Recent seismic economic shifts, increased board savvy, a retiring but still active baby boomer population, and an increased focus on planned career trajectories available to ambitious nonprofit professionals have changed the landscape of hiring in the sector. Hiring from the for-profit sector is on the rise, and search committees and hiring managers who want to hop on this trend look to this growing pool as a way to further broaden their pipeline of available talent. However, smart search committees and hiring managers need to determine first whether or not the corporate transitioner is right for them.
Takeaways:
- Why are corporate transitioners a viable source of talent for the particular position, the organization’s needs and its culture?
- Who seeks to transition and why?
- Which types of organizations can bring out their best?
- What are the proven practices of those organizations that have harnessed the talents that corporate transitioners are able to bring to bear?
- What different should you do to retain the corporate transitioner?
Previously, Laura served as a presidential appointee for the White House Office of National Service and a program officer for the Corporation for National and Community Service, where she was part of the team that created the AmeriCorps, and as a member of the Clinton/Gore Transition Team and 1992 Election Team. She holds a Master of Arts in Political Management from the George Washington University and a Bachelor of Arts in Government from the University of Texas at Austin. Laura serves on the boards of College Bound Dorchester, AmeriCorps Alums, and the Eli J. Segal Citizen Leadership Program at Brandeis University, and is the Clerk and Governance Chair of the board of Newton Montessori School. She has served as a member of the board of Camp Starfish and the Alumni Board of the Graduate School of Political Management at the George Washington University and as the founding board chair of both Strong Women, Strong Girls and the Boston Choral Ensemble. Laura is the author of Change Your Career: Transitioning to the Nonprofit Sector and is widely quoted for her expertise in mission-driven work in publications like The New York Times, The Chronicle of Philanthropy and Money magazine. |
We work worldwide with mission-driven client organizations in the nonprofit, academic, and public sectors, as well as with the job seekers who serve them. For organizations, we offer executive search and leadership transition services. For candidates, we provide leadership development, job search strategy creation, and resume/cover letter assistance. For both organizations and candidates, we supply professional and organizational development in person through our customized training programs and online with our groundbreaking, complimentary “NPAG U” webinar series. |
Laura Gassner Otting founded the Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group in 2002. Prior to forming the group, she help build the start-up ExecSearches.com, a leading website for mid- to senior-level nonprofit job postings, and served as a vice president at Isaacson, Miller, one of the most highly respected nonprofit executive search firms in the country.
The Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group was founded from the simple notion that every organization, regardless of its budget or geographic footprint can better fulfill its mission with a highly-tailored, innovative, and strategic approach to acquiring and retaining its most important resource: talent. 
