters
For young people in the United States, finding a career path after college can be exciting, daunting, and frightening. For one, it bears with it the question of whether all the time and money spent on education was worthwhile. Additionally, many young people feel that... by Cameron Kobes | Jul 10, 2017 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers, Management, Recruiters
In 1993 Wendy Lazarus and Laurie Lipper co-founded The Children’s Partnership nonprofit organization, and they served as co-presidents until 2015, when they turned the leadership over to Mayra E. Alvarez (Koenig). The process of transitioning between leaders in a... by Cameron Kobes | May 23, 2017 | Advice, Featured, Management, Recruiters
In Karen Alphonse’s four-part article series, she addresses the various aspects of hiring and recruiting in the higher levels of the nonprofit sector. In her third part of the series, “References: How to Get Great Input, Part Three” she addresses the best way to... by Cameron Kobes | Mar 30, 2017 | Advice, Featured, Management, Recruiters
One pertinent challenge facing nonprofit organizations today is leadership turnover, as described in the article The Nonprofit Leadership Development Strategy, from the Stanford Social Innovation Review. A significant number of nonprofit executives and managers have... by Cameron Kobes | Feb 26, 2017 | Advice, Management, Recruiters
Napoleon Bonaparte allegedly once said that an army marches on its stomach, meaning that an army can only function if it has adequate supplies and food. This maxim applies to the modern world of nonprofit management as well, as a nonprofit ‘marches’ on its financial... by Karen Alphonse | Oct 8, 2013 | Advice, Featured, Management, Recruiters
Q: I am part of the senior leadership team at a national not-for-profit. We are hiring a new executive director, and I was asked to review references for the two finalists. Most of the references were superb. However, there was a reference for one of the candidates... by Karen Alphonse | Sep 10, 2013 | Advice, Featured, Management, Recruiters
Q: I am a board member at a $10M non-profit in the North East. Our current Executive Director is coming up for review, and we are struggling with how to ask her to leave. The organization’s finances are in a pitiful state, morale is low, and, apparently, some key... by Karen Alphonse | Dec 18, 2012 | Advice, Featured, Recruiters
Q: Can you describe your “perfect search”? How was it developed, and how did it progress? Why do you think it was so outstanding? A: A perfect search directly and efficiently addresses the client organization’s needs by identifying a superior candidate to perform a... by Karen Alphonse | Dec 11, 2012 | Advice, Featured, Recruiters
Q: Our organization posted an Office Manager role two months ago, and the response was disappointing. We are looking for someone with superior writing and speaking abilities, aspirations of moving ahead in his/her career and a great command of office accounting and... by Karen Alphonse | Oct 22, 2012 | Advice, Management, Recruiters
Q: I am the search committee chairperson for a philanthropic organization with networks across the Mid-Atlantic and on the East Coast. We are reasonably well supported and are financially stable. What do you think we should look for when we select our next leader? A:... by Karen Alphonse | Apr 24, 2012 | Advice, Featured, Management, Recruiters
Q: How can a talent acquisition specialist/recruiter help our organization? Our budget has been cut, and people just don’t see value in outsourcing human resource functions. A: An experienced recruiter can add immediate value to your search for top talent. A good... by Karen Alphonse | Apr 10, 2012 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers, Management, Recruiters
Q: Are cover letters useful? I hear employers are not reading them anymore. A: We are in a new world of employment, and protocols are evolving. In the past, employers relied on cover letters as both a screening device and as a way to decide whether an applicant... by Karen Alphonse | Mar 27, 2012 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers, Management, Recruiters
Q: As a recruiter, what do you look for in a leader? What signs indicate leadership? A: Sometimes, it is difficult to quantify the traits comprising successful leadership. The obvious traits include: effective communication of a vision to others; the ability to... by Karen Alphonse | Mar 20, 2012 | Advice, Featured, Management, Recruiters
Q: What should be included in an Executive Director job description? A: The position description for a nonprofit Executive Director should include language addressing core competencies and other operational skills. For many organizations, these include: Passion for... by Karen Alphonse | Dec 5, 2011 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers, Recruiters
Many organizations are familiar with using references in the final phases of search to support or eliminate one winning candidate. References can serve equally critical functions, however, beyond giving you data about your proposed “winner.” In this four-part series,... by Karen Alphonse | Nov 14, 2011 | Advice, Featured, Management, Recruiters
Your organization can directly benefit by partnering with an experienced recruiter to conduct specific key search functions. Recruiters can help attract talent, screen likely candidates and check the background and work history of your preferred candidate(s) in... by Sandra Sims | Oct 24, 2011 | Management, Recruiters, Uncategorized
In a year of higher-than-average unemployment, many working in nonprofits are finding they are providing increasing levels of services to their clientele. For example, homeless shelters have seen a dramatic increase in first-time homeless families which is often... by Karen Alphonse | Feb 18, 2011 | Advice, Featured, Management, Recruiters
Making a good hire depends, in part, on having positive interview experiences with your preferred candidates. Sometimes, employers underestimate the impact of a well-planned interview/interview process. Remember that outstanding leaders will remember your interview... by Carmel Napolitano | Jan 26, 2011 | Advice, Featured, Recruiters
Often, new clients relay horror stories about how a hire did not work out. And, time after time, they reveal they never checked references. (What??!!) So, to help avoid some predictable problems, here are my suggested “Rules of Reference” for hiring: Request at least... by Carmel Napolitano | Sep 9, 2010 | Advice, Featured, Management, Recruiters
Engaging an executive recruiting consultant for your organization’s position search shouldn’t cause you anxiety. You hired a search consultant to ease your anxiety. So, take a look at my Four R’s to get some pointers on how to make the most of the...