Is a Career in Fundraising Right for You?

I truly believe that fundraising is one of the best jobs in the world. I get to work with people every day. I get to work with people who care about making the world a better place for others. I get to play a part in making the world better for others.

There are so many reasons to love fundraising, but it’s not for everyone. How do you know if a career in fundraising is right for you?

You should be in fundraising if…

• You want to make the world a better place. If you think about this on a regular basis and have since you were young, fundraising is a great career choice for you. You get to work everyday on making the world a better place for everyone. 
• You like people. Talking to people, working with people, being around people, you love it all. As a fundraiser, your entire job is talking to people all day long. I have friends who are development directors of huge nonprofits and I often envy their position because they love their donors and their donors love them. They essentially get to hang out with their friends all day, work to make the world a better place, and ask for money a couple times a year. 
• You love learning new things. Fundraising is always changing, so if you love learning new things you’ll never lack the opportunity. 
• You are good at many different things. Fundraising requires many different skills and talents: writing, reading, public speaking, working with people, reading people and situations, etc. Your job is always changing and you certainly aren’t stuck behind a desk all day. 
• You have confidence to burn. You will get turned down after gift solicitations and you have to be able to pick yourself up and move on. You can’t take it personally. 
• You don’t mind working long hours and occasional weekends. Many fundraising events take place on the weekend. Nonprofits are often short-staffed and have tight budgets. You’ll be called on to work as a team and do your part regardless of if it’s the weekend.
  

Fundraising is one of the best jobs on the planet, especially if you love people and want to help make the world a better place. You won’t fix all the problems for everybody, but you will make an impact and that feels great. If you’re interested in working of volunteering in this field, reach out to the nonprofits local to you and ask what you can do to help.