Who are you hiring to write in the new year?

(Hint: Not everyone is a writer.)

As your team trickles back into the office after the holidays—vacation tans wearing off and party gossip running low—reality sets in: you need to get on the hiring train. Like, yesterday. But before you rush to post that open position (or three), take the time to safeguard against imminent buyer’s remorse. A bit of prep now can save you headaches—and possibly a doomed communications hire—in the long run.

Follow my ABC tips for recruiting a qualified development writer:

1. Assess where writing responsibilities should live within your org chart.

2. Broaden your search to include non-development folks.

3. Craft a job description that appeals to qualified candidates.

Assess

Is your major gifts officer overwhelmed by the need to write their own gratitude reports?

Does your annual giving coordinator struggle to produce a piecemeal campaign newsletter?

Do your annual report and case statement duties get tossed about like hot potatoes?

Taking a thorough look at where your writing responsibilities live—and where they should live—is the first step to building an effective development communications program. Many nonprofits underestimate the impact of their donor communications, too often tasking critical writing to an ill-equipped colleague.

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but the role of writing for and about your philanthropic community is not a throwaway position. I’d argue it is one of the most important: Your writer’s words can make or break donor loyalty, alumni relationships, and campaign success.

Pay attention to who is creating your messages and re-evaluate the structure of your team in order to align strengths and responsibilities. If you offload proposals to a stewardship writer, would your major gifts team be able to expand their portfolios? If you create a development communications position, could you bring a consistent voice and message to your chaotic collateral?

You wouldn’t ask your member magazine editor to make a face-to-face solicitation. Why, then, would you require an MGO to embody the expertise of a professional writer?

A seasoned writer will think beyond party pics and recycled text to create inspired newsletters that increase donor engagement and philanthropic support.

A skilled storyteller can transform gratitude reports from to-do list items to meaningful stewardship touches that strengthen donor commitment.

Assessing your priorities (and budget) offers an opportunity for creative realignment. Consider hiring a freelancer for your newsletter. Look into a contractor for your philanthropic case for support. Weigh the benefits of splitting one muddled role into two part-time positions that capitalize on distinctive skill sets.

Broaden

Let’s say you’ve determined the need to hire an advancement writer to cover all donor and alumni communications. Candidate one boasts a decade of Raiser’s Edge experience in prominent development shops throughout the city; she provides a mediocre-at-best writing example that leaves you confused. Candidate two has never laid eyes on a donor database; she submits a stellar writing sample that nearly brings tears to your eyes.

Candidate two should win. Every. Time.

While candidate two does not bring fundraising experience, what she can offer is far more consequential for your communications: the ability to inspire, engage her audience, and paint a picture with words.

Might past major gifts experience come in handy? Sure. Would familiarity with data analysis be helpful? Possibly. But are those resume bullets essential to job success? Not necessarily.

So why make 3-5 years of major gifts/annual giving/Raiser’s Edge experience a requirement?

Even when budgets and bosses dictate that we can only hire one person—especially if we can only hire one person—we must scrutinize the non-negotiable skills required of a successful hire.

And while it might be tempting to pluck a favorite colleague from within your organization, you’ll want to ascertain the long-term benefits of such a promotion. An internal candidate can bring a wealth of institutional knowledge, although that’s a questionable trade-off if made to the exclusion of savvy writing. When the fit for the specific position isn’t there, don’t be afraid to move on to other candidates—and not only to the familiar pool of development folks in your community.

To be sure, finding the unicorn won’t be easy. But exploring beyond the obvious is worth it.

Personal experience building a development communications team proved to me the lasting benefits of a thorough search. I read a lot of resumes. Requested multiple writing samples. Utilized a grammar test or two. And met several smart and talented humans through interviews, including accomplished development professionals. But I chose the unconventional route.

Both candidates I hired were new to development. One with a background in creative writing and project management, the other a theologian who taught at a college writing center. Not a single annual fund solicitation or board of trustees meeting on either resume. Zero campaign experience. But they each did their research about nonprofits, fundraising, and the organization. They presented articulate, compelling application materials and responded with flexibility and creativity to the writing exercises. They demonstrated their resourcefulness, intellectual curiosity, and unflappable drive. I saw in them the qualities I knew predicted their success in each position (which I had meticulously crafted to identify exactly what I was looking for).

Both individuals impressed me—and the rest of the team—right out of the gate. Five years later, I’m still receiving thanks for finding these gems. They are beloved colleagues—earning promotions, contributing to the field at conferences, and improving donor cultivation and stewardship.

I’m in no way downplaying the vital skills of a front-line fundraiser . Top development officers are in a class of their own and shine with their unique expertise—but remarkable face-to-face skills do not automatically translate to superior writing skills. Some development officers are the first to admit writing isn’t their forte, nor something they particularly enjoy—it just comes with the territory.

And I’m not saying all writers will be a good match, either. A PhD in English doesn’t guarantee an ability to craft donor-centric content, and a decade at a local news outlet won’t promise a grasp of strategic messaging.

So broaden your scope and screen carefully. Consider candidates of varied backgrounds who exemplify high standards, discerning judgement, and knowledge of grammar rules (and when to break them). Individuals who can unearth the extraordinary from the seemingly mundane and intuit stories that yearn to be told.

Craft

A successful writer is attuned to their audience, and you need to be particularly aware of your language when penning a job description for writers. An adept writer won’t be drawn to a sloppy post; a thoughtful communicator will see right through a half-baked job description, and you’ll lose potential candidates from the get-go.

For those who do hit submit and are eventually extended the offer, the last thing you want is for them to realize in week one that the job isn’t what they signed up for. If your job description dances around the reality of your expectations, your new hire will be out the door before you can say “spring appeal.”

In his year-end blog post on The Agitator, direct response guru Roger Craver reminds us that 51% of American and Canadian fundraisers intend to leave their nonprofit within two years. Unrealistic expectations and poor management are cited as significant factors contributing to this alarming number.

We can do better. Starting with the hiring process.

Make sure your job description is clear, specific, and relevant. Discerning job seekers will bypass your listing if they read that in addition to communications responsibilities (for which they are eager and qualified), they are also expected to be Raiser’s Edge wizards and black-tie gala captains.

Just as you need to identify what the role isn’t (not party planning, nor database management), you should be transparent about what it is: a writing position. Those seeking non-writing positions at your organization will know to keep looking for a better match.

Reference, but do not reuse, previous job posts. Determine your priorities and appeal to experts at those very things. An astute post will stand out, attracting best-in-class development folks—as well as accomplished copywriters, wordsmiths, creatives, grammarians, relationship builders, and storytellers.

Create a job—and its description—for the caliber of candidate you seek.

Now you know your ABCs

I know, I know. Hiring is more complex than a catchy children’s song. There’s red tape. Politics. Budgets. Egos. Deadlines and pressure from leadership. Let’s commit to doing what we can to elevate our communications this year. Empower yourself to take the first steps, and please reach out to me at any point in the process. I'm happy to help with your writing audit, job descriptions, and hiring. If you are not able to bring new staff aboard, we can discuss how your team could benefit from writing training or contracting out for specific projects.

However you get there, make 2020 the year to improve communications for and about your closest supporters. They deserve it.