Nepotism questions that must be answered

The offspring of ministers, can be, some of the most talented, committed, faithful and knowledgeable young believers within a church.

When it comes to hiring new staff members, I’ve seen plenty of positions, rightfully,  go to those whom share the surname of the senior minister.

So, how do you avoid the accusation of nepotism once a minister’s kids gets a gig?

Primarily, no single minister should ever have the sole power to hire anyone. Ever. 

No staffing decisions should ever be conducted within a vacuum. If this is the case, and a minister’s relative gets a job, then the charge of nepotism will always hang over that appointment.

But, if the panel - inclusive of a related minister or not - is doing the hiring, what questions should they be able to answer?

First of all, they should be able to point to a group of candidates that were potential hirings. 

Second, those on the panel should be able to clearly articulate why a minister’s kid got the job. They should be able to identify their skills, talents and experience and why this was superior to other candidates.

Finally, they should feel comfortable, having hired the minister’s progeny, to keep them on staff if there is a falling out with the senior minister or the minister amicably moves on. 

If this is not the case, and the above explanations can’t be satisfactorily provided,  then the smell of nepotism will (and should) thickly linger...