So many fundraisers looking for jobs

In the last couple of weeks I have had the chance to engage with fundraisers and development professionals from all over the LA/southern California area.

I was struck, and can't stop thinking about this, by how many asked me if I knew of an open position somewhere, or if I had any openings on my team.

I believe the most recent number for development staff in regards to how long they stay at a non-profit on average is 14 months.

Just 14 months. Imagine the effect this has on the agency, their donors and stakeholders, their mission, and their staff.

I believe if a development staffer is paid well, respected, engaged, empowered, treated kindly, asked to contribute at high levels and knows what is expected of them, then the chances they are looking for something else decreases significantly.

So what are we non-profits doing wrong? Is it all about salary? I don' think so. Many of us work in the non-profit world because of our passion for the cause, because we want to change the world.

I believe it comes down to how development staff is treated. Unfortunately not all development staffers feel empowered. Many I spoke with said they do not feel respected at their agency. Many feel overworked, with crazy expectations. These are just a few of the things I have heard in the last couple of weeks.

Food for thought. I wanted to write this because I love being in non-profit development and I think we can create amazing opportunities for those we hire. Then with move forward and raise the critical funds needed for our missions to succeed.

I also think that we as non-profit and development professionals need to look in the mirror more often. What are we doing that needs to change so that our development teams will thrive, and stay?

Thanks for reading.

Making the right hire

Before I begin about my thoughts around hiring for your fundraising team, please remember that I a  fundraiser. I am not a recruiter or a human resources person.

I do, however, hire people. I hire people to be part of an elite fundraising team.

So here are some thoughts:

The hiring process begins long before there is an open position. Whenever I meet people out and about who I think would make an incredible part of my team and seem passionate about the cause, I stay in touch with them and add them to my "back pocket" list. We all meet people who intrigue us or who we constantly here are doing incredible things in fundraising. So start that list.

Keep you job descriptions up to date. This is crucial. Make sure that the position you are putting out there matches the actual day-to-day expectations of the position. Job duties should match for sure.

Be very clear in your job posting. If you need someone to rock with corporate giving, make sure that is clear in what you post. It's also nice to put if the position is 9 -5 only or if occasional evening/weekend work is required.

Look at your budget with your team and see how the new person could support what you are trying to accomplish.

Start with ten-minute phone interviews. If you have a human resources person, take advantage of their expertise when creating questions.

Once you have a list for in-person interviews think of two others who might be able to do the interviews with you. Consider someone on your team and consider a program person.

In-person interviews are very important. Do not start preparing five minutes before. If you do, you are doing a disservice to you, your team, your agency and those you serve. Remember that you are looking for an individual to help your team go to new levels. Invest in the process. I will also add here that it is important for me to use the same questions for each candidate and to do each interview with the same co-workers.

If you have any past negative experiences in hiring, keep those in mind when interviewing. Be frank. Be clear about performance and expectations. Dig deep into your candidate's past experiences so you have a clear picture of what they can bring to your team.

With final interviews, it's great to include five minutes with the ED/CEO and/or someone on senior staff.

Finally, remember that the longer a future employee stays on your team and the more they bring to your team the better off everyone will be. Take your time.

Thanks so much for reading.

Tips for the fundraising professional's job search

I am on day 14 in Los Angeles.

A quick personal note (which I try to stay away from on my fundraising blog): We moved here after years of wanting to be in southern California for the warmer climate, the culture, the food and of course to be able to surf more often!

Being a fundraising professional on a job search in a city where nobody has ever heard of you isn't an easy task. Yet for some amazing reason I have had the chance to interview for some pretty incredible non-profits doing life-changing work in the Los Angeles area.

I wanted to pass along a few tips I do during the job process here. Some of these I realize are just :

Do not be in a hurry.

Get very comfortable with working with recruiting firms, especially ones who don't necessarily show that much respect for fundraising professionals or non-profit professionals as a whole.

Focus on getting in front of those who would actually hire you. This means rocking it through the recruiters.

As with any job, write an eye-opening cover letter specific to the position. Remember that you want to get in front of the person who will actually decide to hire you.

Be early to your interview.

Study the budget before the interview. For fundraisers this is crucial.

Don't promise the world. Focus on your past experiences and successes.

Dress for success.

Have a list of seven professional references that includes folks who you have reported to, who have reported to you, board members and professional contacts.

I think that's a good start!

Thanks for reading!

Passion for the mission

I think of this often.

Does a member of your fundraising team need to have a passion for the mission of the non-profit?

I say yes.

I bring it up often when interviewing. I believe hiring the right people for your team is the first key to a successful fundraising team. Or any team for that matter. And I talk a lot about our mission when interviewing.

After all, we serve youth experiencing homelessness, youth who have nothing. We don't do the mission or the youth any justice if we can have folks out there building relationships in the community who don't have a passion for our work.

It's not difficult to figure out in the interview process. As a fundraiser, I want my team to have as many tools as possible to take out and build relationships and partnerships with. Their work will be so much easier if they are passionate for the cause.

Another reason I want members of team to be passionate for the mission is that I will know that coming to work and rocking it will fulfill them personally. Between being personally fulfilled, working with other who are equally passionate for the mission, being empowered and supported on all levels, and working with an elite team of fundraisers they will inevitably love their work!

I would love to hear what other fundraisers think.

Thanks for reading!

Does passion help success?

I often go back and forth in my head on whether or not passion for the cause helps to make a fundraiser successful. Can you totally rock and roll in fundraising and relationship building if you do not have a passion for the mission of your non-profit?

I imagine the answer to this question is yes.

But not for me. I believe many of the successes I have in fundraising and relationship building come directly from the huge amount of passion I have for the mission of the non-profit I represent.

I often think about this when I meet or hang out with other fundraisers. Or when I meet someone for the first time who tells me they work in development and then tells me how unhappy they are at their current position.

First time meeting them.

I realize these are two different topics. I'm sure someone can be unhappy at a job that is at an agency whose mission the individual loves but for some other reason they are unhappy.

Then there is the non-profit fundraising employee who is only focused on their career and always moving up. I get it. I was once 25.

But back to passion. Does it help you in your fundraising and relationship building efforts? Do you believe it is critical to hire people for your development team that are passionate about your mission?

I would love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks for reading!