Fundraising Resume Example

This complete guide to a fundraising resume will equip you with the tools you need to compete in your applications. The guide will show you practical examples of how to structure your resume to show off your best and most relevant skills and career achievements. It will also show you how to tailor your resume according to the job description and your unique skill set. Read on to learn the tips Jobseeker careers experts recommend as the best for your fundraising resume.

Main sections of a fundraiser resume

Although the content of a fundraising resume may differ according to your experience and seniority, the main sections will remain the same. A resume for candidates with little or no work experience may focus less on the work experience section, and bring sections to the fore that emphasize their skills, such as hobbies and interests, volunteer work, education, projects and skills lists.

How you choose to present your resume is up to you. There are plenty of options for a professional resume layout and format, but every application should include the following:

Resume Header

The resume header is the place to add your name and contact details, along with your LinkedIn URL if you have a profile, so employers can find more information about your career journey and skills. You don't typically need to add a photo, or any other personal information to this section. Keep your header clear and concise, with only the most necessary information included. Opt for a stylish, professional design that creates a strong first impression.

Only include professional, name-based email addresses in your resume header. If you have an old email address that uses nicknames, puns, references to your personal interests or anything else that could appear unprofessional, set up a new email just for your job applications. Finally, always double-check your contact details are correct and up-to-date before sending your resume.

Resume Summary

In your resume summary, write a short paragraph that highlights two or three of your key achievements and skills for fundraiser roles. You could also call this section 'resume objective' or 'personal profile'. A resume summary covers your career experience to date, while a resume objective focuses more on your ambitions for the future. Always make sure your summary reflects the job description and highlights some of the key skills required for fundraiser roles.

Alternatively, focus on introducing your career ambitions, and why this role is a good fit, both for you and the organization.

A strong resume summary focuses on two or three key skills and achievements that showcase your suitability for fundraiser roles in a clear, quantifiable way. It also gives an insight into your personal qualities, to help the reader understand why you're a suitable candidate. See below for some great examples of what to include in your fundraising resume summary.

On the other hand, an unsuccessful resume summary is one that mentions irrelevant skills, qualities and achievements and fails to differentiate you from other candidates. The graphic above shows some of the pitfalls to avoid when creating your resume summary.

Skills

The skills section is one of the main ways to show employers you've got the skills required for fundraiser roles. Whether your skills include CRM software expertise, emotional intelligence or any other useful skills for the role, you'll want to list them here. Again, include any skills that match those listed in the job description. Focus particularly on technical skills required for fundraiser jobs and transferable skills that show your qualities as a fundraiser.

Highlighting your hard skills

In your hard skills list, include any specific abilities related to the role you're applying for. These could be technical skills or industry knowledge that showcases your expertise in your chosen profession. Furthermore, your list of hard skills provides a strong indication to the reader of your expertise in fundraiser roles, and how well you'll fit into the position. Add up to five key hard skills that show you're an ideal candidate for the role. It can also be beneficial to add context to each skill, showing how you've used it to positive effect in your career to date.

For an effective resume hard skills section, focus on the technical skills that are most essential in the job description, and that match your specific expertise. Some examples of the best hard skills for a fundraising resume are listed below.

Listing soft skills on your fundraising resume

Soft skills are the personal skills and qualities that make you a good fit for the job. They include transferable skills and strengths that help you settle into the role, adapt to new challenges and build effective working relationships. Indeed, as the nature of work changes, soft skills are growing in importance, so make sure you include them in your resume. You should generally look to include up to five soft or transferable skills that match the job description.

An effective fundraising resume soft skills section should be targeted to include skills that reflect your personality and unique characteristics, while also matching the job description. The graphic below includes some examples of good resume soft skills.

Education

The education section provides space to list your highest and most recent academic achievements that are relevant to working as a fundraiser.

While a degree isn't usually a requirement for a fundraiser position, it's still recommended to list your highest or most relevant qualifications. If you have a recognized qualification, such as ACFRE Certification, list these here. Any educational achievements that show grant writing proficiency or data analysis capabilities can be useful for this section.

List every relevant qualification, including the name and level of the course, the name of the school, college or university, its location and your graduation date. If you have space, include some bullet points outlining any specialist areas of study, awards or high grades, so the employer can learn more about your unique skill set and knowledge.

Additionally, mentioning any leadership roles or any societies and clubs you participated in while studying shows proactivity and initiative.

Certifications and Training

In your certifications section, list any professional certifications or licenses that are relevant to working as a fundraiser. These could be official licenses required for the job or certifications that improve your employability. Therefore, include the details of any licenses and professional certifications required for fundraiser roles, along with completion dates so employers can see you're up-to-date.

Review the list below for some suitable certifications for a fundraising resume:

Employment History

Under your work experience section, add any jobs you've had in the past that are relevant to the position of a fundraiser. List each relevant role in reverse-chronological order starting with your current or most recent role. Add your job title, the organization name, its location and the dates you worked there.

For each job listed in this section, add some bullet points so the employer can understand the skills you developed, and your achievements. Focus on showcasing the impact you made on the organization, and show evidence of how you made a difference.

An effective resume work experience section is one that constantly echoes the skills and experience listed in the job description, and shows how you used your skills to positive effect in each job. Each bullet point should be carefully crafted to showcase a particular skill or achievement relevant to fundraiser jobs, with evidence to show the value you added. See below for some good examples of what to include in your resume work experience section.

Above, you can see a weaker example of a resume work experience section to best avoid. Poor examples of resume work experience sections tend to be vague and fail to quantify your achievements and the impact you've made in your career to date. They may also focus on responsibilities above relevant skills and how you've used them.

Optional Information

If you need to provide further evidence of your suitability for the job, optional sections can be useful for a fundraiser resume. Pick from the optional sections below to help show the employer you have the skills and experience for the job.

Personal Hobbies and Interests

Adding your hobbies and interests is a legitimate way of showing off your skills and personal qualities. These are particularly useful for your resume if you're short of work experience and need to showcase a particular skill or experience. Think about adding hobbies and interests to your resume if they add some insight into your personality that you can't express elsewhere in your application.

Volunteer Experience

This section can be valuable for a fundraiser resume, if you've done any voluntary work that showcases your relevant skills. Add your volunteer job title or role, the name of the organization, its location and the dates you were involved.

References

Although it's rare to include references on a fundraising resume, some employers may ask for it. Don't add references unless they're specifically mentioned by the employer in the job advert. Only include referees that you've had prior approval from, and notify them to expect contact from the employer.

Best strong verbs for your a fundraiser resume

Add strong verbs to your work experience section to show the hiring manager the impact you made in your previous roles. Add strong verbs from the list below to create a greater impact with your work experience section.

If you need help creating a resume that impresses HR managers, take a look at Jobseeker's professional resume templates. You can also access beautiful cover letter templates that help your application stand out.

Sample fundraising resume

The fundraising resume example below includes all the sections above, so you can see how a completed resume looks:

How to make your resume ATS compliant

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are one of the key ways recruiters and employers manage the hiring process. The systems can screen candidates by scanning and ranking resumes based on each candidate's likely suitability for the vacancy. If you follow a few simple tips when writing your fundraising resume, you'll give yourself a better chance of ranking highly in the ATS screening and progressing to the next stage.

Here a some simple tips to follow for an ATS-friendly resume:

• Choose a resume structure that matches the traditional, reverse-chronological layout or alternatively, the functional resume structure. This should make your resume more readable for ATS applications.
• Add keywords throughout your resume that help ATS software match your application to the job description. A higher match means your application is more likely to proceed to be reviewed by human eyes.
• Include clear headings in each section that match the traditional resume structure and format. This will make it easier for the ATS software to scan your resume.
• Adopt a clean, unfussy design that gives your content enough white space to breathe. Use professional, readable fonts and subtle use of color and other design elements.
• Use concise language to keep the length of your resume to between one and two pages. This will make it easier to scan for ATS applications.

Takeaways for your fundraising resume

The best resumes focus on your skills and the value you've added to previous roles, rather than focusing on your duties and responsibilities. Choose the most suitable resume format for your experience levels, and focus on tailoring your resume based on the requirements listed in the job description.

Use Jobseeker's resume templates, other tools and resources to create an application that impresses employers. Sign up today to access a wealth of valuable resume and cover letter resources. Whether you're a junior or senior candidate, a professional cover letter can help to grab the attention of the employer. Jobseeker's cover letter examples were created by careers experts to provide useful tips and ideas for your cover letter.

Sources:

(1) Writing a Resume, California Department of Human Resources: https://www.calhr.ca.gov/employees/Pages/resume-tips.aspx

(2) Resumes, Cover Letters and Job Applications, New York State Department of Labor: https://dol.ny.gov/resumes-cover-letters-and-job-applications