Inclusive and ethical recruitment for charities
08/03/2022
The pandemic has significantly changed the way many of us work. As well as the logistical difference of not always having to go into the office, the past two years have shifted our attitude to work-life balance. Remote working has widened the the jobs market. Geography is no longer a limiting factor for applicants as home-based or hybrid roles are more common. As a result, there is more of a 'buyers-market' in recruitment with some charities reporting the challenge filling positions.
We spoke to Amelia Lee, of recruitment agency Charity People about the current jobs market and how charities are changing their recruitment. We also spoke to Jo McGuinness of Children 1st about the process of making their recruitment more ethical.
Trends in charity recruitment
Amelia, who specialises in recruitment in fundraising said: “People are now able to be really choosy. They ask about the organisation, and benefits of working there. They want a step up, better holidays and a pension. This is forcing charities to think about what they offer and how to recruit to attract people.
“There’s a ripple of change across the sector as charities are reviewing how they interview and their application processes. Digital campaigns like NonGraduates Welcome, Show The Salary and Charity So White have been challenging discriminatory recruitment practices for a couple of years. I’m seeing candidates actively avoid charities seen to be sticking to their old ways.
“Many charities have reviewed and adapted how they recruit for this generation of hybrid workers. They want to get the best out of people. Many recruiters will now send candidates the full or partial set of questions ahead of the interview. Others may indicate the topics that will be covered. They recognise that nerves might mean that someone won’t give the best version of themselves.
“I’ve also seen recruiters changing the types of tests they set. Previously there was a trend to ask people to do presentations even if the job didn’t involve doing one. Now we're increasingly seeing a more inclusive set of assessments being used.
“People are continuing to recruit virtually and I don’t think this will change. Generally, first interviews and tests are done via video link, and second rounds in-person. I’d like to see more interviewers being clearer about what they expect, for example, what is the dress code, how formal is the process, who will be interviewing. All these unknowns add stress and can be used to discount good candidates. Charities are getting better at understanding what that feels like for candidates.
“I am starting to see more roles being offered to people who need training and support to get them up to speed. Previously roles ,especially in fundraising, were filled by people doing a sideways move. It is good to see more focus on development. Training doesn’t have to cost. Mentoring, coaching, shadowing are all good options to help someone gain the skills and support they need.
“There's a real appetite to have a more diverse workforce but there is a knowledge gap in the difference between inclusion and diversity. There are no quick fixes. Your person spec and application process can be as open as possible but if your culture doesn’t match, nothing will change.”
Inclusivity in action
Jo McGuinness, Head of Communities, Philanthropy and Partnerships from Children 1st shares how they reviewed their recruitment processes and the changes they made.
“Prior to this spring, our recruitment felt like a real struggle and we didn’t know why. We evaluated the candidate’s experience and our job ads and came to the conclusion that recruitment is generally not a nice experience for people looking for work. We reviewed our role descriptions and processes so they might appeal to more candidates giving us a chance to showcase our culture at Children 1st.
“We created a candidate pack including all the questions we thought someone would have. This included sharing snippets of our strategy, clear salary information, what a day in the life of roles would be, and how success would be measured.
“We ran two Q&A sessions on Zoom while the ads were live. This gave candidates the chance to hear from recruiting managers and put faces to names before choosing to apply or not. Candidates also had the opportunity to ask questions and we created an FAQ document which was sent to them. We wanted to keep the process as transparent as possible.
“Shortlisted candidates were sent an interview pack with the task and panel questions in. Providing the questions in advance really helps the process be more accessible to those who need more time to consider their answers, but it also just means you get better quality answers from all. Springing surprise questions on candidates just means that those who can perform in the moment, or can lie convincingly, get the job. We want answers that shows a candidate has considered what of their experience or knowledge meets our needs.
"There is still room for improvement. Next time we recruit we won’t be asking for covering letters and CVs. Instead, we will ask candidates to complete screening questions which will be used to shortlist. Others have done this and it’s worked to reduce unconscious (or conscious) bias, and helps those who don’t have reams on their CV still put their best self forward.
“Being ethical is about doing things in a truthful and transparent way – if we can’t champion that during our recruitment process when people meet our organisation for the first time, then we fall at the first hurdle.”
Ensuring inclusivity within charities is crucial to the recruitment process, giving candidates the opportunity to let their abilities outshine any interview nerves. Equally, using a modern approach is an effective way to attract more candidates to apply to job roles within charities.
