Breaking into Fundraising: Real Talk for New Grads (and Anyone Starting Fresh)

Breaking into Fundraising: Real Talk for New Grads (and Anyone Starting Fresh)

I had a long conversation a few days ago with a brand-new college grad who’s hoping to land her first job in fundraising. We covered a lot of ground. Some of what I shared was the usual advice. Some of it was the stuff you only hear when someone’s willing to tell you the truth.
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So here’s my actual advice for those who want to break into fundraising but feel stuck because they don’t have the experience yet.  

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1. Know where you’re headed – or you won’t know what direction to take.

To paraphrase the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland: “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.”

If your long-term goal is Executive Director, Chief Development Officer, or Major Gifts Officer, don’t apply for back-office roles like gift processing. Those positions matter (I’m on record as saying that partnership with these important roles is paramount to fundraising success) but they rarely lead to donor-facing roles, no matter how good you are. The leap from behind-the-scenes to front-line is a hard one, even if you’re in the same department.

If your dream job is out front with donors, start out front with donors – even if it’s entry-level. A Leadership Annual Giving or Donor Relations role might not sound flashy, but it will get you in the room with donors and decision-makers.
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Think long. Think strategically. Your first job should point in the same direction as your dream job.

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2. Network like it’s your job – because it kind of is.

Front-line fundraising roles have a personal element that doesn’t always come across on a resume. You’re selling your communication skills, your presence, your ability to connect. To put it bluntly, great fundraisers are at least in part personality hires. But, as with many things, if you have to say that you are a personality hire, you probably aren’t one.

The best way around that? Don’t rely only on paper. Talk to people.
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Tell everyone you know that you want to work in nonprofit fundraising. Your neighbor might be on the board of a food bank. Your friend’s aunt might chair the development committee at a local theater.
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Ask for informational interviews (which is exactly how this new grad got to talk with me for an hour). Join your local AFP chapter. Volunteer at events. These conversations open doors. Sometimes wide.

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3. This one is for the girls. Apply like a man.

Research shows that women tend to apply for jobs only when they meet all the required and preferred qualifications. Men? They'll throw their hat in the ring even if they don’t check all the boxes.

Stop waiting until you’re 100% qualified. There is no one keeping score for jobs you don’t get a callback on (except maybe you). As they say, you can’t win it, if you ain’t in it.

Read the job description. If you’re even halfway there, and it aligns with your long-term goals? Apply. Don’t self-select out.
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You can learn the rest.

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That’s what I told her. And if I were talking to you, I’d tell you the same.

Your career in fundraising won’t be built in a day. But if you start with intention, talk to the right people, and stop waiting for perfect – you’re already ahead of the game.

Cheers!
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Jessica

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