The nonprofit sector is facing a massive talent shortage, which makes scaling a social enterprise extraordinarily difficult. To achieve impact, it's critical that social entrepreneurs attract, retain, and develop skilled talent. Competing directly with the private sector to do so is not only a good idea; it's a necessity for the best organizations to succeed.
As the head of Year Up, a social enterprise that has grown rapidly since 2001 (we have a 49% average annual growth rate in students served), I'd like to share what I've learned about going head to head with for-profit enterprises to secure the best talent. Year Up is empowering urban young adults with the skills, experience, and support to move them from poverty to professional careers in one year. We've been able to bring in and keep the right people by focusing on our mission, paying competitively, getting occasional help from professional recruiters, and ruthlessly focusing on talent development.
To read the original article: Nonprofits Need to Compete for Top Talent - Gerald Chertavian - Harvard Business Review
