Tell your benefit auctioneer when your nonprofit has a job opening

Tell your benefit auctioneer about job openings at your charity. She might know of someone great!

Here’s some food for thought. If you’re a non-profit with a job opening, tell your vendors.

In the last four months, I’ve received emails from several different sources related to jobs.

• Two high-level development women are seeking new positions
• Two nonprofits have open positions (One is an Executive Director; the other a mid-level Development team member)
• One fellow auctioneer in South Carolina forwarded me the resume of a friend he knows seeking a development job in DC. “Can you forward information about jobs to her?” he asked. (Which I did immediately … and never heard even a simple “thank you” from her.  Go figure.)

In his book Change Your Luck, Dr. Richard Wiseman mentions that sociologists have estimated that we all know approximately 300 people on a first-name basis. When we meet someone, we’re only one handshake away from their sphere of people.

Assume I’m at a party and meet Jennifer. I mention that I’m considering changing jobs. Jennifer might not be in a position to hire me, but she might know of someone in a position to hire me.

Dr. Wiseman then explains that being “lucky” becomes a matter of maximizing your chance opportunities by meeting more people.

Although social media has widened and perhaps diluted what we mean by “friends,” there is still something to be said for face-to-face friendship. If Jennifer really knows someone in a hiring position, that’s a warmer lead to me than most of what I’d see on Twitter.

The take-away: If you’re a nonprofit who needs a quality candidate for a job opening, one of your vendors might be your best resource.

Although Red Apple Auctions is a for-profit entity, I’m a non-profit “groupie.” I constantly meet new non-profits as I’m consulting with them about their galas.  

That means your sphere of influence just increased by 300 people by letting me know about your open position.