Frequently Asked Questions for Job Seekers

For information on employment agencies in general and how they work, please click here to view Clearly Rated’s Best of Staffing Guide entitled “What is an Employment Agency?”

Careers In Nonprofits recruits at every level, ranging from support staff to executive-level management. We staff a wide range of positions including:

• Development/Fundraising
• Administrative/Office Support
• Finance & Accounting
• Marketing
• PR/Communications
• Programs
• Human Resources
• Information Technology

In addition, our clients vary within the following:

• Associations
• Healthcare Organizations
• Social Services
• Social Justice Organizations
• Schools, Colleges and Universities
• Foundations
• Arts & Cultural Institutions
• International Organizations
• Environmental Nonprofits

Nonprofit organizations commission CNP’s services when they have a need for a temporary or direct-hire professional.

There are no costs or fees to be a CNP candidate.

To sign up to be a CNP candidate, please go to Candidates > Job Listings and then find the job titled "Apply Now!" When you submit your resume via this link, a profile is created for you in our candidate database, making it searchable by all of our Recruiters. You are also welcome to apply directly to any openings you see that align with your background and interests. If a Recruiter sees a match between your experience and a skill set that our clients are seeking, they will reach out for further conversations.

Due to the high volume of applicants, CNP is unable to call or interview everyone who applies online. However, your information will be available to all our recruiters, and we will contact you if we have a position that matches your background. In addition, we suggest you apply directly to openings of interest on our website as they become available.

In short, CNP recruits qualified candidates for job openings with our nonprofit clients. CNP is commissioned by these clients to identify and recruit appropriate staff. There is never any fee to candidates. Once you have registered on our website, you can apply to our available job opportunities.

Applying is simple—you submit your résumé through the link at the bottom of the relevant job description, and a recruiter will reach out directly if your skills and experience match what the position requires. If contacted, a recruiter will conduct a brief phone screen and invite you for a professional face-to-face interview at their discretion. CNP recommends the most qualified of these interviewed candidates to our client organizations, and from there an interview may be set up between you and the client. If selected as the top candidate for a position, CNP will extend the offer on behalf of the client.

This can vary greatly depending on the types of positions available at any given time, our clients’ needs and your background and interests. While placement is never guaranteed, candidates can be placed the same day as interviewing or within a year of interviewing with a recruiter. If it has been over a year you may be asked to have a refresher interview.

When working with a CNP Recruiter, you’ll get access to jobs that aren’t being advertised anywhere else, in addition to insider knowledge on our available positions and what the organization is looking for in a potential employee. Your recruiter is an expert in the nonprofit sector and offers guidance from the beginning of your search to the end.

Additionally, CNP is an award-winning staffing firm and has earned the title of Clearly Rated’s Best of Staffing every year since 2015! This designation is earned by fewer than 2% of all staffing agencies, and our talent satisfaction ratings are over three times the industry average. In our most recent customer satisfaction survey, over 88% of our candidates gave us ratings of a 9 or 10. We are committed to continuing to provide the best experience possible to all of our candidates.

Once you sign up as a candidate, there is no guarantee of employment—Careers In Nonprofits is not a placement firm, working instead on behalf of our nonprofit clients. There is no fee to candidates for signing up; consider CNP as another resource in your job search.

Absolutely! We encourage you to continue actively searching on your own in addition to working with us. In fact, consider CNP just one step of your multifaceted job search. You are certainly welcome to work with other staffing agencies to increase your chances. The exception here is what is laid out in our contract, which is that—if you are being considered for one of our positions—we urge you not to go around us by approaching organizations directly about positions we present.

Additionally, we understand that most job-seekers are looking for permanent opportunities while they are temping. Our clients do ask, however, for candidates that can commit to an assignment in its entirety. That being said, if another position comes up, we require at least two weeks’ notice—as with any position. You would inform your recruiter first of the change so that he or she can make the necessary arrangements. In the event that you need to schedule interviews, your recruiter will be able to help you navigate that and schedule those so as to not negatively impact the assignment or client.

In the event that a recruiter contacts you regarding a position to which you already applied or suspect you may have applied to directly, we ask that you let the recruiter know as soon as possible. This allows the recruiter to determine the best course of action to move forward, and increase your chances of being considered for the role.

The majority of our clients are looking for a particular skill set and background, most often in the nonprofit sector. Be that as it may, some skills are transferable, and some of our clients are open to candidates with skills and backgrounds outside of the sector. A great way to gain nonprofit experience if you find that you’re lacking is to volunteer with an organization whose mission and values you share.

Your Recruiter, in partnership with our Client Services Team are the only people to discuss and negotiate your salary or compensation with the organization—if you have any questions or concerns about your salary or compensation, you should discuss them with your Recruiter.

CNP is commissioned by our nonprofit clients and these fees are unrelated to candidate salaries.

Just as we value the privacy of our candidates, we value the privacy of our nonprofit clients. As such, we do not disclose the name of the organization to a candidate until he or she is being considered for an assignment. Some searches are also conducted confidentially depending on our clients’ needs.

You will always hear back directly from your recruiter regarding next steps, whether it’s to schedule an interview or submit writing samples. This allows your recruiter to act as an advocate for you, as he or she has an existing relationship with the client organization.

Assignments can be as short as one day to as long as a year, or more. Most assignments typically last a few months. Your recruiter will let you know the expected length before submitting your information.

It depends on your particular assignment and the client’s needs. You will have this conversation with the recruiter as the assignment continues. There is no guarantee of a permanent position at any time throughout the process, and the client has the right to end the assignment at any time (as do you). The client’s needs may change or it may be determined that there isn’t a good fit. As mentioned, this will be a conversation that occurs between you and your recruiter. On average, most clients are ready to make that hiring decision within about 6 months.

You’re considered an employee of Careers In Nonprofits, which issues your paychecks and provides you with a recruiter as a point of contact for any issues or concerns you may have regarding your assignment. The nonprofit you are placed with, however, offers valuable experience—you should also list them on your résumé and application materials!

CNP looks for passionate, dedicated, enthusiastic candidates. Skills in the areas we place and nonprofit experience make for the most successful candidates.

At this time, we do not offer résumé review or writing services. We will, however, offer guidance to those we meet with and submit to clients as part of our service. We recommend going to a service that specializes in résumé review/writing services if you are looking for extensive help in the area.

There are a number of great websites, organizations, and associations that can help you in your nonprofit job search. Additionally, CNP offers workshops for job-seekers from time to time. Please be sure to check our social media pages for information on upcoming workshops.

You can email us directly at info@cnpstaffing.com. We look forward to hearing from you!