How to fill in your vacancies

If you’re struggling to recruit for roles at your charity, you’re not alone. The UK is experiencing record levels of recruitment problems. According to the British Chamber of Commerce, three out of four companies are currently struggling to hire staff.

 

The charity sector in particular has a large number of vacancies – mostly due to burnout from the pandemic, and low pay. A report from Living Wage shows that low pay is a big issue in the sector, with 14.1% of jobs paid less than the living wage.

 

Meanwhile, a study for the Law Family Commission on Civil Society, published at the end of 2021, found that three quarters of charity leaders in the UK were worried that staff were at risk of burnout.

 

Here are some ways to fill your latest job vacancies.

 

 

Promote your charity

 

Having a good brand will help you to attract strong candidates. This takes time and effort, from promoting your culture on social media to giving prospective candidates a positive experience.

 

Resources for Employers says to make sure you reply to all online reviews, both good and bad ones. Also, you could share blog and video stories from colleagues about their work and what they like about working for the organisation on your social media accounts.

 

 

Write effective job ads

 

Job ads are the first thing people will see so it’s important to get them right. Indeed says to keep job descriptions concise at around 300 to 700 words and make job titles as specific as possible to gain the interest of the most qualified candidates.

 

Use plain English when writing your job ad and avoid jargon to make sure people can easily understand it. Resources for Employers advises speaking directly to candidates in your job ad, for example, using “you” instead of “the ideal candidate”.

 

Provide specific details about the role you’re recruiting for. For example, you could mention projects that you would like the successful candidate to work on. You should also promote your company in the job ad by describing what makes your organisation different to other organisations. Also, mention the benefits and rewards that you offer.

 

Resources for Employers also recommends separating essential requirements from desirable requirements to avoid discouraging people from applying. The desirable requirements could be learned on the job.

 

 

Give candidates a positive experience

 

Resources for Employers says that “the way you treat candidates during the hiring process mirrors the way you’ll treat them after hiring”. If people have a good experience during the recruitment process, they’re more likely to accept a job. On the other hand, if they have a bad experience, they’re less likely to accept.

 

To give candidates a positive experience of your charity, you need to make them feel welcome at all stages of the recruitment process.

 

Resources for Employers suggests shortening your application process by asking candidates to upload a CV and cover letter. It says: “Most candidates quit lengthy application processes. Applications that can be filled out in less than five minutes attract more applicants.”

 

When it comes to the interview, make sure you provide people with all the information they need to get there or join online, and let them know what it’ll involve.

 

Make sure you’re on time for the interview. Don’t leave candidates waiting. At the end of the interview, set expectations for communications so people know when they should hear from you. Make sure you provide candidates with contact details so they can get in touch with questions.

 

 

Be transparent about salary

 

Potential candidates want to know everything about the job, including the salary. Make sure you put the salary for the role in adverts so people know if they can afford to do the role before applying. This avoids wasting people’s time. The Show the Salary campaign launched two years ago to encourage charities and recruiters to disclose salaries.

 

 

Widen your search

 

As well as job recruitment websites, there are plenty of other ways to advertise a vacancy. Resources for Employers suggests:

• Sharing jobs on social media
• Attending job fairs
• Hosting recruitment events
• Talking about your culture and staff benefits on your website
• Uploading employee stories on the careers section of your website

Indeed says: “Social recruiting allows you to share job posting with your entire network and encourage a two-way conversation. Even if the people you reach aren’t interested in the role for which you’re hiring, it’s likely they may know someone who is a good fit.”

 

To give people a snapshot of what it’s like to work at your organisation, share photos and videos from charity events and day-to-day office life on your social media accounts.