Congratulations! Whether you are about to embark on your fundraising career or are a seasoned veteran looking to take that big leap into a leadership position, looking for that “just right” fundraising job is likely to create enthusiasm. Two things jump out at you: the organization – its mission, vision, culture, etc., and the actual job, or in this case the fundraising job posting (because that’s all you can go on right now, right?).
Let’s pretend you found the organization, or at least have a few on the radar. You now have in front of you the almighty job description. Who, and more so, what do they want? We have all seen them.
- “Inspiring go-getter with experience in events, annual appeals, and peer-to-peer fundraising.”
- “Responsible for all aspects of fundraising operations, including prospecting, identification, proposal generation, and stewardship.”
- “Ability to manage and prioritize many projects of varying size, scale, and importance with competing deadlines.”
- “Implements new avenues of fundraising techniques, keeping abreast of industry trends, issues, and changes in the law pertaining to donations.”
For the most part, especially for someone eager for their next role, those all sound reasonable, right? I fully expect the organization to want a “go-getter”, especially who is knowledgeable and/or has experience in various fundraising avenues. Also, fundraising is a process that includes some prospecting, identification, proposal creation, and stewardship, so that makes sense. Not to mention, there’s always a lot going on in the fundraising world, so of course I will need to prioritize certain aspects of my work. And duh, I will absolutely need to stay ontop of trends and issues pertaining to my job. My donors need that.
Yep, sign me up!
Now, there is nothing inherently wrong with those job posting statements. They are likely accurate and, without a doubt, absolutely needed. However, they are so generic that without context, they can mean so many different and varied priorities and expectations, ultimately impacting how you will be assessed on success (or failure), contributing to what is the ongoing high turnover of fundraising jobs.
Take a look at them again.
- “Inspiring go-getter with experience in events, annual appeals, and peer-to-peer fundraising.”
Did they mean:
“Our last person didn’t get out there enough with the donors so be prepared for a bombardment of meetings with those who felt ignored. You should also know that whether it be at events or during our annual appeal campaign, you will need to look deep into your brain on the ways to bring them back in, and back in at a higher level. We don’t know what it means, but you should definitely look into something called peer-to-peer fundraising.”
- “Responsible for all aspects of fundraising operations, including prospecting, identification, proposal generation, and stewardship.”
Did they mean:
“We need you to do everything. Although the fundraising team is responsible for bringing in $5M, it’s just you and one other person. We highly doubt we can bring on anyone else because it is important that we bring on a Chief Strategy Officer who will be focused on finding new ways to expand service, which will bring the need to raise $8M in two years for you and your one team member.”
- “Ability to manage and prioritize many projects of varying size, scale, and importance with competing deadlines.”
Did they mean:
“Not only is it just you and one other person, but as the development professional we need you to attend several meetings per week, including around the finance systems, program outcomes, and much more. This is important because we are about to expand into government and foundation grants, which means someone needs to make sure we have everything set up from application to tracking to reporting. By the way, the deadline for the big grant is two weeks after hire and program expenditure lists are important for these grants, so work side-by-side with the programs team to gather. Be prepared to create 5-page quarterly reports with detailed tracking of outcomes immediately. Oh, you will need to track down pictures and stories too, as those are needed requirements!”
- “Implements new avenues of fundraising techniques, keeping abreast of industry trends, issues, and changes in the law pertaining to donations.”
Did they mean “we don’t know what we’re doing – we just know that some of our donors are upset that we aren’t doing more, saying key words and terms like donor advised fund, annuity, planned giving, endowment, and others; we need you to figure it all out and solve whatever problem they are having and bring in that $5M, turning into $8M in two years (a 60% increase)”?
Hopefully I am telling you what you already know, which is a job posting is a guide, a snapshot. That’s it. It’s not the day-in and day-out work ahead. It’s an opportunity to sell you the dream, so of course they are written with a little more fluff and inspiration. But it is just as important to know what they are not saying.
Read between the lines.
When you get that interview, form your questions from that: between the lines of what they are saying and are not saying. No one wants to buy a Ferrari just to take it home and it starts to leak oil, shimmy when you start it back up, or find out it was in an accident you weren’t aware of. As a fundraising professional, you are helping move mountains, changing the world, and impacting lives. Just make sure you know what you are getting into as much as possible.
Good luck!
About the Author:
Scott Myers, CNP
, Chief Development and Communications Officer, Engineers Without Boarders USA
Scott Myers is a fundraising and communications professional with over 15 years of experience. Throughout his career, he has worked for both small and large and local and national/international nonprofits and is currently the Chief Development and Communications Officer for Engineers Without Borders USA. He holds a Master’s degree and several certificates and credentials, including being a Certified Nonprofit Professional. Scott is active in the community sitting on several boards, including the Advocacy Council for the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at the University of Central Arkansas, his alma mater, and the Advisory Board for the National Parents Organization. A resident of St. Louis, Missouri, Scott enjoys family time with his wife and three daughters, golfing, and cheering on his favorite team, the Kansas City Chiefs!
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