The fundraising job market has always been competitive for the best roles, so interview preparation is vital to successfully landing your dream role.
However, being a talented fundraiser does not mean you know how to best present your experience.
You have heard the standard, although no less essential, advice for interviews: dress well, prepare questions for the end, give examples to demonstrate experience, and so on.
On top of this, I wanted to provide some more fundraising job interview tips to help you stand out from the competition.
Six fundraising job interview tips to help you stand out
1. Remember your figures
Interviewers love percentages and ROI. Talk about year-on-year increases and income targets being met and exceeded. This demonstrates your commercial approach and your impact in the post.
Example:
You can talk about how you ran a campaign that achieved a 3:1 return on investment, leading you to exceed your £250k yearly target by 18% (£45k) and contributing to a 10% year-on-year increase in income.
2. Talk about your individual achievements as well as your teamworking skills
It’s essential to use ‘I’ as well as ‘we’. Don’t be afraid to take credit for the things you’ve worked on. At the same time, avoid sounding like too much of a lone wolf. Remember to also talk about times you’ve worked well in your team and cross-organisationally.
Example:
Instead of saying: ‘My team made a proposal to Historic England for funding and were successfully awarded a £1 million grant.’
You could say: ‘I identified Historic England as a suitable target for a funding application and worked with my team to submit the proposal.’
Don’t be afraid to take credit for the things you’ve worked on.
3. Keep your answers related to the income stream
(if possible)
If you’re interviewing for a corporate fundraising role, use as many examples of corporate fundraising as possible. Candidates often use what they feel are their best examples rather than their most relevant ones. Remember the position you’re applying for.
For instance, if you are asked, ‘Tell us about your experience of winning six-figure partnerships from corporate partners’, we wouldn’t suggest answering with ‘I have made successful proposals to many organisations, and was recently successful in applying to XYZ trust for a £100,000 donation.’ While no doubt impressive, your incredible background in trust fundraising is not what they’ve asked for.
If you don’t have experience in the income stream you’re applying for, try translating your skills.
4. Translate your skills
If you want to move sideways into a new income stream, you can translate the skills and learning you have gained elsewhere. For example, there is a crossover between corporate and community fundraising, which involves managing stakeholders, agreeing on partnerships, and value exchange.
Remember to always return to the income stream you’re being interviewed for and keep your example as relevant as possible.
Example:
Question – ‘Tell us about how you have formed partnerships with national corporates’
Answer – ‘Whilst I don’t have direct experience working with corporate partners, I regularly worked with staff at our local Morrisons to create several challenge events as a community fundraiser. This involved working with employees on the shop floor and getting buy-in from management.’
5. Remember the question and be concise
It’s tempting to talk and talk to get your point across, but you have been asked a specific question, so that is what you need to answer. The key pieces of information can get lost if you say too much.
Always remember the question and make sure that’s what you’re answering. If you feel unsure, take a moment to consider the question and ask for it to be rephrased.
Develop the confidence to pause, take a breath, and consider your answer. If you need to hear the question again to ensure you’re on the right track, ask them to repeat it.
6. Be yourself
Interviews can be nerve-wracking experiences. It’s quite natural, but try to get on top of those nerves where possible. Breathe deeply, concentrate and be mindful of trying, where possible, to remain succinct with your answers. Be professional and be yourself. Feel free to let your personality come through. Don’t listen to any concerns you have about imposter syndrome.
This will help you relax, come across naturally, and establish whether this is the right environment for you to flourish.
Breathe deeply, concentrate and be mindful of trying, where possible, to remain succinct with your answers.
By implementing these fundraising job interview tips, you can increase your chances of securing a role in the competitive fundraising field. Recruitment specialists aren’t just there for clients. We care deeply about our candidates and will always ensure you feel fully prepared for interviews. If you want to discuss your career and next career move, please get in touch!
Josh Larkin is a Senior Recruitment Consultant in our fundraising practice. With a background in fundraising himself, he knows all too well what you’re experiencing. Get in touch with him through LinkedIn or via email.
