Major Gift Staff: Finding,

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Major Gift Staff Finding, Hiring, and Motivating
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People Make the Organization

• Issues
• Ideas
• Context.

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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.

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The Most Important Qualities and Skills

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

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The Job Description

• Define the position clearly
• Highlight experience needed
• What are specific requirements?
• Where does it fit?
• How is success determined?
• Explain benefits.

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The Job Announcement

• Recruit
• Vision, mission, values
• Importance
• Future opportunity.

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Where Do You Look?

• Not-for-profits
• Trusted colleagues
• Related fields sales, marketing
• Volunteers who have demonstrated experience
• Professional associations.

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You Have Some Candidates- Now What?

• Have a consistent process
• Search committee? Who is on it?
• Prepare committee
• Keep it simple and clear.

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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.

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Evaluating the CandidateCheck References

• Ask about the person
• Ask about performance
• Ask some open-ended questions.

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

• Be passionate about your organization
• Opportunity
• Future potential
• Professional development opportunities
• Benefits
• RECRUIT THEM.

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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.

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Motivating the Staff

• Vision
• Their role in vision
• Celebrate successes
• Deal with problems discretely
• Clear goals that are quantifiable
• Regular check-ups.

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Keeping the Staff

• Personal growth and satisfaction
• Belonging to the team
• Rewards
• Commitment.

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Questions?
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