Staffing Software Management Positions in a Development Office

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Staffing Software Management Positions in a Development Office

Cheri Weissman

January 17, 2012


Of:

Protecting and Preserving the

Institutional Memories of

Nonprofits Since 1993

www.cjwconsulting.com

(866) 598-0430

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Affordable collaborative data

management in the cloud.


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Today’s Speaker & Host

Cheryl J WeissmanPresident

CJW Consulting & Services, Inc.Assisting with chat questions: April Hunt, Nonprofit Webinars

Hiring Development Support Staff

Presented byCJW Consulting & Services, Inc.

8331 Central Ave.Morton Grove, IL 60053

866/598-0430www.cjwconsulting.com

What You May Think You Need

• Experience in the database or software in use at the organization

• Extensive database experience

• Vertical thinker

Common Misconception #1

• I must have someone with experience in my organization’s software

– Use of software in one environment does not necessarily translate to effective use in another environment

– Other factors are far more important


• If I can’t find someone with experience with the organization’s software, I at least have to have a database expert.

– While it is important to be able to understand where and how data is maintained within an application, an understanding of databases comes with a level of technical awareness that’s wasted –and often dangerous - for users of a software application.

Database Experts

• People who work with databases are generally used to setting them up, designing reports, forms, etc.

– Application software does that work.

– Database experts tend to work around an application, not effectively within it.


• I need a vertical thinker– Vertical thinking is a type of approach to problems that

usually involves being selective, analytical and sequential.

– Vertical thinkers pick one idea and proceed until a solution is reached

– A vertical thinker must always be moving usefully in some direction and must be correct at every step.

– Vertical thinkers shut out all seemingly irrelevant data

– When confronted with a problem, vertical thinkers look for a solution by thinking about past problems. Because a certain solution worked once, it must be the best solution

• Lateral Thinking

• Lateral thinking is about reasoning that is not immediately obvious and about ideas that may not be obtainable by using only traditional step-by-step logic

• Lateral thinkers welcome and explore seemingly irrelevant facts or ideas, whereas vertical thinkers shut out all irrelevant data

• When trying to solve a problem, it is very important to consider alternate solutions instead of forging forward with the first decent idea

• A lateral thinker thinks about the problem from many different angles. This results in a number of possible solutions to choose from, allowing them find a unique elegant solution

Pop Quiz!

• It took two hours for two men to dig a hole five feet deep. How deep would it have been if ten men had dug the hole for two hours?

Answer(s)

• Vertical thinking answer– If 2 men can dig a hole that’s 5 feet deep, 10 men can dig a

hole that’s 5 times deeper, so the answer is 25 feet

• Lateral thinking answer– 10 men would need more room to work side-by-side, so

the hole may get wider rather than deeper

– Ten men are more likely to disagree on a digging method

– More men could work in shifts to dig faster

– If there are 8 more men, are there more shovels?

– Would it make more sense to have 5 holes each 5 feet deep?

Requirements

• The ability to go beneath the surface to get the right (or best) solution

– Lateral thinking

• The tendency to pursue resolution

– When you see something that does not appear correct, find out why

– Don’t accept the apparently incorrect because it’s there

More Requirements

• Attention to detail

• Ability to multi-task

• Ability to prioritize

• Cooperative spirit

• Flexibility

The Most Important Requirements– Commitment to nonprofits

• Nearly everyone who works in the nonprofit community is potentially giving up something to do it: money, benefits, etc. If you are someone who realizes that what you gain is far greater than what you may give up, you’re in the right place

– Interest in fundraising• It is virtually impossible to effectively manage fundraising

data if you do not have an interest in fundraising and the ability to learn what it is and how it’s done.

– Comfort level with computers• If you tremble when your finger touches a PC key thinking

you’re going to blow something up every time you touch it, this is not the right position for you

Hiring Best Practices

• Protect your organization – commit to screening• Establish a standard screening policy• Conduct comprehensive criminal checks• Confirm resume claims• Conduct international background checks• Verify salary• Order a motor vehicle record report• Streamline screening processes• Create a clearer applicant picture• Reassess your screening program annually

Compensation

• Salaries are widely divergent depending upon geographical area, size/budget of organization

• Salary range for data entry positions

– $22,000 to $26,000

• Salary range for database manager positions

– $25,000 to $32,000

• Salary range for Development office manager

– $30,000 to $45,000

Job Description

• Consider including characteristics such as “creative thinker”, “team player”, “good communicator”, or “flexible”

– Even a data entry position requires these traits in a nonprofit environment

– People who are strong in technical skills can be seriously lacking in people/social skills

• Consider “college degree or experience” as an alternative to requiring a degree

Job Description

• Creative thinkers respond positively to creative job postings.

– If you want someone with a sense of humor, include something in the job description that will appeal to that person

– Avoid standard cliches like “thinks outside the box”

– Use the job description/posting to represent your organization as positively as possible

Job Description

Description

The mission of Anixter Center is to enhance the ability of individuals living with or at risk of disabilities to live, learn, work, and play in the community. At 35 locations across greater Chicago, Anixter Center serves 5,000 children and adults with disabilities – and their families – through a wide variety of services, including: • education, training, and employment, • housing and residential services, • life skills and case management, • communication and socialization, • rehabilitation and recreation, • health care and prevention, and • counseling and support. To achieve an even deeper impact and permanent effect, Anixter Center is also a leading advocate – statewide and nationally – for the rights of people with disabilities to be full and equal members of society. According to Crain’s Chicago Business, Anixter Center is the 13th largest nonprofit organization in Chicago. For more information, go to www.anixter.org

http://www.anixter.org/

How to Interpret a Resume

Term:

Bright

Intelligent

Computer-literate

Great communicator

Detail-oriented

Sees the big picture

Prompt

Hard working

What it really means:

Wears lots of yellow and red (usually together)

Got a gold star for spelling in first grade

Knows the difference between a mouse and a terminal

Fired from his last job for telling the boss exactly what he thought of him

Will spend eight hours perfecting a 2-minute job

Hasn't got a clue about how to do the work required to get to the big picture

First one out the door at quitting time

For at least at ten minutes a day

Testing

• Skills

• Aptitude

• Personality

• Behavior

Psychometric Testing

Question 1

In charge and firm Expressive and hopeful Faithful and helping Meticulous and detailed

Question 2

Articulate and strong Animated and persuasive Peaceful and harmonious Studious and reasoned

Question 3

Fun-loving and popular Patient and supporting Formal and principled Powerful and assertive

Question 4

Amicable and quick Reserved and co-operative Consistent and correct Forceful and goal-oriented

Psychometric Testing

Question 5

Empathic and patient Organized and thoughtful Independent and bold Outgoing and gregarious

Question 6

Fair and faithfulAnalytical and well disciplined Fast and reinforcing Interacting and open

Question 7

Methodical and logical Task-focused and confronting Spontaneous and spirited Tolerant and laid back

Question 8

Logical and controlled Strong and well argued Good mixer and lively Steadying and moderating

Test Results

• Overview of Cheri

– Logical and reflective

– An individualistic person who likes to work in own time and space

– Unemotional thinker

– Needs peace and quiet and time to collect all the data

Test Results

• Cheri in detail– Cheryl is a visionary and perfectionist who sets high standards for herself and

others. She is often her own severest critic. She is self contained a logical thinker and intellectual. She excels at solving complex problems provided she is given the time to master the technical detail.

– Her faith in her inner vision is immoveable and she will depend on her intuition to inspire her when seeking solutions. Others value Cheryl's desire for perfection they depend on her for quality work and as someone reliable when it comes to detail.

– Cheryl depends on facts and is not given to flights of fantasy. She is an objective thinker and usually well versed in a variety of subjects. She will trust her inner faith rather than accepting popular beliefs. As a truly independent thinker she can be stubborn in pursuit of what she identifies as the correct solution and this may not necessarily be the most popular one.

– Cheryl values correctness and is demanding of self and others, she does not like being criticized. She is neat and tidy both at home and work and is intolerant of others who are not. She gets irritated by excessive enthusiasm preferring to deal with facts.

Test Results

• Cheri in detail continued– She focuses inward as an objective thinker and she rationalizes her

view of the world through concrete facts. She tends not to trust strangers and is concerned about her family, reputation and job.

– She appreciates any extra time that can be given to her to master technical subjects. She can become immersed in all the minute detail yet stay focused on the task in hand. Cheryl conveys great precision and economy of effort in both thought and language.

– She may impress others, albeit unintentionally, by knowing something worthwhile about many things, especially when she speaks about one of her specialized subjects. Although quiet and reserved, she can articulate well on a subject to which she is devoted. The process of objective analysis is a source of great enjoyment to her, with the outcome often of much less importance.

Test Results

• Cheri in detail continued– She is usually neat, tidy and orderly, both at work and at

home. Her strength is her ability to act correctly and to stay with projects until they are complete. Her desire for privacy sometimes generates a vague feeling in others that there is an unlived life that may be passing her by. She will tend to seek solutions to current challenges in the successes of her past experiences.

– Others see her as intellectually independent. She is strongly motivated to get things right, especially factually, and to be most effective she should be allowed to operate in a private environment. Whatever she is doing she will accomplish with orderliness and reliability.

Test Results

• Cheri's personal strengths – Strong work ethic and pay great attention to detail. Good

powers of concentration enable you to digest facts and figures easily.

– Is disciplined, precise and thorough. To you consistency in standards is very important.

– Values structure and order and encourage this in others. – Has a great deal of common sense, used when reaching

conclusions. – Unassuming demeanor; quietly goes about the task achieving

many successes without hailing them from the rooftops. – You can also be diplomatic when the situation calls for it.

Test Results

• Cheri's personal weaknesses– You like to mull things over and this could manifest in you having

difficulty "switching off" from work. – Your reluctance or difficulty in sharing concerns and reservations,

except with close and trusted peers, possibly means that you do not share your concerns but take them home with you.

– Over-caution is instinctive with you; therefore, you always inject time into decision-making and may require extra time to complete tasks.

– You can be unwilling to bend rules, sometimes even in an emergency. – Your desire to organize your thoughts can make you slow to articulate.

Others often read this hesitancy as you being unsure of your position. – You do not like giving quick responses as you value time for reflection. – Showing your true feelings is not something that comes easily to you

and you can also ignore others' feelings as you usually put facts before feelings.

Test Results

• Cheri's ideal work environment– You need an environment where your desire for perfection is

valued by others and where you are able to work independently and objectively.

– A place where you can concentrate quietly and have time for reflection and meditation is a must.

– Gathering all the information and, space to store it, is important to you, as is technological support.

– You like people around you to be organized and consistent, enabling you to have the resources, and time to prepare for meetings or discussions.

– An unhurried environment where there is plenty of time carefully allocated to allow you to express your views is also a requirement.

The Interview

• Ask questions that can help determine levels of:

– Commitment to excellence

– Attention to detail

• Present a theoretical situation and ask how candidate would address it

– Determine if candidate can think laterally

• Ask what type of work environment they prefer

• Use the psychometric test results!


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