There are lots of specific skills that you will improve working within face-to-face fundraising. These can help you connect better with people, stay focused and motivated – and also get great results. However, the development that you’ll do working in a role like this isn’t limited to what you can achieve within fundraising. In fact, the experience is all about skill development for life. These are just some of the vital life skills that you’ll be able to develop when you’re in a fundraising role.
Great Communication Skills.
In face-to-face fundraising, and in life, being able to communicate is essential. This doesn’t just mean talking but also effective listening and being able to read body language and signs, such as facial expressions. As a fundraiser, you’ll learn how to steer the conversation while also acquiring useful information, personalise your message and deliver it in a way that is fun and engaging – which are useful life development skills too.
Being Self-Motivated.
Motivation is essential for life in general and something that all fundraisers get to work on developing. Being good at self-motivation is all about mindset as well as being able to manage your energy levels so that you can sustain momentum, something you’ll learn a lot about in a face-to-face fundraising role.
Resilience
“No” is often part of the process in fundraising and it’s a huge skill to be able to see this as part of a longer journey, rather than the end of the line. Successful fundraisers don’t take a “no” personally – it doesn’t knock their self-esteem. Instead, it’s either an opportunity to find out more about what might lead to a “yes” – or just a situation that can be brushed off lightly.
Goal Setting
This is one of life’s most essential – and least talked about – skills and one that a face-to-face fundraising role will really help you to nurture. A key part of this is setting goals that are realistic and allow you to make progress at the right pace. If the goals are too unrealistic and too big then it’s easy to give up before you’ve even started. So, take a small steps approach and celebrate every small win so that you can keep that positive momentum going.
A Great Work Ethic
Being able to work well and consistently is vital for fundraising – but this isn’t about working yourself into the ground and burning out. It’s important to understand how to work smart as a fundraiser, something that will stand you in good stead in life in general too.
Compassion and Empathy.
At the end of the day, caring is at the heart of fundraising. Compassion and empathy are often why people give and why fundraisers do what they do. Developing skills in compassion and empathy will make it easier to connect with others in life, to understand them and to show them where their actions can really make a difference.
Working as a fundraiser isn’t just about getting good at the job – but also developing skills for life.
Develop with Wesser
Here at Wesser, we offer multiple face-to-face fundraising roles. Whether you want to explore our live-in, or local fundraiser roles, we can help you develop skills for life. Get in touch with us today to kickstart your development.
