Need to know recruitment advice

Third Sector Recruitment Marketing Expert, Steven Forsdick, provides Careers Content Apprentice, Nyasha Hernandez, with advice that those looking to recruit top marketing talent into the charity sector will definitely want to know.

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The digital age is becoming more apparent in the wake of viral phenomenas such as the #nomakeupselfie, helping fuel the high demand for marketers in the not-for-profit industry. So what can those in the charity sector do to attract marketing professionals whilst competing with corporate organisations for a shortage of quality marketing talent?

What are some of the more popular marketing roles that you are seeing searched for?

Charities are in need of people who can be responsible for the delivery of fundraising campaigns as well as someone who can steadfastly market the charity's message. So roles such as Marketing Manager, Direct Marketing Manager and Campaign Manager roles are increasingly becoming more important. With the charity sector getting bigger there has been more room for internal crossover, more room for internal marketing communication teams to be brought into fundraising.

What are the most important messages to convey when trying to recruit marketing professionals?

Recruiters and those looking to fill roles in their charities need to push the message that their job, is a job that can add value to greater causes. With charities that are competing with large corporations for talent, it can be beneficial to talk about the emotional benefits and job satisfaction that a candidate will gain when working for a charity, not just how much pension or holiday they can get. 

It's not enough to write that “it's a marketing role, this is the budget that you'll be in charge of, this is the skill requirement that you need, this is the job specification - please apply.” There's got to be more to it than that. The candidate pool and the job market are growing symbiotically, the amount of positions that are opening up, that need skillful marketing professionals are rising. A charity’s main goal is to market themselves and the role to attract the right candidate for them, pushing these two messages will help you achieve those goals.

Are there any differences between what large charities and smaller charities should be communicating when looking to hire?

If you're a small company talk about your ambition and how your potential hire can help you get there, if you're a large company talk about your success and how your potential hire can help contribute to further wins.

Include the things that make you unique. Large charities may have the resources to offer amenities such as a season ticket loan or a free staff canteen, which can make all the difference in a candidate coming to work for someone.

Smaller charities often have quite bespoke benefits. There's a dog's charity down in Sussex, based on a farm that allows employees to bring their dogs to work - it's nice. If you have a benefit like that, talk about it. What sets you apart will help attract the right candidates.

What do companies need to do to attract the right candidates?

The best thing that charities can do to attract the right candidates is to be different, engage candidates in a way that makes them stand up and listen.

It's not enough to put a job ad in the back of a magazine or on a website - this is too passive. Get in front of the candidate. There are advertorials, breakfast briefings, roundtables, supplements that we at Third Sector Jobs deliver, special reports that you can be included in, bespoke events that recruiters can take part in - ones that competitors may not be apart of.

Find out about our events by following our Twitter account

Whatever the size of your charity you need to be different to your competitor. Even if you don't have a natural competitor you are competing for the same top talent in the recruitment space. 

What are your top three recruitment tips for those charities and marketing professionals this year?

Be brave, be different and be engaged.

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