One of the best hires I ever made was also the one hire that caused the greatest uproar within our organization. It was a young woman that had just graduated from college. The job was to fill a major gift officer role for a large regional office. The feedback was harsh – “what the heck is he doing!!” It was one of the best hires I ever made.
While this young recruit had never been a fundraiser before, she had all the tangibles and intangibles in her personality to become an outstanding gift officer. And she was! She was poised and confident beyond her years, immediately commanding respect. She had been a competitive athlete in college so was disciplined and had done her “homework” in advance. She loved the organization’s mission and spoke eloquently about it. She knew how to listen and get to know the donor and his/her passions. She was a go-getter from day one. And she raised many impressive major gifts for the organization!
No doubt about it, experience matters. But I would argue that the ability to connect with people through interpersonal relationship-building skills is even more important. So often when hiring a Development Director or Major Gift Officer, among the first questions are “what’s the largest gift you ever raised?” Or “tell me a story of a significant gift that you closed.” Instead, think about asking about the attributes that make a successful gift officer. Or ask a question about how one would manage the relationship between the executive director and board. Or even asking how one would deal with rejection, which is always part of the job.
Another critical question for the organization is to ask itself whether they are truly ready to recruit. Is the professional that you plan to hire set up for success in terms of supervision, coaching, staff, and volunteer leader relationships? If you are hiring just because you need more revenue, we would advise against that. If you are hiring to fill a role for someone that left the organization, first understand the reasons and secondly, assess your strengths and weaknesses before filling the role again. Be clear on what you need, what you will offer in terms of a support system for the role and understand mutual expectations.
Fundraising can be a tough profession. The goal is to hire for the long-term since it takes time to build relationships. The quick fix to fill a revenue gap rarely succeeds. Is there a multi-year philanthropy plan in place? Have you faced a series of unsuccessful recruitments and need to think more strategically? As Philanthropic Advisors, we might suggest hiring a professional on a part-time contractual basis to help the organization assess readiness, build a plan, and even help with recruitment of a full-time fundraiser.
Our advice is to think out of the box, take a look at the candidate holistically, seek soft skill sets, and make sure they have a passion for your mission and are diplomats with donors and on behalf of your organization.
Once you have made your hire, be ready to work systematically to retain your professional. Fundraising is very challenging, and burnout is high; turnover is reported to be as low as 18 months. Turnover over can be so disruptive, setting the organization back 1-2 years at least. Unrealistic expectations, lack of support and isolationism are often the reasons for leaving. Fundraising is more than just raising money; it is about building relationships. It is important not to claim credit but to give credit. Fundraising should be embraced as a team sport.
Be sure that you are ready to set realistic goals as part of your plan, provide adequate support, let go of the reins, listen, appreciate, and acknowledge success, and place the focus on building relationships. The philanthropic support will follow.
