Five tips to make your CV stand out from the crowd

On average, a recruiter will spend just seven seconds looking at your CV before deciding whether you’re suitable for a job.

That’s a very short window of opportunity to make a good impression. So, your CV needs to shine.

Here are five simple ways to make your CV stand out from the crowd.

1. Adapt it for the job

Your CV isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ document. Sending a generic copy to every recruiter won’t cut the mustard.

Alter your CV for each role you apply for, using the job description, person specification, and any other information you can glean about the charity.

Sure, it’ll take time, but it’s better to send one carefully tailored CV, than hundreds that don’t represent your suitability for the job.

If you don’t, your CV may well be filed in the bin.

2. Keep it short & sweet

When it comes to your CV, less is more.

Cast a critical eye over the content. Is all the information relevant? Does an employer need to know you once babysat your aunt's puppy?

Your CV is a snapshot of your career – not an autobiography.

3. Make it easy on the eye

Your CV needs to be an effortless read. Keep it uncluttered with clear sections and titles, using bullet points to break up long paragraphs.

Bite-sized chunks are much easier to navigate than a wall of text.

4. Highlight your USP

Job hunting is a competitive business. For every application you submit, you’ll be up against lots of candidates with a similar skill set.

Your USP can set you apart. Maybe you’ve carried out some voluntary work in a fundraising department, or you keep a blog about fundraising.

Whatever unique experience you have, include it. It’ll help you to stand out from the crowd.

5. Back up your claims

Instead of listing your responsibilities for each role, highlight what you achieved.

For example, instead of saying ‘I helped raise funds for Charity X by writing funding applications’, say ‘I was solely responsible for writing 3 funding applications, which resulted in grants of £10,000 for charity X’.

Final Word

A CV is not a static document. It should evolve as you progress through your career. The more effort you put into it, the better equipped you’ll be to snag your dream fundraising job.

If you need some help honing your CV, give us a call on 020 3750 3111.

Four fundraising trends for 2022

As we rang in the new year, the UK government reported that 90% of the population has received at least one COVID-19 vaccination.

While the pandemic isn’t over, we’re in a much better position now to start thinking about long-term plans than we were twelve months ago.

But the sector looks very different from how it did then. So different, in fact, that it would be a mistake to ‘pick up from where we left off.’

Here are four trends we think you’ll need to jump on to fundraise successfully in 2022.

1. Gaming for good will grow

Video game streaming has exploded in recent years. For example, Twitch has doubled in popularity, boasting more than 140 million unique monthly users.

Wondering what gaming has to do with fundraising?

While streaming, gamers can set up ways for viewers to donate to charity, at the click of a button. And it can be extremely lucrative.

In 2020, French gamers Adrien Nougaret and Alexandre Dachary raised a whopping £8m for various charities with a videogame live stream fundraiser.

The largest amount ever made, it earned them a Guinness World Record.

While you’re unlikely to raise this much, it’s worth a punt, particularly as it costs next to nothing to organise.

Need a hand to get started? Check out Charity Digital’s handy gaming guide here.

2. Hybrid will be the new ‘in person’.

Going digital was a necessity during the pandemic. And, while many of us are eager to get back to face-to-face events, it would be a mistake to ignore the benefits of online fundraising.

We anticipate that a ‘best of both worlds’ approach will remain even when it’s no longer a necessity to limit the number of people in a room.

3. More charities will embrace TikTok

Considering it’s one of the fastest-growing social media platforms out there, (it boasts over 1 billion users), TikTok is worth checking out (especially if your target market is Gen Z).

When used right, it can be a powerful tool for raising awareness and funds.

Find out why by reading Reason Digital’s guide to TikTok for charities here.

4. Donations will go digital

Digital donations have been growing for a while, but the Charities Aid Foundation has seen a noticeable increase in cashless donations since 2020.

Add to that the fact that the Non-Profit Source found a 205% increase in giving from mobile phones, and it’s pretty safe to say digital is the way forward.

If you’ve not already made it easy for people to donate from their phones, make it one of your New Year’s resolutions.

Need a new fundraiser to implement some of these strategies? Give us a call on 0203 750 3111 to get the process started.

A Day in the Life of: A Corporate Fundraiser

Ever considered a role as a corporate fundraiser? We caught up with Charlotte Webster, Corporate Partnerships Manager at The Sick Children’s Trust, to find out what’s involved.

What does a Corporate Fundraiser do?  

A corporate fundraiser’s aims are to increase donations and income from businesses by building relationships with them and developing partnerships that meet their CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) objectives.

Corporate fundraisers raise funds by motivating businesses to take on challenges, hold fundraising events, volunteer, or take up sponsorship opportunities.

What skills do you need for the role? 

You need to present yourself well, be confident, and able to network and forge strong relationships.

It’s important to have good writing skills, and a good grasp of business acumen.

Being organised and flexible also helps, as working with businesses can be challenging!

What does a typical day look like for you?

It always starts with coffee!

I start by checking emails and my diary for anything urgent.

I might then spend the morning contacting current corporate partners to get them involved in our latest fundraising initiatives.

Pre-COVID, I might have gone to meet a corporate at one of our houses to show them around or oversee a corporate volunteering group who are helping at a house.

Most days I have internal meetings to discuss plans and catch up with other departments. For example, corporate fundraising often crosses over with events and marketing.

I might then spend an hour updating the strategy, looking at income re-forecasting, or writing a report for a trustees’ meeting.

In the afternoon I might work on an application for corporate funding or presentation slides for a meeting the next day.

I also dedicate time each day to exploring new business opportunities.

There’s often a lot of juggling, as priorities change as the day progresses.

What’s the best thing about your job? 

I like that every day is different. I also enjoy getting out and about meeting people. I like making connections, developing imaginative fundraising ideas, and inspiring businesses to support us.

It’s really satisfying building great relationships with businesses and managing partnerships from the early stages to the end of the partnership.

More often than not, companies raise more than their original target. It’s great to be able to show them the tangible impact they have on the families we support.

What’s the most challenging thing about your job? 

Corporate fundraising has been challenging over the past two years, with employees working from home and events being cancelled. It’s had a significant impact on income.

I’ve had to adapt and adjust to find different ways to engage with corporates, such as switching to virtual events and challenges.

On a positive note, we received some incredible donations during 2020.

What advice would you give a budding Corporate Fundraiser? 

There are a lot of great charities and causes out there, so really think about who you want to work for and why.

You need to be passionate about the cause to ‘sell in’ the charity to corporates.

Charlotte is Corporate Partnerships Manager at The Sick Children’s Trust, a charity that gives families a comfortable, free place to stay when their sick children are in hospital.

Why work in fundraising?

When you ask most children what they want to be when they grow up, they'll say ‘fireman’, ‘teacher’ or ‘baker’. Rarely do you hear children say, ‘I want to be a fundraiser’.

And it’s no surprise. Professional fundraising is not a career route we’re exposed to at a young age. Yet it’s a smart career choice, in a diverse and growing field.

Here are four great reasons to pursue a career in fundraising.

1. You'll make a difference

We spend around 90,000 hours at work over the course of our lifetime – generally making money for someone else.

For some of us, this is fine. Others want more.

In one way or another, every charity aims to drive change and make the world a better place.

There's no better feeling than logging off every day knowing you’ve made a difference.

2. You'll work with like-minded people

For the most part, people working in the charity sector have two things in common – they’re compassionate and want to change the world for the better.

If you share those qualities, you’ll thrive in a charity environment.

Also, you know that tense competition you experience with colleagues in the corporate world? You’re less likely to find that at a charity, as everyone is working towards the same altruistic goal.

 3. You'll enjoy a diverse range of experiences

If you don’t like being stuck at a desk from 9-5 doing the same thing every day, fundraising is a great alternative.

As a general rule, fundraisers wear lots of hats and spend more time out of the office than in it.

On any given day, you could be creating content for a website or newsletter, taking a high-value donor out for lunch, writing a grant proposal, attending an event, or visiting a project that’s supported by the funds you help raise.

Charities are always on the lookout for people with passion and drive. If you want to discuss opportunities in the sector, give us a call on 0203 750 3111. 

Voluntary organisation launches Givto – an innovative new way to donate to charity

In December 2020, a Leeds-based voluntary organisation launched a first-of-its-kind online charity donation service that enables people to donate to a different charity each month with one direct debit.

The scheme, known as Givto, raised over £9,000 for charities across Yorkshire, including Brake, Sense, and Age UK Leeds, in its first year.

Following positive feedback from users and charities, the service is now set to expand across the UK.

Why the scheme was set up

The scheme was launched during lockdown by the Better Giving Partnership - a registered charity run by volunteers who share a passion for making it easier to support charities. And they hope this ground-breaking donation scheme will do just that.

Alex Ellis-White, Founder and Chief Executive of the Better Giving Partnership said of Givto: “I have always been passionate about supporting local causes. I set up Givto when I realised there wasn’t a service out there that gave you the flexibility and choice to support a different cause each month.

Run by charity for charity, we don’t make a profit from the service. We are here to bring people and causes together.”

How the scheme works…

For donors:

As a donor, you set up an account and a direct debit for an amount of your choice through the Givto website.

Each month you’ll receive an email asking you to log in and choose one of three good causes to donate to. Once you’ve made your choice, you’ll receive a thank you message from the charity.

If you forget to choose a cause or run out of time to do so, your money won’t go to waste. Givto will choose a charity at random and notify you.

If you’re concerned about the privacy of your personal information, you can rest assured it won’t be released or passed onto any third parties.

Want to become a Givto member? Visit the website and sign up.

For charities:

Registration is as simple as filling out a form with some basic information, providing a description of your charity to help members understand the cause, and writing a thank you email for donors.

The best thing? There are no registration costs.

The Better Giving Partnership claims Gift Aid on donations, (if eligible), and passes them on to the chosen charity. They take a small fee to cover their costs, but they don’t make a profit and are committed to keeping the fees as low as possible.

Register your interest

With so many physical events having been cancelled over the past 12 months, Givto has provided charities with a vital, alternative funding stream.

You can register your charity by contacting them at help@givto.org, or completing their online registration form.

Looking for top fundraising talent? Contact Bamboo Fundraising on 0203 750 3111 to get the process started.