It’s a career truth: one day you are the candidate, and the next you are sitting across the table leading the interview.  But being a panel member is not the time to sit back and relax − your engagement plays a key role in a successful hiring process .

Since 2010 Mission Talent has led more than 340 search processes for roles in over 60 countries across the world. We have worked with a variety of panels; most of them great - though some were not engaged, others too participative and some which even pushed candidates away with an old-school hierarchical approach.

We have found that the quality of your contribution does not depend on how experienced you are: whether you have interviewed hundreds of people or whether it’s your first time, your approach, attitude, and engagement are crucial.

Let’s start at the beginning: if you are working with a hired search consultant, let them guide you. Understand and respect the process to which you have agreed; you are partners with the same goal. Do not dismiss the importance of specific steps, and ask questions if you do not understand.  

An initial briefing call forms the foundation of the whole search; give the recruiter 40 minutes of your valuable time to have a briefing about the role. During this conversation, you can provide your insights into the role and share what your key requirements are. Even the best recruiters won’t find outstanding candidates for you based only on the job specification!

The role briefing is a conversation that has to happen with everyone who is part of the panel. Why? To ensure alignment amongst panel members. If you disregard this step, chances are, that weeks down the line, you’ll be forced to discuss the role when presented with candidates that not everyone finds suitable. Not only will candidates pick-up that the panel has no idea what they want, you might also find yourself back at the drawing board and having wasted the candidates’ and the recruiter's time − not to mention your own. It could even affect the reputation of your organisation.

It is your responsibility to ensure that the right questions are asked when you interview candidates. Ask your own questions; no one else can decide on your behalf what questions should be asked that would ultimately determine whether you want to hire someone or not.  Therefore, before an interview, familiarise yourself with the profiles of candidates, read previous interview reports, and think about what you want to know about this candidate for you to feel equipped and comfortable in making a decision.  

During an interview, have a conversation and a debate; an eye-level discussion is the respectful way to engage. There is no need for trick questions or an interrogative top-down approach. Be honest, transparent and professional. If you want to know about the candidates’ strengths, weaknesses and failures, then you should also be prepared to discuss your organisation’s successes and challenges. Not allowing candidates the time or safe space to ask questions, or even refusing to answer questions about non-confidential information is just bad manners.

It is crucial to keep in mind that, during an interview, candidates are also interviewing their potential future employer. If you do not perform and represent your organisation well, there is a big chance that you might lose the interest of your most sought-after candidates.  Start off by introducing yourself as a panel− do not expect that candidates know who you are.  Ensure that you also introduce the role before you start asking questions, as this will lay the foundation for an informed and trusted discussion where both parties can test suitability.  

Use an appropriate setting for an interview. The setting conveys a lot about you and your organisation. Refrain from using a telephone for off-site interviews since voice calls reflect only half the story. Modern technology allows for video calls, even in areas with weak connectivity (yes, we have had interviews with someone sitting in the Zimbabwean bush with elephants strolling by in the background).

Double-check how you come across during the video call. A virtual space does not warrant you to neglect basic manners.  Act as you would if you were all sitting together for an on-site interview: do not lie on a bed(!), be dressed appropriately, ensure that there are no interruptions, and do not read or respond to emails or check Facebook. For more about video call etiquette, please read this blog we published recently.

Overall, it is important that you assist your search consultant to stick to their process. You can support this by participating in meetings and calls scheduled to discuss candidates and by not changing set interview dates. Again, a frequent or inexplicable change of dates makes candidates lose interest; and rightly so.

Respond promptly to your search consultant’s questions. Great candidates are in demand and have other options; they need to be kept engaged and attracted to the role. Delaying a response might lead the candidate to lose interest. Remember, the search consultant can only represent your organisation favourably if you present him or her with sufficient information to actually do so.

Please remember, every step in a search and selection process is supposed to be a two-way street: both your relationship with your search consultant and your interaction with candidates. You have to show as much excitement, investment and interest in filling this role as you would expect from the candidate. If not, you’ll just end up sitting at the table alone.

Nervousness hit me when I read the email from the Africa Prisons Project:

“Kamiti is a male maximum security prison... [Visitors] should avoid being in a secluded area alone with an inmate. It is important to adhere to appropriate official dress code, avoid tight fitting or revealing clothes. The clothes should not show cleavage or expose upper arms and mini or small dresses should be discouraged.” 

From my childhood, we knew that the worst criminals were locked up at Kamiti, and here I was voluntarily visiting the prison! I imagined it to be dark and grungy. I expected it to be in the poorest conditions possible. I felt butterflies in my stomach. Why am I doing this? 

On the way to the prison, I sat quietly. My Mum was driving; we were going to do the visit together. She tried to calm me down with bubbly talk, but all I wanted was quiet to deal with the nerves. I kept the reason for our visit in mind: I was keen to see the work that APP is doing, firsthand. I am leading the searches for their new Director of Development, Legal Services and Director of Legal Education. This visit would allow me to have a better understanding of APP, and help me as I continue with the search. I also wanted to experience true Christianity in action, which is what I believe APP is doing with the work in prison. 

We reached the gates of the Kamiti Maximum Prison 20 minutes before our appointed time. A call to the Country Director assured us that we could drive in and park, but we would have to wait in the parking lot for her, as she had our permission letter for us to enter the prison. There was a long pedestrian line at the main gate. By coincidence, we had come on Remote Parenting Day. Families would bring food and spend the day with Dad, as the children are also on holiday at this time.

The second gate into the prison, where the prisoners are actually held, is a big wooden door with a red sign at the top. No pictures allowed. We proceeded to the reception where we handed in our IDs, letter and car keys. Then we had a security check; removing our shoes, belts and jewellery. 

A guard was assigned to us, and we walked across the courtyard to the Academy, where APP carries out its legal education programme. There is also a primary and secondary school for inmates who would like to complete their education. 

As soon as we were assigned a guard, I remembered our conversation with the Country Director: we should stick close to her and the guard, we should not speak to inmates, and if they did approach us or even ask for contacts, we should direct them to APP. I noticed that the CD was also fiddling with her coat and buttoning up! I pulled my sweater close across my chest. My Mum was so calm!

As we walked through a third gate, into the courtyard, there was a lot of camaraderie. A tent set up on one side and a jumping castle on the other. There was music playing and generally happy mood in the air. I felt calm. There were family members everywhere.

We went through a fourth gate to the industrial side of the prison where the Academy was. As we passed through each gate, the guards greeted us with big smiles, hearty handshakes and only good vibes towards APP. 

There were prisoners everywhere. As we walked past, I kept my head down. No eye contact. I did not want an incident. Nonetheless, I looked around the courtyards. It wasn't as I expected. It was clean, for all intents and purposes. It was not grungy. But we could not access the area where the prisoners are locked up. The cells. Maybe that side is a different story.

A fifth gate led us into the Academy. Here we spoke briefly to an administrator, and then we sat down in the back of a class session for the law programme. Two of the students were prison guards and the third was an inmate. The students interacted with each other and with the tutor in a way that showed interest and passion. At this point, APP has about 40+ inmates and prison wardens enrolled in the law degree programme with the University of London. The courses have already saved lives: a death row inmate and APP student named Susan Kigala won her court case and was released from prison.  As a result of her case, the law no longer mandates capital punishment for all murder cases in Uganda.   

As we left the Academy, we stopped to speak to an APP student, now in his third year. He is the 13th petitioner in a case before the High Court. Because of his studies under the APP Legal Education Programme, he is able to represent himself and the other 12 petitioners! He told us that he is in favour with the judge, maybe because of good standing of APP, or the fact that he is an inmate who knows the law. 

Seeing the work and positive impact of APP at Kamiti Prison was heartwarming. The good name that APP has amongst the prison staff and wardens was also great to see. This visit was definitely an added motivation to continue supporting APP! 

On the way out of Kamiti, my Mum made sure to buy some plants from the prison nursery to support the inmates' efforts; may they grow as the work of APP grows and positively impacts the lives of prisoners.

Mwende Njuguna is a Senior Consultant with Mission Talent.
 

How many times have I heard someone say that they applied for a job that they thought was a great match, but they did not even get a response from the advertising organization?

Whether or not you get that interview depends on what the organization wants. This may or may not be explicitly stated in the position’s description. They may be looking for the “outside of the box” candidate rather than someone with a proven track record.

Even if that’s not the case, experience and a great track record do not guarantee that you will be selected for the interview or get the job. Some positions are just not made for you – even though they may look like they are.

The interviewers may be looking for “new” skill sets or a “different” type of candidate. In an NGO context, this might mean candidates with a business background or entrepreneurial experience. At a CEO level, it could mean someone with change management experience.

The organization may be more interested in candidates with compelling backgrounds that can represent the organization externally, perhaps those working on issues like justice and human rights. Larger INGOs are likely to have more resources to invest in their staff’s professional development.

Contractors or organizations that are grant and performance-based are more likely to look for the best candidate in terms of experience, past results, and technical skills. They often cannot afford to take a chance or wait for employees to learn and grow. They have goals to reach within a time frame.

If you have already relationship with the recruiter, you may always send a quick message to them asking about the role and its scope and find out their opinion on your background and whether the role would be a good fit.

The bottom line is: if you believe you are right for the position, take the time to craft your CV to highlight where you meet the job requirements. If you believe your skills are transferrable, make your case succinctly.

You might know you have the experience needed, but it may not be visible on your CV. Make your CV easy to understand and no longer than a couple of pages. Include numbers of staff and budgets managed, and your responsibilities. More importantly though, state your achievements! To some readers, your CV is more important than your cover letter.

A few years ago I was having a conversation with the daughter of some very good friends. While our exchange was trivial and I don’t remember what we were talking about, I do know that it subtly but importantly altered my outlook on life.

There was a moment during our discussion when I said; “Well, respect has to be earned.” It was probably a slightly lazy response; a phrase I had heard often enough in my own youth from parents expecting high standards.

Her response was swift. “No,” she shot back, “disrespect has to be earned.”

I saw and understood her point immediately. She was quite right and I remain conscious of the way it changed my behaviour even today—I have no right to expect people to have prove themselves to me in some way. This approach of positive engagement is essential in our business; although our aim is to reveal the best in candidates, sometimes they can still surprise us with talents or stories we’d never imagined!

Of course, in a few cases that respect may diminish over time, but I’ve found life’s exchanges are richer when they are approached from this perspective. Including conversations with 14 year-olds.

The first ever Mix’n’Talent event brought forward a range of crucial reflections on how the civil society sector can drive social change in uncertain times.

One of the challenges that emerged from the discussions was that of silos. None of the challenges we face today can be separated from one another. And yet, all too often we try to address the world’s challenges from within our silos. We find silos at every level of our work: departmental silos within an organization; silos between one organization and another; silos between types of NGOs such as “environmental NGOs” and “human rights NGOs”. And even the civil society sector itself is a silo that views other sectors with suspicion.

Certainly, one NGO cannot prioritize everything. But we know that this is not necessary if we open up to the idea of strengthening coordination across and beyond the sector and work in alliances. Not simply partnerships, but true alliances built on a shared cause. Alliances that break through silos and stand above competition for funds and defending logos. Alliances with a strategic allocation of roles among partners that play to the different strengths and areas of focus, compensating individual shortcomings through a holistic approach.

The world around us is changing at increasing speed and global developments are challenging assumptions that many civil society organizations were founded on. Just as digitalization demands adapting funding models, the increasing interconnectedness of issues requires rethinking concepts of organizational identity and brand if we want to pursue our cause successfully. It demands a shift in our culture towards more networked thinking. And, as the discussion concluded, this requires trust. Trust beyond the silos, extending to other individuals, organizations and sectors. We need to learn to think and work as a movement.

This blog was written by Jana Merkelbach who also moderated the Mission Talent event. Her first guest blog entitled “Leading Change in Uncertain Times” was published on this site on 31/05/2017.

A great initiative is happening today throughout Africa, attempting to garner pan-African solidarity towards ‘calling out our leaders on (Africa’s) failures and building a better, more just, more peaceful and sustainable Africa’. The ‘Africa Rising’ initiative was created by a group of 272 people from 44 African countries assembled in Arusha, Tanzania in 2016. The greatest thing about this meeting was that young Africans were at the core of this movement with ‘social inclusion, peace and shared prosperity’ as its themes.

It’s easy to surround ourselves with people who think just like us. Depending on our social media bubbles, we might not even know anyone who voted for the other candidate, or takes an opposing view. But by not engaging with people who think differently, we don’t make the world better, we just make it more divided. And division weakens our society further.

The other day I was arranging a few matters with a client. There were a number of terms she used during our communication where I had to ask what she meant by them in order to be sure we were on the same page. That made me realise - we all have our own organisational languages. Words we use often and that receive a certain meaning in the context we use them in.

When I talk about a search report to my colleagues we all have a clear understanding what this entails as it is our daily bread and butter. If, however, I use the exact same word with a new client I may need to be more specific and explain what we mean by it.

At the same time, when a candidate describes a campaign, some research, or a project, I need to make sure I know their organisational context and perhaps ask them what this work means in their specific area.

Although we tend to move in similar circles, we cannot always expect people to understand our everyday vocabulary. Even though we speak the same language, sometimes we really have to make sure we understand the sector-specific, or even organization-specific, nuances—and that we make ourselves similarly understood.

The Internet has been enjoying the interview between the unfortunate Professor Robert Kelly and the BBC, during which his two children entered his office. The good news is, as said by the BBC he “managed to keep his composure and complete the interview successfully.”

The nature of our work means we regularly hold interviews with people in their homes or other environments and we understand that unforeseen things can happen when candidates are speaking to us, or even their future employers. Of course, being on a global TV network is one thing, but what might people do when faced with this situation in a meeting or interview?

Our advice is to know how to mute your microphone and cut the camera before your appointment starts. If you are interrupted by a child, a well-meaning colleague, your cat or dog, the doorbell, or even a fire alarm, excuse yourself briefly and turn off your microphone and camera. Resolve the situation and then take an additional five seconds to gather yourself before turning back on the camera and microphone. Most interviewers will be very understanding—and you will also have demonstrated your calmness under pressure.

When searching for potential candidates, I always look for the best. But sometimes candidates do not present themselves well during interviews, so I also look for additional evidence. As well as their CVs, candidates may also have made presentations or published articles. Perhaps they have some good videos online, or an active blog or Twitter account.

As candidates move forward in our process, we offer coaching on how they can present a true representation of themselves in an interview, and we advise them on how to show how their previous achievements align with the aims of the new role. In this way, what we discover and learn about the candidate grows throughout the recruitment process —and in some cases, so does the candidate’s understanding of themselves!

This is my favorite part of search -- developing this relationship with candidates and getting to know them in different ways.

Kris Torgeson, who Mission Talent placed as the first ever Global CEO at Lifebox, said in a recent interview that “no matter how big or how small the organisation or crisis, the humanitarian act is still about one person helping another.”
http://www.lifebox.org/questions-new-ceo/

This reminded me of a moment’s reflection that I had over Christmas. I was unpacking some decorations with my children, including some my mother used before her death 10 years ago. I came across a small box of Oxfam candles that reminded me of her preference for buying things from charity shops wherever possible. She didn't think she was changing the world, but just doing the right thing in a small town in rural England.

In a world where so many problems seem so large and so insurmountable I see a link between Kris's comment and my mother's actions. None of us can change the world alone, but millions of us doing the small things that we are capable of; whether it is doing surgery by Lamplight, teaching a new language to a refugee—or simply buying trinkets in a charity shop; millions of small acts and gestures can and do add up to big differences.

It's always a good idea to prepare for an interview, but how? Of course, it pays to know about the organization and the role that you are applying for - but how to prepare for those tough interview questions? We've all read about how to make weaknesses appear as strengths and there are any number of websites which claim to have the answers to interviewers' toughest questions.

But let's consider what the interviewer wants. A well-run interview is not confrontational, but designed to give you the opportunity to show your strengths and how they match the role concerned. Typically, interviewers want to find out three things:

At Mission Talent, it’s our job to ask questions.  We want to find out from our clients exactly what kind of leaders they are looking for, and we ask our candidates to tell us about their careers and goals for the future.  This time, we thought we would turn the tables, and have our team members Katja, Sarah, Spencer, Emily, Lin, Priya and Tim answer the questions. 

1) What trends do you see in international development that make you hopeful?

Katja:
I see a greater realisation of the importance of citizen participation. NGOs used to be closed entities where it was difficult to get in and participate. This has changed drastically and NGOs are increasingly acknowledging the importance of everyone's input to drive change.

Emily:
I recruit for many campaigning roles, and I previously worked for an advocacy organization, so I think a lot about how to create popular demand for change.  While many of the causes we are working on are so huge, I am encouraged to see campaigning organizations take on specific targets that are winnable, such as changing the purchasing policy of one company.  I am also glad to see NGOs increasingly use online multi-media in creative ways to engage people in making change.

Sarah:
What makes me hopeful is the fact that many stakeholders, political and economic ones, take NGOs more and more seriously. But also society as a whole increasingly acknowledges that NGOs fulfil an important regulatory role in the international political system.

This month, I attended the Global Perspectives conference in Johannesburg, organised by the International Civil Society Centre, co-hosted by ActionAid International and CIVICUS.

The theme of the conference was “Navigating Disruptive Change – How civil society organisations can survive and thrive in an increasingly disruptive world.”  The goal of the conference was to gather executives and leaders from international civil society to building alliances and talk about common issues.  The conference organisers certainly picked a challenging topic.

In the last twenty years, change itself has changed: it has become faster, more fundamental and more surprising. When these elements come together, we experience disruption. Think of the music, telephone, bookstore or newspaper industry.  Market forces have redefined them, despite what the media giants of the corporate sector wanted.