- Nonprofit consulting
- 3 mins
When a company is hiring new employees, there are some key qualities that typically come to mind to describe an ideal candidate. Most employers look for people who are hardworking, good communicators and team players. One trait that can sometimes be overlooked, however, is creativity.
Employees who are creative may see things from a different perspective, offering a unique view of the way a company operates and bringing new ideas to the team. Here are some reasons nonprofits and small businesses should consider creativity when hiring new employees:
1. Creative employees can come up with innovative ways to solve problems.
Like other organizations and businesses, nonprofits, startups and small businesses face obstacles and challenges every day. In fact, due to limited resources and competitive landscapes, they may face even more obstacles than corporations and large for-profits.
This is where creative employees can help.
Creative people use their unique perspectives to think outside the box to solve problems. Oftentimes, this leads to new solutions that others may not have been considered in the past. This method of problem-solving can be beneficial to organizations, their management teams and fellow employees.
Overall, nonprofits, startups and small businesses can use creative employees to tackle challenges they face day-to-day – which, in turn, will make their organizations more successful.
2. Creative employees can help organizations stand out in a competitive landscape.
There are millions of nonprofit organizations, startups and small businesses in the country. And, many of them have a similar goal – to communicate their messages and missions to their key audiences. For nonprofits, these audiences are volunteers and donors. For small business and startups, these audiences are consumers, funders and potential partners.
Since there are so many organizations striving to reach the same people, how can nonprofits, startups and small businesses set themselves apart from others?
Creative employees can often provide the answer to this question.
Creative employees are masters of originality. They are constantly coming up with new ideas that can be used to help an organization’s brand stand out. For example, some creative employees may think of fundraising opportunities their organization has never done before. Other creative employees may come up with original messaging that an organization can communicate with target audiences. Maybe some employees will simply think of a unique way to thank their donors and consumers.
Creativity cannot be taught or learned – it is a skill that certain people are born with. This is why nonprofits and small businesses should consider creativity in the hiring process – to find people with such a skill, who will help their organization become more visible.
3. Creative employees = creative work environment
In today’s work culture, many organizations are setting up their offices in more collaborative and open spaces. This allows employees to bounce ideas off one another and brainstorm together, which generates interesting and concrete results.
These types of work environments are designed with creative employees in mind.
Creative employees do not simply use their strengths when tackling their own projects. They often encourage originality among fellow employees. They bounce ideas off their coworkers and demonstrate how they tackle projects in innovative ways. This influences their coworkers and inspires them to look at their own projects from different angles.
Creativity leads to inspiration, and creative employees lead to a more inspired work environment.
Overall, creative employees can be beneficial to any nonprofit organization, startup or small business. They can provide a unique perspective to addressing problems. They can inspire an organization’s internal and external audiences. And they can find what makes an organization tick.
So, if you oversee the hiring process for your nonprofit, startup or small business, don’t dismiss a candidate who calls themselves creative. Not only do they make the world a more interesting place, they may also make your organization more successful.
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