Major Gift Staff: Finding, Hiring, and Motivating

People Make the Organization

• Issues

• Ideas

• Context.

How to Recruit and Retain Good Major Gift Staff

• Define what you really need

• Focus on skills and qualities not titles

• Understand your culture

• Identify “places” to search.

The Most Important Qualities and Skills

• Self-motivated• Good communicator• Sensitive• Persistent• Well-organized• Outcome-oriented• Team player• What else?

The Job Description

• Define the position clearly

• Highlight experience needed

• What are specific requirements?

• Where does it fit?

• How is success determined?

• Explain benefits.

The Job Announcement

• Recruit

• Vision, mission, values

• Importance

• Future opportunity.

Where Do You Look?

• Not-for-profits

• Trusted colleagues

• Related fields: sales, marketing

• Volunteers who have demonstrated experience

• Professional associations.

You Have Some Candidates- Now What?

• Have a consistent process

• Search committee? Who is on it?

• Prepare committee

• Keep it simple and clear.

Evaluating the Candidate-The Process

• Develop a list of general questions

• Open-ended questions

• Probe experience

• Get different perspectives

• Sell the job and your organization.

Evaluating the CandidateCheck References

• Ask about the person

• Ask about performance

• Ask some open-ended questions.

We Like This Candidate-How Do We Close the Deal?

• Be passionate about your organization

• Opportunity

• Future potential

• Professional development opportunities

• Benefits

• RECRUIT THEM.

Easing the Entry

• Clear expectations

• Orientation

• Include in the team

• Provide the right support

• Encourage

• Show interest in their personal goals

• Evaluate and give feedback.

Motivating the Staff

• Vision

• Their role in vision

• Celebrate successes

• Deal with problems discretely

• Clear goals that are quantifiable

• Regular check-ups.

Keeping the Staff

• Personal growth and satisfaction

• Belonging to the team

• Rewards

• Commitment.

Questions?