Recruiting Volunteers in Non-Profit Organizations Can Be Challenging

Overcome volunteer recruitment challenges

The Right Tools for Non-Profit Organizations

Well established non-profit organizations can act as launching pads for various careers in government, business and many other successful ventures. These organizations benefit greatly from using and embracing technology to engage/communicate with supporters. For the most part, NPOs are good places to work where high-achievers can go to make an impact in the world and set themselves apart in an ever-evolving workforce.

Non-profits everywhere, ranging from small grassroots initiatives to some of the most respected organizations in the world are turning to recruitment software to help streamline their hiring and find the best possible people to achieve their goals. Whatever the challenge, the growing HR tech industry offers an abundance of tools to ensure your organization is successful.

In this scenario, modern recruitment software tools offer practical solutions to these common challenges and many more.

1. Non-Profit Recruitment Teams Rarely Benefit From Deep Pockets Funding Their Operations

Not so surprisingly, charities, community organizations, social welfare organisms, recreational clubs or any other kind of not-for-profit institution don’t always have the budgets that companies in the private sector have. Every single dollar counts when it comes to fixing their budgets and spending. Having said this, choosing the right stack of recruitment tools is critical to saving on their bottom line and hiring the right people to help the organization strive.

Solution Save on Recruiting Costs with Online Interviewing for Non-Profit Organizations

Whether you’re starting off as a small local operation or you’re one of the bigger players in the non-profit sector, with video interviewing software, you can save considerably by cutting down on recruiting times and additional costs (like travel). Whether it’s pre-recorded or live video interviewing, cutting edge and engaging software tools can help NPOs effectively attract and hire the talent they need to accomplish their objectives without breaking the bank.

2. Recruiting Volunteers for Non-profit Organizations Is a Time-Consuming Task

While thoroughly screening volunteers might not seem like the best course of action for NPOs who are essentially trying to find all the help they can get, many organizations are realizing that to maintain their reputation, their volunteers need to (at the very least) share in the organization’s values.

“More and more organizations are screening all of their volunteers—not just those that work with children, the elderly or the disabled. That’s because they understand that failing to screen everyone means they are risking their organization’s assets, reputation and safety.”

Katie Zwetzig, VerifiedVolunteers.com

Headshot of Katie Zwetzig

Solution Quickly Filter Through Volunteer Applications

You can’t make any mistakes when it comes to vetting volunteers. With a full-service recruitment software including video hiring tools, you can interview potential volunteers at your convenience This allows your team to cut back on wasted time, review as many applications as they receive fast and efficiently, send applicant groups to team leaders automatically, and have access to video profiles for candidates. A proper applicant tracking system enables you to filter out people who may not have the right age or qualifications to help. You can set up custom filters to ensure you have the right volunteers for each event.

3. Non-Profits Must Constantly Be on the Offensive to Source, Hire and Retain Top Talent

With a diminishing unemployment rate in many modern economies, the best talent in today’s labor market has more options than ever before in the corporate world. Modern NPOs – which rely significantly on altruistic, capable and passionate individuals to sell and raise funds for their cause – can also benefit from millennials and Gen Z workers who are more inclined than ever before to work and evolve in the non-profit sector. But the real challenge lies in attracting that talent and getting these particular individuals through the door.

Solution Set Yourself Apart with a Modern Recruitment Process That Showcases Your Company Culture and Core Values

In many cases, for young and talented individuals seeking work in the non-profit sector, making the most money is not the ultimate end-game. In this context, recruiting these individuals is an entirely different endeavor than recruiting for positions in the corporate world. A non-profits’ recruitment process and the candidate experience it provides is an amazing opportunity for organizations to set themselves apart as the vehicle through which talented individuals can make a difference in their communities and help change the world for the better.

Our system enables you to enhance every stage of the recruitment process with videos, whether you are using the platform to filter, screen, qualify or onboard these new members you can incorporate video to ensure the right message is delivered to the right people at every step.

4. Cultural Fit Is Important in a Non-Profit Organization, And It’s Not Always Easy to Measure

Some of the best companies today know that culture drives recruitment and retention. Having said this, it takes a certain type of individual to dedicate their time and efforts to working within a non-profit organization. Without the proper tools, it’s not easy for hiring managers to get a total assessment of their candidates so that they can make informed hiring decisions and effectively stack their teams with qualified, like-minded individuals.

In non-profits, as much as recruiting is about sourcing talent and filling open positions, it’s also about treating a prospective employee or volunteer with the same respect as a current employee and about mutual gratitude for the interest in working together. In this line of work, cultural fit is not just a matter of convenience, it’s a catalyst for success. According to Patty Hampton, Vice President and managing partner at Nonprofit HR, having everyone aligned on one common goal and invested in the culture actually drives better long-term results.

Solution Effectively Gauge Personality and Cultural Fit With Video Hiring

With the right hiring platform, you can easily and effectively gauge an applicant’s enthusiasm, professionalism, demeanor and much more before bringing them in for a final in-person interview.

“When everyone on your team is invested in your nonprofit’s culture, mission, and goals, they’re also invested in driving long-term success for your organization. Employees who are a good fit with their fellow coworkers, their supervisor and the organization as a whole reported better job satisfaction, a greater willingness to remain within their current organization, and even showed superior job performance compared to those who were not a strong cultural fit.”

Patty Hampton, Vice President and Managing Partner
nonprofit HR logo

Headshot of Patty Hampton

5. The Non-Profit Hiring Process is Ongoing for Volunteers

For many non-profits, especially when it comes to hiring volunteers, it is not uncommon to have positions that remain open on an ongoing basis throughout the year. In many charitable or community organisms, when it comes to volunteers, a “take all you can get” approach is favored and a healthy, well-stacked volunteer pipeline is ideal.

Solution Set Yourself Up with an Extensive Database of Potential Volunteers and Qualified Administrative Candidates

The implementation of an up-to-date applicant tracking system to organize, filter and sort through your candidate list can significantly improve efficiency when the time comes to hire new staff for an initiative. Whether you’re looking to test an applicant’s skills, verify their work history, validate their personality or cultural fit or simply to get a better understanding of who they are, the recruitment software you decide on should have all the tools your non-profit organization could possibly need to find the absolute best talent in your area or abroad.

Engage, interview and hire top talent, faster, with VidCruiter.