Here are 5 great questions to ask when hiring for NFP

Hiring for NFP can be a difficult task. There are so many candidates out there who have the right skills on paper for the job.

The best way to distinguish the best hire would be out of your shortlisted candidates is during a face-to-face interview. However, choosing the best questions to ask during your interview that reveals as much about the candidate as possible without throwing them off their game can be tough.

Here are suggestions of five great questions you can ask to find the best hire possible for your NFP vacancy:

Tell me about a time when you were really happy at work

This question will help you to detail the kinds of things that motivates the individual. You’ll also be able to distinguish whether your organisation is able to offer these things. For example, if the candidate was really happy when they’d received great feedback from a family that they’d helped; you’ll be able to tell that they were motivated by praise and acceptance.

Can you detail a situation where you worked well in a team and explain the role you had?

This one is fairly common across a number of industries, but it remains incredibly important for most NFP roles. Here you’ll be able to tell whether the candidate thinks themselves most suited to leadership and whether they are more of a follower. Dependant on the role you are hiring for, you should be able to tell whether or not they’ll be suited to team and work style required for the role.

Can you describe a time when you had to work within a limited budget?

It’s no secret that the non-profit sector is financially challenged. The candidate should understand this and be aware of the limited funds and resources that are made available to them. The ability to describe the creative ways in which they managed a limitation will be an enlightening reveal of their work style and thinking process.

Tell me about a difficult day you’ve had at work and why it was difficult

This question will also reveal a lot about what motivates a candidate, what they can find challenging and whether they are more logically or emotionally driven. Some candidates may struggle with the emotional elements of a role and therefore may not be suited to a role that can be emotionally challenging or draining. Where others may take this more literally and discuss a difficult problem that they had to solve and their thought processes.

How have your previous experiences prepared you for the non-profit sector?

This is quite an important question and is able to be answered by everyone. The candidates answer will detail why they’ve chosen to work in NFP and explain how their experiences (work related or otherwise) have prepared them for the sector. This is also a great way of discovering what motivates the person. Perhaps they are motivated by the want to help others or have a personal association with this particular NFP.

There are many more questions which can be asked…

If you’d like some general advice on the best screening questions to use in an interview, you can read and download our handy guide here. If you need help with your shortlisting process, get in touch with Employment Office on 1300 366573 or email info@employmentoffice.com.au.