Recruiting new members for a nonprofit board usually isn’t difficult, but it takes time and thought to recruit the members who can help the organization thrive. Recruitment should be an ongoing task for a board, complete with planning and reference checks, not a once-a-year scramble for warm bodies. (And it … Read More
The internet is full of templates on writing resumes, and every field seems to have its preferred formats. Still, there are some tips that apply to just about every resume. The resume (and cover letter) are how you get an interview, not how you get a job.This is your chance … Read More
Employers have a responsibility to be proactive when they become aware of a problem in their workplace. The highest-profile examples center around harassment and sex discrimination, but it applies to disabilities too. When an employer becomes aware that an employee has – or may have – a disability, they need … Read More
Brand new nonprofits can face challenges avoided by established organizations. One of the strangest occurs when one person has founded the nonprofit to address a problem about which they feel passionately, especially when they are more concerned about solving the problem immediately than about building a team to solve it. … Read More
As Abercrombie and Fitch is discovering, there are perils associated with making assumptions about a candidate’s religion, just as there are with assumptions about their physical capabilities. “Can you do this job?” applies to religion as well as disabilities. According to Quartz, In some ways, it seems that where Abercrombie … Read More
One of the most tempting steps to skip in hiring is checking references. You go to all the trouble of actually getting ahold of someone and all they say is “Yes, he worked here for those dates.” Still, it is important to do the leg work and, with luck, find … Read More
When you sit down to write up job descriptions, the first challenge is to figure out what the “essential functions” of the job are. These come in handy for hiring, especially if you have to choose between candidates with differing qualifications, and during discussions about reasonable accommodations with an employee … Read More
When an employee or coworker blows up in anger, frustration, or tears, most people have one of two reactions: run for cover or try to solve the problem. Unfortunately, neither is likely to truly help. The best thing to do is to help the person get it out of their … Read More
One of the primary responsibilities of a nonprofit board is to hire and supervise the executive director (if there is one), including setting appropriate compensation every year. Setting compensation is important for two reasons, one legal and one equitable. Legally, the IRS doesn’t like to see executive directors being paid … Read More
When people sit down to focus on a job description, they usually start with the tasks assigned to the position: bookkeeping, answering the phone, stocking shelves, designing products, leading classes, etc. This is the heart of a job, but it needs to be fleshed out for a complete description. A … Read More