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 #30: Dear Valentine, Your Reputation Stinks

February 14, 2012

heartSo here you are on Valentine’s Day, sitting alone in tears watching The Notebook. Why? Because you’re a nonprofit manager who has had difficulty filling key positions in your organization.

Nonprofits regularly ask me why they are having problems hiring for a role. Often, it’s because the opening is a challenging one to fill (i.e. fundraising!); but sometimes it’s due to reputational issues. In this market, candidates are skittish about joining an organization with anything less than a solid character.

Candidates in the hunt for a job take into account several reputational factors when considering whether they want to work for an organization. Here are several dynamics candidates talk to me about regularly:

  • Financial Stability – Is the organization financially stable? Has it had layoffs in the recent past? What does the 990 look like? If it’s a small, Mom and Pop shop, can it weather these difficult economic times?
  • Turnover – What is the turnover rate? Is it abnormally high? Why are people leaving? Do they sense they are on the Titanic?
  • Culture – What type of culture does the organization have? Is it a healthy, positive culture that helps employees learn and grow? Is it a vibrant, entrepreneurial place to work? Or is it “churn and burn”? Are there people in high in high places who are notoriously difficult to work for? What is the word on the street about the organization’s inner-workings?
  • Impact – Is the organization really making a difference? Is there movement-wide excitement about what the organization is accomplishing? Or is the work stale, staid, and inconsequential?

heart hire me not 2heart free marketIf you’re the president, executive director, or hiring manager for an organization that may have reputational problems, take heed, but don’t give up hope. Remember that repairing or changing a reputation takes time, but it can be done.

In fact, if you take action now, next year you won’t be sitting alone watching a sappy Rachel McAdams movie. Instead, you’ll have a repaired reputation and a happy staff with whom to hang out.

Next month we’ll tackle the nonprofit’s point of view when considering a candidate with a questionable reputation.

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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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