Free Articles/Information

Prior Articles & Information

 Not-For-Profit Sector Benchmark For Training & Development
What should a not-for-profit organization invest each year in training to develop volunteers and staff? The answer is at least 3% of operating expenses.

The Key Governance Questions All Boards Must Answer
What are the seven most important questions the Board of Directors needs to answer? Leader Quest has developed the Seven Essential Governance Questions© to lead governing bodies and senior staff to become best in class organizations.

How To Measure Performance In A Not-For-Profit Organization
Not-for-profit organizations seem to struggle with the concept that outcomes must have performance metrics. Two recent cases in point.

Understanding Constructive Dismissal
Employers and employees commonly misapprehend what constitutes constructive dismissal and both are frequently unclear about the legal ramifications that flow from it.

A Job Candidate's Tips for Interview Success
Experienced consultant and recruiter, Reg Watts, offers job seekers more advice on how to prepare for an interview.

Adding Style to Substance: The Job Interview Check List
Being well "turned out" also matters in a job interview. Follow this image consultant's tips to help be at the top of your game and to feel great about yourself.

Assuming a New Job – How to Succeed in Your Initial Years
Whether you’re new to the organization or you’ve been recently promoted, you want to succeed. Certainly, you’ll get a lot of advice from a lot of people. Who do you listen to? Pick up some pointers from an experienced association executive.... More...

Business Association Leadership: The Pinnacle Leadership Forum - What CEOs Should Bring To The Table
Successful trade association leadership is all about providing member value and, equally important, constantly demonstrating that value to the membership. That means harnessing the hundreds of ideas that come from a volunteer Board, committee members and the membership at large in any given year and turning these same ideas into actionable programming that can be delivered on-time and on-budget with limited financial and staff resources.

Candidate Insight: Helping The Headhunter
You think you know what to do to get the attention of the headhunter or prospective employer, but then calls aren't returned. Have you irritated the person who is making the key decisions? Here's a must-read list of good job search etiquette.

Career Transition: From Association Executive to Independent Consultant
Continuing our series on transitioning to new career roles, in this issue becoming a consultant in the non-profit sector is examined with excellent insight by Paulette Vinette, CAE, who led many major associations as CEO before establishing her own successful consulting firm, Solution Studio Inc., in 2000.

Charity Leadership - The Pinnacle Leadership Forum
Recipients of the Pinnacle Award, given by the Canadian Society of Association Executives, are outstanding leaders in the not-for-profit sector. In this second article in a series, Job Experts asks H. Cliff Chadderton, one of Canada’s most recognized and respected leaders, and 1991 Pinnacle honouree, to share his insights on leadership in the charitable sector.

Compensation In The Not-For-Profit Sector
People are curious what certain jobs are paying and how much compensation to expect, whether in a new job (the salary) or in an existing job (the pay increase to expect in 2006). Thanks to the Canadian Society of Association Executives, Job Experts looks at the recently released salary and benefits report and highlights what is paid to not-for-profit managers throughout Canada.

Employment Law: Human Rights and the Hiring Process
Employers and interviewers must take care not to discriminate when evaluating job applicants. Lawyer R. Mark Fletcher guides us through human rights and the proper treatment of prospective employees.

Employment Law: Checking References - Legal Issues and Potential Employer Liability
What can be asked as part of an employment reference check? Employment law expert, R. Mark Fletcher, identifies what can and cannot be asked in the due diligence process, and what employers must do to avoid legal trouble.

Employment Law: Managing Workplace Relationships
In the ongoing series focusing on legal issues that arise in organizations, Mark Fletcher’s article attempts to provide not-for-profit employers with some guidance on how to manage the potential legal risks that arise from personal interaction in the workplace. In an era where people spend so much time at work but don’t have the social forums of generations past to make a ‘love connection,’ employers need to define what is appropriate behaviour.

Employment Law: Offer Letters – Considerations for Employers and Employees
The long search is over and a verbal offer has been made. Both parties are relieved and excited but there are more details to “iron out.” Here’s some “must read” information for new hires and employers.... More...

Employment Law: Preparing for Termination
Being fired or terminating an employee is a major step and the parties need to understand how to prepare, legally and otherwise. An accomplished employment lawyer shares important information for employers and employees.

Employment Law: Reasonable Notice In A Nutshell
The employment relationship is coming to an end. What is reasonable notice and what do employers and employees need to know about providing notice? Legal contributor R. Mark Fletcher takes a close look at this fundamental legal principle in Canadian employment law.

Employment Law: What You Can Ask At An Interview
Volunteers and job interviewers may ask questions they think are innocent. Here are examples of questions you may want to ask but can't, and how to properly obtain the information you want.

Governance: Do You Have A Great Board?
There is likely no more challenging issue before not-for-profit organizations than effective governance. A solid partnership between Boards and their chief staff executive are central to job satisfaction in the sector. What is an effective Board? Does your governing body reflect best practices? Lyn McDonell, CAE, presents an overview of how great Boards act.

Job Insights: Association Communications & Marketing Professionals
Contemplating a move to the not-for-profit sector? This is the first in a series of submissions about opportunities in various specialties – career and personal fulfillment in the communications and marketing area. Here are some useful tips to help with your decision making.... More...

Job Insights: Event Management Professionals in the Not-For-Profit Sector
Continuing our series to help professionals transition to the non-profit world, we focus on event management and how association work may differ from corporate meeting planning.

Job Insights: Government Relations Professionals in the Non-Profit Sector
Continuing our series of articles to help people with experience in various management disciplines prepare for and excel in their work in the non-profit sector, this issue we focus on Government Relations professionals....

Job Recruitment Pointers
Matching the right candidate with the right job is a job in itself! Both parties have to go the “extra mile” in ensuring the fit is right. What does it take to stand out as a candidate or a potential employer?.... More...

Making Your “Net Work” For You
Finding a new job requires more than networking, it demands the ability to connect with people who are in a position to help you achieve your career ambitions. Jill Birch is an extraordinary networker and has used her skills to not only find great jobs, but to help realize the goals of the organizations which look to her for leadership.

Mentoring for Career Development
Mentoring is becoming even more valued by corporations and associations to facilitate knowledge-transfer. Catherine Mossop, an authority on mentoring today, identifies the results a good mentorship program can bring.

Organizational Assessment
Strategic success has a direct relationship to how frequently an organization’s leaders assess their organization’s capabilities, including whether the current processes and people in the organization are serving strategic goals. Peter Watson has directly helped one of Canada’s most respected companies repeatedly achieve a “Top 100” ranking among companies to work for, and in this article Peter helps not-for-profit managers make the link between the ‘right’ people doing the ‘right’ jobs and how it all adds up to organizational success.

Psychological Assessments In The Hiring Process
As part of a comprehensive evaluation process, prospective employers may ask the job applicant to participate in an analysis of personality or management style. For some people this can give rise to questions about how the information is used and the validity of the information the test instrument will produce. Peter McQuaig puts anxiety to rest in outlining what these psychological assessments are really all about.

What Boards Need To Know About Recruiters (or going it alone)
Boards and Search Commmittees are hiring for the good of an entire sector or constituency, so it's important to understand all the options - including headhunters - when hiring new leadership for your group.