“Very helpful, professional and clear. A cut above the rest!”
Successful candidate: Director of Development, Chatham House
While a related article in The Times puts forth that employers, regardless of sector, have identified fundraising and development roles as the most difficult to fill, does that mean that hiring managers interviewing too similarly skilled and qualified candidates will not make a decision based on a previous-experience sector preference? This is a decision as individual as the hiring managers and decision makers within these not-for-profits themselves.
As we often advise job seekers, one does not merely have to apply for roles wherein s/he can demonstrate direct experience. As has always been the case, the development and fundraising field continues to evolve: no one is expected to remain in the same sector or the same role for the whole of his/her career. Organisations recognise the benefits of wider experience and clients look at more than just job titles, as they continue to prefer to concentrate on an applicant’s relevant skills and experience.
Now, should you be reading this having worked in a development function in just one sector, even with more than one organisation, you are likely to be asking yourself “Do I need to make myself stand out from applicants already working within the sector? How might I do so?” Changing sectors, like changing career path, is not always without its challenges. However, the following points should help you navigate your way to making a successful transition.
The first step, as is the case whenever you consider putting yourself forward for any role, is to feel confident in your understanding of the role, of its responsibilities, of its inherit challenges as well as appeal and to be able to articulate all of these. A firm grasp of the role from is essential. From this heightened understanding, you will need to be candid with yourself about what possible skill sets and experience you do and do not have based on the sector. Even in conversations with the organisation, honesty and openness will translate to your relationship and makes hiring managers and decision makers more likely to value skills necessary to all fundraising professionals, including the ability to influence others, to work under pressure, and have good organisational and communication skills.
In addition, build an appreciation for nuances of your fundraising vocabulary—just as there are differences between a word’s meaning in the English dictionary and its meaning in a fundraising context, and further the appropriateness of a term to a North American fundraiser as opposed to those in the UK and elsewhere—there are differences among the sectors. What this means is do your diligent market research. Speak to professionals in the sector; seek their advice. You will surely benefit from their ideas and recommendations and, most importantly, you will sound more realistic than idealistic. As with any individual, regardless of profession, nationality or experience level, express your interest in a role to an organisation by conveying an appreciation of the differences involved and your commitment to them.
Important question to consider: “Do I present my CV differently for a change of sector?” As is always the case, your CV and cover letter should present your experience in a way that is directly applicable to the career opportunity that you are applying for. Thus, if you are seeking a sector change, you may want to consider shifting away from a chronological CV and instead leading with bullet points that highlight relevant core skills and experience.
Remember the importance of marketing yourself. While it is usually hard to put oneself in the frame of mind to sell his or herself, think of yourself as a product and tailor your application with benefits and special features that would make an organisation, again, regardless of sector, value your existing skill sets and experience.
