Nonprofits, like many other organizations have to manage their hiring process carefully. They especially need to be careful when considering internal candidates. Bridgestar recently wrote an article titled "Considering and evaluating Internal Candidates for Senior-Level Nonprofit Positions." In this article, they suggest several best practice strategies.

The article suggests the following:

• Ongoing Communication is key
• Don't forgo a full search
• Conduct due diligence
• Maintain confidentiality
• Address rejections delicately
• Communicate honestly with the new external hire

I think these suggestions are great for managing the process, but they do not address the full issue of knowing if an internal candidate is the right person for the position. The organizations needs to carefully ensure the new position is linked to the strategy and clearly define the roles of this new position in regards to that. Often, I see organizations realizing they need a new role and then considering an internal candidate before clearly defining the role.

I also believe that in "addressing rejection", the nonprofit should work with the internal candidate to clearly define and improve their personal development plan to ensure it links to the strategy and addresses important growth goals. This way, the organization can be sure that the employee is building new skills and capabilities to be in a leadership role in the future. The full article can be found here.

• Strategic Growth and New Hires (February 11, 2011)