Attendance at conferences can cost a pretty penny, even if the registration fee is a deal. Consider the hard costs: your registration, housing, travel, and meals. Add in the soft costs around your absence, and, like vacation, you may think twice about being out of the office for an extended time. The payoff is worth it—so much so that several nonprofits bring in temp staffing to cover critical positions while team members are out. So if you are heading out the door, make the very most of your conference time by using these tips. Plan Benjamin Franklin said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” It’s not easy to take time out to plan, but the return on the time investment will pay off in spades. Take a close look at the dates, location, agenda, and speakers before booking your travel. It’s amazing how often attendees miss part of the day due to an unexpectedly long trek to/from the airport. Send out emails to colleagues from other organizations to see if they are going. Even if they aren’t attending, it’s an excellent opportunity for you to reconnect with people you don’t talk to every day. It also creates…

THIRD SECTOR TODAY by Jennifer Schaupp Most people are natural psychologists, wanting to understand what makes people tick, what motivates people: And nothing is more psychologically intriguing than a space that houses a hierarchy of strangers who have to prove their worth every day and seemingly get along for 40+ hours per week. No, I am not talking about The Bachelor; I am speaking of the workplace. In some ways, nonprofit offices function like families. People squabble and compete, some members pull their weight more than others, loyalties form, disinterest develops, but ultimately they all work together to solve problems and make day-to-day activities run smoothly. Unlike families, however, you get to pick the entire cast of characters. What if there was a surefire way to make sure you selected people from whom you could guarantee long-term success, a personality match, and continued productivity? Many companies use personality tests when hiring candidates, as they are often affordable and simple to administer. In fact, according to The Harvard Business Review, “the use of personality assessments are on the rise, growing as much as 20% annually.” However, a 2010 study revealed that “personality tests used in employee selection account for approximately 5%…

Every year, dozens of nonprofit conferences are held throughout the country. If you don’t have these conferences on your “must-do” list, you might want to reconsider. Have a favorite nonprofit conference? We want to know! Tag us @PNPStaffing or #PNPStaffing for a RT! Check out our 2 minute read on how to get the most out of attending a nonprofit conference. Fundraising AFP International Fundraising Conference March 18-22, Boston, MA Technology NTEN’s NTC ’16 (Nonprofit Technology Conference) March 23-25, San Jose, CA Social Media Social Media for NonProfits (Various dates/cities throughout the US) Accounting AICPA Not for Profit Industry Conference June 27-19, National Harbor, MD Marketing Bridge Conference July 13-15, National Harbor, MD NonProfit Story Telling Conference November 10-11, Chicago, IL Cause Marketing: Cause Marketing Summit NYC May 24, New York, NY Cause Marketing Forum June 1-2, Chicago, IL Social Movement MCON2016 June 21-23, Washington, DC Looking for something different? Check out these Nonprofit Conference Calendars: 2016 Conferences in the NonProfit World The Ultimate 2016 NonProfit Conference Calendar Whole Whale 65+ Great NonProfit Conferences in2016 Philanthropy News Digest Conference Calendar Best 2015-2016 NonProfit Conferences Calendar

PNP Staffing Group has released its 2015—2016 NonProfit Salaries & Staffing Report and it hits on a hot topic. The nonprofit workplace has dramatically changed over the past few years, and continues to change as four generations meet at the office door each day. Four generations are currently sharing the workplace: Traditionalists (born 1922-45) Baby Boomers (born 1946-64) Generation X (born 1965-80) Millennials, also called Gen Y (born 1981-2000) These four groups of employees differ in their communications, learning, and work styles, largely due to the evolution of technology and generational culture. Much like a multigenerational household, the flow of information at work is a cornerstone to a healthy environment. Nonprofit organizations need to develop a coaching culture where managers and staff willingly transfer knowledge to each other, and as many know, this is often easier said than done. Communicating effectively—and fostering an understanding of different workplace communication styles—is important to keeping employees happy. Traditionalists and Baby Boomers have the experience and historical knowledge that every organization needs. Gen X and Millennials hold a wealth of knowledge about the use of technology and often want “to do things differently”. It is essential that managers understand and respect new and differing…