Organizational Development

Talent Management Revisited: What Still Holds True in 2026

I originally wrote this piece in 2012. I am now publishing a refreshed 2026 version to reflect how talent management has evolved, while keeping the main ideas that are still true today. Talent management is often grouped under HR, but in practice it is something more strategic. It is a proactive people approach that spans the full talent lifecycle: attracting, onboarding, developing, retaining, an

May 6 Read more

The Unexpected Gift of Gratitude: A Christmas Story from a Recruiter

The holiday season is a time for reflection, gratitude, and connection, both in our personal lives and in the professional world. And this year, I received a little reminder of just how meaningful small gestures can be. Out of the blue, someone in my network sent me a recommendation on LinkedIn. It wasn’t prompted by a request or a milestone. It wasn’t strategic or transactional. It was just… genu

December 22, 2025 Read more

Investing in Short-Term Leave: A Strategic Pillar in Employee Satisfaction

We are excited to feature this guest post, by Lacey Kempinski from https://balancedgood.com/ When we think about workplace wellbeing and equity, covering short-term leaves isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. But in an ever-changing economy that significantly impacts the nonprofit sector, short-term coverage can improve employee retention, organizational health, and employment equity. When em

September 15, 2025 Read more

4 Ways to Help Your Team Prioritize Goals in Any Work Environment

We are excited to feature this guest post, by Liz Rejman http://www.lizrejman.co Focused, productive teams. Teams prioritizing goals that support the mission of your organization. The community you serve depends on it. But how can you support getting your team on the same page? It won’t happen organically. But it doesn’t have to be hard. It requires a combination of guidance, support, and accounta

August 18, 2025 Read more

Why Candidates Walk Away (and What They Tell Us After)

As recruiters, we see both sides of the hiring process. We know when a candidate drops the ball, shows up late, comes unprepared, or disappears after an interview. But here’s what many organizations overlook: candidates remember everything about their experience with you. And they talk. A clunky or unprofessional hiring process can quietly damage your organization’s reputation. We’ve seen it happe

July 23, 2025 Read more

The Secret Upside of Being a ‘Training Ground'

In my last blog post, I talked about how competitive the market for fundraisers has become and how organizations often poach from one another. One comment I’ve heard repeatedly, especially from larger shops, is a sense of frustration: “We’re tired of being a training ground.” They invest time and resources into junior fundraisers, only to see them move on after a year or two. And I get it, it can

July 8, 2025 Read more

You’re Not Losing Candidates. You’re Taking Too Long!

Hiring in the nonprofit sector is often more complicated than it needs to be. We get it, there are selection committees, packed calendars, people with big jobs and even bigger missions. But if your hiring process is dragging out over weeks (or months), you're likely losing the very candidates you’re trying so hard to attract. We started noticing a big shift in late 2021. Coming out of Covid, every

June 26, 2025 Read more

Beyond the Job Board: Why We Built a Proactive Sourcing Platform Backed by a Nonprofit Search Firm

When we, at Gerard Search , started building Phil’sJobs , we weren’t trying to create just another place to post nonprofit jobs. We built it because something important was missing. Most job boards are passive: you post a role, cross your fingers, and wait. But in today’s hiring landscape, especially in the nonprofit sector, that’s just not enough. We know this because we're a search firm first. W

June 10, 2025 Read more

Six Generations. One Workforce. Unified Not By Age - But By Purpose

We are excited to feature this guest blog post by Harvey Yeap Choong Hong, Creator of Six Generations. One Workforce. https://www.linkedin.com/in/harveyyeap/ I believed leadership meant setting direction and ensuring alignment. But over time, I’ve come to see that real leadership isn’t just about strategy. It’s about 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. That truth has never been more relevant than it is today. For the fir

June 3, 2025 Read more

The Myth of the ‘Rainmaker’: What HR Needs to Know About Fundraising Success

When I was a major gift fundraiser in the mid-2000s, I kept hearing stories about these legendary fundraisers; charismatic charmers who could effortlessly secure six- and seven-figure gifts over lunch. Even today, some organizations are still hoping to land that magical hire. You know the one: a fundraising unicorn who walks in with a Rolodex (who even has those anymore?) and “hits the ground runn

May 26, 2025 Read more

Are You Ready to Hire a Fundraiser? Here's How to Know

Hiring a fundraiser is a major milestone for any nonprofit. For the small nonprofit, especially, hiring a fundraiser isn’t just about having room in the budget. It’s about setting them and your organization up for success. We know that bad hiring decisions and turnover can be costly for any nonprofit. With a new fundraiser, there’s even more to consider, as they’ll need to build strong relationshi

May 5, 2025 Read more

“Not a Fit” or Unconscious Bias? Rethinking Hiring in the Nonprofit Sector

In recent years, we’ve seen a strong push for greater equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in the nonprofit sector. Most organizations genuinely strive to create inclusive workplaces, and many would confidently say they’re doing their best. But are we truly inclusive, or are we sometimes just checking a box? The reality is that bias is always present. It is human nature, shaped by our experience

March 17, 2025 Read more

Kickstart Your Charity’s Bequest Program in 3 Simple Steps!

You’ve likely heard about the mega-transition of wealth from the Baby Boomers to younger generations. Making sure your charity is comfortable in promoting and talking about gifts in wills is key to developing this kind of revenue! Remember that 30% of people in Canada are interested in leaving a charity in their will and 5% have already added a charity to their will – so let’s get cracking! Step O

February 19, 2025 Read more

The Real Reasons Your Best People Are Leaving (And Won’t Tell You)

As someone who’s been a recruiter and fundraiser in the nonprofit sector for a long time, I hear a lot. My conversations with candidates are always confidential, and unless I’m explicitly told to share something with an employer, it stays with me. What I’m sharing here is anecdotal. I’m not running surveys, conducting focus groups, or crunching data. What I do have is years of experience and count

February 2, 2025 Read more

The Smart Nonprofit's Intro to Hiring a Fractional Fundraiser

The Smart Nonprofit's Intro to Hiring a Fractional Fundraiser As a nonprofit leader, you've probably experienced this scenario: Your organization needs experienced fundraising help, but hiring a senior development director feels financially out of reach. Meanwhile, hiring junior staff often leads to high turnover and requires significant training time you don't have.  Sound familiar? You're n

November 8, 2024 Read more