Navigating Challenges in a Candidate Short Market

I’ve read similar sentiments about the sector in other parts of the world too – where it’s common to hear that the recruitment of talented fundraisers has been a challenge for some time now and is showing little signs of changing. In both the UK and Canada, I’ve recently read that NFP and fundraising consultancies are noticing unprecedented years (2023 / 2024) in terms of seeing a huge demand for interim fundraisers for organisations until they are able to find permanent staff (articles referenced below).

Michelle from Gembridge recently wrote an article about some of the most common questions she is currently being asked… one of them being ‘Can you find fundraisers?’ She answers with ‘Depends’ – on what you are looking for and what your expectations are. But the short of it is yes, we find them.

Here is an excerpt from Michelle’s article:

Sometimes the search is straightforward, but more often it is challenging. The Gembridge team identifies the right candidate(s) through various search avenues, or the right person applies through targeted advertising at the right time, and our hard work yields a shortlist, ideally of both quality and quantity. For many roles, we need to proactively search, think out-of-the-box, and search far and wide (including interstate and overseas), plus consider new talent with transitional skills into the fundraising space, and it takes a little longer. 

But why is this happening? Why has it been a candidate short market? Let’s look at some of the trends we’re seeing.

Trends Contributing to the Candidate Shortage

• Burnout:

  Fundraising is a demanding field, and burnout is all too common. Many talented individuals are taking breaks or leaving the sector altogether. The flip side is that we are seeing some people who are getting into fundraising at the start of or early in their career. Plus, may people do come to us when they are wanting to make a career change and move into the sector.

• Expectation Gap:

  We sometimes see a gap between what employees want and what employers are offering. Candidates highly value flexibility and hybrid work arrangements, but many employers are pushing for more time in the office than not.

• Salary Constraints:

  NFPs often operate on tight budgets, limiting what they can offer in terms of salary. Meanwhile, candidates face economic pressures and rising living costs, making them less willing to move for a similar level of pay that they are already on, or able to accept lower pay. If your hands are tied in terms of salary, are there other benefits you can provide? Think – flexibility, additional leave, offer a higher salary but at 0.8FTE, increased opportunities for professional development, providing staff with mentors.

• Lack of Growth Opportunities:

  Candidates want to see clear pathways for growth and development. If a role or organisation doesn’t provide these, it becomes less attractive.

• Unrealistic Role Expectations:

  Many candidates avoid roles where they feel set up for failure. Clear, realistic role scopes and responsibilities are crucial. 

Looking Ahead

Even with the above trends, we still see hope for the future! As mentioned, we do tend to successfully find fundraisers and help our clients add gems to their teams. It takes experience, time, effort, networks, creativity, and persistence.

We work together closely with our clients and know that these are some of the strategies that for-purpose organisations can implement to stay competitive and attract top talent.

Strategies for Attracting Quality Candidates

1. Know What You Want:

• Define the role clearly. What are its objectives? Are they realistic?

• Understand where this role fits within your team and what gap it fills.

• Assess the salary—ensure it’s competitive and realistic for the required experience level.

• Consider if part-time hours are genuinely feasible.

• Clarify the attributes you seek in a candidate.

If you’re uncertain about any of the above, do some research, consult colleagues and peers in the sector, or reach out to us to work through this.

2. Enhance Your Employer Brand:

• Know your organisation’s reputation within the sector.

• Develop a compelling Employee Value Proposition (EVP). Why should someone choose to work at your organisation?

• Ensure this is communicated clearly throughout the recruitment process. Candidates are often interviewing elsewhere whilst also interviewing with you, so make sure your organisation stands out.

3. Streamline the Recruitment Process:

• Plan your process in advance.

• Keep the time between interviews short. Book interview panels early.

• Have a clear plan for the offer stage. Can you make offers pending reference checks? Communicate any necessary employment checks early and coordinate with the appropriate people to expedite them.

• We frequently see great candidates lost due to lengthy recruitment processes.

4. Conduct Effective Interviews:

• Prepare the right questions. Know what you need to learn from the interview.

• Highlight why the role and organisation are attractive.

If in doubt, consult with us. We can guide you through this.

5. Be Open to Non-Traditional Candidates:

• Consider candidates with transferable skills.

• We’ve seen many successful placements of left-of-field candidates that don’t come with the typical background. It’s not going to always work, but it’s good to be open to the fact that it can work out really well. Gembridge recently hosted a panel discussion at this year’s FIA Conference. It was about the diverse backgrounds and career pathways of fundraisers (our panellists had backgrounds of previously being a plumber, nurse, and customs officer – they made a career change and are now all senior fundraising leaders!)

• There is a brilliant article here from Veritus Group: Would You Hire a Fundraiser with No Fundraising Experience?

6. Onboard Effectively:

• Plan your onboarding process in advance.

• A warm welcome and a structured onboarding are crucial to retaining great hires.

While the market remains competitive, a clear, proactive approach can make all the difference in attracting and retaining top talent.

Finding the right people and building a strong fundraising team is important. And recruiting is nuanced; there’s rarely a one-size-fits-all approach.

This article was originally published at Gembridge.com.au.