A good recruitment plan includes a mix of recruitment strategies and various communication processes to inform other organizations and relevant communities of the available position.
Recruiting for skilled positions is becoming increasingly competitive, meaning nonprofits need to be creative in how they go about attracting the ideal candidate.
Assess where you are most likely to find your ideal candidate
- Are they already within your organization as current employees or volunteers?
- Will they be recent graduates from colleges or universities?
- Will they come from your employees’ networks?
- Does your organization offer a referral program?
Be innovative and prepared to consider several different methods to attract the best person for the job
- How likely is it that your chosen method(s) will reach your target candidates?
- What time, money, and effort is involved in each recruitment method?
- Does your organization have the capability and capacity to manage multiple recruitment streams?
Going through your regular channels may feel easier or faster but it won’t bring new or increasingly diverse talent into your organization. Positions should be advertised in a wide variety of places including:
- Community boards
- Settlement service agencies
- Employment service centres
- Cultural community groups
- Local community centres
- Local ethnic and community newsletters or newspapers
- Associations and organizations that serve ethnic communities
- Language schools
In short, your efforts should extend beyond the standard online and sector specific job boards.
Contact local immigrant serving agencies that provide employment advice and services to learn more about their programs. This raises an organization’s profile amongst new Canadians and those working with new Canadians.
In addition, organizations can take advantage of opportunities such as temporary foreign worker programs, post-graduation work permits for international students and immigrant-specific programs.
Recruitment timelines
The average time to fill a vacancy from posting the job to hiring a successful candidate is two months. To plan your recruitment effectively, consider these typical timelines:
| Task | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Advertise job posting | Two weeks |
| Screen resumes | One week |
| Conduct phone screens | One week |
| Conduct interviews | 1–2 weeks |
| Conduct candidate testing (if applicable) | One week |
| Complete reference checks | 1–2 weeks |
| Make job offer to candidate | 1–2 days |
| Total recruitment time | 8 weeks or more |
Note that currently employed candidates are required to give at least two weeks notice to their current employer, potentially more depending on their employment agreement. This will add at least another two weeks until your new hire starts.