This blog post was originally published by Giving Tree Associates.
As a new month begins and we are getting closer to Spring, it is time to start thinking about your mid-year staffing goals! In the nonprofit sector, we tend to see an uptick in hiring from the end of spring to early summer. If you are part of the hiring managers looking to make structural changes or expand your team, it is time to have the conversation about working with a nonprofit search firm like Evolve Giving Group.
Dreaming of having a new hire in place by July 1? Let us help you get the process started ASAP and no later than March. This week’s blog post dives into our nonprofit executive search timeline and the information you need to begin this process.
Week 1: Prep work
We kick-off week one with client conversations. Before we post the job, our team will spend time thoroughly understanding your organization's history, mission, structure, and what makes you unique. This week is all about helping you tell candidates why your organization is a great place to work. Our next step is to craft a job description that encompasses the most important details of the position. Once we knock this out, our team will post on various job boards to attract candidates that are the best fit for your organization. Don’t worry, at the same time, we’re also mining our database of over 1,000 pre-screened candidates.
Week 2: Narrow down the stack
We hit the ground running in week two by sifting through resumes that come in through job boards and referrals. This is a process. We have seen that we receive anywhere from 30-100 resumes for a single posting- this is the time when you say to yourself, “thank goodness we hired Evolve.” We continue to research candidates throughout this week and target the most qualified individuals to begin our phone screening. During the 15-minute phone screen our team decides if the candidate is qualified for the role and if we would like to move them on to meet with our team in person.
Week 3: Showtime!
In week three, we typically begin meeting with qualified candidates in person to decide if they are truly a fit and can be passed on to meet with your organization. This is a crucial step and time saver for you (think about how many times the person you loved on the phone turns out to be a “hard pass” in person). In the third week we start sending our first round of qualified candidates to your organization to begin your own interviews with your staff and board members.
Week 4: Here are your candidates on a silver platter
During the fourth week we are in the depths of the search and are continuing to screen and interview potential candidates to send onto your organization. At Evolve, we offer a few different options for running searches and the number of candidates that we forward on to the client can always vary. At the close of the one-month mark, your organization is typically conducting first and second round interviews and there could be weeks in between each round due to busy schedules of staff, board members, and candidates.
Month 2: Interviews, Interviews, Interviews
The second month of the search process is generally a series of in-person interviews between the organization and candidate whether they are first, second or final rounds. If we all get lucky, you could have a winner in the stack and offers can be made. If this isn’t the case, don’t worry, there is still plenty of time and a third month of search is completely normal.
Month 3: Signed, Sealed, Delivered
In the third month, we often see offers being made and accepted - the end is near. As I mentioned previously, Evolve offers various options for search and some include coordinating an offer and checking backgrounds and references. This process can take up to two weeks to get everything in place with the organization’s HR department and the candidate’s ability to complete their paperwork.
As you can see, hiring your next rockstar is not always quick, and each search and timeline is unique. The earlier you can begin the process, the more likely you are to be prepared and informed enough to find your next MVP.
If you have a hunch you might be hiring soon, please reach out to Jamie Perry, Consultant, Executive Search to set up a consultation to discuss your organization’s needs and learn how we can be your partner through the process.
