How to ace your second interview

Congratulations on smashing your first interview for that awesome new fundraising role. You clearly did your homework and made a good impression … now it’s time for the second one.

Wondering what it will involve and how to prepare? Read on to find out.

Why two interviews?

There isn't a set rule for how many interviews it takes to get a job. Every charity is different.  But it often depends on the position. For entry-level positions, one interview might be enough. For mid-level positions, there may be two. For managerial/senior level roles, there can be three or four.

For the purposes of this post, let’s assume there are two.

The first interview

First and second round interviews serve different purposes. The aim of the first interview is to screen applicants and weed out those who don’t have the skills, education or experience needed for the position.

The interviewer will do this by testing your personality and basic skills to see whether you match up to your CV and cover letter.

At this stage, the interviewer is not considering whether you’re perfect for the job. They’re considering whether you’re better than the other applicants.

First round interviews are often carried out by HR bods and may be conducted online, or over the phone.

The second interview

The fact you made it to the second interview means you’ve got the core skills required to fulfil the duties in the job description. But, at this stage, only the cream of the crop will be called back so you’ll need to up your game to get the job.

The interview will probably take place on-site and you may be interviewed by your potential boss, or a panel.

This time around, the interviewer will want to drill into the detail to find out if you’d be a good fit for the role, and the team.

They’ll probably do this by asking a mixture of competency and behavioural interview questions.

Competency-based questions

Competencies are the skills, behaviours and knowledge you’ll bring into the role i.e., leadership, teamwork, resilience. Employers will use competency questions to discover real-life scenarios where you can demonstrate you used your competencies to the best effect.

• Give an example of a time when you had to make a difficult decision.

• Can you give me an example of a time when you have had to convince a person to do something that they were initially reluctant to do.

• Describe a time when you had to step up and demonstrate leadership skills.

Behavioural questions

These are designed to give hiring managers insight into your behaviour and personality and find out how you handle work-related situations.

Examples

• Tell me about a time when you failed to reach your fundraising goal and what you learned from the experience.

• Tell me about a stressful situation you experienced in a previous fundraising role and how you dealt with it

• Give me an example of a fundraising goal you reached and tell me how you achieved it.

Tip: Use the STAR method to structure your answers. It’s a game changer! You can find out more about it here.

Final Word

Now you’re clued up on what to expect in your second interview, you’re ready to ace it. Good luck!

Want some support with your interview prep? Give us a call on 0203 750 3111 or email info@bamboofundraising.co.uk.

Six tips to make your job adverts more inclusive

If you've tried to recruit recently, you'll know that fundraising candidates are getting harder to find than sea turtles. But it’s not just you. Despite the abundance of fundraising roles across the sector, many charities are struggling to fill vacancies.  

Assuming you read our blog post on recruiting and retaining fundraisers, and you’ve tackled the issues of low pay, flexible working practices, and staff burnout, what else can you do to attract top fundraising talent? Make your recruitment process more diverse.

This will not only give you access to a wider talent pool and enable you to build a workforce that better reflects your donor base; it could also improve your bottom line.

Research has found that organisations with a diverse workforce are up to 35% more likely to outperform their competitors.

To reap the rewards of a diverse workforce, your recruitment process needs to be inclusive from start to finish, but it all starts with the job ad. 

Here are six tips to make your job ads more inclusive.

1.     Keep it simple, stupid! (KISS)

It may be a design principle, KISS is equally applicable to job adverts, particularly if you consider 1.5 million Brits have a learning disability.

Make your ads accessible by keeping the language simple. Avoid complex descriptions, jargon, wordiness, and awkward phrasing.

You also need to consider the layout. According to the British Dyslexia Association, some fonts and font sizes are more readable than others. They recommend Arial, Verdana, or Calibri in a 12–14-point size. And avoid italics; they’re not accessible to all.

How are you asking candidates to apply? If there’s an online application form, offer alternative formats i.e., a large print form or an audio recording for visually impaired candidates and/or those who struggle with backlit screens.

2.     Mind your language

In a candidate-driven market, you can’t afford to lose applicants at the initial stage because you use jargon or biased language in your job ad.

You need to ensure the language you use is inclusive.

Inclusive language consists of words, terms and phrases that communicate a respect for diversity, sensitivity to differences among people from various backgrounds, and equitable opportunities for all people.

Here are some things to bear in mind.

Age bias

A third of workers in the UK are aged 50+. If you want to attract candidates in this bracket, avoid phrases such as ‘digital natives’ or ‘tech-savvy’. This is a sure-fire way to turn them off. Conversely, specifying that a candidate needs ‘seven years’ experience’ or an ‘extensive portfolio’ puts older candidates at an advantage.

Rather than asking for a certain amount of experience as a pre-requisite, focus on the required skills. After all, jobseekers with seven years’ experience can differ greatly in terms of their abilities.

Racial bias

Avoid phrases that could be seen as perpetuating negative racial, cultural, or faith stereotypes. For example, ‘do you want to join our gang?’ can have negative racial connotations.

Also, bear in mind that phrases such as ‘strong English-language skills’, or ‘native English speaker’ could alienate non-native English speakers.

Gender bias

If your ad is unintentionally gender-coded, it can skew the gender-weighting of applicants for your roles.

Academic research by Duke University and the University of Waterloo found that women can be discouraged from applying for a job if the ad uses masculine coded terms such as ‘independent’, ‘aggressive’ and ‘decisive’. However, men are unaffected if a job description uses feminine words like “considerate”, “collaborate” and “loyal”.

Use this Gender Decoder Tool to check your ad is gender neutral.

Bonus tip: Microsoft has an in-built inclusive language checker. Run your copy through it before publishing. This is how to access the tool.

3.     Keep ‘key skills’ to a minimum

Research has found that men will apply for a role if they meet 60% of the requirements, but women will only apply if they can tick off 100%.

This means many women screen themselves out of the process before putting pen to paper.

A long list of essentials can also be off-putting for younger candidates who haven’t had time to build up their skills and knowledge.

Don’t include anything as a ‘prerequisite’ or ‘must-have’ unless it literally is. If you can train new hires to perform a particular skill, leave it off your list of requirements.

If you’re asking for the world and expecting to find a unicorn candidate, you run the risk of deterring potential fundraising superstars.

4.     Don’t ask for a degree

Going to university is expensive — prohibitively so for people in lower socio-economic brackets. If you include a degree qualification requirement in your job ad, you’ll exclude lots of great potential candidates.

Unless it’s essential, focus on the required skills rather than educational background.

5.     Highlight your commitment to EDI

State your commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion in the ad. Let applicants know you welcome applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of their race, gender, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.

Need some help building a diverse fundraising team? Give us a call on 020 3750 3111 or email us at info@bamboofundraising.co.uk.

How to harness the power of storytelling for fundraising

Ever since the days of cave drawings, human beings have been telling stories to connect, entertain, and pass on information. We’re hardwired to respond to stories as they activate emotional centres in our brains, evoking strong, visceral reactions such as that all-important facet of emotional connection: empathy, which enables us to identify with the plight of others.

When emotions are triggered, it inspires us to take action (i.e., make a donation), which makes story telling an incredibly powerful tool for fundraisers.

With this in mind, here are five tips to help you tell your fundraising stories more effectively.

1.     Make it personal

 You don’t need to be Jane Austen to write a great story. As much as excessive details, melodrama, and exaggeration may be entertaining to read, it won’t make for a compelling appeal.

Instead, write it as if you’re telling it to a friend over a cup of coffee.

Some pointers:

• Make it conversational and informal

• Keep the words simple, sentences short and break up long paragraphs

• Write in the first person (‘you, they, us’)

• Avoid jargon and industry slang

• Don’t ramble, include subplots, or go off on tangents (no one wants to read a story that’s difficult to understand or follow!)

• Use details only where they add to the emotion i.e., a child’s toy left behind. The family member who didn’t make it …

2.     Write about one person

The most effective fundraising stories focus on one person. Why? It’s far easier for our brains to put us in the shoes of ONE person and empathise with their story than with a group of people.

When there’s a group of people involved, it creates a barrier to emotional connection that’s critical for giving.

Want to make it more impactful? Include quotes from the people you’ve helped explaining how your support has transformed their lives.

The Firefighter’s charity does this to great effect on their website:

3.     Focus on stories not stats

As much as we like to believe we make decisions based on logic, stats, and reason – this isn’t the case. As we’ve established, people act on emotion.

That’s not to say there’s no place for facts and figures in your story. They’re important to highlight the scale of the problem you’re trying to solve, but it’s the story that will drive donations.

Take, for example these two videos by charity: water

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=137&v=BCHhwxvQqxg&feature=emb_logo&ab_channel=charitywater

The charity tried to entice people to donate by presenting them with facts and figures. Granted it received 2+ million views, but there was a poor response in terms of donations.

So, the creative team went back to the drawing board and came up with a new video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=U7viqHIZPnY&feature=emb_logo&ab_channel=charitywater

This one hit the mark, as the video appealed to emotion rather than logic. As a result, donations exploded.

4.     Make the donor the hero 

If you focus on the impact your organisation is making without explicitly acknowledging the donor’s part, you run the risk of alienating them: “the charity’s making a substantial impact without my help, so I’ll find one to support that really needs my money.”

However, when you make the donor the hero of the story, their support becomes essential.

Here’s a great example from Children in Need. They tell Riley’s story and point out that his health has improved “thanks to your [the public’s] donations.”

This simple line acknowledges the significant part donors have played in improving Riley’s life. 

 5.     Supercharge your story with images

You’ve heard it a “million times: “a picture is worth 1,000 words.” But in reality, it’s worth 60,000 words, as the human brain responds to images and videos 60,000 times faster than plain text.

Many images stand alone as iconic representations of powerful movements or events, like the photo of the starving child, Amal Hussain, who brought the humanitarian crisis in Yemen into sharp focus. 

That’s why visuals are such a crucial element for telling an engaging story. Without them, your audience is confronted with a wall of text that doesn’t humanize your need. 

In conclusion

Follow these five simple steps, and you can create powerful, emotive fundraising stories that drive forward your campaigns, demonstrate your impact, and, crucially, raise funds.

Happy storytelling!

Are you a natural-born storyteller looking to use your talents for good? Or perhaps you’re looking to recruit a talented story-weaver to help you show the world why your work matters.

Either way, we can help. Call us on 0203 750 3111 or email info@bamboofundraising.co.uk to find out how.

Want to get ahead in the charity sector? Take a fundraising course!

In a recent blog post, we talked about the ongoing recruitment crisis in the fundraising sector - how fundraisers are leaving the sector in droves and charities are struggling to fill vacancies. We went on to say that the situation presents charities with a golden opportunity to bring in fresh talent from outside the sector.

What’s our point?

If you’ve had enough of the corporate grind and want to establish a new career in fundraising, there’s never been a better time to do it.

But how do you land that all-important first role?

If you’re thinking, ‘I want to get into fundraising, but I don’t have any experience, or the right skillset,’ fear not. There are two things you can do …

1.   Volunteer

Charities are crying out for volunteers, so why not give back whilst gaining some practical fundraising experience? There are loads of opportunities on Volunteer’s website. 

Want another reason to volunteer? According to research by Deloitte, 82% of hiring managers are more likely to choose a candidate with volunteering experience, and 85% of those are willing to overlook other CV flaws when a candidate includes volunteer work.

It’s a no brainer.

2.   Do a fundraising course

If you’re concerned about a lack of fundraising knowledge and skills, why not book onto a fundraising course? You don’t need a degree. Even a basic understanding of the sector will help you get ahead.

Here are a few options (sorted by cost) to get you started:

Fundraising Essentials Certification

Cost: Free

Time commitment: 2 hours

NotProfitReady.org offers a variety of free courses for budding fundraisers. They cover everything from ‘creating a fundraising plan’ to ‘virtual fundraising events.’

However, a good starting point is their ‘Fundraising Essentials Certification’ course.

This three-part course provides an overview of non-profit fundraising focusing on the importance of major donors and examines the four stages of the fundraising development cycle.

What will you learn?

• You’ll be introduced to common fundraising areas, roles, and trends charities use to raise money for their programmes

• The cycle of fundraising development, including how charities identify major donors and the process of cultivation.

• How to conduct a solicitation meeting, overcome resistance, determine the amount to ask for, and turn prospects into donors 

On passing the exam, you’ll receive a certificate and 1.5 CFRE credits.

Fundraising From Scratch: A Complete Guide to Growing Income

Cost: £15.99

Time Commitment: 4 hours

Developed by Simon Scriver (professional fundraising consultant), this course will teach you the principles of fundraising and provide you with all the information you need to develop an effective fundraising strategy.

What will you learn?

• The principles of fundraising: what works and what doesn't

• Understanding of the different methods of fundraising

• How to maximise fundraising and crowdfunding from individuals and companies

• Tips and tricks for online fundraising, including Kickstarter and GoFundMe

• How to gather stories and convey them in a manner that motivates donors to give

• Knowledge of the practicalities of fundraising, including donation processing and database management

• How to manage your time

• Develop fundraising strategies, plot supporter journeys and be confident of what to do next

How to Fundraise: A Guide to Fundraising for Non-Fundraisers

Cost: £44

Duration: 3 weeks (4 hours of study a week)

The University of Kent’s ‘How to Fundraise’ course is facilitated through FutureLearn.

A practical guide to fundraising, you’ll be given tips on everything from preparing a fundraising story to processing donations.

What will you learn?

•  Why and how people give to charity

• How emotional and socially sensitive fundraising facilitates effective giving

• Preparing your organisation to fundraise effectively

• Creating and communicating a fundraising story

• Receiving donations and looking after your donors

• Developing a sustainable, long-term fundraising plan

You’ll receive a digital certificate on completion.

Introduction to Fundraising

Cost: £75

Duration: N/A. Access to the content will be available for 12 months, starting from your booking date.

If you’re new to the sector and want the gravitas of a name like the Chartered Institute of Fundraising (the professional membership body for UK fundraising) on your CV, this could be the course for you.

What will you learn?

•  Fundraising’s place within the wider non-profit environment

• How to develop a compelling case for support

• How to ensure your fundraising in legal and ethical

• The fundraising planning process and how to identify income sources

• How to create appropriate supporter communications

You’ll receive a certificate on completion.

Final Word

 Whether you choose to volunteer, or do a fundraising course, it’ll do wonders for your job prospects. Not only will it look great on your CV; it’ll put you in a strong position when recruiters shortlist candidates, and give you plenty to talk about at the interview.

 When you’re ready to apply for your first fundraising role, we’ll be on hand to help. Give us a call on 020 3750 3111 or email info@bamboofundraising.co.uk

Social Media Fundraising: Part One

If you’re new to social media fundraising, or you don’t have a digital bod on your fundraising team, listen up!

Over the coming months, we’re going to publish a series of posts to equip you with the tools and knowledge you need to succeed at social media fundraising. We’ll look at the demographics, pros and cons, and fundraising capabilities of each platform, and help you figure out which one/s to use for your fundraising campaigns.

While we’re at it, we’ll highlight some successful campaigns to get your creative juices flowing.

But before that, let’s look at why social media is an indispensable tool for charities.

Did you know that there are 4.7 billion social media users worldwide, spending a combined ten billion hours on social media every day? Or that 350,000 Tweets are sent every minute on Twitter, users spend an average of 2 hours and 31 minutes on Facebook every day, and 40% of LinkedIn users visit the site every day?

It’s hard to get your head around the numbers, isn’t it? But one thing’s for sure. With that many people at your virtual fingertips, you’d be foolish not to utilise social media as part of your fundraising strategy, particularly if you consider that 55% of people that interact with charities end up taking some sort of action, and 59% of these individuals go on to donate.

The benefits of social media

If the numbers haven’t convinced you of the importance of social media as a fundraising tool, maybe the benefits will.

Here are just a few of the many things social media enables charities to do:

• Raise awareness: with more than half of the world's population active on social media, it’s safe to say your charity has the potential to reach a LOT of new donors for little to no cost.

• Demonstrate impact: the power of social media lies in its potential for storytelling. Using photos and videos to show your charity in action and tell the stories of your beneficiaries is a powerful way to show donors how their money is helping your organisation achieve its mission.

• Non-targeted fundraising: unlike direct mail, social media is a great way to share information about your organisation and ask for donations without donors feeling like they’re being targeted or solicited.

• Forge emotional connections: text on a page is great for getting information across, but images, videos and human reactions bring the scope of your work to life. Potential volunteers are more likely to get involved if they can picture the people they will help. And donations will be more forthcoming if people can identify with the human angle – the idea that their donation could help someone like them/their mum/child/friend.

• Generate income: Facebook has a suite of free fundraising tools to help you collect donations and enable supporters to fundraise on your behalf.

Final Word

Now you know why you should be utilising social media for fundraising; we’ll move on to how you can utilise it. Keep an eye on the Bamboo blog for the next post!

Don’t forget, if you’re looking for a digital whizz to help you manage your social media fundraising, we can help. Give us a call on 020 3750 3111 or info@bamboofundraising.co.uk to find out more.