Talent Market

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

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Talent Tip #121: Considering a Career in the Free-Market World? Here are Five Things To Consider.

January 21, 2020

Are you or someone you know leading the life of Peter Gibbons, toiling away in an unfulfilling job, longing for something better?

If so, don’t fill out another TPS report! Instead, start plotting your career change into the liberty movement immediately if not sooner.

But remember that making the transition (whether from the private sector, government, academia, politics, or the broader nonprofit space) won’t necessarily be easy. It may take some time and a few attempts, but hopefully it will be worth the effort.

Here are five things to consider as you plot your path to fulfillment.

  1. You may have to take a pay cut.
    Thought I would just rip off the bandaid and start with that one. Depending on your current role/sector, it’s quite possible you’ll need to take a pay cut if you want to transition into the liberty movement. For instance, if you’re currently earning $350k as a lobbyist, I can promise you the contents of my piggy bank that you’ll need to adjust your salary expectations if you want to make this move.
    Check the organization’s 990s to get a sense of pay. But remember: if you’re aiming to replace someone who has been with the organization for a good period of time, do NOT expect to come in making the same salary the person had when they left. And as with any transition, you may have to take a step back in order to take a few steps forward.Finally, if money is your primary motivating factor when it comes to work, I would suggest you consider other career paths. Now, to be clear, you can make a very nice living in the nonprofit space, but in our world, it’s more about fulfillment than it is about money.
  2. Help employers see that you love liberty.
    This is probably the most important thing you can do. All of us in the free-market world are here because we want to be, and we want to hire people who are equally passionate about advancing liberty. You can help employers understand that you’re passionate in several ways, the easiest of which is to express it clearly in your cover letter. A more compelling way to demonstrate this passion is through action, which could include being an active member of a liberty oriented organization (America’s Future Foundation, Bastiat Society, Young Americans for Liberty, etc.), attending a liberty-oriented event/seminar/conference, or volunteering for a free-market nonprofit.
  3. Help employers understand why your skill set would be valuable.
    It won’t always be manifest to the employer how your skill set will lend itself to the job at hand. So, help them understand! That means reading the job description carefully and then clearly describing how your past work aligns. It also means cutting the jargon, abbreviations, and junk phrases that often litter resumes and make no sense to people in other sectors. If your resume sounds like the Peanuts teacher (Wah wah wah wah wah wah), you’re in trouble.
  4. Some transitions will be easier than others.
    The easiest transitions are usually in communications, media, marketing, finance, and administrative roles. That’s because skills for these roles are often viewed as universally applicable. Transitioning from a fundraising role is a little trickier. While many of the skills transfer, employers worry that candidates may not adapt to the very different approach we have here. For instance, fundraising for a political candidate or a university is viewed as a different beast than fundraising for a think tank. Likewise, transitioning from a legal role is also complicated. Here clients are usually looking for subject matter expertise. Senior management is one of the most difficult transitions. A successful private sector CEO may well have the capacity to effectively run a free-market think tank, but if the candidate doesn’t have experience in policy and fundraising, the board may focus on candidates who do.
  5. Act like you’ve been there before.
    Even if you’ve never spent time in the free-market nonprofit world, do enough homework so that it’s not patently obvious you’re a newb. For instance, don’t say you’re excited to work for “your company.” Call it an organization or nonprofit, or better yet, use the actual name of the entity! Also, don’t ask about “signing bonuses.” As a capitalist pig, I’d love it if signing bonuses were commonplace in our world, but they aren’t. 

Here’s the great news: 72% of Talent Market’s placement come from outside of the free-market movement. That means the majority of the people we place are making a transition from another sector to our world! Clearly,  it can be done! 

So, make sure your information with Talent Market is up to date and keep on pursuing your dream! We look forward to working with you! 

Talent Tip #120: 5 Tips to Ensure an Efficient Hiring Process

November 19, 2019

You know how I like to compare dating and hiring, right?

Well, let me share a story. Many moons ago I was dating a great guy. Smart, funny, handsome, gainfully employed, liberty-minded…the whole nine yards. But after a long spell of dating, he was clearly afraid of commitment. So, I dumped him.

If this gentleman were an employer, you could say that his interview process went on too long and he lost a good candidate. This, of course, is a great lesson for nonprofits in hiring mode: efficiency matters.

With that in mind, here are five tips for having an efficient interview process.

  1. Don’t start the hiring process until you’re ready to hire.
    Case in point: not too long ago we worked on a search during which the applicant pool shaped up very nicely after just a few weeks. The candidates were excited about the opportunity and we were thrilled that our client had so many good options. That’s when our client dropped the bomb: they decided they wanted to hold off on making a hire for another couple of months. Not surprisingly, the candidates’ interest level quickly waned and we lost several of them during that period.
    Waiting until you’re ready to hire will save your organization time and energy and keep applicants happy.
  2. Everyone and his grandmother does not need to be involved in the process.
    We’re big believers in involving multiple staff members in the interview process, as it provides a more robust evaluation of applicants and creates team buy-in. But involving more than one staff member doesn’t necessarily mean involving every single one.
    We had a candidate tell us recently that she thought the client was joking when they asked her to come in again for an 8th interview (she had already met with more than a dozen staff members in the first seven interviews). Alas, if candidates think you’re joking about your interview process, it’s probably time to get serious about paring it down!
  3. Make hiring a priority
    Let’s face it: you’re busy. This week you’re launching a major direct mail campaign. Next is your annual dinner. The week after is vacation. And the week after that you have six donor meetings in three cities. Oh, and you’re in the middle of making a critical hire.
    It’s tempting to push aside hiring when things get hairy, but don’t forget why you’re hiring in the first place: you need more hands on deck! When hiring is not a priority for you, candidates can sense it. Just like dating, the person you are courting wants to feel important.  Don’t give them a reason to think otherwise!
  4. Don’t let uncertainty stall the process
    A client once confessed to us that the reason the interview process had stalled on their end was that they were uncertain about one of the candidates. If you’re unsure about a candidate, the best way to find clarity is to acquire more information. And the best way to acquire more information is to move the process forward, whether that means interviewing the candidate again, asking the candidate for more information, giving the candidate a writing assignment, checking references, etc. Stalling won’t help you find clarity, but more information will!
  5. Eliminate roadblocks
    Last year we worked on a search that was moving along swimmingly. All of a sudden, it came to a grinding halt for a number of weeks. Candidates began to ask questions and contemplate other jobs. It turns out that one of the individuals involved in the hiring process couldn’t find time to interview candidates, so the process simply stopped when it became his turn to evaluate the talent pool. Thankfully, the hiring manager identified the problem and removed the person from the process. Like clockwork, things began moving forward again and in short order a hire was made.
    Roadblocks such as this can cost you a good candidate if not several. Make sure everyone involved understands the need for efficiency, and if they don’t, make the process work without them.

Whether you’re in hiring or dating mode, following these tips will put you in the best position to acquire the best talent. And as for the guy I broke-up with, he dramatically improved his interview process by returning with a ring. Lesson learned.

Talent Tip #119: 7 Pitfalls to Avoid as You Launch Your Career

October 22, 2019

As I look back on my early career, I can’t believe I’m not stuck working at a place like Chotchkie’s. Why? Well, I made a lot of boneheaded decisions and missed out on some great opportunities. And mostly because I just didn’t know any better.

Such is the case for many recent graduates. After all, the transition from college to career is a bumpy one at best. It’s riddled with opportunities to make mistakes. The good news, though, is that most of these blunders can be avoided easily. 

With that in mind, here are 7 pitfalls young professionals should steer clear of as they launch their careers. 

  1. Being unwilling to leave your comfort zone
    After college, it’s tempting to head back to your hometown and start a new life — and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. But if you’re itching to launch a career that advances liberty, that might be hard to do if your hometown is like mine was (one stoplight, population 987).
    Arguably, you’ll never be more “free” to experience what the world has to offer than immediately after your undergraduate studies. Now is the time to take a chance, to move somewhere new and exciting, and to expand your horizons. Remember, you can always go back home. And when you do, you’ll go back knowing you weren’t afraid to leave your comfort zone. 
  2. Pigeonholing yourself
    Early in your career, it’s easy to follow a shiny object down a career path that doesn’t make sense for your skills. Case in point: would you believe all three Talent Marketeers (Lauren, Katy, and yours truly) originally thought we wanted to go into policy analysis when we launched our liberty careers? Looking back, it seems obvious that policy isn’t the best fit for our skills. And yet, policy is the area that so many recent graduates have in mind when they commence their careers.
    Of course, there are countless other options in the liberty space: development, communications, media, project management, law, coalitions, finance, operations, advocacy, etc. Before you commit to a path, make sure you think through your skills and interests and the requirements for different roles. Still not sure? Reach out to Katy (our resident early career expert) for advice! 
  3. Not having a long-sighted view of “grunt work”
    Have you ever met a young professional who says, “Grunt work? I LOVE grunt work. Pile it on! I can’t get enough!” Yeah, me either.
    But the reality is that grunt work (data entry, event logistics, scrubbing data, etc.) is often part of early-career jobs.
    Is it sexy? No. But it is often very important work. Don’t believe me? Put the decimal point for that $100,000.00 gift in the wrong place in the database and watch the spark fly!Ultimately, this grunt work will give you a firm understanding of what it takes to have reliable data in your database, an event that runs like a well-oiled machine, etc. Most importantly, this foundation of knowledge sets the stage for managing and building things later in your career.

    And the more quickly you master the grunt work, the more quickly you’ll be asked to move on to more challenging tasks!

     

  4. Thinking you know everything
    I thought my first boss was clueless. I couldn’t understand why he made the decisions he did, and my inner voice was fond of asking: “How is this dude still in business?”
    But the reality is I was the clueless one. I didn’t know the first thing about the business he was running. I just parachuted in from college life; so, my expertise didn’t extend beyond keg stands and beer pong. Instead of questioning his every move, I should have been soaking up his expertise.The danger of thinking you know everything is immense: if you believe you have all the answers, you won’t be open to learning from those around you. And if you don’t learn from others, your career trajectory will nosedive faster than you can say “beer pong is not a marketable skill.”

     

  5. Job jumping without good reason
    Early in your career, it’s tempting to change jobs in exchange for a little bump in salary, flexibility in hours, or more vacation. And it can be tempting to do it again. And again. And maybe even again.
    If you’re not careful, your resume could end up being a train wreck of short tenures: 6 months here, 18 months there, a year here, 9 months there.And before you know it, your resume might actually prevent you from getting a job.  I cannot tell you how many hiring managers have told me they won’t even interview a candidate because the person has made too many job moves. Not only does a resume like this show a lack of commitment, it also demonstrates a lack of depth (because you can’t become an expert in 6 months unless your job is making subs at Jersey Mike’s).

     

  6. Asking for a raise too early
    As you likely know, one of the biggest gripes senior managers have about about Millennials is that they are entitled. Unfortunately, it’s hard to dissuade managers of this notion when an average-performing entry level staff member asks for a raise three months into the job. Now, I’m a capitalist pig and want you to maximize your income, but let’s be smart about it.
    Before asking for a raise, make sure these things are true:
    -You have been with the organization for a respectable period of time (say, a year; if there are extraordinary circumstances involved, you may shorten the time frame)
    -You have been exceeding (not just meeting) expectations
    -Market research tells you that you should be earning moreFinally, remember that your personal desires (to buy a new Beemer or take weekend concert trips to Red Rocks) should NOT factor into the equation. Your salary should be based on the value you bring to your organization. Period.

     

  7. Forgetting the importance of reputation
    From the moment you begin your first job, you have started building your reputation. Every deadline you meet, report you nail, and project you execute flawlessly will help shape a positive reputation. Conversely, every meeting you miss, project you slack off on, and work event in which you over-serve yourself will tarnish your reputation.  Eventually your reputation will be far more important than your resume, so make sure to create a positive one!

We hope this list is helpful. Remember: if you avoid these 7 pitfalls, you’ll never have to wear 37 pieces of flair.   

Talent Tip # 118: 10 Mistakes Young Professional Make When Job Searching

September 17, 2019

Mad Libs cover letter and War and Peace length resumeKaty Gambella

As Talent Market’s Network Engagement Manager, I interact with young professionals every day through my work managing entry/junior level talent searches. This means I get a front row seat for one of the most exciting (and often overwhelming) times for burgeoning professionals: the job search. 

As you can imagine, I’ve seen some really interesting things. Like, reality television interesting. Some of it is beautiful and inspiring and gives me hope for the future of freedom. And some of it…well…it makes me want to bang my head against a wall.

But I’ve realized that the mistakes young professionals make are usually a result of being new to the workforce. And thankfully, most of these can be easily avoided. With that in mind, I share these 10 common pitfalls young professionals should avoid during the job hunt.  

  1. Having a novel-length resume
    As an entry, junior, or mid level career professional, you should aim to have a one page resume. When you have 10+ years of experience or earn a PhD, then you can go for the War and Peace length resume. A shorter resume allows you to highlight the great things you’ve done and it’s not overwhelming to the reader.  Sometimes less is more!

  2. Writing a Mad Libs cover letter
    If I can remove the name of the organization and replace it with another organization in your cover letter, you should probably go back to the drawing board. Remember that your cover letter should not be a regurgitation of your (one page!!) resume — your potential employer already read that! Your cover letter should express why you are a good match for this specific role and organization. This also means if you apply to a different role at the same organization, you should be writing a new cover letter! And no need to write a treatise; one page should be plenty of space to say what you need to say (one and a half pages if you just can’t contain your excitement).

  3. Not following application instructions
    Here’s a good rule of thumb: read the entire job description before you apply for the job. Not only will this ensure the role is actually a good fit for you, but you’ll know exactly how to apply for it! Applying incorrectly sends the wrong signals to the employer and might be enough to kill your chances of an interview.

  4. Ignoring the Google machine in your pocket
    “Sorry, I didn’t read through the organization’s website.” Would you believe a candidate actually admitted this to me in an interview? Foot, meet mouth. The internet makes it so easy to understand exactly what organizations want to accomplish. Take full advantage of that and research the organization for which you hope to work. Pro tip: This research also gives you fodder for great questions to ask when the hiring manager turns the tables and says, “Do you have any questions for me?”

  5. Asking about a promotion before you land the job
    Thinking about growth is great, but there is a fine line between enthusiasm and entitlement. During the interview process, you can certainly ask about growth opportunities, but you don’t want to come across as someone eager to be promoted from a job you haven’t even landed (let alone mastered!).  Remember to stay humble during the interview process. After all, you are just launching your career and have much to learn!

  6. Pretending the money elephant in the room doesn’t exist
    This works until the big fella sits on you. Make sure to understand your personal salary needs well before you get to the offer stage, preferably before you even apply for a job. You should never be caught off guard when someone asks you about your salary preferences during the job search process. Pro Tip: your salary preferences should reflect a diverse set of factors including your experience in the workforce, education, geographic location, market conditions, etc.  For more information on this topic, see Talent Tip #59, Talent Tip #81, and Talent Tip #82.

  7. Thinking that moving to Washington, DC means you’ll make 80K despite the fact that you just graduated last year
    Cost of living changes aren’t 1-1. Stated another way, the cost of living in Washington, DC might be 50% higher than than your hometown, but employers don’t necessarily pay you 50% more there. In fact, while the pay in high cost of living cities is often more than in less expensive places, the pay rarely makes up for the total cost of living difference. But here’s the good news: you’ll figure out a way to make it work. You may have to adjust your lifestyle (think roommates and finding the cheapest happy hour!). And take it from me: you can get amazing career experience in a high cost of living city that will be worth every penny!

  8. Taking salary advice from those who don’t understand the market
    Of course Mom and Dad said you’re worth $80K, but that doesn’t mean it is true. (Or, maybe it’s true for them, but talk is cheap until Mom ponies up 80k for you to cut the lawn.) Since your parents don’t work in the free-market, non-profit world, they lack important knowledge about pay and other factors. So, instead of seeking salary advice from them, turn to the Three Gs: Google, Guidestar, and Glassdoor.

  9. Thinking your problems are your potential employer’s problems
    Your potential employer doesn’t care if you can’t afford $20 rooftop cocktails every weekend or if you went to Harvard and owe $200K in student loans. She also doesn’t care that there’s a 10am goat yoga class you want to take on Mondays and Wednesdays. And she most assuredly doesn’t care that you prefer to take long weekends twice a month to “clear your head” in the Poconos. Your potential employer wants you to do a job; your personal wants and desires (and credit card debt and workout schedule) should not factor into the equation.

  10. Not asking for help
    We’ve all been through the arduous job search process. It can be stressful and often feels overwhelming. So, don’t go it alone! Ask those you look up to for help! Talk to friends about their job search. And, of course, Talent Market is here to help, so reach out! Send us your resume and general information and then shoot me an email. 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. And this starts with talent like you! I promise that the people you look up to have all experienced the challenge that is job searching. And hopefully someday soon, you’ll be able to look back and know that all of your experiences led you to something great. 

Talent Market’s 10th Anniversary!

August 20, 2019

Can you believe it’s been a decade?

Yep.  Ten years ago this month Talent Market launched. 

In those 10 years, we’ve had a lot to celebrate. Here are some highlights:

  • We have assisted more than 200 free-market nonprofits through our consulting and talent search services.
  • We have helped place more than 525 individuals in mission-critical roles in the free-market nonprofit sector. (A whopping 72% of whom came from outside the free-market nonprofit universe!)
  • We have grown from one employee to a team of three (six if you count the part-time morale boosting “assistance” of children and canines).
  • We have expanded our work from solely senior level searches to now include all levels of talent: entry, mid, junior, senior, and executive.
  • We have launched a Networking Engagement Initiative aimed at capturing the next generation of free-market talent.  
  • We have engaged in more than 125 outreach presentations to the free-market community.
  • We have reached nearly 6,000 people through Talent Market workshops, presentations, and webinars.
  • We have consulted with hundreds (thousands?)of individuals about issues related to job searching, career transitions, interviewing, networking, salaries, graduate school, geography, and yes, dating. 

And none of this would have been possible without you, our always amazing candidates, clients, donors, and allies.  We are eternally grateful for the opportunity to advance liberty in this unique way, and we thank you for being part of the journey. 

Here’s to another ten years of Talent Market!

Talent Tip #117: 6 Things to Consider When Asked for References

July 16, 2019

Have you ever gotten out of a bad relationship and wondered, “Why didn’t someone warn me about this clown?”

Yeah, me too. This begs the question: why do we check references during the hiring process but not during the dating process? (Arguably, the stakes for the latter — marriage, divorce — are slightly higher.)

My hunch is because no one wants to hand over a list of exes. Can you imagine? (Insert horrified emoji face here.)

Luckily, it’s not that way in the interview process. We’re not surprised (or appalled!) when a hiring manager asks for references.  

In fact, references are a great way for us to stand out during the interview process. With that in mind, here are six things to consider the next time you’re asked for references.

  1. If a job application asks for references, provide them! This sounds rather obvious, but some candidates mystifyingly neglect to include them. A request for references is essentially an organization asking, “Can you send us a list of three people who will boast about you?” Naturally, you should respond in the affirmative!And, of course, not including them might cost you the job. As a client recently told me, “We rarely interview anyone who doesn’t provide us with references when we ask for them in the job posting. Simply adding ‘references provided upon request’ doesn’t cut it. If we ask for references as part of the application, then we’ve requested them!”
  2. When providing references, list the relationship or affiliation you have with each. This will provide the hiring manager with much needed context. Was the reference a professor in college?  Your boss at your last job? A co-worker at your current job?
  3. Include a telephone number and email address for each reference. Some hiring managers want to call references, while others prefer to start with an email or send a written reference form. Make the hiring manager’s life easier by providing both forms of contact information. Also, if you have a reference who is difficult to reach, help the hiring manager understand how to best connect with that person. For instance, “Mr. Smith travels frequently and may be difficult to reach via phone. He responds more quickly to emails.”
  4. When choosing references, select those with whom you have worked closely and who are familiar with your current work/skills. There’s nothing more awkward than calling a reference who responds to questions by saying, “I don’t know. I didn’t work that closely with her.” or “I can’t recall. I haven’t worked with him in 10 years.” After all, you don’t want the hiring manager to think you’re so desperate for someone who will say nice things about you that you’ve chosen your middle school English teacher.
  5. If possible, choose references with whom the hiring manager is familiar. Hiring managers love to see a reference list that includes people they know or with whom they are at least familiar. Getting a positive reference from someone they trust can go a long way to bolster your candidacy.
  6. Keep your references informed. Let your references know if you’re actively job seeking. And if you have reason to believe a hiring manager will be contacting your references about a specific job, give them a heads-up about the role. In that case, it won’t hurt to send your references the job description in advance; the more they know about the role, the more they can brag about your ability to hit it out of the park. Finally, if you land the job (or even if you don’t!), make sure to thank your references!

Now, while you’re busy updating your reference list, I’m going to call my husband and ask how he would have responded had I asked for references when we started dating.  

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  • All Talent Tips

    Talent Tip #133: 10 Reasons Your Cover Letter is Terrible (Part 1)

    Talent Tip #132: Seven Things Our Data Tell Us About Hiring in the Liberty Movement

    Talent Tip #131: Six Things the Pandemic Taught Free-Market Nonprofits

    Talent Tip #130: 7 Keys To Finding a Mentor

    Talent Tip #129: On Mai Tais, King Beds, and Resumes

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Bonus Talent Tip: How to Interview in the Age of COVID-19

    Talent Tip #121: Considering a Career in the Free-Market World? Here are Five Things To Consider.

    Talent Tip #120: 5 Tips to Ensure an Efficient Hiring Process

    Talent Tip #119: 7 Pitfalls to Avoid as You Launch Your Career

    Talent Tip # 118: 10 Mistakes Young Professional Make When Job Searching

    Talent Market’s 10th Anniversary!

    Talent Tip #117: 6 Things to Consider When Asked for References

    Talent Tip #116: 5 Surefire Ways NOT to Land an Interview

    Talent Tip #115: Maps and Mobility: Revisiting the Yellow State/Blue State Phenomenon

    Talent Tip #114: A Lesson from Three’s Company: Eliminating Confusion About How Talent Market Can Help Your Nonprofit Find Talent

    Talent Tip #113: Workplace Change: Too Much of a Good Thing Isn’t a Good Thing

    Talent Tip #112: Four Things to Do Before You Apply For Your Next Job  

    Talent Tip #111: Take Your Resume to 11

    Talent Tip # 110: This Holiday Give the Gift of Fulfillment

    Talent Tip #109: Toxic Personalities: Bad for the Holidays; Bad for Business

    Talent Tip #108: A Quiz To Test Your Knowledge of Talent Market 

    Talent Tip #107: Seven Tips for Effective Networking 

    Talent Tip #106: 10 Things Every Free-Market Fundraiser Should Know

    Talent Tip #105: Breaking Up Is Hard To Do: How To Effectively Show An Employee The Door

    Talent Tip #104: Don’t Fall in the Homestretch: 5 Tips to Winning the Interview Process

    Talent Tip # 103: Lessons from Professional Wrestling: 5 Tips to Bodyslam Your Competition During the Hiring Process

    Talent Tip #102: 5 Things You Should Know About Talent Market (That Will Help You Help Us Help You)

    Talent Tip #101: Follow the Golden Rule When Hiring

    Talent Tip #100: Your Resumé: A Chance to Tell a Clear, Logical Story About Your Career

    Talent Tip # 99: Want to Be Fashionable? Stop Wearing Fanny Packs (And Stop Asking Candidates for Salary History)

    Talent Tip #98: What NOT to Wear To an Interview

    Talent Tip #97: For the Love of Lawsuits: What NOT to Ask Candidates During Interviews

    Talent Tip #96: How to Get Your Groove Back – Part Deux

    Talent Tip #95: How to Get Your Groove Back – Part One

    Talent Tip #94: Burning Bridges and Lessons from Peter Gibbons 

    Talent Tip #93: Looking Outside the Talent Box

    Talent Tip #92: The Yellow State/Blue State Phenomenon and the Benefit of Virtual Hiring

    Talent Tip #91: A Brave New World: Advice for the Newly Graduated

    Talent Tip #90: What to Do When You Don’t Know What to Do: Four Steps to Figure Out Your Next Career Move

    Talent Tip #89: Becoming Billy Shakespeare: Crafting a Powerful Cover Letter

    Talent Tip #88: Looking for Love: Valentine’s Tips for Job Seekers

    Talent Tip #87: Embrace the Power of Markets: Pay Your Best Talent Well or Risk Losing Them

    Talent Tip #86: Seven MORE Questions to Ask Before You Commit (Advice for Interviewing and Dating)

    Talent Tip #85: Eight Questions to Ask Before You Commit (Advice for Interviewing and Dating)

    Talent Tip #84: Culture Matters Part Deux: How Current and Prospective Employees Should Consider Culture

    Talent Tip #83: Culture Matters: Cultivating a Culture That Attracts and Retains Talent

    Talent Tip #82: Five MORE Tips for Discussing Salary During Your Job Hunt

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Talent Tip #75: Field of Dreams: Job Descriptions That Attract Talent

    Talent Tip #74: Give The Gift That Keeps on Givng Giving

    Talent Tip #73: Turnover Turnaround: How To Keep Your Best Employees

    Talent Tip #72: Employee Turnover: Why Good People Leave

    Talent Tip #71: Career Choices: Let Passion Follow You

    Whitney Ball: A Life Well-Lived  

    Talent Tip #70: Choose a Job You Love…Maybe Confucius Was Right

    Talent Tip #69: It Was a Dark and Stormy Night: How to Make Your Cover Letter Stand Out

    Talent Tip #68: Ask the Magic 8 Ball: Why do Employees Leave?

    Talent Tip #67: The Key to Employee Retention: Convoluted Algorithms or Simple Communication?

    Talent Tip #66: Hotel California: Stuck in the Big City, Declining Mobility, and a Reminder to Consider Hiring Virtually

    Talent Tip #65: Roll Tide: What We Can Learn About Recruiting Talent from Nick Saban

    Talent Tip #64: Lookin’ Out My Back Door: Following Application Instructions 

    Talent Tip #63: Stand Out from the Crowd with an Eye-Catching Job Description

    Talent Tip #62 Take a Chance on Me: Nontraditional Candidates and Fundraising Roles

    Talent Tip #61: Google This: How to Create a Winning Resume

    Talent Tip #60: Goldilocks and Salary: Getting it “Just Right”

    Talent Tip #59: The Magic Formula Revealed: Determining the “Right Salary” for a Job Application

    Talent Tip #58: Working for Liberty: Think Like a Start-Up (or Why You Should Listen to Matt Warner at Atlas Network)

    Talent Tip #57: The Cover Letter: Common Pitfalls and Secret Ingredients

    Talent Tip #56: We Recycle the Same Talent? Ah, Contraire, Mon Frère!

    Talent Tip #55: On Assembling Bikes and Applying for Jobs

    Talent Tip #54: Is Virtual Hiring Right for Us?

    Talent Tip #53: Want to Expand Your Talent Pool? Hire Virtually!

    Talent Tip #52: More Advice About How to Land a Job

    Talent Tip #51: Start Working Your Dream Job (Before You Get Hired)

    Talent Tip #50: Your Advice on Pre-Employment Assessments

    Talent Tip #49: eHarmony for Hiring?

    Talent Tip #48: Hiring Advice – Three Hours in a Canoe and the Most Interesting Man in the World

    Talent Tip #47: Avoid Alka Seltzer with Writing Samples, Tests

    Talent Tip #46: A Cover Letter to Make Mama Proud

    Talent Tip #45: The Six Second Résumé

    Talent Tip #44: Liar Liar, Pantalones en Fuego!

    Talent Tip #43: Rejection (Im)Perfection: The Art of Second Chances

    Talent Tip #42: Recommendation Investigations, Your Reputation, Kiss Cams, and My Dream World

    Talent Tip #41: Work-Life Balance Policies, Part II: A Key to Attracting and Retaining Talent

    Talent Tip #40: Work-Life Balance Policies: A Key to Attracting and Retaining Talent

    Talent Tip #39: 80% of Success is Just Showing Up: Landing a Job in Another City

    Talent Tip #38: Tips for Talking About Salary

    Talent Tip #37: Mom Knows Best: Proofreed Proofread

    Talent Tip #36: The Art of the Interview

    Talent Tip #35: Traditions Worth Keeping: Play Like a Champion Today, Bun Runs, and Résumés

    Talent Tip #34: “I’ll Call You”: Rejecting Candidates After the Interview

    Talent Tip #33: Lessons From My Parents’ Marriage: It Pays to Court Candidates

    Talent Tip #32: Friends Don’t Offer Friends Questionable Job-Seeking Advice

    Talent Tip #31: Don’t Call Us – We’ll Call You (Or Maybe Not)

    Talent Tip #30: Dear Valentine, Your Reputation Stinks

    Talent Tip #29: I’m Gumby, Dammit

    Talent Tip #28: No Raise or Bonus? You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch!

    Talent Tip #27: Talking Turkey: Determining an Appropriate Salary Range

    Talent Tip #26: Show me the Money! (Or I’ll Keep Quoting Overused Movie Lines)

    Talent Tip #25: Your Resume as Prego: It’s in There

    Talent Tip #23: Why We Lose Talent: (Non-Financial) Incentives Matter

    Talent Tip #22: You Can’t Always Get What You Want: Advanced Degrees, Higher Salaries, and Marrying Orthopedic Surgeons

    Talent Tip #21: What Do Lady Gaga and a Graduate Degree Have in Common?

    Talent Tip #20: Take Rejection Like a Champ

    Talent Tip #19: Free-Market Karma: A Lesson in Retaining (or Losing) Talent

    Talent Tip #18: We Need More Lloyd Doblers

    Talent Tip #15: Beware the Candidate Who Doesn’t Follow Instructions

    Talent Tip #13: Top 3 Blunders Young Liberty-Loving Job Seekers Make (And How to Avoid Them, Land an Amazing Job, and Live Happily Ever After)

    Talent Tip #11: Managing Millennials: Understanding Your Gen Y Employees

About Us

Claire Kittle Dixon

Claire Kittle Dixon
Executive Director
Claire has more than a decade of experience in the talent development field. She…
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Katelynn Barbosa
Talent Engagement Manager
Katelynn started her career in the Koch Associate Program and then litigated at the Institute for Justice…
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Katy (Ranville) Gambella
Network Engagement Manager
Katy began her career at the Institute for Humane Studies and later joined the Cato Institute…
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Stephanie Keaveney, Network Engagement Strategist
Stephanie’s career started at the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal…
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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 free consulting and recruiting services to free-market think tanks, policy organizations, research centers, and capacity building institutions dedicated to advancing the principles of limited government and free enterprise. (We do not work in politics, nor do we work with organizations that address social issues.) 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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