What sort of proxy is there to the skill of making the ask? (What does someone learn from years of experience as a fundraiser?)
I'm interviewing for a fundraiser role at my college, a place where I work currently. I have some experience raising external funding for projects, but nothing like working through a big capital campaign.
I've tried to promote the transferable skills I do have that I would think make for a successful fundraiser--persuasion, relationship building, listening, collaboration, among others. I've tried to point attention to the experience I've had interacting with highly successful individuals. I've even pointed to my ability to have uncomfortable conversations--asking for more or giving feedback--in managing staff and leading teams.
But the interviewer spelled out three columns of grading, seemingly her criteria for making the choice: 1) internal knowledge of campus happenings, 2) relational skills, and 3) development experience, making the ask in fundraising.
How can I sell myself as more than a zero in the experience column. What things could this encompass?
P.S. I've attached the job description in case anyone wants more context.
I'm unclear what the specific concern is here ...
I guess I'm confused here. What's the concern, and on whose part?
The position seems to be one of asking people to give money for wider purposes than a project. You have experience actually raising money for specific projects, which to me requires successfully asking -- not just "making the ask", but "making the ask, provoking the affirmative answer, getting the funds, all with everyone happy about the whole deal".
Is the interviewer looking for someone who has actually done this specific job already? If so, the best you can do is demonstrate how you'd go about applying the experience you have successfully deployed in the job "one step removed". Perhaps step through what you did to build the personal relationships, what you did to "make the ask", and the successful results from that. To me, emphasizing the connection of "make the ask" through to the results shows that you are very aware that "make the ask" is indeed a proxy for results -- and that you have both the proxy and the results on display! (Just at a slightly smaller scale.) We can of course presume the position is intended to provide results .... :-)
Good luck!
-- Joseph (DiSC: 4247)
Identify related accomplishments
Hi Eric -- I can provide my guidance to you based on what I looked for when I was in development and interviewing/hiring fundraisers.
Identify past experience and accomplishments that are similar to the development cycle: discovery, engagement, proposal, closure and stewardship. This could be in your past experience with external fundraising and it could also be in non-fundraising related experience. Perhaps projects that you managed where you had to identify key partners (discovery), determine their needs/desires (engagement), deliver a strategy/plan (proposal), get them to agree to your plan (closing) and then continue to grow the relationship for the next project (stewardship). Identify 2-3 specific experiences that you could share that would demonstrate your success with the cycle and then prepare your interview answer so that you use development language to talk about it.
I would also have 3-5 other accomplishments that you could speak to around persuasion and relationship building. Some possibilities: making a case for budget dollars or other resources (staffing, capital expenditures); identifying potential new markets, products or strategies and then developing and implementing a plan for such; persuasive writing. Also anything you've done in sales - because development is sales and the development cycle is the sales cycle with different lingo (prospecting, fact finding, presentation, close, implementation, follow up/relationship management).
I hope this helps, Eric. If not, mail me and we can schedule a time to chat.
Good luck! Development is my first love so it's very cool for me to see other people entering the profession.
Best,
Dani
Got what I need.
Thanks, all. This is really helpful. No need for a chat, Dani. Your advice is really clear here. I appreciate the offer.
Out of the running
Just to update anyone following this, I heard this week that I did not get the offer. Thanks to all who inquired and supported my application! Now, on to the next opportunity.