Recruiting top talent is crucial for any nonprofit organization, and your website is often the first point of contact between potential candidates and your organization. However, many nonprofits struggle to use their website effectively for recruitment.
Most marketing departments are focused on aligning their website and communications to engage with their community and donors. Marketing is often operated independently from HR departments. However, with the increase in demand for talent, there has never been a time when HR and marketing departments have worked together more closely.
In this blog post, we’ll share 7 ways that your nonprofit can leverage its website to attract top talent and make the recruitment process easier and more efficient.
1. Make it easy to apply
Your website should have a clear and simple application process that allows potential candidates to submit their resumes and cover letters with ease. Create an online application form that can be filled out and submitted directly through your website. Additionally, make sure that your application process is mobile-friendly, as many job seekers use their smartphones to apply for jobs. Conducting an HR assessment can be a useful exercise to determine the ease and accessibility of your application process.
2. Highlight your mission and values.
Nonprofit organizations are often driven by their mission and values. Make sure that these are prominently featured on your website, as they can be powerful motivators for potential candidates.
Most nonprofits allocate resources to ensure that their content strategy is aligned with their mission to best engage donors and their community, and the same effort should be spent in aligning your content with recruitment goals. Include a section on your website that clearly explains your organization’s mission, vision, and values. This will help potential candidates understand what drives your organization and if it aligns with their own values
3. Showcase your team.
Potential candidates want to know who they’ll be working with if they join your organization. Include a section on your website that features your current team members, with photos and short bios to give visitors a sense of the people behind your organization. This will give potential candidates a glimpse of the culture and team dynamics of your organization, which can be a deciding factor for many job seekers.
4. Share employee testimonials.
Nothing is more powerful than hearing from current employees about their experiences working for your organization. Include employee testimonials on your website to give potential candidates a sense of what it’s like to work for your organization. Not only will this support your recruitment efforts, but it will also support employee retention. Employee testimonials can give an inside look at the day-to-day operations, culture, and benefits of working for your organization.
5. Promote your benefits.
Many nonprofit organizations offer unique benefits to their employees such as flexible scheduling, the opportunity to make a difference in the community, and opportunities for professional development. Make sure to highlight these on your website to attract potential candidates who are looking for these types of perks.
If you are looking for support in expanding your own benefit offerings to make your organization more competitive, an HR consulting firm can help explore those additional options. Additionally, make sure to communicate the benefits of working for a nonprofit organization, such as the opportunity to make a positive impact on the community and the ability to work with a passionate and mission-driven team.
6. Use social media.
Social media is a great way to connect with potential candidates and promote open positions at your organization. Make sure to include links to your organization’s social media profiles on your website, and use them to share information about open positions, company culture, and more.
Additionally, consider using social media to share employee testimonials and photos of team events. This content gives potential candidates a sense of the culture and community at your organization.
7. Optimize for SEO.
Finally, make sure that your website is optimized for search engines. This means including keywords related to your organization and job openings in the content of your website, as well as making sure that your website is easy to navigate and load quickly. Optimizing your website for SEO will help potential candidates find your organization more easily when searching for jobs in the nonprofit sector.
Attracting top talent is essential for any nonprofit organization. By following these 7 steps, your nonprofit can leverage its website to make the recruitment process easier and more efficient. Your website is often the first point of contact between potential candidates and your organization, so make sure it’s a positive one.
It’s important to note that the recruitment process requires collaboration between HR and Marketing departments. The HR department needs to ensure that the recruitment process is smooth and efficient, while the Marketing department needs to promote the organization and job openings to reach potential candidates. By working together, HR and Marketing can ensure that the website accurately represents the organization and its culture, and that the right candidates are attracted to the organization. Leverage your website in these ways to ensure that your organization has the team it needs to make a positive impact in the community.
By highlighting your mission, values, team, benefits, and optimizing your website for SEO, you can attract the right candidates who align with your organization’s goals and values. With the right team in place, your organization can achieve its mission and make a bigger impact in the community.