Starting a Humanitarian Nonprofit? Be Careful Who You Hire

People start businesses for a variety of reasons. Some aim to maximize their earning potential, some try to solve an industry problem, and still others seek to serve other people. If you’re in the last category, this article is for you.

Starting a humanitarian nonprofit is just like starting any business in many ways, but it also comes with its own set of challenges. Use these tips below to make sure you’re hiring the right people to stand by your side for the years to come.

Do You Know Who You’re Hiring?

Advancing technology is great for many reasons, but it comes with its own set of downsides — such as enhancing forgery. Crooks can forge identities and pass themselves off as someone else, and they’re always refining their bag of tricks. Furthermore, many of these identifications can look completely legitimate, complete with pictures, numbers, addresses, and everything else they need.

According to Trusted Employees Volunteer Background Checks, “nonprofit and volunteer organizations need to be particularly diligent during the background screening process to eliminate applicants with fraudulent identities.” Using a system that allows you to match social security numbers with a person’s true identity, you can better see if Joe Smith is actually standing in front of you, or an imposter.

Are You Hiring a Criminal?

While everyone has a history of some kind, humanitarian nonprofits need to keep their eyes open not only to who they’re hiring but what that person has done in their past. Criminal history of any kind can be a red flag in an environment where trust is a major factor. So while it may not be a deal-breaker to find out about someone’s criminal history, you at least need to be aware.

Have You Screened Them For Drugs?

Nonprofits have a responsibility to put their best foot forward, and that extends to the men and women who run various humanitarian organizations around the world, as well as their volunteers. Someone with a drug history, especially a longer record with harder drugs, may not be the best fit for certain positions. In some cases, your organization may be able to help rehabilitate them, but it’s still good to use a drug screen to know what you’re up against.

Are They Qualified?

People work at humanitarian organizations from all different backgrounds and with every kind of degree under the sun. But have those people earned their degrees, or are they misrepresenting themselves? By doing a thorough background search and using other screening practices, you can make sure that the person you just hired to be in charge of your $10 million operating budget is actually a licensed accountant, and not someone unqualified.

Contrary to some opinions, background checks are not a sign that you are mistrusting of someone, but a safeguard to protect the company’s interests. If you’re working in a humanitarian agency, nothing is more important than the people you serve.