Whether you're just getting started in your career, are looking to move up to the next level, or are switching over from the for-profit sector to launch a new career, finding a great fundraising position often depends on your ability to advertise yourself and your skill set as a "brand." While it is true that you are, in fact, a person and not a product, potential employers are initially getting to know you on the basis of just a few things: a resume, a cover letter, and (hopefully!) an interview.
With just a few brief opportunities to make an impression, you must ensure that these few glimpses of you reflect the best that you have to offer. Your resume, cover letter, and eventual interview should present a clear, consistent picture of a candidate who is the right match for the right position at the right time.
How do you make sure that you are conveying the best possible image of yourself for a fundraising career? On December 1, the Foundation Center offered a seminar to help start you off on the right foot, titled Marketing Yourself for a Job in Fundraising. The workshop featured Karen Caruso, president of the Caruso Consulting Corporation, and Marc Halpert of Connect2Collaborate as presenters, and offered some excellent advice for building resumes and cover letters, conducting successful interviews, and writing thank-you notes. Here is a brief sampling of some of their suggestions.
Note and Quantify Your Accomplishments. When drafting a resume, an easy mistake to make is to list job descriptions for all of your previous work experiences. If you want an employer to be able to quickly assess you as a good job candidate, however, it's actually better to list your accomplishments at each job. In addition, remember that fundraising is all about how much funding you can bring in, so if you can find a way to put your previous work into quantifiable terms, then by all means, try to do so.
For instance, if you've worked in fundraising positions in the past, mention how much money you raised. If you're coming from the for-profit sector, talk about how much revenue you helped bring in or how much you were able to grow the business. If you haven't worked in positions that involve raising money, try to focus on any other nonprofit job or volunteering experience you have had in a way that involves numbers. How many people did you serve? How much research did you complete? As Karen Caruso recommends, always try to focus more on your achievements than your duties.
Navigate Your Interview with Aplomb. If you succeed in getting an interview, congratulations! This is your chance to make your best impression of all. Essentially, what the employer wants to hear from you is why you're a great candidate, why this particular employer is the right fit, and why now is the right time to work for them.
You'll need to convey answers for these three questions clearly and effectively. In order to demonstrate that you're prepared and interested, research the organization thoroughly before you get to the interview. To be a good fundraiser, you need to understand and be passionate about the nonprofit's mission, so it will be important for you to walk into the interview knowing what the mission is.
In addition, since financial knowledge is very relevant in any development position, you should try to study the organization's finances as well, so that you'll have a better understanding of their budget and roughly how much funding might need to be raised. Review the organization's annual reports and 990 forms for more information.
Don't Neglect Your Linked-In Profile. Our presenter Marc Halpert offered insight into a newer element of the working world that many jobseekers might forget: the LinkedIn account. In recent years, employers have been making more and more use of this career-centered social networking tool, connecting with colleagues and vetting prospective job candidates through their profiles.
As a means for marketing or branding yourself in a career, LinkedIn can be very useful, as it offers a quick, simple visual to outline your skills, experience, interests, and connections in the field. To make your LinkedIn profile as effective as it can be, you should go beyond simply posting a copy of your resume – if you're sending in an application, the employers already have your resume.
Try to make use of some of the other tools that LinkedIn has to offer. Include a headline for your profile, which describes who you are and how you see yourself in a meaningful way. Post an approachable, professional photo to your profile, so that employers can get a better idea of who you are before they meet you. Make connections with as many colleagues as you can, and try to see if you can get recommendations posted from some of your most meaningful connections.
Finally, join some relevant LinkedIn groups. Nonprofit groups, news-related groups like the Chronicle of Philanthropy, or groups for professional fundraising associations can be helpful tools to keep you connected and up-to-date on what is going on in the sector.
For more tips on furthering your career in fundraising, check out some of our previous blog posts on the topic: Starting Out and Moving Forward with Your Fundraising Career, or Advancing Your Development Career: Tips for Success. For even more information, you can also view a recording of our live Q&A session, Do You Need Certifications for Your Fundraising Career?. Finally, stop by our library to view some of our resources on nonprofit careers. We have a variety of salary surveys on hand to help you get an idea of your earning potential in the field of fundraising, and you can also browse books such as The Idealist Guide to Nonprofit Careers for First-Time Job Seekers, and The Idealist Guide to Nonprofit Careers for Sector Switchers.
Tracy Kaufman
Library Assistant
Foundation Center-New York
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