Young professionals should consider fundraising

Like many millenials who are exploring careers, I have been caught between two seemingly conflicting desires: one to have business-like, upwardly mobile work that is project based and competitive and another to do work that is personally fulfilling and positively impacts society.

Fundraising for non-profit institutions and organizations has been a great balance of both desires for me, and I recommend the field to young professionals especially.

Here’s why:

Competitive pay. Development jobs are competitive in salary. According to the most recent salary survey by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the average salary for a development professional under age 34 was $45,501, and non-profits are increasingly employing private-sector strategies, including competitve pay, to increase their impact and lure top talent.

Performance-based evaluation. One of the fears I’ve had about non-profit work is potentially being evaluated on intangible, feel-good goals. However, I’ve been pleasantly surprised. In development, goals are geared toward your organization’s revenue performance and your role within it.

Professional development. I have had the opportunity to work for non-profits that invest significat resources on training their staffs to become better leaders. My organization is helping me complete Duke University’s Certificate in Non-Profit Management, be a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (our trade organization) and get leadership training from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.

Relationship building and mentoring. Anyone who says that development work is simply asking for money is mistaken. The key to fundraising is building strong relationships with donors, volunteers, and community leaders, and good relationships yield good donors. Young professionals have the unique opportunity to build donor relationships that could become sources for recommendations and career advice.

Personally fulfilling work. Working in development has allowed me to have a direct connection to what I consider to be God’s work. My office is next door to family rooms for the Ronald McDonald House. When I get frustrated in the office, I go play with the children in our playroom or drink coffee with one of the mothers while they’re not in the hospital. When I go home, I know that every dollar my team raises goes to the support these familes.

It’s been a perfect balance of my career goals, and I encourage folks to check out career opportunities in development in ours and other organizations.

March 16, 2008 | Filed Under Blog, Career, Fundraising

 

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