Recruiting for a small not-for-profit

Recruitment in the not-for-profit sector has started to sound like a corporate talent show: competency frameworks, five-round interviews, personality quizzes, scorecards with seventeen criteria. And after all that, the board picks the person who felt right in the hallway chat.

Fairness matters. Elaborate processes that use up volunteer time and still end in a muddy decision don’t help anyone. Small NFPs need a process that is clear, respectful and doable, not a scaled-down bank graduate program.

Start with the role, not the ad

Before you write “dynamic self-starter”, finish the position description. What will this person do in their first three months? How many hours? What is the pay, or the volunteer expectation? Who do they report to? What must they already know, and what can they learn?

If the board can’t agree on those answers, you’re not ready to advertise. You’re ready for a planning conversation. A vague ad attracts vague applications.

Write an ad a person would answer

Lead with the work and the reason for it, and be honest about the awkward parts. If the role is 0.6 FTE with a busy patch around grant season, say so. If the office is a converted shipping container behind the hall, say so. Good candidates rule themselves out of surprises, and poor fits rule themselves in when you hide the truth.

Leave out phrases like “passion for excellence” and “hit the ground running”. Include a closing date, how to apply (one email address, one list of documents) and a contact for questions.

For volunteers the idea is the same, only shorter: “We need someone to run the Friday night canteen twice a month. Here’s what that involves. Here’s who supports you.”

Keep the process short and fair

A workable sequence for most small NFPs:

Screen on paper against the must-haves you wrote down before you opened the inbox.
Interview with two or three people, asking the same questions of each candidate.
Check references that relate to the work.
Decide, minute why, and tell everyone promptly.

That is enough for many coordinator and admin roles. Add a work sample if the job involves a lot of writing or numbers. Don’t add a panel of eight because it looks proper.

Consistency matters more than complexity. If you ask one candidate about handling conflict and another about their favourite colour, you haven’t run a process.

The board’s part

For staff roles, the board usually sets the brief, the budget and the final approval. Managers, if you have them, run the day-to-day selection. When the whole committee interviews every applicant for a 10-hour-a-week admin job, candidates get nervous and the process drags on for months.

For committee recruitment, be equally direct. “We need a Treasurer who can reconcile a bank account” works better than hoping an accountant appears at the AGM.

After the yes

Make the offer in writing. Confirm the start date, hours, pay, any probation period and who their first-week buddy is. Then run an induction. A signed contract without one leaves people feeling lost by Friday.

Volunteers need a process too

Recruiting volunteers shouldn’t be just “ask around” when the role involves money, children, keys or community trust. Be clear about screening (such as a Working with Children Check where required), induction, who supervises them and how they step down. A warm welcome with a fuzzy role leaves people feeling used.

For committee roles, talk about the real time commitment. “One meeting a month” isn’t accurate if each meeting generates four hours of follow-up. Tell the truth, and you’ll get fewer nominations but better ones.

When you turn someone down, do it promptly and kindly. A short email is better than silence. In a regional community, your process is part of your reputation.

Next step

Before you write your next ad, write down the must-haves and the questions you’ll ask everyone. If you’d like help running one hire, see our recruitment service, or book a free 30-minute call.

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