Talent Market

Talent Market's mission is to promote liberty by providing talent for critical roles within the free-market nonprofit sector

Talent Tip #128: Talent Market Answers Your 10 Biggest Questions About LinkedIn

Even the most prolific posters on the ‘book, the most abundant tweeters in the Twittersphere, and the most inexhaustible Insta users (we haven’t gotten any
queries from TikTok folks just yet) still come to us with burning questions about one social media outlet: LinkedIn.

After all, it’s the only social media site that should look more like your resume than a complete photo journal of you doing goat yoga or the arugula and beet salad you made for Thursday night’s dinner.

So here are Talent Market’s answers to the ten most common questions we get about LinkedIn:

  1. Do I need a LinkedIn profile?
    If you’re a professional who is not in the Witness Protection Program, you should probably have a LinkedIn profile. Can you survive without it? Of course. But a profile can help you in myriad ways (see #2!), so it’s a good idea to have one.
  2. How is LinkedIn beneficial?
    First, it is one of the best professional networking tools out there. With just a few clicks, you can find almost anyone you want and learn more about their professional background. You can search by name, location, employer, school, group, and more. The site will also keep you informed about friends and associates who have switched jobs, gotten promoted, gone back to grad school, moved across the country, etc.
    Second, LinkedIn can be an incredible resource for job seekers. Not only do employers post jobs on LinkedIn, but they also actively recruit for talent on the platform.
    Third, LinkedIn is a great place for sharing professional insight and resources. You can find valuable posts and articles on any work topic imaginable.
    Lastly, LinkedIn is a great resource for finding allies, partners, and contractors who can provide valuable skills to you and your organization.
  3. What information should I include in my profile and how long should it be?
    Your LinkedIn profile should contain all of the information you want your professional network to see, which will probably include the information on your resume. But remember you can add more detail if you want, as the one-page resume rule is out the window for LinkedIn profiles! Are there specific skills or experience you want to highlight? Are there items you had to cut from your resume that might be attractive to a potential employer? Do you want everyone to know you got second place in a logrolling competition and are now Vice President of the Log Rollers of North Dakota? The world is your oyster!
  4. Do hiring managers inspect candidates’ LinkedIn profiles? If so, what are they looking for?
    YES! You should operate under the assumption that all potential employers are going to check out your LinkedIn profile. So, make sure it’s Deion Sanders level ready for prime time before applying for jobs.
    Hiring managers might visit LinkedIn to confirm that the information there is consistent with what they see in your application. They also might want to learn more about you. What does your network look like? Do you and the hiring manger share any common connections? What other experience do you have that isn’t included in your resume?
  5. What are the biggest mistakes people make on their LinkedIn profiles?
    -Outdated work history. Having up-to-date information is especially important if you are on the job market. You never want a potential employer to be confused about your current situation.
    -Incorrect contact information. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve tried to reach out to someone about a job opening using his/her LinkedIn contact information only to find the information is out of date. Talk about missed opportunities!
    -Inconsistency. Make sure your job titles, dates of employment, and work history are consistent with your resume. Otherwise, people may think you are trying to hide something.
    -Unprofessional picture. I recently saw a LinkedIn profile pic in which the woman was wearing a flowered halo and longingly touching a tree in the forest. You could almost smell the pachouli. As appropriate as this photo choice is for someone auditioning for a role in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, it’s suboptimal in pretty much every other context. Lesson? Invest in a professional headshot! I promise it’s worth it. Or, at the very least, use a semi-professional photograph of yourself (i.e. no flower halos).
  6. Is there any value to the endorsed skills and recommendations?
    Let’s be honest: the endorsed skills section has more fluff than Mike Lindell’s My Pillow. Case in point, 94 gentle souls have endorsed me for “research”. I may have some mad skillz, but research is not one of them (unless you count looking up a contact’s connections on LinkedIn, of course). Since most people recognize the endorsed skills are questionable at best, this section likely won’t provide much value for you.
    As for the recommendations, they tend to carry a bit more weight since they require a modicum of effort on the author’s part. But there’s also an awareness that recommendations can be written by people who may not really understand your skills and experience and/or are tit for tat (Bob, write me a solid recommendation and I’ll do the same for you). Finally, the weight of a recommendation is directly tied to the reader’s knowledge of the person who is giving it. For instance, if a hiring manager sees that the CEO of a major think tank has given a glowing recommendation for Bob, that might be impressive. But a recommendation given by Bob’s former frat brother whose last work experience with Bob was planning a blow-out kegger….not so much.
  7. Should I accept all connection requests that come my way?
    No. LinkedIn connections aren’t like Pokémon; you don’t have to catch them all. People who send random connections remind me of the networkers who think that if they collect 20 business cards at one happy hour, they are doing it right (spoiler alert: they aren’t). Curate your connections on LinkedIn so that your feed will be filled with people you genuinely want to be in your network. That way, when you sign into your LinkedIn, it will be filled with information that is useful and applicable to you. And, this isn’t a competition. Once you reach 500 connections, your profile will just read “500+” to the world anyway.
  8. What about LinkedIn messages? Do people read them? Should I send them? 
    The best answer is that people almost never read their messages with the same frequency that they read email. Given that, if you want to get in touch with someone, the best strategy is to email them directly. LinkedIn messaging should only be used as a last resort if you cannot find the person’s email address.
    If you do message someone on LinkedIn, understand that this is NOT the preferred method of communication for most professionals. In fact, you’ll probably end up annoying a hiring manager if you message them on LinkedIn instead of emailing them directly. Or, perhaps most likely, they may never even see your message! So, proceed with caution!
  9. I see that some people have an introductory paragraph in the “About” section. Do I need that or should I just launch into my experience as I would with a resume? There are no hard and fast rules here. If you would like to have one, go for it. A quick overview of yourself isn’t a bad idea on your LinkedIn, but remember just to be yourself and to keep it brief.
  10. How often should I log into LinkedIn?
    For any platform to be useful, you have to put time into it. If you are on the job hunt and actively seeking opportunities and connections via LinkedIn, sign in daily. But, for those who are just keeping up with their network through LinkedIn, once a week or so is probably plenty. Like most things, you get out of it what you put into it. Also, be sure to adjust your settings so that you receive email notifications about LinkedIn activities. That way you don’t have to sign in on the reg.

P.S. Keep the questions about LinkedIn coming! But please don’t send us questions (or photos) about goat yoga!

Talent Tip #127: Lessons from an Old Jeep Wrangler: Upgrades for Your Organization’s Hiring Process

I drive an old Jeep Wrangler. No, I mean old. It’s adorned with scratches, dents, rust spots, classic bumper stickers, and faded upholstery. Patches cover holes in the seats and the stereo emits a pleasant crackle if you dial it up to 11.

And it has just the technology you’d expect for a relic. Manual windows and locks, a bare bones instrument panel, and keyed ignition (minds under 25 just exploded). Oh, and it hasn’t had a functional roof in about 10 years…let’s just say it gets dicey when it rains.

Despite its antiquity status, I really thought this was all I needed…until I recently visited a new car dealer.

Oh my word. Bells. Whistles. Gadgets. Gizmos. 13” display screens. Automatic everything. Sound systems that sync with your phone, talk to your Alexa, adjust your home thermostat, and preheat your oven. Trunks and rear hatches that open with Jedi mind tricks. Seats that massage your back and warm your derrière. And never mind the automatic steering, braking, and parking functionality.

All of this got me thinking that I might need to upgrade.

And that got me thinking of hiring (because, you know, it all comes back to talent!).

Historically, organizations focus on the basics during the hiring process: resumes, cover letters, and interviews. These provide invaluable information; and just like my old Wrangler, this might be all you need!

But there are bells and whistles you might want to consider adding to the process in order to provide you with more information.  Here are three “upgrades” some of our clients have used in the recent past.

  1. Follow-up Questions. Our clients will often select a “first cut” of candidates from a large application pool. They see potential in all of them, but they don’t necessarily want to interview all of them. One way for them to determine who to proceed with is to get more information from all of them. This is a situation in which follow-up questions can provide a tremendous amount of value.In one recent case, a client was inundated with high quality applicants from the private sector. They were delighted to consider them, but they wanted to get a deeper perspective on philosophical alignment and passion, especially since most of the candidates had no demonstrated interest in advancing liberty. So, the organization developed a brief list of follow-up questions about their mission and we emailed those to the top candidates. The candidate responses were incredibly helpful in determining which candidates were best suited for the organization from a mission perspective.

    Likewise, we had another client recently use follow-up questions as a way to better understand the depth of candidates’ experience in terms of personnel management, budget oversight, and program growth. While some nuggets of information on these topics were sprinkled throughout the applications, sending a list of uniform follow-up questions to the top candidates allowed the nonprofit to hone in on who had the most relevant experience. Moreover, these responses allowed the client to compare apples to apples. For instance, Candidate A has 5 years of management experience, has supervised teams of 10+, and has overseen a budget of $500k,  while candidate B has only managed one intern for a total of 3 months and has overseen a budget of $20k).

  2. Written Assignments. A number of our clients request brief written assignments from candidates as a way to separate the wheat from the chaff. Not only does this give organizations a more unvarnished view of a candidate’s ability to write (i.e. limited opportunity to have it edited/polished by others), it also gives a better perspective of their ability to develop relevant content, engage in strategic thinking, and perform due diligence on the organization’s mission/work.For instance, one client recently asked candidates for a communications role to write an op-ed on one of the organization’s legal cases. Another client asked candidates for a development opening to write a donor letter explaining one of the organization’s recent op-eds. And one client asked candidates for an external affairs role to write a brief coalition building/advocacy plan related to a specific public policy issue.

    In all of these cases, the assignments helped the organizations hone in on those who were best suited for the job.

  3. Assessments. A handful of our clients utilize assessments during the hiring process. For nearly all of these organizations, the assessment is a way to collect more data points for the process, but is not determinative in and of itself.For instance, one client uses a behavioral assessment tool for its development hires. The tool offers insight about an individual’s flexibility, sociably, independence, and drive – all traits that the organization has found to be important for fundraising success.

    Another client employs a leadership assessment for its key management roles. The assessment provides insight about a candidate’s natural talents, including strengths and challenges that could impact leadership effectiveness.

    And several clients use personality assessments as regular part of their hiring process. Not only do these help the organizations gain insight about candidates’ strengths and natural abilities, but they also provide useful information about how to interact with them once they become employees.

If you decide to add any of these bells and whistles to your hiring process, Talent Market is here to help. And if you’re wondering, I didn’t get a new car. I’m sticking with the Wrangler for now.  Turns out I actually enjoy the art of driving…and I never used the roof anyway.

Talent Tip #126:Backpacks to Briefcases: Advice for Recent Graduates on the Job Hunt

Katy Gambella

When I graduated from college in 2010, I had the pleasure of entering one of the worst job markets in recent history. Finding a job was difficult and daunting….almost as formidable as Macroeconomics with Dr. Pongracic. But much like econ, I was determined not to fail! After months of waitressing and coaching soccer, I eventually landed an internship in the liberty movement that quickly turned into a full-time job.

Many budding professionals have found themselves in a similarly harrowing situation, and this time with a pandemic, social distancing, travel restrictions, and all sorts of other unimaginable difficulties.

As such, we’ve heard from many recent college graduates and young professionals who are unsure how to navigate job seeking during these turbulent times. The good news is that I found a job in less than ideal circumstances, and so can you! Here are several things to keep in mind as you approach the job market in the coming weeks and months.

  1. Go ahead and apply! First and foremost, you should absolutely apply for jobs right now! Don’t stop to “wait out the storm,” as it were.  Your dream job might be posted right now, and if you aren’t looking, you could miss it.  Also, with the government expanding at an alarming rate, now is not the time to sit on the sidelines! We need you in the game!
  2. Stay busy. Get involved. It’s true that landing a job may take some time in this market. But that doesn’t mean you should fill your days with Dr. Phil and Rachel Ray. There are more productive things to do. Intern. Volunteer. Attend webinars.  All of these things will beef up your resume and help organizations understand how passionate you are about advancing liberty.
  3. Don’t default to graduate school. It’s tempting to think of graduate school as a safe harbor right now, but don’t get a graduate degree unless you really need one for your career. Definitely want to be a lawyer, CPA, or academic? Yes, go to grad school. But if you’re thinking of getting a graduate degree just to make your resume look all fancy, that may not be a wise move. You could find yourself deeper in debt and without work experience that could prove more valuable than an advanced degree.
  4. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot as you take the first step. When applying for a job, make sure to follow directions. Given that you may be hired sight-unseen and that you might be working remotely to start your job, your application is a very critical first test. So, be sure to include everything that is requested when you apply! Tailor your cover letter to that specific role (yes, you do need a different cover letter for every job to which you apply), and be sure your one page resume is immaculate. And, for the love of Pete, proofread, proofread, proofread!
  5. Patience is a virtue. Be ready to give lots of grace in response times. The hiring process is rarely quick, and with the added layer of a pandemic, things are moving more slowly than usual. So, don’t follow-up with the hiring manager right after you apply for a job. Consider waiting a week or so. Follow-up is good, but be sure that you aren’t pestering.
  6. Questions have never been more important. If you make it to the interview round, congrats! Now is the time to ask many, sometimes tough, questions – especially about the organization’s financial health. With a recession looming, you want to be sure that the organization you’re considering working for is prepared. You can also do your research – Guidestar and Google will be your friends.
  7. Understand how the pandemic has impacted virtual/office expectations for the opening. Some organizations are allowing for location flexibility up front, with the expectation that you will work in the office once it is safe again. Other organizations are allowing roles to become permanently virtual. Make sure you understand and are comfortable with what the organization expects both now and post-pandemic.
  8. Related to the above, demonstrate that you have the maturity and disposition to work remotely. Because there’s a good chance the position will be virtual (as least to start), organizations now have a keen eye for finding young professionals who can handle the demands of working from home. (Hint: you won’t have the luxury of bingeing on Judge Judy or sitting by the pool…working virtually means working your tail off, but doing so in the comfort of gym shorts and tennis shoes.) Provide examples of your ability to work with little oversight and provide evidence of your self-motivation.
  9. The competition is tough, so be the ideal candidate! When the job market shrinks, the competition usually expands! A big part of making yourself stand out is demonstrating why you are an awesome candidate for the specific role at hand. This means you need to demonstrate how your skill translate – not just that you have them. And, you need to explain why you are passionate about the organization’s mission and work.
  10. It is a strange, new world out there, but we are all navigating it together. The economy and the job market are in flux. Hiring managers and candidates are navigating unchartered waters. Networking is now screen based and handshakes may have gone the way of the dodo Bird.  It’s a crazy world…but you are not alone! You are surrounded by your fellow free-marketeers, and, of course, Talent Market is always here to help. We’ll get through this!

I hope these tips are helpful. Remember, after serving up countless plates of fish and chips at the Pink Pony on Mackinac Island, I eventually landed an amazing job. And you will do the same.

Don’t believe me? Well, in the midst of this pandemic, we just helped place an incredibly talented Buffalo Wings N’ Rings server in a great entry-level position – his first job in the free-market nonprofit world, no less!

So, stay busy and don’t forget to send your updated information to Talent Market so that we can help get you where you want to go!

Talent Tip #125: Dating (and Interviewing and Hiring) During Lockdown

Katelynn Barbosa

Back in my 20s, I did my fair share of online dating. I remember those days of sending my favorite Hayek quotes to men that looked interesting and getting excited when they would send the perfect Adam Smith quote back. That response would deem a guy sarcastic enough to warrant further exploration, and if he really seemed worth the effort, I might set up a phone call to talk about how to resolve state budget pensions crises. And if we enjoyed the conversation enough, we might meet in person to talk about the benefits of free markets in medicine. You know…typical early dating stuff.

But I could never really tell if I clicked with someone until I met him in person. In-person is where the rubber met the road. In-person is where I really got a sense for our rapport, the energy the guy was giving off, and whether we might be a fit for the long-term. Unfortunately for all the single men out there just itching for a girl who is into Bastiat, I am no longer on the market. But I can’t help but think of what it must be like for single people trying to date and ? you knew this was coming?  organizations trying to hire when we’re on lockdown.

The good news is that it is possible to interview, find your perfect match, and hire in the middle of a pandemic! I know because several of our clients have recently done it. Here are some lessons we have learned through their experiences:

  • Organizations are conducting in-person interviews and have found a way to do it in a socially distanced fashion.One of our clients recently made a hire after posting the job at the beginning of April when lockdowns were in full effect, conducting preliminary interviews virtually, and then conducting the final interview in person. (This client is located in a state where their business was deemed exempt from stay at home orders so employees were legally permitted to work in the office.) The candidate volunteered to come in to the office for the final interview, everyone sat in the large conference room where people were able to maintain distance from each other, and each individual decided for themselves what their comfort level was with shaking hands versus bumping elbows versus dispensing with a physical greeting altogether.Our client summed it up perfectly by saying, “My advice to other organizations is the same advice that I have for the government : you have a nation full of grown-ups. Their individual judgment should be trusted more than government oversight.”

    Meanwhile, two other clients have arranged outdoor interviews in the organizations’ office courtyards. Talk about interviewing entrepreneurialism!

  • Some organizations have liked virtual interviews so much that they do not plan on returning to in-person interviews in the future.Another client posted a job in early March, just before the lockdowns were implemented, conducted fully virtual interviews, and recently hired two candidates based on that one job search without meeting either of them in person. They simply replaced their final in-person panel interview with a Zoom interview with everyone who would have been on the in-person panel. Our client commented, “I didn’t really see any significant change, and frankly I’d be surprised if we went back to flying candidates out here.”
  • Virtual interviews may be all some organizations need for virtual hires.One of our clients posted a job in early March, before lockdowns were implemented, conducted fully virtual interviews, and hired a candidate without ever meeting them in person. That hire has been working successfully for them for over a month and the team has still not met them in person yet. The organization said of the experience, “Since we interviewed the candidate understanding they would be a remote employee, it was an unexpected benefit that the interviews were remote rather than in person. This allowed us to sense how the candidate could connect with us via video and email – the primary tools they’d use as a remote staff member.”

We hope these stories help your organization as you decide how to interview in the COVID era. If you are looking to hire and need guidance on how to interview and conduct your hiring in these strange times, Talent Market is just an email away! And if you’re looking for dating advice, we are happy to provide that too!

Talent Tip #124: Advice for Dominating Virtual Interviewing (Especially in the Age of COVID-19)

There is no doubt that this is a crazy time to be alive. After all, we are living through a once in a century global pandemic! There is the stress and anxiety of everyday pandemic existence, maintaining six feet of distance from everyone on the planet, and being trapped in your house for an indefinite period of time. And if you’re job searching, there is a whole new layer of stress.

The good news for you, dear Talent Market readers, is that many free-market nonprofits are still very active in posting jobs, reviewing applications, and interviewing. But in a world dominated by social distancing, it might seem pretty obvious that organizations are not exactly jumping to interview in-person. Navigating our first global pandemic together, Talent Market is here to offer you some helpful tips for virtual interviewing in the time of COVID-19.

  • Have a quiet space. When interviewing virtually, it is best to assume that the other person on the phone or Zoom call can hear everything you can hear. So do everything you can to make sure your interview space is quiet and professional. Ideally, this will mean interviewing in a separate room where you can close the door. Want to know what it will sound like to interview you? Do a test with a friend. Have them call you through whatever medium you will be using to interview and ask them what background sounds they can hear. During the interview, when you are 100% sure that your space is free of random noises, you will feel all the more confident and will be free to be your best self.
  • Make sure you won’t get any visitors. Everyone is home with their four-legged friends, toddlers, spouses, roommates, pet rabbits, and any other quarantine buddies, but I promise your interview will not be enhanced by a surprise cameo. The BBC interview dad may have been the best video of 2017, but does anyone actually remember the topic of his interview? Probably not. And you definitely want your interviewer to remember you, which means they need to pay attention to what you are saying free of distractions. That means creating the conditions where Sparky isn’t jumping on your lap and your husband isn’t poking his head in to ask what’s for dinner just as you’re getting to the best point about why you are such a great fit for this role. Pro tip: LOCK YOUR DOOR!
    As hard as it is to get distraction–free time when we’re all stuck inside, the good news is that a typical interview lasts half an hour. So, as far in advance as you can, have that polite conversation with your quarantine buddies, asking them if they can take just this one half hour during the day to go get some fresh air.
  • Test out your internet connection and video appearance in advance. We’ve all been on that painful conference call where someone is cutting in and out, there is a significant delay, the person has chosen the worst possible angle of themselves, or the call itself keeps dropping. Don’t be that person during your interview. Just as you tested out your background sounds with a friend, test our your internet connection and the way you look on video. Make sure the test lasts at least ten minutes. If the video is not coming through well or the call keeps dropping, you can try the test in another part of the house to best maximize the connection.
  • Dress professionally. Just because you are interviewing from the comfort of your home does not mean you can dress for the comfort of your home. As difficult as it may be after living in sweatpants for the past two weeks, get dressed like you would for an in-person interview. Shower. Iron your shirt. Wear earrings. Put makeup on. And worst of all, make sure you are dressed professionally from the waist down too because who knows what can happen? Maybe your adorable toddler comes bursting through the door, your interviewer asks you to adjust the lighting, or who knows? Be prepared for everything. Obviously, you will look professional, and believe it or not, you will also feel more professional and take the interview more seriously.
  • Have a professional looking background. So you convinced your roommate, Ted, to take his cat for a walk, you are interviewing in a quiet space, you tested the sound and internet connection, and you look like a million bucks. You’re ready to dominate this interview, right?! Not so fast. When you’re doing that test call with a friend, make sure they are evaluating the background, too. What does that camera capture during the Zoom call? If your test call friend can see that college photo collage featuring your most impressive keg stand and your favorite Breaking Bad poster, you might want to reposition your camera.If you are interviewing on zoom, Canva offers free professional virtual backgrounds for zoom. Just be sure to test it out in advance.
  • A smile comes across on the phone. As you progress to the final interview stages, it is likely that most interviews will take place by video. But many interviews, particularly early interviews, are likely to take place by phone too. If you do a phone interview, follow all of the advice above and keep in mind that a smile actually comes through on the phone. The safest way to approach a phone interview is to treat it like a video interview. I like to adopt the SEE approach for all interviews but find it especially helpful to keep in mind for phone interviews: Smile, Eye Contact, Energy. Even though you are talking on the phone, your enthusiasm for the position still needs to come through. So, as weird as it may feel, try to pretend you are on video.

We hope these tips help you make the most of your virtual interviews!

 

Talent Tip #123: What Does COVID-19 Mean for Hiring in the Free-Market Nonprofit Sector?

As you can imagine, we have gotten a lot of questions over the last few days about how the pandemic has affected hiring in the free-market nonprofit sector.

I thought it might be helpful to share the common questions we are hearing and respond to them here. Please note that things are changing quickly, and that means what we are seeing is also changing. I will try to update you as things evolve.

  1. Are organizations still hiring? Yes, absolutely.
  2. How has the pandemic affected hiring? In general, it has made organizations slow down a bit because they don’t know what’s going to happen. If you think about it, just one month ago, we were all going about life as normal. Now, only 30 days later, our lives (and the economy) have been turned upside down. Organizations are right to slow down and try to understand the new normal before moving forward.
  3. What types of roles have been most affected by the pandemic? Positions that are directly tied to things affected by the pandemic have been the most impacted. For instance, we have seen a pull back on events roles. This makes a great deal of sense because in-person events for the foreseeable future are either not happening or are in question.  We have also seen organizations pull back on hiring for program roles. Again, this is logical because much of the spring programming has been cancelled and the summer programming is in question. Assuming programming and events get back on track in late summer/fall, we expect to see these roles rebound.
    We have also seen organizations rethinking new or non-essential positions. They still plan to hire for these roles, but they want to wait until the dust has settled.
  4. What types of organizations have been most affected by the crisis? You might think it’s the smaller organizations that are most affected. But that’s not necessarily what we’re seeing. Some of the larger organizations have found themselves in situations in which they need to freeze hiring or, in some cases, lay off staff. There are many factors involved in staffing decisions and no organization, no matter how big or small, is immune to the effects of the pandemic.   
  5. How has the crisis affected the hiring/interview process? Needless to say, COVID-19 has thrown a wrench into the normal hiring process.  For instance:
    1. Things are slower now. Organizations are still pivoting in multiple ways: they are adapting/updating nearly every aspect of their strategy, from programming to development to communication to policy. That means the hiring process has taken a back seat in many cases. They still want to hire, but they have to put out the fires in front of them first.
    2. In-person interviews have become virtual interviews. In the good ol’ days (i.e. last month), organizations could invite a candidate to the office to meet with multiple staff members. Not so today. Organizations are now scheduling virtual interviews. 
    3. In-person interviews may still happen, but it depends on the organization. Some of our clients have said they won’t make a final hiring decision until they are able to meet the person face-to-face. Many organizations are still conducting preliminary interviews over the phone but want to maintain the in-person element for the final round. For these groups, making the hire will have to wait until travel restrictions are lifted and people are able to get to in-person interviews. But other clients have indicated they are willing to hire “sight unseen” and go full steam ahead with a fully virtual interviewing process. For these groups, there may not be a significant delay in hiring.
  6. What should I be thinking about when considering a job offer in this climate? You want to make sure you’re taking a job with a fiscally healthy, viable organization. Now, to be clear, you should always be thinking about this, but it’s even more important under the current circumstances. If you take a position with an entity on shaky financial footing, you might find yourself out of a job more quickly than you can say “social distancing.” Check the organization’s most recent 990s (readily available online at places such as Guidestar) and try to find their audited financials (sometimes available on the organization’s website). Finally, ask tough questions about the financial health of the organization during the interview process. If the organization bristles, you should be concerned.
  7. Can relocation be put on hold if I get hired during the pandemic? More than likely, yes. Organizations understand that the coming weeks and months may not be the best time to relocate, sell/buy a house, or have your spouse look for employment in a new city. So, most organizations will be understanding about when you actually make the physical move. They may still want you to start sooner rather than later, but working virtually will likely be an option.
  8. Will COVID-19 affect organizations’ willingness to hire virtual talent? Gosh, I hope so. We’ve been harping on the benefits of virtual work for 10 years. Heaven knows we didn’t think it would take a pandemic to force the issue, but perhaps one of the silver linings here is that organizations everywhere will realize the value of virtual work.
  9. Should I make a job move during this time? No time better than the present! Except for last month, which was waaaaaay better than the present. Sorry, I needed a little comic relief.
    In all seriousness, you     certainly can make a job move during this time. Despite the pandemic, free-market nonprofits are pushing forward because their work matters now more than ever. And they are going to need exceptional talent to help them accomplish their goals. Don’t let your dream job pass you by because the timing is less than ideal.

About Us

Claire Kittle Dixon
Executive Director

Claire runs the day-to-day operations of Talent Market, manages searches for clients, and oversees the organization’s fundraising communications, technology, administration, and cat-herding efforts…
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Katy Gambella
Director of Outreach

Katy oversees Talent Market’s outreach to young professionals and manages the outreach team. She also manages searches and executes outreach directly herself…
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Stephanie Keaveney
Senior Manager of Outreach
Stephanie splits her time between managing talent searches for free-market nonprofits, maintaing Talent Market’s social media presence, and engaging in outreach to young professionals interested in liberty-oriented careers…
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Bailey Drouant
Project Manager
Bailey assists free-market nonprofits with their hiring needs by helping them manage the search process from start to finish…
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Savannah Rupp
Project Manager
Savannah channels her expertise to manage searches for free-market nonprofits, ensuring they find the perfect match to drive their missions forward. She also supports Talent Market’s…
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Wait, You’re a Nonprofit?

Talent Market is a nonprofit. We’ll wait here while that sinks in. We know it’s a crazy concept, but it’s been working like a charm since 2009.

Talent Market’s mission is to promote liberty by providing talent for critical roles within the free-market nonprofit sector.

We provide consulting and recruiting services at no cost to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations that clearly and directly focus on advancing the principles of economic freedom, free enterprise, free trade, free speech, property rights, rule of law, and limited regulation. (We do not work with political organizations, organizations with mission statements that do not clearly advance free-market principles, organizations that focus on social issues, or organizations that have a focus outside of the United States. We are not a job board. ) 

Talent Market believes that the road to prosperity is paved with freedom and that the success of our movement hinges on the talent that will take us there.

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