IRP July 2019: Third-sector recruitment

Tracey George, chief operating officer at TPP Recruitment, on working in the third sector
Preconceptions about working in third sector recruitment need to be challenged.
Salaries and chargeable fees in the sector are as competitive as they are for recruiters in the commercial sector. It’s also a relatively robust sector when it comes to economic downturns.
It’s a dynamic sector to get involved with. The diversity and variety of clients you get to work with – whether that’s in terms of the type of charity, the company structure or the influence of younger trustees on boards – it’s miles ahead of what I experienced in the finance & accountancy sector, for example. It’s also often a lot easier to open doors – people are friendly, organisations are willing to engage and they value the human touch.
People – especially younger generations – increasingly want work that has social purpose.
In the third sector, they can directly see how their work impacts on the organisation’s ability to deliver its valuable services. We give all our staff five volunteering days so they can feel part of it, and better understand client needs in the process.
We can learn from clients as much as our clients can learn from us.
Because we’re so immersed in the third sector, we’re aware of the importance of flexible working, diversity and inclusion and mental health. We embrace these best practice approaches, just as we can help our clients understand how to tackle skills shortages by looking for transferable skills from the commercial world.
