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

  • SEND US YOUR RESUME
  • CANDIDATES
    • APPLY FOR YOUR DREAM JOB
    • JOB OPENINGS
    • SIGN UP FOR E-NEWSLETTER
    • RESOURCES FOR JOB HUNTING DURING COVID-19
    • RESOURCES FOR JOB HUNTERS
      • JOB SEEKING TIPS
      • INTERVIEWING TIPS
      • RESUME TIPS
      • PREPARING YOUR RESUME AND COVER LETTER
      • CONSIDERING THE NONPROFIT SECTOR?
      • CONSIDERING A CAREER IN FUNDRAISING?
    • RESOURCES FOR PROFESSIONALS
    • RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS AND RECENT GRADUATES
    • RESOURCES FOR LAW STUDENTS & ENTRY-LEVEL ATTORNEYS
    • FREE-MARKET NONPROFIT DIRECTORY
    • PLACEMENT PROFILES
  • CLIENTS
    • NEED HELP WITH A SEARCH?
    • TIPS FOR HIRING MANAGERS
    • CLIENT LIST
  • ABOUT
    • SUPPORT
    • OUR TEAM
    • PARTNERSHIP WITH AMERICA’S FUTURE
    • ADVISORY COUNCIL
    • SUCCESS
    • TALENT TIPS
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • SIGN UP FOR E-NEWSLETTER
  • CONTACT

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

February 20, 2019

As you can imagine, we get dozens of job applications each week. While the majority of them are well thought-out, it’s clear that some of the applicants barely read beyond the job title.

And I’m not just referring to novice job seekers. Some of the most head-scratching applications come from experienced professionals.

As such, we thought it might be helpful to outline four things to do before you apply for your next job.

  1. Read the job description. Forgive me for sounding like Captain Obvious, but you would be shocked how many people apply for jobs without actually reading the entire job description. Now, we’re not asking you to read War and Peace (1,296 pages, if you’re curious). Job descriptions are typically a page long, maybe two.And why read the job description? Well, in order to find out two things: whether the job appeals to you and whether you’re a fit.First, are you interested in what you’re reading? Most free-market nonprofits try to be very straightforward about what the role will entail, whether that means extensive travel, fundraising responsibilities,  long hours of running regressions, or time spent entering data into Salesforce.  If you’re not excited about the role, move along.Second, are you a fit for what you’re reading? Again, most job descriptions clearly outline what the ideal candidate looks like. If that’s you or pretty close, apply! But if you’re not even in the ballpark, probably best not to throw your hat in the ring.

    While Nancy Pelosi might apply for the job so that she can know what’s in the job description, there’s an easier way: just read the dang job posting!

  2. Research the organization. Again, this seems like a no-brainer. But if I had a dime for every candidate who confessed he hadn’t researched the organization before applying, I wouldn’t buy my wine in 1.5 liter bottles.Before you apply for a job, make sure you know what you’re getting into. Are you aligned with the organization’s mission? Better yet, are you passionate about it? And if the organization focuses on multiple issues, are you comfortable with all of them?In addition to mission alignment, dig into other critical factors.  Do you like what you’re seeing about the organization’s approach to social change? Are you confident the group is making a difference? Who is on the board? Who are the key staff members?On one occasion, we were interviewing a candidate for a role with a state-based think tank in the southeast.  When we asked why the person was interested in this particular organization, he responded, “Well, it’s pretty much the same thing as the state-based organization in New York, only in the south, right?” Yes, exactly! State-based think tanks are just like Starbucks franchises. Same coffee, different state. Sigh. 

    On another occasion, we had a candidate back out of the interview process when she discovered she did not agree with one of the organization’s stances on a policy issue. I was surprised and disappointed that the candidate hadn’t done more research before applying for the job. The organization’s stance on that issue was well-known and could have been discovered in several clicks on its website.

  3. Check the organization’s 990. Not only will a 990 reveal lots of interesting information about financial health and other goodies, it will also give you a sense for what salaries look like (at least for some senior staff). This is especially important if the organization has asked you to provide salary requirements in your application. Why? Because if you’re applying for a mid-level role, it’s probably not wise to ask for a salary that is $10K higher than what the president makes.
  4. Ask around about the organization.Ask your friends and associates about the organization’s reputation, culture, and achievements. If possible, ask a trusted former employee for his/her thoughts; when someone is no longer dependent on an organization for a paycheck, the honesty increases exponentially.Find out all you can. What is the leadership style? What is the turnover like? What is the culture of the organization? What is the board’s relationship with the executive leadership? Does the board help the organization flourish or does it stymie progress? Does the organization partner with other like-minded groups or is it a silo?There’s a lot to learn about an organization that you can’t find online.

That wasn’t so painful, was it? And for the record, I was kidding about buying my wine in 1.5 liter bottles. That’s shameful. I buy it in a box!  

Keyword Search

Category Search

  • All Talent Tips

    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…
Read more

Katelynn Barbosa
Talent Engagement Manager
Katelynn started her career in the Koch Associate Program and then litigated at the Institute for Justice…
Read more

Katy (Ranville) Gambella
Network Engagement Manager
Katy began her career at the Institute for Humane Studies and later joined the Cato Institute…
Read more

Stephanie Keaveney, Network Engagement Strategist
Stephanie’s career started at the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal…
Read more

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

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.

Read more

Copyright ©2021 · Talent Market

Copyright © 2021 · AgentPress Pro On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in