Working at a for-profit company or at a nonproft?
September 2, 2009 by admin
Filed under Business & Professional Jobs
The non-profit world is about relationships. It can sometimes be hard to come up with enough paper to send out the solicitation mailing, and people are too kind to fire other people (most of the time).
The for-profit world is about profit. So here’s how to think about your new world if you want to jump from the business to the non-profit:
-Fund raisers and non-profits are not supposed to be swimming in cash. That means that we do not use slick stationery to request gifts because that would look like we are wasting the donor’s money on slick stationery. We also leave Rolex watches at home. The guys who are in our office with the pinstripe suits on are the consultants, not the staff.
-The staff’s mission is to serve mankind, not make money. Although non-profits are paying larger alaries to lure good fund-raisers to their shops, the aim is for the shop itself to look like a place where people work to make a difference, not to make an early retirement.
-The people you will talk to are passionate about something. The staff who work for a non-profit believe in the cause. Be prepared to field a lot of zeal while keeping an open mind. Donors also believe in the cause and want to talk to fund-raisers who do, too.
-Be prepared to make a contribution. Part of your salary negotiation is to make enough to give back a leadership gift every year. You have to be on the donor list to solicit other donors.
-You can not anger the clients and replace them. Non-profits have a natural constituency – alumni, grateful patients, women who support girls – you lose a lifetime of gifts if you anger a constituent permanently…
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