Which Came First, the Stat or the Visit?
In my experience, fundraisers are notoriously poor at working with statistics. Once the analysis gets beyond how much they raised this year and comparing it against last year, either the fundraiser loses interest or is out of his or her league mathematically.
That’s not to say that fundraisers aren’t intelligent. They just know where they need to be, and it’s not behind a desk grinding out numbers.
Why is this important? Because in fundraising, like your career, knowing where you need to be is key to finding your next job. Typically, that’s not behind your desk grinding out resumes. It’s out in the community, meeting the people who have the jobs.
How is this a career move? Get out and meet someone! Anyone? Well, yes, that’s better than sitting behind your desk, but meeting people who do what you want to do at another organization is even better. Get out and connect on a friendly basis. Find out what their day looks like and who they know. And if you must, after the meeting tally the meeting on your spreadsheet, and send someone a resume!
Your Career Budget
What are your career costs? I’m talking about real dollars. What do you have budgeted for your career?
I know, it seems like an odd question. After all, isn’t it a matter of creating a resume and applying for jobs as you see them on the web? A few e-mails and you’re done, right?
Is that how you would handle your fundraising program? Just create a nice email and keep on sending it out to the folks who put an ad in the paper: “I’m giving out money”?
Probably not.
Even if it’s direct mail, fundraising takes an investment in time and money. Who is your target audience? What are their giving (hiring) habits? What do they like to give to (what skills do they employ)? How do you meet them?
It may not cost you huge amounts to learn these things about your donors or your job prospects, but investing nothing is a quick way to get nothing — whether it’s a charitable gift or a job.
So like your fundraising, budget some money for your career. Set aside some funds for networking events. Take a class or go to a seminar. Upgrade your computer. You get the idea. Learn, be seen, communicate — getting a great gift or a great job are pretty much the same.
Hi Ho, Silver, Away!
For those of us of a certain age, we have vivid memories of the Lone Ranger (ironic, huh, since it was filmed in black and white) taming the American West with his colleague Tonto and a belt full of silver bullets!
Since then (and maybe before then) a “silver bullet” has become a metaphor for a direct, once and done solution to a vexing problem. Everyone wants a “silver bullet” solution to whatever they do.
It’s a great fantasy, but I’m sorry to say that in the REAL days of old, silver bullets were a myth. The old lead ones -– heavy, dull (and lethal) — really did the job.
It’s the same with your career. While getting a promotion, raise or new job assignment might seem like a silver bullet solution to all your personal issues, you’ll quickly realize that they’re at best silver plated. The real solutions are base(ic) — like a lead bullet.
So even if you get the new job with the raise in the most exciting place you’ve worked, keep up the basics that got you there — the networking, the teaching, the writing… whatever got you recognized in the first place. That way you’ll always have bullets in your belt (you can paint them silver) for when the bad guys -– that job loss, the tough boss, the budget cuts — come to town!
Are You Regular?
That’s a really personal question, I know. But I’ve found that being regular is one of the most important things you can do to bolster your career.
No, I’m not talking about joining Jamie Lee Curtis on a yogurt diet, I’m talking about “institutionalizing” actions in your day-to-day life that lead to a better career.
Like what? How about reserving the last Friday of each month for a personal networking lunch with a colleague from another organization? How about reviewing the Chronicle of Philanthropy each Monday at the end of the day? What about going to one AFP event each quarter?
You get the idea. Make sure that small, career related activities are a regular part of your life. Being “regular” won’t pay off in an immediate job offer or an instant salary increase, but it will put you in a ready position so that when the next opportunity comes up, going for it will be, well … regular.
Announcing: Guides for Fundraising & Nonprofit Leaders
I hope that you can indulge me a little self promotion this week by announcing two new items:
- A Resume Guide for Fundraisers and Nonprofit Leaders
- A Networking Guide for Fundraisers and Nonprofit Leaders
“A Resume Guide” is prompted by the many requests that I get to review and critique resumes. It’s a 23 page e-book in PDF format that:
- provides outlines of the most popular resume formats specifically tailored for nonprofit and fundraising;
- warns you about some of the most common pitfalls of resume writing;
- gives some of the “inside” on preparing a resume for electronic screening;
- can make your resume stand out from the crowd.
“A Networking Guide,” a 26 page e-book in PDF format, walks you through the career networking process – where most jobs are found! It covers:
- the kinds of networking;
- how to prepare for networking;
- what you want to get out of networking;
- the mechanics of getting networking contacts;
- what to do and look for when you’re networking;
- and more!
Like anything I put out, I want you to be happy with what you get. So if you order “A Resume Guide” or “A Networking Guide” and you don’t find it worth the $15 you paid, I’ll send your money back.
Order yours today, at: http://www.fundraisingtalent.com/wps/articles/
