Want to learn more about how you can successfully find your fundraising dream job? We partnered with Paulilna Nozka and Cathy Mann from Ryerson University for a free webinar – watch the recording here!
Are you looking to make your next career move? Do you want a great new job? Are you interested in fundraising because it looks interesting and you have heard that it pays well? Are you ready to send your application for that job posting you found on CharityVillage?
Before you do that, it’s good to ask yourself a few questions.
Please do not misunderstand me – I don’t mean that you should not apply for those great looking positions in fundraising – quite the contrary. All I’m saying is that before jumping in head first and sending applications to every position you see posted, make sure you do the following things to increase your chances of success, especially if you are brand new to the profession:
1. Ask yourself what you really want.
First, what does a great job mean to you? You will hear many different pieces of advice from people on how to find a job, or even a ‘great job’, but will you recognize a ‘great job’ when you see it? And what does that even mean? As a career consultant working with university students and alumni, I have noticed that the most successful job search applicants first and foremost know what they want and why. They have assessed themselves in terms of the values, skills, knowledge and interest they want to utilize in their career. A surprising number of us cannot easily answer these questions.
2. Assess your skills and knowledge for your target position.
Given that you are reading this article about finding jobs in fundraising, I am assuming that you are interested in a position in this field and know yourself to have the following qualities:
- strong writing skills
- enjoy building relationships with people
- interest in advertising, marketing / public relations
- passion for the cause
- creative thinker
- curiosity
If this is the case, then you are in the good position of possessing the necessary qualities to be a successful fundraising professional and being just the sort of candidate employers are looking for! There is a great probability that as a newbie to fundraising, you may need to boost your knowledge of the field and methods of fundraising through some additional education, but having the qualities listed above is a great sign that this could be the right field for you.
3. Understand what employers look for in candidates.
Having talked with a number of employers, I know that there are as many different approaches to this as there are people, but generally speaking, any approach that will allow the employer to evaluate the candidate’s fit for the position is likely one that they are open to trying.
Cathy Mann, Academic Coordinator of Ryerson University’s Fundraising Management Certificate Program and a fundraising professional with over 20 years of experience in the field, says she considers the following questions when evaluating those new to fundraising:
- Why should an employer take a chance on someone brand new to the profession?
- What have they done to demonstrate their commitment to the sector?
- Do they really know what it’s like to work in fundraising in the charitable sector?
- Have they taken fundraising courses?
- Have they volunteered for free for a few months to learn specific skills like data base management or to help where necessary?
- Have they gotten engaged with some of the professional associations to learn about the industry and meet decision-makers?
Cathy notes that even career transitioners with lots of work and life experience can find it difficult to get their first job in fundraising. So be well prepared to answer these questions.
4. Know the process of hiring by employers.
Now that you understand what employers are looking for in a candidate, it can be helpful to understand the hiring process.
The employer will first look for qualified people amongst their network of professional and personal contacts and then are likely to put out job postings that outline what they are looking for and give a brief overview of the position.
Given that they can receive hundreds of applications for each position they post, many applications may get only 5-10 seconds of the human resources professional’s attention before they decide to either disregard it or forward it to the hiring manager. If you want your resume and cover letter to be read by a human resources professional, be strategic when crafting it.
5. Be proactive in your approach.
Knowing how important networking is, go out there and meet as many people in the field as you can, showcase your winning attributes and highlight your fit with the requirements of the position in each and every application you send.
Best of luck in your search for your fundraising dream job!
Paulina Nozka is the Lead Career Consultant at the Career Centre of The G.Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education at Ryerson University.
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