I just heard about yet another talented Director of
Development leaving the fundraising trenches and becoming a consultant. *sigh* There’s something about that job model that either
sends people into consulting or out of the sector entirely. And why is that? Because it’s HARD.
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| Photo by Côte d’Azur on Flickr.com |
If you’re thinking about making a move, here are some
considerations based on my own journey as a fundraising consultant over the
last year and a half.
PROS
At the top of the list of pros would be flexibility, the ability to set my own schedule. When I worked a 9-5 job, we would get in the
door at 6 pm and have to rush through homework and dinner to reach a reasonable
bed time. Now my kids come directly home
from school and the time pressure is off.
I can go to a parent conference or a doctor’s appointment in the middle
of the day. I can attend professional
development and networking events without having to get them “approved.”
Next up I would say variety. Because I work for a number of different
clients at any one time, there is a lot of variety in my day-to-day work. And I’m constantly learning about new
missions and cultures in ways that enrich my understanding of the challenges
that small and medium sized nonprofits typically face.
And lastly, the
ability to complete a thought. When
you’re in the trenches, there is a lot of pressure to get through an unwieldy ‘to
do’ list (that may or may not be achievable).
Taking the time to attend a workshop or read a book or blog about how to
do your job better sometimes feels like an impossible luxury. As a consultant, it’s my job to keep abreast
of the latest trends and best practices.
Not only can I invest the time in learning, I also have the time to
reflect on what I’ve learned and make connections.
CONS
The biggest drawback to being self-employed is the irregular paycheck. While my hourly rate as a consultant is a lot
higher than it was as a full-time employee, I can’t count on a consistent workload. I’ve been lucky that word of mouth has provided
a steady stream of projects so far. The
hardest part of being a fundraising consultant for me isn’t the actual work, or
even the running of the business, it’s the self-promotion. I have always allowed my work to speak for
itself, but now I need to be pushing out messages about how awesome I am. Not a comfortable area for me.
This may sound self-explanatory, but as an independent
contractor, if I can’t work, I don’t get
paid. If I come down with a cold, I
don’t have any paid sick days. There’s
no paid vacation time. I’m currently in
my third week of serving on a jury - that’s ten days at the courthouse where
not only can I not work for my current clients, I also can’t be out in the
field looking for new clients.
Lastly, I miss having a
deep connection to one organization’s mission. When you work for a nonprofit, not only do
you develop relationships with coworkers and board members, you also get to see
that organization change and grow over time.
You can watch an aspirational goal be achieved and feel like you were
part of it. As a consultant, I always
feel like I’m just visiting. It reminds
me of temping when I first graduated from college. You’re physically present, but you’re not
really part of the family.
Those are some of the pros and cons that I’ve found so far
in this experience. Overall, I’m very happy
with where I am professionally right now.
I feel fortunate that my family is in a position to take the risk of
starting a business. And it’s great to
be able to focus my energies on the projects that I know I’m good at, unlike a
Director of Development who wears many hats, some of which may not fit well (or at all).
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