Beyond the Resume

by Mary Ontko, M.P.A., CFRE
Senior Search Consultant
The Moran Company  “We Find Great Nonprofit Leaders”

Reputable executive search firms like The Moran Company add much value to a search process. They work with the nonprofit search committee or executive team to create a position profile and competitive salary range for the executive position being filled. They survey the organization’s board, staff and partners to create a 360 degree view of the organization’s needs, priorities and landscape surrounding the new hire. They research and reach out to qualified candidates – both those who are actively searching and those who are not. They develop relationships with resource experts, who help identify additional contacts to make as the search consultant sources qualified candidates.

These are all invaluable services that may be difficult for a search committee or executive team to replicate – and of equal importance is how a field of qualified candidates is screened and evaluated. Like most business entities, nonprofit organizations typically have experience screening and hiring from a field of qualified candidates. How are the efforts of an executive search firm different, and what do search firms find that a nonprofit organization might not?

Here are some things that set executive search firms like The Moran Company apart when reviewing resumes and assessing candidates:

1. A Dual Systematic Review. At The Moran Company, two senior search consultants separately review and evaluate each candidate application, using the attributes identified in the position profile as the gold standard. Based upon these evaluations, the consultants then come together to discuss each application and determine next steps in the process for each candidate. The opinions of more than one expert are important in giving each applicant an equal opportunity for review.
2. A Careful Look at Cover Letters That Tell a Story. Candidates should know the importance of a cover letter. It’s a chance to build the case beyond the resume, and to paint a more complete picture of the candidate’s professional history and interest in a position. It should go without saying that cover letters should reference the correct organization and position and should use correct grammar and syntax. At The Moran Company, we look for anecdotes in the cover letter that tie the candidate’s professional history to the open position. A candidate who has not worked in a particular field might use the cover letter to illustrate his interest in the organization’s mission – perhaps a personal or familial tie – in a way that would not be appropriate in a resume.
3. A Comprehensive Check of Resume Choices. At The Moran Company, we’re always surprised when key applicable elements of a candidate’s work history are not part of a resume, or when unrelated work is showcased unnecessarily. Resume lengths and formats vary, but the conscientious candidate will consider the position carefully and tailor the elements of the resume to support the case for hiring him or her. Candidates should also consider what their resume choices are telling the reader about them. For example, unnecessarily long resumes may be perceived as negative in that they may reveal someone who is not able to be concise in word and deed. At the same time, search committees may react negatively to resumes that leave out certain past employment, as they wonder about the reasons behind the omission. A candidate may show the most recent position as current, although he or she has left. Perhaps they began their job search while employed or do not want to be seen as unemployed. This may be viewed as dishonest.
4. An Insider’s Evaluation of Success. Numbers and statistics can be very impressive. Who wouldn’t want to hire a development officer who doubled giving in a year? Or an executive director who opened a new location in an underserved area? Numbers and statistics can also be deceiving. Our personal background in the nonprofit sector allows us to dig deeper by asking experience-based questions surrounding stated successes, which can help complete the picture. Asking a development officer to describe the process of building the relationships that led to large gifts can help determine whether the candidate can truly take credit for the gift or acted as a staff support for a larger team effort.
5. A Full Picture. References can be so helpful in creating a more complete picture of each candidate. Speaking with the references a candidate provides – as well as other coworkers, supervisors and staffers – can buoy or contradict what a candidate may have presented. At The Moran Company, search consultants also rely on the relationships developed with resource experts and others to help complete the picture of the candidate. When speaking with a reference, asking open ended questions and allowing the reference to speak freely is helpful, but so is approaching a reference with a specific question or information about the candidate in mind (e.g. “do you recall an instance when Candidate X led the identification and relationship-building efforts to create a new community partnership or to close a charitable gift? Can you describe this to us?”). It is also possible to learn more about a candidate’s personality and approach by finding their social media presence or other online references.

The executive search process is more than just putting out a job posting. Reputable firms like The Moran Company are able to work with nonprofits from start to finish, to create a position profile and recruitment approach that match the nonprofit’s needs, to use connections and experience to search high and low for qualified candidates, and to thoroughly vet those candidates in order to provide the nonprofit a slate of highly qualified potential executives for hire. While these tips can be helpful to any organization searching for a qualified candidate, using an executive search firm like The Moran Company can ensure success in finding the right candidate to help the organization achieve its goals.

We look beyond the resume. When you partner with an experienced search firm like us, you are making a sound investment in a critical hire that will save you time and money with the best long-term leadership fit for years to come. If we can assist your organization or association, please contact us for more information about our search process.

© 2018 The Moran Company, “We find great nonprofit leaders.” We specialize in searches for nonprofit executive directors, directors of development/fundraising staff, and other top nonprofit leadership. www.morancompany.com