Rethink hiring for a shrinking talent market
A checklist for nonprofit HR teams
Great people aren’t skipping your jobs. They’re getting stopped at the start. Rigid job requirements. Long, outdated applications. Processes that prioritize pedigree over potential. For nonprofits facing rising vacancies and tight budgets, this kind of friction turns mission-critical roles into missed opportunities.
And in today’s climate, that friction hits harder.
According to the National Council of Nonprofits, nearly 75% of nonprofits reported job vacancies in 2024, with over half saying they’re worse off than before the pandemic. Lean HR teams are stretched thin — managing rising costs, complex structures and a tight labor market.
This isn’t a job board problem. It’s a strategy problem.
Rethinking your hiring practices
The traditional hiring playbook isn’t working - especially for nonprofits feeling the pressure to do more with less. When talent is scarce and time is tight, it’s tempting to stick with familiar hiring filters. But pedigree-based job requirements and outdated application processes often exclude capable, mission-aligned candidates before they even have a shot. What’s needed isn’t just more job posts - it’s a fundamental shift in how we define “qualified.” That’s where skills-first hiring comes in.
Hiring practices shape more than just your team — they shape who even gets a chance. A skills-first model changes that. It emphasizes what candidates can do, not where they’ve been. This shift expands the talent pool, supports diversity and gives your hiring team a clearer picture of who’s ready to contribute and grow - even if they come from unexpected paths.
Why skills-first hiring works
Resumes don’t tell the full story. Skills do.
A skills-first model opens doors. It shifts the focus from pedigree to potential — from checking boxes to finding people who can actually do the work. That’s how you build stronger, more inclusive teams.
As McKinsey’s Bryan Hancock put it:
"If you have the skills, no matter where you learned them… you should be able to do the work."
