In this episode of Executive with a Cause, host Tammy Ven Dange chats with Keith Cantlie, Managing Director of Cantlie Recruitment, about all things in executive-level recruitment for Not for Profits. From the behind-the-scenes processes to salaries and even personal branding, you don’t want to miss this show if you are hiring executives or hope to be hired in this sector.
With skill shortages across all sectors and professional roles in high demand, Keith Cantlie’s recruitment role is as vital as ever. But how does he determine CEO material for Not for Profits, and what tips does he have for those wanting to transition to an NFP role?
Most organisations have a ‘must-haves’ list when envisioning their ideal candidate. But as Keith explains, part of his role is determining what needs to be filled by ‘skill’ and what can be learnt through ‘will’. Keith also encourages organisations to consider candidates who may appear ‘left-field’ and how they attract talent beyond salaries.
On the other side, we chat about where to start if you’re considering switching to an NFP executive role and avoiding simple applicant red flags, like attaching the wrong cover letter! Familiar to many executives, Keith provides tips on maintaining a personal reputation when your brand becomes entwined with your organisation. In addition, we also learn of the rise of the specialist and how career generalists may need to pivot their approach to keep up.
Thank you for listening to the Executive with a Cause podcast. Don’t forget to follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.
IT in Plain English
How do you decide what training is essential for your organisation’s IT team? In this week’s segment, Tammy discusses why Microsoft skills are becoming even more critical for organisations’ cybersecurity risks and IT administration tools.
Sign-up here to subscribe to the “Executive with a Cause” newsletter. You can submit your question to Tammy Ven Dange by messaging her on LinkedIn, and maybe she’ll answer it on the show.
Topics from this episode:
- 0.00 | Introduction
- 1.17 | Background of Cantlie Recruitment
- 5.17 | The process of recruiting a CEO for an NFP
- 6.50 | Working with skill gaps
- 8.55 | The challenge of a small market
- 11.20 | Tips for transferring industries
- 13.09 | Providing career strategy advice
- 16.10 | Expectations as a candidate
- 20.09 | Candidate red flags
- 22.41 | Recognising volunteer experience
- 25.00 | Considering your online footprint
- 31.30 | Repairing your reputational brand
- 36.42 | Tips for organisations
- 38.37 | Salaries
- 49.40 | The rise of the specialist
- 52.29 | Closing advice
- 58.03 | IT in Plain English
Quotes from Keith in this episode:
“The first part I want to do is sit down with the board or hiring committee of the organisation, and really understand what the organisation is looking for right now. And then to understand what’s the values what’s the purpose of the organisation. I do that to get a sense of the compatibility so I can understand enough to explain to applicants about the organisation. And the second part is understanding the capability the organisation requires of the applicant. Capability is interesting because some organisations are ready where they can take someone who will step-up into their first CEO role, and some organisations need someone who already has a track record. And it just depends on what cycle or evolution of change that Not for Profit is at during that time.”
“The way to work through skill gaps is to really unpack what the day-to-day life of an executive or CEO will be. And then understand, what are must-haves?”
“When I recruit for a position, I first try and understand what is the compatibility and commitment the person needs to take on the job., And then how much capability do they need? Because we need all of the will and most of the skills because there are some things you can learn. So that’s the really hard part; you’ve got to figure out what’s the part you can’t learn; you’ve got to have experience or applied expertise in that area.”
“There are people in government roles who want to give back; they want to move out of a larger bureaucracy into something where their work is more tangible, and they can see the outcomes of their work. And then there’s the private sector. There’s quite a range of people in the private sector who have had leadership roles who want to move from the ‘for profit’ to the ‘for purpose.’”
“The challenge I think with employers is when they look for ‘like-like’. They look for someone who looks like them. They don’t see the transferable skills immediately, and it takes a little bit of time to work with them to see them; I like to call it, the ‘left-field’ candidate. It might be someone who is not from their sector but may be highly successful in the role.”
“So, you’ve got to lay the groundwork first. Preparing your brand to connect with the organisation.”
“The first step is to ring me, which lots of people don’t. They’ll read the position description and submit the application. So the biggest tip I have is to call the recruiter, talk to them about yourself and the role and how you might fit in the organisation.”
“A CEO position is self-selection in itself. You have to be able to see yourself in the job. Because if you can’t see yourself in the job, or have trouble filling in your application, then that again may say something about the job.”
“I want to triangulate, in a way, what they’ve got in the CV with what they’re saying in the cover letter. Because if you just look at the CV, you’ll just see the skill or expertise, but with the cover letter, it might get you a deeper idea of the compatibility on why they’re applying to the role.”
“I think the world is looking for people that have specialised expertise. Which is a challenge for the generalists. But I often tell generalists they’ve got to turn themselves upside down and project your specialisations.”
Links & Resources
- Connect with Keith on Linkedin and follow Cantlie Recruitment on Linkedin
- Visit Cantlie Recruitment’s website
- Visit Lifeline Canberra’s website
Other Episodes Mentioned in this Show
- Watch our Episode 01 interview with Carrie Leeson of Lifeline Canberra
- Watch our Episode 13 interview with Jean Giese of VolunteeringACT
Credits
Thanks to our Producer, Nick Whatman, and the entire team at Lonsdale St. Studio. Thanks also to our Digital Content Creator, Laura Kleinrahm.
Tammy Ven Dange is a former charity CEO, Not for Profit Board Member and IT Executive. Today she helps NFPs with strategic IT and data decisions with her business, Roundbox Consulting.
