Ep. 16 - Finding Your People

Trevor Blair, the founder of Blair Search Partners, joins May L. Harris, Esq., MA today on the Nonprofit Counsel podcast to discuss how to find the right people to help your nonprofit grow. Are all your preparations in order before commencing the hiring process? Where do you source your candidates from? How is your hiring process structured? Do candidates feel appreciated throughout the process, even if they're not selected? What organizational culture are you asking potential hires to leave their current positions for? Trevor answers these questions and others on today's episode.

 

IN THIS EPISODE:

• [1:17] Trevor does executive searches, recruiting and workforce development for nonprofits

• [4:48] Trevor explains why nonprofits should consider hiring a search firm and what the costs are if they hire the wrong person

• [9:07] Trevor discusses the first 90 days of a new employee’s tenure and what to do if an employee doesn’t work out

• [13:50] Discussion of the legal steps that should take place before recruitment takes place and the difference between running ads and recruiting

• [17:57] Discussion of office culture and the intangibles that are important to employees and the issues of having some employees work in the office and some who work remotely

• [31:04] Trevor explains the human-centered design principles of hiring and managing a team

KEY TAKEAWAYS: 

• [4:37] In the past, nonprofit organizations thought they couldn't justify the expense of hiring a recruitment firm. However, they now understand the importance of doing so to secure the skilled employees necessary for their operations.

• [14:51] Recruiting employees differs from simply advertising a job position.

• [17:24] The most beneficial environment for new hires involves the opportunity for mentorship through regular face-to-face interactions with their manager. Additionally, having autonomy over their schedule is also crucial.

 

RESOURCES:

 

For Profit Law Group - Website

Nonprofit Counsel - Website

Nonprofit Counsel - Instagram

Nonprofit Counsel - Linkedin

https://blairsearchpartners.com/

 

May Harris has been a pioneer of nonprofit law practice for over a decade, having founded For Purpose Law Group in April 2012. She serves the nation's nonprofit sector with unparalleled expertise, prioritizing her client's missions, visions, and values. She specializes in nonprofit & tax-exempt organizations, social enterprise & business law, and estate planning & charitable giving.

 

GUEST BIOGRAPHY: 

A native of San Diego, Trevor Blair has over 20 years of experience in executive search, recruiting and workforce development. He began his career with Manpower, a global provider of recruiting and HR solutions, and was initially based in Sydney. After five years with the Australian operation, he transferred back to the US for graduate school and then rejoined Manpower in San Diego. After serving several years as a Business Development Manager, he shifted focus to building the company’s workforce development and executive search practices. During this time, Trevor worked closely with nonprofit organizations to develop training and job placement programs for

underserved communities. He also helped secure public and private funding to back those programs, in addition to providing support in the areas of executive search and recruiting. In 2016, he leveraged this experience to launch a new firm, Blair Search Partners, specializing in search engagements for nonprofit and public-sector clients. Today, the firm manages 30-40 search engagements annually for clients across California and on the East Coast as well. BSP’s work spans almost every area of the sector, including philanthropy, human services, education, professional associations and the arts. Trevor’s community engagement has included numerous organizations, including his current board and committee positions with LEAD San Diego (immediate past chair), Zero8hundred (immediate past chair), and Catalyst of San Diego & Imperial Counties. Outside of career, Trevor is an avid endurance athlete, having competed in over 200 triathlons worldwide. He is a 10-time Ironman finisher and 3-time Boston Marathon finisher. He holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania (summa cum laude) and an MBA from the University of Southern California. Trevor and his wife Megan live in the Point Loma neighborhood of San Diego with their daughter Eleanor (5) and son Julian (3).