Think back to the last time someone left your team.
What did it cost you? Not just in dollars, but in energy, morale, and momentum.
A vacancy almost always leaves a ripple effect: extra responsibilities fall on already-stretched staff, projects slow down, and board members feel the weight of uncertainty.
And yet, this scenario is incredibly common. Many organizations only start thinking about recruiting when a resignation letter lands on the desk. By then, the clock is ticking, and the temptation is to rush through a process simply to “get it done.”
The truth is, leadership transitions don’t have to feel like emergencies. When you recruit proactively, you shift from reacting to leading with confidence.
From “Post and Pray” to Proactive Recruiting
One of the most damaging habits I see in nonprofit hiring is what I call the “post and pray” approach. A role opens, the job goes up on a board, and the hope is that the right candidate will magically appear. It’s a passive model that often leads to hiring the “best of the pile,” rather than the best possible fit.
Contrast that with organizations who recruit proactively. They’re always paying attention to who is out there. They build relationships with people who might not be looking today, but who could be excited about a role in the future. They stay in touch with former finalists, cultivate volunteers and donors who have leadership potential, and make sure their employer brand is visible in the community.
Proactive organizations do not wait.
They:
- Track and revisit passive candidates.
- Build a referral engine.
- Tell a compelling employer story.
- Follow up with candidates intentionally and often.
I once worked with a nonprofit that did this exceptionally well. They consistently treated their events as an opportunity to connect not just with donors, but with future staff and advocates. When a senior role unexpectedly opened, they weren’t scrambling to “find someone.” They already had a short list of people who knew their mission, admired their leadership, and were ready to talk. That’s the power of proactive recruiting. It buys you time and gives you options.
Why Reputation is Your Hidden Recruiting Tool
Of course, recruiting isn’t just about finding people. It’s about attracting them. And in today’s world, your organization’s reputation is part of the equation. Candidates talk. They read Glassdoor reviews, Google your name, and ask former employees what it’s really like to work there.
I’ve seen organizations lose out on excellent candidates simply because they hadn’t tended to their reputation. Maybe they had a habit of ignoring applicants. Maybe their culture didn’t feel visible online. On the other hand, nonprofits that share authentic stories—photos of staff collaborating, posts celebrating milestones, testimonials from employees—create a magnetic pull. People want to be part of something that feels vibrant and healthy.
The question is not just “are we hiring?” It’s “what story are we telling future candidates, even when we are not?”
Hiring for More Than a Résumé
When it comes time to evaluate candidates, most boards and hiring managers lean heavily on résumés and technical skills. Those matter, but they aren’t what determines whether someone thrives long term.
What often makes the difference is emotional intelligence: self-awareness, adaptability, resilience, and the ability to build trust. That’s why I encourage organizations to go beyond traditional interview questions. Instead of asking only about accomplishments, ask about times they were wrong, how they handled conflict, or what keeps them motivated when work is hard.
Examples of Emotional Intelligence-driven interview questions:
- Tell me about a time you received critical feedback. What did you learn
- Describe a time you were wrong.
- What recent accomplishment are you most proud of, and why?
- How do you build rapport with someone who’s very different from you?
These kinds of questions reveal far more than a résumé ever could. They help you see how someone will really show up across 2,080 work hours a year, not just for a one-hour interview.
Don’t Wait to Build Recruiting Relationships
Finally, one of the most overlooked aspects of proactive hiring is the importance of building a relationship with a recruiter before you need them. Too often, boards are caught off guard by an unexpected vacancy and scramble to vet firms at the last minute.
The organizations that fare best are the ones who already have a trusted recruiting partner who knows their culture, their mission, and their goals. When a crisis hits, they aren’t wasting precious weeks explaining who they are. They can immediately move into action, confident that their story will be represented authentically to candidates.
Relationships take time. Don’t wait until you are in the middle of a transition to form them.
The Tale of Two Organizations
At first glance, Organization A and Organization B look a lot alike. Both are midsized nonprofits with committed boards, passionate staff, and a mission that matters. But when a key leader resigns, their stories quickly diverge.
Organization A is caught off guard.
On Monday morning, the executive director announces she’s leaving in six weeks. The board scrambles, but there’s no succession plan and no clear internal candidate to consider.
They post the job on their careers page and hope for the best. Weeks pass, but applications trickle in slowly — most don’t come close to what the role demands.
In the meantime, staff are exhausted, trying to shoulder extra responsibilities. Donors and partners start asking nervous questions about stability. By the time a new hire is finally made, the organization has lost momentum and morale is fragile.
Organization B’s story unfolds differently.
When their executive director decides it’s time to move on, the board doesn’t panic. They’ve spent years investing in leadership development, so there are a few strong internal prospects already on their radar.
Beyond that, their long-standing partnership with a recruiting firm pays off — the search team knows the culture, understands the mission, and is ready to help identify external candidates quickly. The board also leans on trusted relationships with community leaders, ensuring they have eyes and ears in the right places.
Within weeks, a strong candidate pool is assembled. Staff feel reassured, donors see stability, and the transition becomes a moment of excitement rather than disruption.
One organization is left stalled, waiting and hoping for the right applicant to appear. The other moves forward with purpose, equipped with a plan that keeps the mission on track.
The Ripple Effect
When nonprofits recruit proactively, the ripple effect is powerful. Staff experience less burnout, more collaboration, and renewed energy for the work. Boards lead with confidence because they’re not scrambling to fill gaps. Communities benefit from stronger, more consistent leadership.
At the end of the day, it’s not just about filling positions. It’s about sustaining missions.
QUICK TAKEAWAYS
- Proactive recruiting means building relationships before you need them.
- Emotional intelligence is often the best predictor of leadership success.
- Trusted recruiter partnerships save time and preserve momentum in transitions.
SIDEBAR: 3 Questions Every Board Should Ask Before a Leadership Transition
- If our executive director gave notice tomorrow, what is our plan?
- Who internally is ready, or could be ready, to step up?
- Do we have a trusted recruiting partner who already knows our culture and mission?