If you’ve ever been in charge of hiring—especially at a nonprofit—you already know it’s more than filling a seat. It’s hope. It’s pressure. It’s messy spreadsheets, missed follow-ups, gut feelings, and quiet guilt. And if you’re like many of the nonprofit leaders I’ve worked with, hiring is something you’re doing on top of everything else. It’s a task squeezed between board reports and budget reviews, one you care about deeply but rarely have the time or support to do well.
This blog, Lessons from the Longlist, is where I get honest about what really happens behind the scenes of the hiring process. I’ll share reflections from my 15 years as a recruiter and consultant for nonprofit organizations, including the vulnerable moments, insights, and lessons that aren't typically shared publicly. The missteps and the wins. The long interviews and the even longer debriefs. The searches that sparked transformation, and the ones that revealed where things were still broken.
Why the longlist? Because it’s a reflection of the many dimensions of nonprofit leadership. It requires resilience, a mindset of unwavering determination, and the fortitude to tackle the complexities that come with leading mission-driven organizations. The longlist captures this rich diversity of qualities, offering insights into what it truly takes to lead with purpose, clarity, and conviction. Every candidate (whether they are hired or not) reveals something valuable about leadership, mission alignment, and the essential traits that drive impactful work.
And sometimes, it’s the ones who didn’t get the job who leave the biggest impression.
Some of these posts will be personal. Some will be practical. All of them are for folks trying to hire better, with more compassion, more confidence, and less chaos. Because hiring isn’t just a logistical task, it’s a deeply human one. And if we want to build teams that reflect our values and aspirations, we have to start by telling the truth about what hiring really looks like.
Whether you're a nonprofit Executive Director doing your third search this year, or someone who’s ever lost sleep over a candidate you never called back, I hope these lessons help you feel a little less alone, and a little more equipped.
Let’s get into it.
