Nonprofit talent recruitment: 2023 trends

2022 saw many organisations growing or recovering staffing levels to pre-pandemic numbers, will the trend continue in 2023??If we have learned anything during the pandemic, it is that prediction the future is risky business. Here are some trends to watch for in 2023:

Trend 1: Employers will have a hard time finding top talent even as the economy continues to slow down. In the nonprofit sector, things are bit less dynamic and staffing level changes take a bit longer to follow the corporate sector. That being said, human psychology is such that when uncertainty is introduced, people tend to want to stay put and are less likely to explore new opportunities. ?

Trend 2: Someone will blink when it comes to salary demands. The stand off between job seeker's demands and organisational constraints will come to an end. Much of the salary inflation in 2022 has been due to staff shortages and a job seeker's market. Many organisations are reevaluating pay scales or seeing 30%-40% turnover which will bring about entirely new teams with updated salaries.?It is likely that the by the second half of 2023, salaries will become a bit more predictable. Sadly, they won't be decreasing..

Trend 3: Hiring will be challenging, just like it has always been. While 2022 saw a lot of hiring urgency, the talent market for experienced nonprofit professionals has always been? competitive. Roles such as Development Directors, Executive Directors and new growth areas do not have the talent pipeline to support the demand long-term.?These roles will continue to be challenging to fill. Insider tip: If you plan on hiring for any of them in 2023, think about investing in professional development for internal staff to promote from within.

Trend 4: Early/mid-career candidates will be in high demand. The layoffs and hiring freezes in 2020 will have a long-term impact on the talent pipeline. Many organisations didn't hire interns, new grads or entry-level roles in 2020, limiting the pool of candidates with 2-3 years of experience significantly. Three years later, we'll feel the pinch from not hiring development coordinators and events interns who would be future development officers and events managers, for example.?

Trend 5: The onsite vs remote vs work from home vs hybrid debate will begin to settle. It could still go either way, but just like salaries, the current turnover is creating new teams under new hiring terms and most organisations will settle on a final model which works best for them.?

While many organizations were growing or recovering staffing levels to pre-pandemic numbers in 2022, next year will bring changes to nonprofit talent recruitment. Whatever the changes, we are confident that the nonprofit sector will still be a great place to work and we can't wait to advocate on behalf of great organisations with inspiring missions!