Talent Tips - Talent Market

Talent Tip #81: Five Tips for Discussing Salary During Your Job Hunt

July 19, 2016

Talent Tip #81: Five Tips for Discussing Salary During Your Job Hunt

Life is full of painful but necessary events: visiting the dentist…paying taxes…watching a Lifetime movie marathon at the request of that special someone…discussing salary during a job hunt.

Unfortunately, I’m not well-equipped to help you deal with the first three; but on that last one, I’ve got you covered! In fact, I’ve put together ten tips to help make the process painless. Here are the first few:

1. Be Ready to Answer the Question, “What is Your Current Salary?” – If you’re applying for a job, you’re going to get asked about salary at some point. Don’t be caught off guard when the question gets tossed your way. And, for the love of money (pun intended), be ready to answer!

You would be surprised how many people cannot actually remember their exact current salary (“Well, I was making 60k, but I think I got a raise last year to 62,500…or maybe it was 63k. I don’t know.”). Before you start your job hunt, pull out your W2s, 1099s, or last year’s tax returns and figure it out. In addition to salary, you should also know how much you made in bonus and a rough idea of your benefits package.

UPDATE JANUARY 2018: Several states and cities around the country have started banning employers from asking candidates about previous salaries during the hiring process. Furthermore, employers are prohibited from taking a candidate’s pay history into account when determining a new salary offer. Please visit here for more on this topic.

2. Be Ready to Answer the Question, “What is Your Desired Salary?” – Another critical piece of information you’ll need at the ready is your desired salary. I usually suggest candidates have a range instead of just one number so that you have built-in flexibility. A range should span roughly 5-10k for mid-level employees and 10-20k+ for senior staff with higher salaries.

3. Don’t Give the Heisman – Sometimes candidates try to hedge when asked direct questions about salary. My favorite candidate response is, “I’d prefer to talk about salary later in the process.” Well, I’d prefer to be independently wealthy and have fewer crow’s feet, but we can’t always get what we want.

In all seriousness, think about why hiring organizations want to know a candidate’s salary expectations up front. It’s because they have limited resources (time and money), and it simply doesn’t make sense to invest hours of interviews with someone whose requirements are significantly higher than the organization can afford. So, instead of stonewalling, be ready to provide your range with a smile on your face.

4. Honesty is the Best Policy – As noted above, you will likely be asked about your current salary. You may even be asked for a salary history dating back some years. Whatever numbers you are asked for, be honest. Some organizations engage in employment verification to confirm prior employment and salary. If a candidate is caught in a lie, it’s all over but the shouting.

5. Do Your Homework – Some of you probably read #2 above and thought, “But how do I know what my range should be?” It’s not as complicated as some think; but you will need to take into account a menagerie of factors, including your most recent salary/salary history, your experience, your tenure in each position, the role at hand, the budget of the hiring organization, geography, education, and market conditions. The more homework you do, the more comfortable you will be when it comes time to discuss salary with a potential employer.

Due to space constraints, I’ll save the last five tips for next month’s e-newsletter. In the meantime, I’d suggest visiting the dentist and blocking the Lifetime channel from your cable package.

Talent Tip #80: The Power of Networking: Landing a Job (And Maybe a Dog-Sitter) in One Evening

June 14, 2016

Talent Tip #80: The Power of Networking: Landing a Job (And Maybe a Dog-Sitter) in One Evening

When I first moved to Washington, DC for graduate school many moons ago, I found myself surrounded by students and faculty who had a very different worldview than my own. I distinctly remember seeing a larger than life “Socialist Meeting Today” banner hanging outside of a building on campus. I thought it was a joke until I noticed the large gathering under the banner. Don’t these people read history books? At that moment I knew I had to expand my network.

A friend suggested I attend an America’s Future Foundation happy hour. I wasn’t sure what AFF was at the time, but I was quite familiar with the happy hour concept. So, I went.

Several pretty cool things transpired as a result:

I met a gentleman whom I started dating
I met a gal who is still a friend to this day (a decade later)
The gentleman I started dating later introduced me to the organization where I landed a job post-grad school and started building my career in the liberty movement
The dating relationship fizzled, but not before he fell in love with my dog (understandably, as she was easier to love than me) and became my go-to dog-sitter

So, just to recap, that’s a boyfriend, friend, job, and dog-sitter — all from one networking event.

But let’s face it – networking can be a drag. We often have to battle our Myers-Briggs “I” to get psyched up for an event. Who among us doesn’t prefer to throw on comfy pants, pour a glass of Trader Joe’s wine, and veg in front of the TV instead of attending another rubber chicken dinner? Yet, stories like mine prove just how valuable networking can be.

Need another story to convince you? You got it. A friend in the liberty movement recently shared this little nugget:

Why is networking important? It seems like a bunch of people looking for something, and if they aren’t interested in what you have to offer, they move on. It’s eighth grade gym class waiting to be picked last except now I’m dressed up. Pass.

That’s what I used to think.

Now I know: networking is most valuable when you are yourself, and you have your eyes open but you aren’t scoping out the room only for the VIPs. Because someone out there is looking for someone like you. Crazy isn’t it? Especially if you’re like me and you have a difficult time taking a compliment, it may be hard to swallow.

Last fall, I went to the State Policy Network Annual Meeting to get training. One session, an opening “Speed Networking” event, stuck out to me…as something to avoid like the plague. I had just gotten to town, was tired, and needed to gear up to be around crowds of strangers for the rest of the conference.

But, I went anyway. I met five people there, the last of whom is the leader of the organization…where I now work.

He asked me what I did, if I enjoyed it, what was my biggest accomplishment. Then he asked if I had ever thought about leaving my current employer. It took me off guard, frankly, because looking for a new job was the last thing on my mind. I told him I was happy where I was, but would like to stay in touch.

I researched the organization when I got back to my hotel. Over the next few weeks I reached out to a few people in my network to ask about the organization. I sent my resume a short time later.

I can wholeheartedly say this: if I had not put myself out there, I never would have met him. Here is the kicker: he told me later how happy he was that he met me at SPN. I’m not sure if our paths ever would have crossed if we both hadn’t attended the networking event. It’s what they call a mutually beneficial exchange. I’m now working in a role I find challenging and rewarding, all because we both went to a networking event.

Wow. My friend’s story beautifully illustrates the power of networking. I hope you’ll take it as an inspiration to fight the lure of the comfy pants and take advantage of the next networking event. Your career (and possibly your dog) will thank you.

(A big shout-out to organizations such as America’s Future and State Policy Network for their amazing work bringing people together and harnessing the power of networking.)

Talent Tip #79: Two Solutions for Our Fundraising Talent Shortage

June 6, 2016

Talent Tip #79: Two Solutions for Our Fundraising Talent Shortage

Last month I donned my Captain Obvious hat and wrote of our need for fundraisers. But I’m not a fan of pointing out problems without also providing solutions. So, this month, with a little help from numerous friends I heard from in the interim, we’re going to address ways to correct the problem.

As I see it, there are two main solutions to addressing our fundraising talent shortage.

Expand the talent pool – When it comes to looking for fundraising talent, we’re working with a $12 Wal-Mart plastic kiddie pool when we should be searching in one that is Olympic-size. In order to expand, we need to bring in individuals (entry level, mid-career, and advanced professionals) without specific fundraising experience who have the personality and skills to become successful development officers and give them the training, mentoring, and opportunity they need to prosper.This can happen at the organization level and via talent development programs across the network. Investors in liberty should recognize this opportunity and support initiatives that open the door to an expanded bench of fundraisers.
Retain the talent we have – The feedback I received after last month’s newsletter was robust and incredibly consistent: we often drive away good fundraisers.How? Well, the list of complaints I’ve heard is long, but here are some highlights:

Pay – I’ll cut to the chase on this point: if you don’t reward your fundraisers for outstanding performance, there is a long line of other organizations that will happily poach them.
Wasted talent – Apparently some nonprofits hire fundraisers and then chain them to a desk, not allowing them to forge relationships with donors. Sometimes it’s a trust issue; sometimes it’s an ego issue. Whatever the cause, if you hired a fundraiser to build relationships with donors, let him do it! From one friend in Washington, DC:
“If you hire someone to fundraise, let him go BLEEPing fundraise. Don’t delay in sending a qualified fundraiser into the field. That’s how talented people get antsy and start looking. Literally as I was typing this email, a colleague came into my office to share with me how his interview went with a major university’s development department. I’m sure it’s going to come as a shock to our Chief Development Officer when he says he’s leaving. But his time has been wasted here. Too bad the think tank community is about to lose another potentially good fundraiser.” On the other side of this coin, I heard from another fundraiser friend who recently started a new job with a growing, impressive group. It came as a pleasant surprise when the CEO invited him along to a key donor meeting just weeks after he started. Not only is this a great talent development strategy, but it’s a fabulous way to inspire staff to work harder and engender loyalty.
Respect – A friend in the Northeast summed it up perfectly: “Fundraising is really the heart of any organization which relies on donations, pumping blood to the rest of the organization and leadership. Good fundraisers get out of the business and move on because they get fed up with being treated as an afterthought. I would have no problem fundraising at a senior level for an organization that “gets it” and treats their development operation as a key part of strategic management. And of course an integrated development function makes the organization stronger, because major donors want to know all they can about where their dollars are going and want to deal with people in the know.”
Unrealistic expectations – A friend in the Lone Star State hit the nail on the head: “I’m amazed at how many nonprofits are struggling to keep good development directors. Too many nonprofits have unrealistic ideas of how to raise substantive money in sustainable means. Let’s face it: development directors aren’t rain-makers!”

This is my two cents; and, as always, I welcome your suggestions and ideas. After all, the success of the liberty movement hinges on our ability to keep the lights on.

Talent Tip #78: O Fundraisers, Fundraisers! Wherefore Art Thou Fundraisers?

April 19, 2016

Talent Tip #78: O Fundraisers, Fundraisers! Wherefore Art Thou Fundraisers?

If I meet another recent college graduate who tells me he wants to go into a policy career, I’m going to curl up in the fetal position and weep uncontrollably.

It’s not that I don’t want to see more policy talent in the free-market movement (I do!); it’s just that I really, really, really want to see more fundraising talent.

And why? Because that’s our biggest talent need right now.

Case in point: nearly half of our current searches are for fundraising positions.

And if you take an historical look at Talent Market’s searches spanning 6 1/2 years, you’ll see that more than a third of them have been for fundraising-related roles. Trailing at a distant second is communications/media roles (23%), followed by executive leadership positions (12%). What about policy roles, you ask? 10%.

So, why is there such a large unmet need for fundraising talent? I think there are several factors at play.

1. The free-market nonprofit sector is not a common career path – Let’s face it: we’re in a niche. And a pretty small niche at that. Many people have never considered a nonprofit career path, and even fewer have considered the free-market nonprofit path. Compounding this problem is the fact that many who are philosophically aligned choose politics — a much more visible option.

2. Fundraisers don’t get the headlines – Even when people choose the free-market nonprofit career path, fundraising is not a common choice. This is partially an awareness problem; fundraisers typically aren’t interviewed on the national news, nor are they writing op-eds in the Wall Street Journal. So, when individuals come into our world, they naturally think, “I want to be like Michael Cannon” or “I want to be another Vinnie Vernuccio.” It’s rare for them to know enough to say, “I want to be like Daniel Erspamer.”

3. We are IDEAS people! – Many of the individuals drawn into our world want to analyze and proselytize the ideas — not fundraise for them! The irony, of course, is that understanding the ideas and connecting intellectually with donors are critical components of a fundraiser’s job.

4. Selling ideas is challenging – Many fundraisers — even if philosophically aligned — would rather take on an easier “sell” such as the American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, or their alma mater. Sell liberty? Unless it has a nationally ranked football team, I’ll pass!

5. Working for Peanuts is Nuts – Finally, there is often a salary disconnect. Organizations are sadly mistaken if they think successful fundraisers will flock to their below-market-rate fundraising openings simply because they love liberty. We all have to pay rent, put food on the table, and put kibble in Fido’s bowl.

But enough about the problem! Next month we’ll tackle solutions to this dearth of free-market fundraising talent.

Talent Tip #77: The New York Times: An Unlikely Ally in Helping Us Find Talent

March 19, 2016

Talent Tip #77: The New York Times: An Unlikely Ally in Helping Us Find Talent

If The New York Times is writing about you, you’re making a difference.

That’s what a friend in the liberty movement told me after The New York Times ran a story about Talent Market last week.

To the surprise of many, The Times described Talent Market in ways we can’t help but take as compliments:

“Clients say Talent Market excels at finding hard-to-attract…staff members and at time-consuming searches for senior officials. But its greatest value may be in connecting far-flung organizations with talent they might not otherwise find.”

“In many ways, [Talent Market] is the casting director for the…liberty movement.”

And my favorite:

“…the visible hand for those who worship the invisible hand.”

Wow. That line almost feels like a group hug with The New York Times, Adam Smith, and Talent Market. Did I just enter an alternate universe?

Our only complaint was that Jon Caldara, our friend and President of the Independence Institute, got the lead photo. I mean, he’s jaw-droppingly handsome and all, but what about the folks who work at, um, Talent Market? To paraphrase a friend, including photos of the all-female staff at Talent Market would have blown the image of the male-dominated right wingers that The New York Times’ readers have come to know and love. Good point.

[Read more…]

Talent Tip #76: Believe It or Not: Talent Market is a Nonprofit

March 1, 2016

Talent Tip #76: Believe It or Not: Talent Market is a Nonprofit

Let’s face it, some things are too good to be true. For example:

Sizzlean bacon
Milli Vanilli
8-Minute Abs
Flex Seal
The Grapefruit Diet

But some things are oh-so-good and also true. For instance:

Wine has health benefits
Pets can lower your blood pressure
Talent Market is a nonprofit

Yes, you read that right. Talent Market is nonprofit. We’ve been around for six and a half years, and I’m still coming across folks who think Talent Market is a for-profit. So, I thought I would use this space to dispel that notion.

Here’s some background.

Talent Market believes that human capital is the most critical component to winning the war against an ever-expanding government and evaporating liberties. Even if liberty-oriented organizations are well-financed, they cannot succeed without talent.

Talent Market exists to address this critical need – to assist free-market 501(c)3s by identifying, evaluating, and placing the best and brightest individuals in key mid/senior and executive level roles within the liberty movement. In addition, Talent Market consults with nonprofits about a variety of issues related to talent. We work exclusively with free-market think tanks, policy organizations, research centers, and capacity-building institutions dedicated to advancing the principles of limited government and free enterprise.

Talent Market provides these services at no direct cost to our free-market nonprofit clients. We do this because we know the majority of our clients are operating on shoestring budgets and lack the resources to pay market rates for the capability we offer. In fact, the total private sector value of Talent Market’s placements to date is over $4 million! When you consider Talent Market’s lean and mean budget, it’s clear Talent Market is providing incredible bang for the buck for the liberty movement.

Since Talent Market does not charge nonprofits for its services, it is only through the generosity of supporters that we continue our important work. Talent Market raises its own funds from individuals, organizations, and foundations.

And while we’re explaining what we do, we should also point out what we don’t do. We do not work in politics, nor do we work with organizations that address social issues. We do not work with 501(c)4s, 501(c)6s, 527s, or government entities. We’re not here to save the whales or the Brazilian rain forests (though we appreciate both). We’re just here to help liberty-oriented nonprofits find the talent they need to be successful.

I am pleased to tell you that since its inception in 2009, Talent Market has assisted more than 160 nonprofits and has placed more than 270 individuals in critical roles in the free-market universe.

Did I mention wine is good for you? Cheers.