{"id":584295,"date":"2016-05-18T17:03:50","date_gmt":"2016-05-18T21:03:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/joangarry.com\/?p=584295"},"modified":"2022-09-06T09:59:48","modified_gmt":"2022-09-06T13:59:48","slug":"development-director-interview-answers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/joangarry.com\/development-director-interview-answers\/","title":{"rendered":"What Development Directors Should Say In An Interview"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are just three components to hiring a great Development Director:<\/p>\n

1) Get a good candidate pool.<\/p>\n

2) Ask the right questions.<\/p>\n

3) Recognize the right answers.<\/p>\n

For the moment, I\u2019m going to assume you know how to get a good candidate pool.<\/p>\n

I addressed the second item, asking the right questions, in my earlier post, Great Interview Questions for Development Directors<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

But even though I said I\u2019d address the third item (recognizing the right answers during the Development Director interview) the following week, it didn\u2019t happen.<\/p>\n

I wrote, \u201c<\/em>It\u2019s one thing to know what to ask. It\u2019s another to know what answers you should be hearing from an exceptional fundraiser. And that\u2019s exactly what I\u2019m going to cover next week.\u201d<\/em> But then the next week came and I wrote about something else entirely.<\/p>\n

Since then, I\u2019ve been asked many times, \u201cWhat are the right answers?\u201d <\/em>I\u2019m finally getting to it.<\/p>\n

So let\u2019s get right to it\u2026 Development Director interview. 10 Questions. 10 Answers. Ready?<\/p>\n

1) Far too many people see the word \u2018fundraising\u2019 and head for the hills. It\u2019s one of the main reasons board recruitment can be a challenge for nonprofits. But you WANT to be a fundraiser. Tell me why. What do you enjoy<\/em> about fundraising?<\/h3>\n

This question goes right to the top of the list because the answer is absolutely key to hiring a great DOD.<\/p>\n

You must<\/em> hear from the candidate that she finds joy in asking people for money. Period. While the actual words they use may vary, the right candidate must find some combination of joy, fulfillment, and happiness in asking for gifts. Remember, this is a person who will be charged with asking for money AND inspiring others (staff board and sometimes the Executive Director) to fundraise.<\/p>\n

They better love<\/em><\/strong> it.<\/p>\n

2) Tell me about the largest individual ask you yourself have made. Tell me the story. Did you get the gift? Why or why not?<\/h3>\n

You are looking for a few things here.<\/p>\n

First, does the candidate have experience making asks at or above the level you need solicited? If your organization regularly solicits prospects for $500,000 and the candidate has only asked for $50,000, that\u2019s a flag and you need to dig deep.<\/p>\n

Second, listen for how the candidate made the ask and the process leading up to it. If she doesn\u2019t tell you this information, ask in a follow-up question. You are listening for how the prospect was cultivated, how the ask number was arrived at, and what the candidate did to close the gift.<\/p>\n

Did they follow-up after an initial answer of \u2018no\u2019? Did they need to hang in there and really work to close the gift? Did they work with the prospect to be sure the prospect\u2019s philanthropic aims were met and that a true partnership was formed? This question reveals if the candidate works with a partnered philanthropy mindset or just focuses on transactional charity.<\/p>\n

3) In fundraising trainings you often hear, \u201cYour love of the organization must trump your fear of asking.\u201d What do you LOVE about this organization?<\/h3>\n

This is actually a question you should not have to ask. It\u2019s a \u201cflag on the field\u201d if this does not come up in an opening statement from the candidate.<\/p>\n

You need to sense a deep commitment to the sector you work in.<\/p>\n

It is possible that the organization is relatively new to the candidate and that\u2019s OK. But a passion for the sector should lead her to come in with a keen understanding and appreciation for the work your organization does to move the ball down field.<\/p>\n

The big thing you\u2019re looking for is authenticity.<\/em><\/strong> If you yourself have that passion (and you\u2019d better), you\u2019ll know authenticity when you hear it.<\/p>\n

4) I think about fundraising like investigative journalism. You should learn as much as you can before and during a meeting with a prospect so that you can tailor your ask to who they are in the world. What do you find to be the best questions to ask a prospect at a donor lunch?<\/h3>\n

There are many possible things to ask a prospect about at a lunch, but there is only one key question that every DOD wants to know. The prospect needs to be asked why she is interested in your organization\u2019s mission. The answers can be endless but the reasons the prospect is drawn to your work is the basis for any future solicitation.<\/p>\n

5) As someone committed to philanthropy, you no doubt donate to causes you care about. Tell me about your experience as a donor. Is there an organization that treats you especially well (and what does that look like)? Have you ever stopped giving to an organization you care about? Why?<\/h3>\n

First off, your candidate should be ready with an example. I am always wary of a Development Director that does not give to an organization they care about (I couldn\u2019t care less about how much).<\/p>\n

Listen for the candidate to tell you what an organization did well or poorly, as well as why<\/em> they thought the actions were good or bad.<\/u><\/p>\n

You are really looking for the candidate\u2019s thought process, and her ability to put herself in the role of a donor. Fundraising is all about building relationships and so in addition to authenticity, the best development directors exude empathy.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

6) What are the three ideal characteristics of a five-star Development Director?<\/h3>\n

You should have already heard about the joy the candidate takes in fundraising. So I\u2019m not counting that one. Here are three others I like to hear from folks.<\/p>\n