HOTLINE

Answering Readers' Questions About Writing Speeches for Charity Leaders, Fund-Raising Job Titles, and More

The Chronicle's Philanthropy Careers asks its readers to submit questions about job hunting, recruitment, and management challenges in the nonprofit world. In our monthly advice column, we respond to some of your inquiries with tips about resources and wisdom from experts in the field.

Q. I'm a journalist who has most recently worked in public affairs for county government in the Atlanta area. I'd like to move into speechwriting for a nonprofit group, but would first like to know, is there much demand for that skill among charities? Also, I'm 51. Would prospective employers consider my age and lack of nonprofit experience a minus, and if so, how do I compensate for that?

A. There's certainly demand for speechwriting savvy at nonprofit groups. Presenting an organization's mission in a moving and memorable way is almost certainly one of the major responsibilities of a charity's senior staff.

However, you're up against three challenges in tracking down a speechwriting position today: One, many charities ask their public-relations or marketing staff members to handle speechwriting on top of their other tasks. Two, there are plenty of freelance speechwriters and consultants who provide speechwriting services to nonprofit organizations And three, sad but true: In a competitive job market, your lack of nonprofit experience will make landing a job more difficult.

So, first consider whether your writing ability will allow you to not only write speeches but also contribute your skills toward other public-relations tasks, including crafting brochures, press releases, and so forth.

"I would say [emphasizing] the speechwriting element alone would be a limiting factor," says Ralph Plumb, president of Union Rescue Mission, which provides services to the homeless in Los Angeles. "However, building better brand recognition and positioning the organization and the CEO as experts in their field would be quite valuable." The more value that you can provide to the organization, the more you'll be able to make the case that it's worth bringing speechwriting expertise in-house, instead of farming the task out to a consultant.

Like any professional looking to switch from the for-profit to the nonprofit world, you can start to overcome your lack of experience by building a track record as a committed volunteer. In this way, you'll be able to credibly emphasize your passion for the charity's mission. Learn more about making the switch from the business to the nonprofit world in this Philanthropy Careers article; learn how to make the leap from volunteer to employee in this past edition of Hotline. For more about opportunities in your area, check out the Georgia chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, which is the trade group for public-relations professionals. The Atlanta group has a special-interest section that focuses on nonprofit organizations. (To find a chapter in other areas, click here.)

It's illegal for nonprofit organizations -- or any U.S. employer -- to consider your age in the hiring process. If you feel like this might become an issue for you, read about how to handle age discrimination in this past edition of Hotline.

Q. I am currently being recruited to return to a position I held for a number of years at a museum. My title had been director of development, but I would like to have a different one in my new tour of duty. Fund-raising titles have evolved over the years (i.e., "advancement," "development") and I was wondering, could tell me anything about current trends and what it all means?

A. A quick scan of fund-raising job listings reveals that "development" is still the most common job descriptor in the profession. And while the terms "advancement" and "development" are often used interchangeably, there is a slight difference in meaning between the two. According to the Association of Fundraising Professionals' just-updated Fundraising Dictionary; "advancement" is defined more broadly than "development." Advancement, says Michael Nilsen, the association's spokesman, is "the process of building awareness and support from all constituent bodies and programs, including development, public relations, and government relations." That's in slight contrast to development, which he says is "the process by which an organization increases public understanding of its mission and acquires financial support for its programs. Development is more focused on fund raising."

But if you're longing to spice it up on your résumé, Thomas J. Sullivan, president of the Children's Memorial Foundation at Children's Memorial Hospital, in Chicago, has a suggestion for you.

"Why not opt for "director of philanthropy?" he says. "It's calling it like it is and would effectively communicate the essence of the position and the work it entails. We use the term 'philanthropy' as frequently as possible in our work out of the conviction that it conveys a strong, positive message regarding the nature of our endeavor. The term 'development,' despite its common usage in the profession, can still be misleading to those who may not be familiar with the vernacular," he says.

Donor confusion over the word "development" was the reason that Diana Tiernan asked for a new job title three months ago. As director of development of the Big Sur Land Trust, in Carmel, Calif., which protects land on the central California coast, she often encountered supporters who asked her, "What are you developing?" Says Ms. Tiernan, "It was negatively affecting our mission." After much deliberation, she and her organization settled on "director of philanthropy" as her new title to clear up the confusion -- following the lead of the Nature Conservancy, the international land trust with headquarters in Arlington, Va., which also uses the "director of philanthropy" title.

Although environmental groups may have the most compelling reason to ditch "development" as part of their job titles, she says, other charities may also find that the public grasps "philanthropy" more easily. And it's less "in your face," as she puts it, than other alternatives, such as "director of major gifts." "If you're being approached by the director of major gifts, there's not much mystery about why you're being approached," she says.

"The biggest problem with 'director of philanthropy' is that it's a mouthful," she concedes. "But it seems to be the most dignified and descriptive. It's a grown-up title for what we do."

Q. I've spent almost 30 years as a lawyer in private practice. I've done a lot of pro bono work for charities and am interested in devoting the next decade in service to a philanthropic organization. My questions: Is there a registry of charities that have legal departments? Are there training programs that focus on legal issues relevant to nonprofit groups? And is it realistic to search for a legal position on the staff of a charity?

A. It's certainly realistic to search for jobs at a charity because many organizations have lawyers on their staffs, and your pro bono work has gotten you off to a good start. Unfortunately, although it would certainly come in handy in your job search, there is no single, national registry that maintains a list of charities with legal departments. However, you may find that certain segments of the field maintain lists of their own, says Joseph J. Iarocci, general counsel at CARE, a humanitarian organization based in Atlanta. For instance, he notes, CARE belongs to an organization of international humanitarian charities called Interaction, whose membership directory lists members that maintain legal departments. Also, commercial directories of lawyers, such as Martindale, allow you to search by specialty and location, so if you search in your area for lawyers who have a specialty in nonprofit work -- or search under the "corporate" tab on the site -- you might turn up a number of lawyers who work in nonprofit legal departments.

Some law schools have programs focused on nonprofit legal issues, notes Mr. Iarocci, who advises you to check your local law school to see if it offers a seminar on that topic. "Over all, though, I do not see that formal training in 'nonprofit law' is critical for landing a job at a charity," he says. "I came to CARE from a business law firm. Most of my counterparts in organizations like CARE also came from private law firms or from corporate legal departments."

To learn more about making the switch from corporate law to nonprofit law, you might find these books helpful: What Can You Do With a Law Degree? A Lawyer's Guide to Career Alternatives Inside, Outside & Around the Law, by Deborah Arron, which covers nonprofit jobs (Niche Press, 1997, $29.95), and The Lawyer's Career Change Handbook: More Than 300 Things You Can Do With a Law Degree, by Hindi Greenberg (HarperCollins, 2002, $14).

Q. I am a U.K. citizen who would very much like to find a job in the United States in fund raising, as I believe I have the skills, knowledge, and experience to be an asset to an organization. How willing are U.S. employers to hire from outside the country?

A. American employers may be very willing to hire a fund raiser from another country -- if the position is right. "A candidate from abroad may be especially well suited to a U.S.-based nonprofit with an international mission," suggests Alexa Cortes Culwell, chief executive officer of the Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation in San Mateo, Calif.

However, the more the position depends on your network of contacts, as many fund-raising positions do, the more difficulty you will have in convincing an employer that they would be better off hiring you over a qualified domestic fund raiser with a bursting Rolodex. This is often the priority of larger organizations, which seek candidates who have not only extensive experience but also many contacts in a variety of social and economic arenas, says Chuck Pappalardo, managing director of Trilogy Venture Search, an executive search company in Burlingame, Calif., that works with nonprofit clients. "If you have the experience but not the contacts, you may want to initially contact smaller nonprofits," he suggests.

Smaller charities may find you, with your experience and proven track record, more alluring than a local, inexperienced candidate, says Ms. Cortes Culwell. Just keep in mind that in this post-September 11 era, it's not easy to arrange for a work visa, and much of the responsibility for arranging for that visa falls on your potential employer. This means that you may find that your case is a difficult one to make to a smaller charity, which may lack the time and staff resources to handle your visa application. You can learn more about what's involved in obtaining a visa here.

Got a question about job hunting, recruiting, or managing in the nonprofit world? Send it to us at hotline@philanthropy.com.