How to Get and Keep Your Nonprofit Job: Interview with Mazarine Treyz

In this interview with Mazarine Treyz, founder of founder of Wild Woman Fundraising, we discuss some excellent career-oriented strategies.

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Interview Highlights

Watch the full interview above or read the highlights below.

What Does the Spear Symbolize?

AE:   Today we’re going to be talking about getting that job and asking for a raise, and all sorts of good stuff related to keeping your job. But first let me ask you about the spear.

MT:   I brought the spear, because I feel like people need to have courage when they ask for a raise. I’m trying to help them feel like they can have that.

Questions to Ask on a Nonprofit Job Interview

AE:   Let’s talk about how you can interview for a job, get the job, keep the job … what are some questions you should be asking while you’re interviewing?

MT:   The first question I like to ask is, who will I learn from and how? That will help you know if there will be people supporting you.

Another good one is, how willing are people to help each other here? And, what do you do when things get stressful? Also, how do you celebrate what’s working?

Imagine every time you get a grant, everyone gives high fives! Something that celebrates those small wins which are crucial to fundraising.

AE:   I like to say, it doesn’t even need to be about money … if you get a meeting with a donor, let’s celebrate that too. I like to talk about a dance party in your office.

The first question about who you’re going to learn from and how you’re going to grow … do you think a boss might be worried that it makes it seem like they’re not quite qualified? I would be a little nervous asking that question.

MT:   When I had my last job at the Urban League, I had a mentor from another nonprofit who was a really good mentor to me. My boss came from the corporate world, and he knew he didn’t know fundraising and he needed to find someone to help me.

Avoiding Nonprofit Burnout and Job-Hopping

AE:   Great! So, if you don’t want to job-hop, which we hope you don’t, how can you avoid burnout?

MT:   You have to be able to put limits on your job and set expectations. A part of it is educating your boss about what’s appropriate. When they give you too much work, walk into their office and say, “you’ve given me 80 hours of work, which 40 would you like me to do?”

Also times of the day when you’re not going to have meetings, just focus on the work.

AE:   You talked about setting expectations. How would someone go about doing that?

MT:   You have to start deliberately building trust with your boss. Once you take the strengths finder test, you are able to say, “This is what I’m good at.”

AE:   What’s a strengths finder test?

MT:   Google strengths finder test and you can find the five strengths you’re best at.

Having Specific Expectations

AE:   I think it’s important … whether you’re going for a new job or restructuring the job you have, to really set expectations. They don’t have to be all monetary either … what can be expected of you each and every month? Are you going to meet with 3 donors or write 5 grants? Be concrete and specific. You can always revisit those expectations.

You and I have the same goal here — we want fundraisers in their job longer. It’s better for donors, it’s better for fundraisers, it’s better for organizations, and it’s better for fundraising.

That’s what you’re focused on, getting the right job so that you can stay. Any other thoughts or words of wisdom you want to share?

MT:   Ask yourself, where do I want to go in my career? I have a post on my blog with an eBook “my career path” … here are the steps I need to take to get to where I want to go.

Watch the full interview for more words of wisdom from Mazarine.