1. How long have you worked with Charity People and what was your career to date before here?
I work as a recruitment consultant in the fundraising team at Charity People and specialise in recruiting Community and events Fundraisers. In February I will have worked for Charity People for two years. After graduating in Media, Practice and Theory at Sussex University I worked for 7 years as a Digital Media Technician in education institutes. I then took a career break and went travelling for two years around Australia and South-East Asia. When I returned to the UK I worked within the staffing team for a national youth and community programme/social integration charity. It was here where my love for the charity sector grew. After being promoted from a Staffing Coordinator to a Staffing Associate, I stayed working for the organisation for four years until sadly it went into liquidation. It was after that I found my dream job at Charity People.
2. Why did you decide to join Charity People?
After reading Charity People’s mission and values I was completely sold. I hadn’t come across any other recruitment agency like this and I knew it was one of a kind. I was interviewed by Nick Billingham (Managing Director) and Neil Hogan (Assistant Director) and they made Charity People sound like such a wonderful place to work. All of the consultants at Charity People genuinely care about the quality of their work and want to do the best for the candidates and clients they work with. The job satisfaction, life balance and staff culture was exactly what I wanted to be a part of.
3. What do you feel you uniquely bring to your clients at Charity People?
One thing I enjoy in life is getting to know new people. Hearing people’s life stories and passions and working for Charity People is almost like love match making but instead of couples you replace them with organisations and people. I genuinely enjoy seeing people matched to their perfect positions, which will not only change their lives, but all the lives of the people they then go onto raise funds for.
4. What advice would you give to people looking for a job in fundraising in the current market?
If you are struggling to find the right role, reach out to a recruitment consultant who is a specialist in your field of work. The fundraising team at Charity People are lucky enough to have a consultant who specialises in each individual income stream so I recruit for Community and Events Fundraising roles. We have other consultants looking after Individual giving, Trust and Foundations/Major Donor, Corporate Partnerships, etc. Because we have our own specialism we can advise you on how the current market is evolving for those particular roles. So much has changed in the last year, and we are experiencing a market like never before so having some inside knowledge may help you decide on what direction you wish to take.
5. Any top tips on being a Fundraiser?
Tip number one would be to try and get as much work experience in the charity sector. Even if you start with 1 hour volunteering a week it really shows a lot to a hiring manager or a recruiter when you’re volunteering your time for a good cause. Second tip, start getting comfortable with making conversations and talking to new people. Part of the main responsibilities of your role will be relationship managing, whether internal or external, so if you get good at this you’ll be ace at your role.
