The Complete Hiring Guide for Non-Profit Organizations

Non-profit organizations (NGOs) and charities assist tens of millions of people around the world with lifesaving food, medicine, education, and other necessary services that for-profit companies or governments are unable or unwilling to provide.

Many people feel drawn to serve their communities by working for NGOs, but there are some key differences between the way that they recruit employees, including sometimes severe budget constraints as well as a deeper need for all staff members to be aligned with the organization’s mission and values.

Nonetheless, a career working for NGOs, charitable organizations, and/or philanthropic foundations can be rewarding. In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about how to ensure that your personal values align with a nonprofit's mission and how nonprofits attract new talent, select employees, and retain qualified staff.

Understanding the Unique Nature of Non-profit Hiring

It goes without saying that private sector companies have one and only one goal when hiring new staff: profitability. Likewise, government jobs are, at least theoretically, designed to benefit the constituents. However, NGOs and charities are unique in that their overriding focus is on ensuring that staff members fit with the organization’s core mission.

Passion for the NGO’s cause often carries just as much weight during the recruitment process as do professional qualifications. This is because NGOs are led by intrinsically motivated individuals who will persevere even in the face of complex challenges and limited resources.

Another key factor when it comes to non-profits hiring new staff is how adaptable candidates are. A person who is flexible and able to handle fluctuating circumstances is essential because many staff positions have overlapping roles. However, above all else, a personal commitment to the organization’s mission is essential because non-profits want everyone on staff to embody the values and the spirit of the cause they represent.

Luckily, for the right person, the range of opportunities within NGOs is remarkably diverse, including administrative, communications, fundraising, and operational functions. Of course, there are some specialized roles like program managers, field officers, and technical experts, but generally speaking, working for an NGO ensures a diversity of different challenges, in sharp contrast to many private sector or government roles, which can be monotonously bureaucratic.

Smaller organizations often have a lean, very flexible structure where employees perform multiple functions and have to work together in close collaboration. Bigger NGOs, especially those with an international presence, typically have more formal hierarchies and more strictly defined roles and responsibilities.

Anyone considering working for an NGO should tailor their expectations accordingly, anticipating greater dynamism and broader responsibilities at a smaller organization and more specialization and procedural formalities at a larger organization.

Identifying Your Ideal Role and Mission Fit

As we have discussed, the principle determining factor for NGOs when recruiting new staff is mission fit. That’s why it is important that you understand how to assess which causes or missions resonate best with your personal values.

First, we recommend that you identify your technical competencies, particularly when viewed through the framework of core NGO roles such as project management, communications, finance, and/or data analysis. Next, it is essential to have a good understanding of your interpersonal strengths, including skills such as empathy, the ability to work well in a team, and cultural sensitivity and adaptability.

Non-profits highly value people who can bring to the table both practical expertise in key competencies, as well as those with so-called “soft skills” that will allow them to better serve the community.

Once you have a good grasp of what would make you attractive as a candidate, it is important to understand the critically important distinctions at an NGO between paid positions, volunteer roles, and board membership opportunities.

Paid positions usually include formal employment contracts and compensation, often with mandatory professional requirements or experience. Volunteer roles, on the other hand, are unpaid but are of critical importance to the organization and often serve as a pathway to firsthand experience in the sector and paid employment.

Board membership duties, on the other hand, are more about governance than contributing to the operational mission of the organization. Board members often play a key role in community representation and fundraising efforts.

Anyone considering working for a non-profit should start by gaining a clear understanding of what they can contribute and then proceeding from there to select the form of engagement best suited to their skills and desired level of involvement in advancing the organization’s mission.

Navigating the NGO Recruitment Process

Okay, so you’ve taken a long, hard look at your personal values, availability, experience, and ability to contribute to a non-profit organization’s mission. What next?

Typically, an NGO recruitment cycle begins with the publication of a job posting. This is sometimes done on the organization’s own website, but oftentimes, these are distributed widely across job seekers' portals, particularly those with a focus on the non-profit and international aid sector.

These job listings will highlight both the technical requirements of the role as well as a brief description of the organization’s mission and values. If you feel that you qualify for the role, the next step is applying for the position, which may require that you provide proof of your educational background, work/volunteer experience, and any specialized certifications.

From there, candidates should expect multiple stages of evaluation, including document screening, interviews, written exercises, and sometimes even practical assessments, because it is essential for nonprofit organizations to ensure that new recruits are aligned with their goals and values.

Hiring timelines in the nonprofit sector vary significantly, with smaller charities or NGOs often moving much more quickly and making decisions within a matter of weeks, while larger organizations and foundations can take several months for a candidate to clear approval from human resources departments, regional offices, and/or the board. Therefore, you should prepare not only for a potential employer to assess your skills but also your commitment to their process and culture.

To put your best foot forward, we highly recommend that you craft your CV and/or cover letter for an open position with an NGO in a way that presents both your professional qualifications as well as your personal dedication to their cause. A winning job application will demonstrate a balance between your technical expertise and your personal passion for social impact.

Candidates should be sure to highlight any experiences they have that demonstrate so-called “soft skills,” particularly those that reflect empathy, cross-cultural awareness, and community engagement. In particular, your cover letter should both express your understanding of the organization’s mission as well as how your background and beliefs can contribute to advancing it.

Exploring Volunteer Recruitment Pathways

Many paid positions at an organization, including those of a high level, are staffed by individuals whose first experiences working in the sector were on a volunteer basis. Not only are volunteer positions sometimes easier to come by, but they also open up doors for networking with fellow professionals in the sector and are a great way to build relevant experience.

There are a lot of volunteer programs that you can choose from. Most NGOs and charitable organizations actively recruit unpaid volunteers for positions that will help you develop your skills in valuable competencies such as communication, coordination, fundraising, and project management.

Key Roles in Demand at NGOs, Charities, and Foundations

Some of the most in-demand roles in the non-profit world include program managers (who oversee project implementation), fundraisers (critical for ensuring that sufficient resources are available), and communications officers (who craft and manage the organization’s public image).

When it comes to securing one of these highly coveted jobs, here are the kinds of qualifications that NGOs and charities look for:

• Program managers - a degree in international development, public administration, social sciences, or related disciplines. Previous job experience in project design, monitoring, and evaluation is also very helpful.

  
  

• Fundraising - a background in marketing, communications, or non-profit management. Previous experience in grant writing, familiarity with donor databases and application processes, as well as strong writing skills, are excellent to have.

  
  

• Communications - a background in journalism, public relations, and/or digital media. Previous experience that can demonstrate your ability to craft a compelling narrative.

Beyond just academic qualifications and related experience in these competencies, one of the best ways for candidates to shine is being fluent in multiple languages, having cross-cultural skills, and field experience working in the non-profit sector. Recruiters are always on the lookout for a candidate who can operate effectively in a dynamic and culturally diverse environment.

Building a Long-Term Career in the Non-profit Sector

Beyond technical skills and experience, one of the key factors to building a rewarding career in the NGO world is to commit to a lifetime of continuous learning, adaptability, and networking. Whether it’s continuing education in the form of specialized training or certifications or regularly seeking new ways to expand your horizons by tackling challenging projects, long-term success in the NGO world is about demonstrating that you’re flexible and adaptable.

Other great ways to further your career in the sector include attending workshops and conferences, participating in mentorship relationships (both mentoring others and being mentored yourself), and networking to gain valuable insights into how to navigate organizational structures and their leadership expectations.

For the very highest-level roles, you’ll need to cultivate very strong communication skills, be very literate when it comes to financial matters, and savvy enough to understand the ramifications of policy and political realities. Ultimately, however, the key to sustained professional growth in this sector is the true commitment to the organization’s mission and values ahead of any drive for personal gain.

The Secrets to Success in NGO Recruitment

Landing a job in the non-profit world and building a long-term career can be extremely rewarding, both on a financial and a personal level. Unlike the private sector or government jobs, where other priorities dominate, the priorities of NGOs are passion, adaptability, and alignment with the mission.

Attractive candidates need to demonstrate both technical competence as well as personal commitment to the competencies that NGOs, charities, and foundations need, including skillsets like communication, fundraising, and project management, as well as so-called “soft skills” like emotional intelligence and cross-cultural adaptability.

There is a wide range of job opportunities in this sector, including administrative and communications positions that operate in-house as well as field specialists and project implementation in diverse and often challenging environments.

The best way to get started is to carefully assess your skills and personal values in order to determine how you can best contribute to an organization’s mission. Many careers in the non-profit world start with volunteer service and then move onto paid employment. Crafting an effective application requires not just meeting the technical prerequisites but taking the time to write cover letters and demonstrate in interviews tangible ways to demonstrate your commitment to their cause.

In the final analysis, a career in the non-profit sector is not measured just by job titles or financial remuneration but by your ability to contribute meaningfully to an organization’s mission and thus deliver lasting positive change in the world.