What Does Your Organization Invest In?
What is most important to most non-profits? Most would say people. The front line staff that interacts with youth/clients/the public everyday and develop the relationships that foster lasting change. Doing other people’s jobs because they aren’t capable is a huge obstacle to getting things done as well. Yet as Michael Wade at Execupundit points out,
“We form committees and devote a considerable amount of time to decide on the purchase of computers …and then rush through selecting the people who will use those computers.”
We really turned the corner as an organization when we focused not just on training and staff development, but on taking the time to hire the right people.
1. We broadened the net of possible applicants by using online postings and a large e-mail blast to target referral sources including other youth serving agencies, ethnic advocacy agencies, local colleges and other Boys & Girls Clubs. This meant that our applicants started coming with a reference from someone we already trusted who understood our mission.
2. We hold out for the right person. We might hire a short timer to cover, but we committed to waiting for the right people. I’ve never regretted waiting.
3. We started asking behavioral based interview questions. “Tell me about a time . . . “rather than, “How would you . . . ?” These types of questions get to experience and talents. We also started asking them what they were proud of, what they thought great program looks like. If they felt keeping kids busy was a major accomplishment, then we knew we needed someone with a higher standard of excellence. We also started letting supervisors make the hiring decisions. We kept veto power but have never used it.
4. Most importantly, we started enforcing the 90 day probationary period. We tell new hires that our kids and teens deserve great. If you aren’t great, or on the road to getting there, after 90 days, we will move on and find someone else to fill the position. Everyone who we’ve hired has embraced this (who doesn’t want to be told they’re great?) because it also means that they won’t have to work harder than everyone else around them does. We’ve only had to utilize this a few times-and we have given people a second 90 days for extenuating circumstances, but it has made a big difference in the quality of our staff.
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