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, everything sped up. Zoom made it easier to schedule and hold interviews quickly and candidates got used to that pace. Even though we are mostly back to in-person interviews, many organizations continue with at least virtual-first interviews. The result is a shorter hiring cycle… for the organizations that are ready.
The winners in today’s hiring landscape are the ones who prepare. They map out the entire process—who’s involved, what the timeline looks like, how many interviews there will be—before the job is even posted. That way, when strong candidates surface, there’s no scramble. No weeks of back-and-forth. No one “sitting on it.” Just a smooth, timely process that keeps candidates engaged and excited.
On the flip side, here’s what still happens far too often:
- A job goes live without a plan.
- The posting stays up for four weeks, even if a great candidate applies in week one.
- The committee isn’t even struck until after the deadline.
- Weeks go by before interviews are scheduled.
- Promising candidates drop off, get other offers, or simply lose interest.
Sound familiar?
Another challenge: too many cooks in the hiring kitchen. Consensus sounds good in theory, but in practice, it can be a trap. The more voices in the room, the harder it becomes to make a timely, objective decision. Personal biases creep in. The process slows down. And suddenly, the organization that wants to be “fair” ends up being frustrating.
And then there’s the classic trap: waiting for a mythical “better” candidate.
Yes, comparing a few candidates is helpful. No, it’s not wise to hold out for a unicorn. If someone strong shows up, and the only reason you’re hesitating is “let’s see who else applies,” you risk losing them—and ending up with no one. It's not about settling; it's about knowing what you need, recognizing it when it’s in front of you, and moving with purpose.
Here’s what we recommend:
- Decide the hiring process before you post the job. Who’s interviewing? When will it happen? What’s the timeline from posting to offer?
- Get clear on decision-making authority. One person needs to be empowered to move things forward.
- Work with a recruiter who can help keep things on track.
- Don’t wait for perfection. A great candidate today is better than a hypothetical “better” one who may never show up.
Nonprofit hiring doesn’t have to be slow. When the process is organized, thoughtful, and timely, you don’t just make a hire, you make the right hire, without burning everyone out in the process.