Rethinking Hiring Practices in the Social Impact Sector: A Call for Structure, Transparency, and Dignity

The social impact sector, often seen as the harbinger of positive change, ironically struggles with an internal crisis — a deeply unstructured, unreliable, and at times unethical recruitment process. As someone who has interacted extensively with aspirants and professionals in this field, I have observed disillusionment and frustration growing among candidates, many of whom enter this space driven by passion, only to encounter unclear processes and lack of basic professional courtesy.

While the sector focuses externally on justice, equality, and fairness, it is time to reflect if we are truly embodying these values internally, particularly in hiring. This article presents key observations, illustrates the existing gaps, and proposes constructive solutions.

Key Challenges in the Current Recruitment Landscape

1. Lack of Communication: The Silent Rejections

In most sectors, candidates expect either a rejection or acceptance communication — a basic professional courtesy. However, in the social impact sector, over 60% of candidates report (as per an informal LinkedIn survey conducted among sector professionals) never hearing back after applying or even after completing multiple rounds of interviews. This leaves candidates in a prolonged state of uncertainty, unable to move forward confidently with other opportunities.

Professional Impact:

• Wastes time and emotional energy.
• Erodes trust in organizations supposedly built on trust and transparency.

2. Lack of Clarity on Recruitment Stages

It is surprisingly common for organizations to not specify how many stages are involved in the hiring process. Aspirants report being asked to complete assignments, attend interviews, and undergo assessments without any prior information about the overall process length or structure.

Observations:

• Assignments are often time-intensive, yet candidates are unsure if these are part of early screening or final evaluation.
• Interview stages are extended without defined timelines, sometimes stretching for months.

Professional Impact:

• Leads to candidate fatigue.
• Makes planning difficult for professionals actively managing multiple applications.

3. Perpetually Open Positions: False Hopes

Several organizations have open positions advertised for months, even over a year, without any update on closure. Candidates apply with hope, sometimes even getting initial interviews, but find themselves stuck in a loop of no responses or updates.

Real Examples Noted:

• Positions in project management, research, and M&E have been observed open for 12–18 months without hires being made.
• Some organizations republish old postings without clarification on the status.

Professional Impact:

• Leads to wasted efforts and emotional burnout.
• Diminishes the organization's credibility among top talent.

4. Unscheduled Calls and Vanishing Organizations

Instances have been reported where employers call candidates without scheduling, initiate interviews immediately, and show impatience if the candidate is unavailable due to work or personal emergencies. Worse still, when a candidate cannot attend, the organization sometimes never reverts, effectively ghosting them.

Professional Impact:

• Disrespects candidates’ time and existing commitments.
• Shows a lack of empathy — a value the sector otherwise champions externally.

5. Compensation Concerns: Undervaluing Talent

A worrying trend is the low compensation offered for high-responsibility roles. Many project management, field coordination, and research roles in the sector offer salaries significantly below the private sector or even government scale for comparable skills.

Data Points:

• A survey by Devex (2023) indicated that 48% of professionals in the sector feel underpaid relative to their responsibilities.
• Entry and mid-level positions in reputed nonprofits sometimes offer ₹15,000–₹25,000 per month — hardly sustainable in urban settings.

Professional Impact:

• Talent drain to other sectors.
• Financial insecurity among social workers, ironically affecting the "social" fabric we aim to strengthen.

Root Causes Behind These Issues

While intentions are generally positive, a few systemic causes are behind these problems:

• Lack of trained HR professionals in many NGOs and social enterprises.
• Underfunded HR departments — HR roles often being an “additional responsibility.”
• Low emphasis on internal systems due to a greater focus on external outcomes.
• Misalignment between leadership intent and field-level practices.

Suggestions and Recommendations for a Better System

To ensure that our internal practices reflect the dignity, equity, and respect we advocate for externally, here are constructive recommendations:

1. Structured Recruitment Processes

• Publish clear recruitment stages with tentative timelines at the time of job posting.
• Communicate any changes in the process proactively.

2. Transparent and Timely Communication

• Send closure emails/messages to all interviewed candidates, whether selected or rejected.
• Acknowledge receipt of applications through automated or personalized emails.

3. Real-time Updates on Openings

• Regularly update the status of job postings on websites and portals.
• Remove or clearly mark positions that are no longer open.

4. Scheduled Interviews and Respect for Candidates’ Time

• Always schedule interviews at least 24 hours in advance.
• Respect rescheduling requests without penalizing candidates.

5. Fair Compensation Practices

• Conduct internal and external benchmarking of salaries regularly.
• Ensure minimum standards of living are respected, especially in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities.
• Include travel, communication, and insurance benefits where feasible.

6. Building Human-Centred HR Practices

• Invest in training HR staff to handle recruitment empathetically and professionally.
• Create feedback mechanisms where candidates can share their experience anonymously post-process.

A Hopeful Closing

The social impact sector is filled with passionate individuals ready to commit their skills for the greater good. However, to sustain and nurture this talent, we must build a recruitment ecosystem that is structured, respectful, transparent, and equitable.

An ethical hiring process is not just about professionalism; it is about living the values of dignity, justice, and empathy — the very principles on which the sector is built.

It is time we hold ourselves to the same standards we seek to establish in the world.