Find your ideal role in the charity sector

After a busy day at work, do you crave the solitude of your own home? During a creative meeting, do you prefer to listen and reflect rather than engage in lively debate? Is downtime essential after a run of team drinks and networking events? You could be an introvert… and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. For my guest blog this month, I’m exploring why introversion should be celebrated at work, not corrected, and how it can be a powerful trait for accomplishment and contentment. First, the theory… The terms introversion and extroversion were popularised by Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Carl Jung, one of the first to define these characteristics in a psychological context and suggest that we all fall into one of these two categories. Psychologically speaking, an introvert is someone who is principally concerned with their own thoughts and feelings rather than with external things. Although not necessarily uncomfortable around other people, they prefer not to be the centre of attention. Conversely, extroverts are concerned primarily with the physical and social environment and find being in the spotlight energising and stimulating; it’s when their best qualities shine through. ​ A quiet extrovert? How would you describe yourself? I’ve always assumed I was an extrovert as I relate to several of the behavioural traits usually associated with extroversion (such as being sociable, outgoing and people-orientated) and I’m not shy or reticent as the dictionary definition of introversion suggests. When I took the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator assessment at work a few years ago, I wasn’t surprised to see one of my dimensions was ‘E’ for extrovert - I love team working and draw energy from being around others and the external world. So I’ve been surprised recently to find myself retreating a little. Seeking quiet spaces to think, work and concentrate rather than flinging myself willingly into the open plan office or a busy café if I’m freelancing. I really enjoy social gatherings both in and after work, but I’m drained if my calendar is too jam packed. Although not passive in meetings, lately I’ve also appreciated listening and reflecting before making a point. So, does this make me low-energy or lacking in resilience? Will people see me as shy (or worse, rude), and will I be overlooked at work or less successful? Extroverts and introverts in society If you’re a fan of social media or reality TV, you could be forgiven for thinking that society values the outgoing and gregarious above others, both in and out of the workplace. As journalist Freya Parr cites in her article for The Huffington Post, these platforms ‘create a culture in which we assume that extroversion is aspirational, because, put simply, if you have an outgoing disposition and get on with others, you’re more likely to win’. (The Apprentice anyone?). Outside of work, we’re encouraged to amass new friends and followers on our social and professional networks and ‘put ourselves out there’. Yet, 24/7 connectivity or as Viv Groskop says in her article for The Pool, ‘a world of constant connection and chatter and sharing and me me me’ can be kryptonite for introverts. Introversion at work In work, it’s not unusual to see the most dominant and confident speakers presenting at the all-company meeting or assigned to a crucial new business pitch. Shyness, sensitivity and seriousness are often seen as negative, and in a culture where being social and outgoing are prized above all else, it can be difficult, even embarrassing, to be an introvert at work. According to People Management magazine, many of us are hard-wired to associate leadership with extrovert traits, and report that 96 per cent of business leaders identify as extroverts. Arguably, the world’s most important workplaces or institutions are designed or set up with extroverts - and their need for stimulation - in mind with open plan design, group participation and team development days often on the agenda. Yet, what if you prefer listening to talking, and more intimate discussion to group settings? What if the idea of an open-plan setting fills you with horror, and you find yourself sloping off to a quiet meeting room for peace and concentration? Making a case for the quietly contemplative You’re not alone. It’s thought at least a third to half of people are introverts, including some of the world's most talented. Without them we wouldn't have the Apple computer, the theory of relativity and Van Gogh's sunflowers. One of the most popular TED talks of all-time focuses on the power of introverts. Attorney-turned-author Susan Cain passionately argues that introverts bring extraordinary talents and abilities to the world but have often been misunderstood as shy or, damagingly, inept. According to Susan, introverts prefer listening to talking and think before they speak.. She believes that although collaboration and interaction are great for exchanging ideas, introverts are most alive and capable in low-key environments and solitude is crucial for unleashing their creativity. Individual introverts view themselves as focused, capable and able to work without distraction. Executive Leadership Coach Leo Aspden expands on this further in his article for Training Zone, arguing that introverts make great leaders, just as good as their more visible extroverted colleagues. The quietly contemplative possess several leadership qualities such as (a) great listening skills, (b) the ability to make calculated decisions (c) the capability to balance extroverts (d) the ability to work independently in solitude and (e) the tendency to allow colleagues the space and freedom to share ideas. He believes that in order to get the best out of introvert leaders ‘it’s important to embrace their unique brand of charisma and their strengths as listeners and strategic thinkers’. Finally, Susan suggests that we all fall somewhere in the middle of introversion-extroversion, rather than being neatly one or the other. The American social scientist Kimball Young even created a word for this in 1927; ambivert - ‘a person exhibiting features of an extrovert and an introvert’. So, perhaps it’s time we reconsider the introvert-extrovert dichotomy… The power of the introvert So how can you channel introversion (or ambiversion) into success at work and take full advantage of your strengths? Here are some tips on how to put yourself out there, quietly but powerfully: ► It’s likely you’ve fully prepared before a meeting but if you’re thrown off guard by a question you’re not equipped to answer, don’t panic. Make a note and confidently explain that you’ll follow up after the meeting rather than be pressured into a hasty response. This enables you to think things through in your own time. ► If you work in a bustling open plan office, don’t feel afraid to leave the pack and head for a designated quiet area (or any nook you can find) to give you the thinking space required to work at your best. You’re likely to get more done as a result, and smash the deadline/nail the presentation/concoct the idea. ► At work, even away from the comfort of your own social circle, believe in what you say. Speaking less frequently but with conviction can be hugely powerful. The most engaging person in the room, or the office, isn’t always the loudest. ► If you’ve committed to a networking event, make a plan in advance to ease your nerves. Vikas Shah, CEO and Managing Director of Swiscot Group shares a good strategy; he mingles a bit at the start of the event, stays on for the important talk and then excuses himself. “You don’t have to be the last person standing” he says. “Allowing that flexibility makes a big difference to how you cope.” The introverts are coming… It could be the time to join the Quiet Revolution and rethink the idea that it’s a drawback to be an introvert. In fact, it could be good for you, and for business. Giving yourself time alone to work, think and recharge could increase creativity, make you worker harder and reap tangible results at work. In the very wise words of (shy introvert) Mahatma Gandhi, “in a gentle way, you can shake the world.” -------------- Nicola Greenbrook - HR Specialist & Freelance Writer Contact Nicola More from Nicola Greenbrook • How to be productive at work • How to start a new job...and survive • Would HR in the charity sector work for you? Here's the inside view

Bringing remarkable people to you: introducing our specialists in Scotland and the South West! At Harris Hill we've been bringing remarkable people together with some equally remarkable charities for somewhere north of two decades: yet typically south of the Watford Gap. Given the preponderance of charity and not-for-profit headquarters in London and the South East, and the roles we recruit, it's perhaps no surprise that so many of our vacancies derive from the lower right-hand corner of the UK map. Nonetheless we've got a long history of working with great organisations all over the country too, from Exeter to Edinburgh, Dover to Dundee, and hopefully Brighton to Belfast for alliterative purposes although we might have to look that one up. Until now though, it's all been done from our London base: Vauxhall's very own Charity Towers, where the Thames views are stunning and the 1970s never really went away. So we're enormously pleased to let you know that we've branched out both north and west, with two of our highly experienced charity recruitment specialists now based in Central Scotland and the centre of Bath, home to our first ever regional office! ► Scotland Jason Jederon is our man in the North: a Harris Hill veteran and long suffering standing member of our fundraising team. He's an expert in trusts, statutory and legacy fundraising but with far broader experience too, covering a wide range of charity and not-for-profit roles at all levels. He's also recruited extensively for commercial sectors including printing & graphics, banking and international finance (but try not to hold that against him, etc). Based right in the heart of Scotland's central belt, Jason's ideally placed to work with organisations in Glasgow, Edinburgh and throughout the region, and can bring the full support of our resources, specialist teams, established brand and extensive database to tackling your recruitment challenges. If you're based in Scotland and have a recruitment requirement or enquiry you'd like to discuss, please don't hesitate to contact Jason on 07388 949510 or email jason.jederon@harrishill.co.uk ► The South West Ben Pountney is a relatively recent addition to the Harris Hill Executive Search team, but with more than enough expertise to lead our board-level recruitment in the South West, South Wales and beyond, having helped to establish the executive search brand for another leading recruiter, and with ten years' experience of personally delivering executive search campaigns for charities, membership bodies and not for profit organisations across the UK. Harris Hill Executive Search recruit for CEOs, chairs, trustees and senior directors, with an exceptional success rate of 100% for the past five years and counting. So if you're seeking to appoint at this level within the region, it's sure to be worth contacting Ben on 07444 475489, via email to ben.pountney@harrishill.co.uk or very soon indeed, at our new Bath office address! Ben's already working from another location in Bath while the office is being prepared, but we'll share the new office details on the website as soon as possible. ► Harris Hill Executive Search ► New website, new locations - part 1: introducing the new Harris Hill website

Finding your ideal charity job hopefully just got a little easier, as we’re delighted to bring you the brand new, totally rebuilt Harris Hill website with a host of new features to help with your job search. And we're equally excited to let you know we're expanding beyond our London office for the first time, to deliver more nationwide, regional and executive recruitment services from new locations in Scotland and the South West! More on those in the second part of this blog; meanwhile read on to find out what's changed on the website to improve your experience, with some great new functions and features.. Welcome to the new Harris Hill website 'Something's different but...wait, don't tell me...' people have almost certainly been calling to say this week. '...have you done something with your hair?' Well, thank you for asking but no - not all of us anyway - but we have had something of a digital makeover to bring you a brand new version of the site, with some major improvements for your job search. Short version if you’re in a hurry ► Whether you're a regular visitor or first-timer, we hope you'll find it easy to use straight away, as it's more of an evolution than a radical departure - on the surface at least. The big changes are beneath the bonnet, where the site's been rebuilt from scratch on a brand new platform to help you register, search and apply for charity sector jobs as quickly and easily as possible. The longer version if you’re not in a hurry, keen to know more, or perhaps just pretending to be super-busy 'doing some research': here are more details of what's changed and why. ​ Making your job search easier Since our last major update in early 2016 – back when the world still made sense and wasn’t quite so often on fire – we’ve made various improvements and added a stack of useful or interesting (sometimes both!) original content that's generated some great feedback. But we also know that aside from great jobs, sometimes all you really want from a recruitment site is to search and apply with the minimum of fuss. Which we're acutely aware hasn’t always been the strongest point of our site; something we’ve long been determined to resolve. So we’re properly thrilled to bring you a brand new site that’s been fully rebuilt with that sole purpose in mind: to make finding and applying for your ideal charity job as simple and effortless as possible. Upgrades include: • A super-streamlined registration page of just six questions (half of which concern your name and email) so you can sign up in seconds – or with a single click via your LinkedIn profile • Your candidate dashboard where you can view, upload and update your CV and details whenever you like, track jobs you’ve applied for and see suggestions, manage your job alerts and much more • Fast and accurate job search functions by job type, location, salary, length of contract, even the kind of fully functioning keyword search you'd expect in 2018: amazing. • A couldn’t-be-simpler application page that helps you apply for jobs in moments - whether you’re on a desktop, on a tablet, on your phone, still on your phone but on a packed bus that’s alarmingly enthusiastic about corners - almost quite literally anywhere* *with a 4G signal obviously; we're not wizards. ​ What else is new? • In ‘What We Cover’ you can now find new pages for our specialist teams and check out individual profiles and photos for each of our consultants (opinion here remains sharply divided as to whether this is a feature or bug) • Tailored content and job recommendations; whether you’re in fundraising, finance or any other field you’ll see more of the most relevant jobs and blog content that might be of interest to you There’s also direct access from the homepage to our softball league and Harris Hill Charity Series content, latest blogs, annual salary survey and more.​ ​ A few last words... • To bring you the job search upgrades as quickly as possible, this is very much version 1.0 of the site: there are plenty more developments and improvements to come, along with more of our archive content. • We’re making regular check-ups for teething troubles like broken links and formatting issues, but it's always possible we could miss something, so please feel free to let us know via info@harrishill.co.uk if something’s not working for you. • Finally if you landed here first and now want to check out the homepage, just click here or our logo (top left) from any page on the site. • • • • • • • • • • Whatever your situation we hope you'll find the new website genuinely helpful and informative, and be it now or in the future, a valuable tool to seek and secure your next dream job in the charity sector. Don't hesitate to get in touch if we can help! Team Harris Hill Meanwhile there's more good news we're excited to deliver, with expansion to two new locations and our first ever regional office... ► Bringing remarkable people to you: introducing our specialists in Scotland and the South West!

Interviews are done, meetings concluded and everyone's finally agreed on the candidate...who's just got another job. Due to fierce competition for candidates, it's a familiar story for charities recruiting fundraisers, but our community and regional fundraising specialist Joshua Liveras finds some alternative methods that could put you ahead of the pack... The charity recruitment process – time for a change? If you've ever applied or recruited for a charity job, you'll probably be aware of the traditional process; job posted, deadline set, candidates apply, candidates shortlisted after deadline, interviews arranged. Until recently it's been a fairly solid process, allowing charities with limited time and resource to manage their recruitment process as effectively as possible. However, over the past 12 months there's been something of a revolution. A select few charities have built large internal talent acquisition teams, often by hiring considerable numbers from the private sector - typically individuals who are used to working in aggressively competitive talent markets like banking or financial services, using some very different methodologies. Speed is good For example, they have brought with them the concept of engaging top talent in the interview process as soon as possible, to reduce the risk of losing them. This helps those charities to snap up the best talent, quite simply because they are moving quicker than their competitors. So the question I'm posing here is: should all other charities follow suit and review their recruitment process to move with the times? How to avoid losing potential candidates Working closely with charities on a daily basis, I understand the challenges of having the right people available at the right times to hold interviews, but there are ways around this: For example, one of the UK's largest cancer support charities holds video interviews as their first step, meaning candidates record themselves answering a series of questions and sends it to the talent team. This way it's not taking extra time for the interview, and is also really engaging candidates in the first instance. Another example is a well-known international children's charity, who simply hold an initial 15 minute conversation over the phone with a candidate, whoever is available to do so, before the closing date to get the candidate engaged as soon as possible. A number of charities are heading away from a set deadline date completely, and simply saying they will interview as and when the right candidates come along - the fixed closing date is no longer their 'standard practice'. At Harris Hill we're very aware that candidate expectations are changing too - most are no longer prepared to wait weeks for a potential offer, so I think whatever strategy is adopted, it's vital that charities modernise their process to move with these demands. Every single charity has a goal to make significant change, and as I'm sure many senior leaders in charities will tell you, the talent at their disposal is the number one factor that will prove to be the success or failure of that change. The fight for talent is more competitive than ever - let's make it a fair fight! Joshua Liveras Community and Regional Fundraising Specialist, Harris Hill

We've all had those days. It's hectic, you're working hard, but it's even harder to see what you're actually getting done. Luckily, for this month's guest post, Nicola Greenbrook is exploring some useful hacks to ward off procrastination and help us be more productive at work. Just as soon as you've finished reading this, of course... 'I've done nothing today' 'Where has the time gone?!' 'There's never enough hours!' How to be productive at work According to HR software provider CIPHR, more than half of workers cite distractions such as smartphones, the internet, chatty co-workers and email overload as factors that prevent them from working properly and reaching their full potential. As well as external influences, our own personal approach to work can impact on productivity; as the American writer Mark Twain once said: 'Never put off till tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow just as well'. Most of us defer until the last minute every now and then at work, but if you're a serial procrastinator it's likely you'll chronically avoid difficult tasks and deliberately seek out distractions. On the bright side, it's a habit that can be overcome. Here are some tips on how to boost your productivity at work. Don't do, without a to-do When you're busy, the temptation is to tackle work head-on and treat planning as a waste of precious 'doing' time. In fact, lack of preparation can contribute to reduced productivity. Some of the most effective workers set their key priorities before anything else; either at the end of the working day to eliminate decision-making tasks in the morning, or at the start when their mind is fresh. Writer, brand consultant and Women Who founder Otegha Uwagba, offers some great tips on maximising productivity in her modern career guide Little Black Book. She recommends not checking emails or social media first thing in the morning to avoid tumbling down an 'internet rabbit hole'. Instead, Otegha suggests reframing the first and most precious hour of the working day as 'Power Hour'; setting out the day's priorities and planning workflow upfront. Try categorising your to-do list into three parts: 1. the dreaded, least favourite tasks 2. stuff you're motivated and excited to complete, and 3. personal admin and the 'nice to do'. It's easy to launch straight into (2) and (3), but tackling (1) first could provide headspace and some well-earned smugness. Starting important tasks early avoids cramming two hours of work into one, sloppy work and frustration. Put pen to paper Modern technology offers some innovative tools to work efficaciously. My current favourite is virtual to-do list Wunderlist which helps you note, diarise and tick off your personal and professional to dos. It's a great app to 'mind dump', project manage and ease a brain that's crammed to bursting. You can also share lists with others (my husband really appreciates getting notifications at work that say 'Nicola has completed 'Buy Toilet Rolls') and it's great for planning. Yet, sometimes there's nothing better than the humble written list and, to quote Otegha, often it 'helps to go analogue'. I'm a part-time HR Specialist at an intellectual property law firm, which I hugely enjoy as well as freelance writing and parenting. It's essential I maximise office time and compartmentalise my varying responsibilities. Keeping a notebook on my desk keeps my sometimes-wandering brain in check; when 'buy nappies!' or a new article idea pops into my head without warning, I quickly scribble it down and carry on HR-ing. This means the thought or action doesn't disappear and I can jot it down quickly rather than add to Wunderlist on my phone (I hate colleagues to think I'm idly scrolling on my phone when I'm at my desk). It's safely stored, ready to tackle later when the time is right. Step away from Twitter! Ah yes, social media - productivity's nemesis. Most of us can relate to starting the day with good intentions, briefly checking our phones over coffee then looking up twenty minutes later after being lost in a Twitter abyss. Consider going cold turkey and removing apps from your smartphone, or 'rewarding' yourself with blocks of scrolling time at lunch or on the commute. Social media usage-limiting apps like Moment automatically track how much you use your phone, allow you to set restrictions and even force yourself off it (gulp) when you're over the limit. If you've discovered a fascinating article you're desperate to read now but know you shouldn't really at work, Pocket could be the answer. It's an app and web service that helps you manage a reading list of internet articles; when you find something you want to view later, you put it in your Pocket. For retrieving later when you can read about Bodyguard without getting in trouble. Know when you're 'peak you' Sunday Times bestselling author, podcaster and broadcaster Emma Gannon believes the key to productivity is knowing when you're at your best (her most productive time is between 10am and 3pm). She works in ninety-minute bursts and when she needs to 'deep work' and focus, she sets her phone to aeroplane mode or banishes it to another room and sets an out of office on email to ensure no disturbance. Get to know how you personally work best - there's no right or wrong. If you're at your least dynamic in the afternoon or suffer from energy slumps, save your admin and less creative work until then. Consider shaking things up a bit and begin your working day an hour earlier, if your lifestyle permits. This could equal precious time away from distractions, clients or colleagues and getting ahead of the game. Or set a 'do not disturb' and notify your team how long it applies for; this creates a personal responsibility to finish a task and you can't blame others if you faff about instead. Have a break, have a... Some days, the deadlines compete fiercely with each other, your to-do list runs off the page and you absolutely must leave on time. When lunchtime looms, it's easy to ignore the rumbling tummy, a slightly fuzzy head and simply plough through. Yet, skipping breaks can be counterproductive and significantly impact mental performance. Being at your desk doesn't mean you're being productive, and working hours on end without any break can make us slower. Silicon Valley consultant Alex Soojung-Kim Pang argues in his book 'Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less' that dismissing rest stifles our ability to think creatively and truly recharge. After each productive burst take a short break and, importantly, step away from the screen. Consider the Pomodoro Technique, a time management method developed in the late 1980s. Essentially, this means breaking work down into chunks of time, usually 25 minutes, and intersperse these with short breaks. This means you're not working non-stop and expecting your poor brain to be at peak performance for great big stretches of time. Being productive doesn't mean over-doing it. Making some simple adjustments such as establishing your key priorities before tackling the load, limiting social media and taking regular breaks could be the difference to working smarter, not harder. To quote poet and activist Maya Angelou, 'Nothing will work unless you do'. Now step away from the phone... Nicola Greenbrook - HR Specialist & Freelance Writer Contact Nicola

What makes a wonderful charity workplace, and how can you find out if the culture is right for you? For the past year we've been teaming up with Third Sector to find out, highlighting examples of good practice and innovative ideas that have proven successful for a variety of organisations. Earlier this month (recently published by Third Sector) our business services specialist Shweta Prabhakar spoke to Channing Rider, director of finance at The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, about what he thinks makes a wonderful workplace and his top career tips for jobseekers. Tell us about the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust's mission and the work you do? The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust runs the Churchill Fellowships, which are travel grants open to all UK citizens to research a topic of their choice anywhere in the world that can make a practical difference to their profession or community on their return. Applications for fellowships are open until 18 September 2018, and then again in May 2019. We were set up in 1965 as a living memorial for Sir Winston Churchill's leadership, and since then we have funded over 5,500 fellows to learn from the world. I have a very posh title, director of finance and resources. As there is only one person in finance (me), it means that anything connected to financial, admin or governance matters eventually ends up on my desk. What does a wonderful workplace look like in your eyes and what are you doing at the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust to shape this? A wonderful organisation has a passion for its mission, combined with a high concern for the team delivering it on every level. I am part of a management team which focuses on the mission and also ensures that everyone is valued and resourced to perform. The old story of the NASA caretaker, who, when asked what he did, always inspires me. He said: "I'm putting a man on the moon." Everyone matters. Employer branding and culture has been a hot topic for some time; when did you start thinking about it and why is it important? Charities provide a vehicle for people from all walks of life to make a difference. It's a sector that needs to be valued, championed and put into the heart of society. If we fail to win public trust, engagement and confidence, then the consequences to some of the most vulnerable people in society are often very harsh; this is why charities must be subject to high levels of governance and scrutiny. People engage with charities in different ways as employees, trustees, donors and supporters, so the culture must be one of scrupulous honesty and openness to win their commitment, and be backed up by inspirational leadership. How do you communicate your charity's working culture to current and future employees? It's useful when people come for an interview to have an informal chat with staff before meeting the formal panel. Yes, it's a little artificial, but it sends a message to staff that their views matter. It also gives future employees the chance to fish around a little and gain a better impression of the working environment, as well as a sense of what type of people work here. What kind of people make a great fit in your charity? People who are a great fit in the charity are customer focused, professional, flexible, friendly and unstuffy. We are a small charity, so apart from our formal roles and functions, we all have to cover for each other and muck in. For example, we all help with meetings during very busy periods, making coffee, clearing up. (Mind you, the communications manager did cut his thumb earlier this year to get out of doing the washing up!). How can third sector candidates identify if a charity's culture will suit them? Organisational culture is so difficult to assess from the outside. I think the chief executive very much sets the tone. Find out what you can about the chief executive and members of the senior management team. Look for non-verbal clues during the interview. Do as much research as you can. Sometimes, though, non-politically correct people can have a heart of gold, and vice versa. Try to square the circle of developing discernment without being judgemental. In the end it's best, in my opinion, to trust your instincts. It's also fine to take a risk. Working on a temp to perm contract is also a useful way of testing the water. How do you develop your staff? The obvious things work best: one-to-ones, regular appraisals, feedback, training courses, in-house briefings, and just taking an interest in people. Where people are in the career life cycle is also useful to be aware of. I'm 57 and have been working in the charity sector since I was 28 but, honestly, the rate of change is so quick I feel as if I am new to the game. Learning from each other is vital. Be generous with what you know and honest about what you don't. I learn so much from digital natives in their twenties, and I like to think they learn some things from me, but perhaps they are just being polite. What would be your advice to someone looking for their first charity job? Charities need experienced, qualified professionals. But even if you've just started as an intern, as long as you have a hunger to learn and work hard, there should be a place for you. Perhaps start with a smaller charity, as that will give you the opportunity to get involved in a wide range of issues and to make an impact. It is easier when starting out to get pigeonholed in a larger charity and feel remote from the mission. Mission Impossible becomes Mission Incomprehensible. What are your top 10 career tips for charity professionals? I only have one tip. A little mental preparation that I do every day before starting work. I hope you find it useful. You may recognise the analogy adapted from St Paul: I imagine a Roman soldier. I think of myself putting on the soldier's armour. First, there is the belt of truth upon which everything hangs. Be honest to yourself and others. Integrity is everything. Lose your credibility and all is lost. Secondly, I put on strong boots or sandals so that I can be flexible, move fast, be in the right place. Thirdly, I have a shield which I can be confident in because of my training and preparedness. Fourthly, I have a helmet which stands for my intellect. You have a good mind. Use it. Think about what you are doing and why. How can the work be done in a better way? Learn constantly. Finally, I put on a breastplate. It is important to put your heart into a role. We all have off-days when it gets very difficult to carry on, but caring about what you are doing makes it easier to deflect the arrows of misfortune when they come your way, as they surely will. Good luck! _________________________________________________ Many thanks to Channing for sharing his insights and some very wise words for both employers and prospective candidates! If you'd like to find out more about his organisation, visit the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust.

What does it take to drive brand partnerships for a major charity? How do you get into the sector? And what on earth would it be like to be a morning person? Find out in the second of our Charity Careers interviews, in which Nicola Greenbrook talks to key influencers in the charity sector, inviting them to share their personal career story and describe how they navigate the professional world. We discover what they've learnt from their ups and downs at work, what motivates them to get up in the morning and even what their dream breakfast might look like when they do... This month, Nicola was excited to meet the ambitious, polymathic and springer-out-of-bedder, Hannah Sanders! Hannah is Consumer Brand Partnerships Lead for Save the Children, which turns 100 years old next year. As part of their centenary, the charity has three current areas of focus: to end all preventable child death from pneumonia, the number one killer of all children globally; to ensure a good quality early years education for all, and to ensure violence against children is no longer tolerated. I’m responsible for… I have a hybrid role in the Partnerships team, leading on all brand partnerships across account management and new business. My role is to secure new partnerships and develop existing relationships with some of the world’s biggest household name brands, to raise vital funds for our global programmes and to improve our brand positioning. I started my career… I graduated from university with no clue what I wanted to do with my life; only that I didn’t want a 9-5 job or to go back home and live with my parents. I saw a summer job advertised as a Roaming Street Fundraiser (you know, those really happy, planet savers who ask you to sign up to a direct debit for a particular cause!) I absolutely loved it and stood on high streets approaching complete strangers for two years, until I realised I had a massive passion for international issues. So I went back to uni to do a Masters degree in International Development with Child Poverty. Through the course I learnt about so many important things Save the Children brought about, like establishing the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, and securing free school meals. I thought, I definitely have to work there! My key roles along the way were… After a few different fundraising roles at a few different charities, and having developed under the guidance of a few amazing people; I finally secured my dream job at Save the Children. I keep my skills fresh by… I absolutely love learning; I never want to stop. In fact, a lot of the feedback I receive regularly refers to my constant thirst for knowledge. I’m one of those people at parties who constantly asks people weird open questions, so I can learn more about life. To keep my skills fresh, I read a lot around topics people have suggested could be good for my development. I also sign up to a whole host of available resources and free training at work and have incredibly inspirational mentors. My advice for anyone considering a move to the charity sector… As with most industries, charities often look for specific experience when recruiting for roles so unfortunately, new grads may need to seek internships that are available as a starting point. This can be pretty difficult when you need to pay bills and commute to London. If that doesn’t work though, grad schemes are a fantastic door opener, if not a little competitive. You can also regularly volunteer for causes you care about to find out about upcoming opportunities or apply for an entry level role in any department and move from there. Often with charities, once you’re in, you’re in - they like to recruit from within. The best piece of advice that’s stuck in my mind is… People won’t remember what you said, they’ll remember how you made them feel. This is very true and something I feel is so important in today’s society, because you never know when people will pop up again, or when progress is made as a result of relationships you’ve had with people. You should always intend to inspire others and be the best human you can be (although not always easy on a rainy Monday morning!) My alarm goes off at… 6am. I’m definitely a morning person and a few times a week I can be found running along the Thames. I recently moved to Pimlico in Central London, so I keep pinching myself that I get the chance to free my mind by running over Chelsea Bridge as the sun rises! My dream breakfast is… I absolutely love a Spanish fried egg, chorizo and potato hash type mash-up. My actual breakfast is… A peppermint tea with an Alpen breakfast bar and I attempt to make it through to lunch. It’s a marked improvement from the Red Bulls I used to drink for breakfast in my care-free twenties! A typical day… Definitely no such thing! This morning I was presenting some new team activities we have in the pipeline as I lead our People Team. Over lunch I was running an evaluation workshop on a Peppa Pig fundraising campaign. This afternoon I’ve just got off the phone to Switzerland where I was sharing advice on cause-related marketing products. Now, I’m preparing for a new prospecting meeting with one of the world’s biggest beauty brands. It never stops but it never ceases to entertain! Right now I’m reading… I’m a member of Save the Children’s Book Club. Each month we read a book based in a particular country, and then we go to a restaurant to eat that country’s cuisine whilst discussing the book – great chat, great people, great food! I’d highly recommend When Breath Becomes Air (which made me re-evaluate how I think about life and death) and The Underground Railroad (an incredibly powerful novel about slavery in the 1800s). Right now I’m watching… A National Geographic documentary series called Genius about the life and discoveries of Albert Einstein. It’s brilliant. I love incredibly entertaining programmes, with very good actors, about real life events that I knew nothing about. I think I’m the only one not watching Love Island! I can’t get through the day without… Listening to loud music on my way to and from the office, it helps me separate my life from my work. I listen to a whole host of different genres; from chart-toppers, to hip-hop, to electric swing. My only frustration is when I see someone I know on the commute and am forced to enter the world of work a few songs too soon! In my spare time… I like to take on new hobbies and interests each year. Last year I did a life drawing course every Saturday morning, this last academic year I’ve been learning Welsh every Monday evening and now that’s finished, I’m on the quest for a new one. I’m thinking maybe Lindy Hop dance classes. A colleague recently told me about mentoring young refugees who recently entered the UK so I’m keen to get this in too. And finally on sleep… I can sleep absolutely anywhere at any time, in fact once my Dad leaned me standing up against his car whilst he shut the doors and I still kept on sleeping! I’m not a peaceful rester though, apparently I talk as much throughout the night as I do throughout the day! We're pretty sure it was daytime on this occasion, but either way our many thanks to Hannah for talking to Nicola and sharing these insights into her busy working life! There'll be more Charity Careers to come, and of course you can follow the work of Hannah's charity at the Save the Children site. Check out more Charity Careers: Sara Rees, Head of Fundraising, Rays of Sunshine Children's Charity ​

Into each life, some rain must fall... Not our words, but those of either a great philosopher or possibly Steps, in their seminal turn-of-the-century opus Deeper Shade Of Blue. Probably accompanied by some sort of rain-indicating arm movement. Either way, they had a point, so it's impossible to begrudge a couple of days' worth falling into the most exceptional summer anyone can remember; it's just unfortunate those days have included today (though we're assured by every weather service under the currently-hidden sun it'll clear up by kick-off), and the end of last week, delaying some vital semi-finals. All of which goes some way to explaining why we're bringing you this year's final pair of finalists mere hours before they take to the field, but we're nothing if not up-to-the-minute round here. We're celebrating 12 years as lead sponsors, but thanks to the league growing bigger and more popular every season there's been room to bring more on board too, including print experts RNB Group, fundraising gurus Brightspot Fundraising, and the magnificent merchandisers known as Bluestep Solutions! They've brought plenty of great things to the league like food, team t-shirts and a brand new gazebo for the Harris Hill bar, but most importantly of all, a brand new trophy - the Bluestep Shield, which is what the talented teams from the RNLI and MS Society will be battling it out for today. Over to the captains! Amanda Robson and Nicola Winfield, RNLI How long have you been involved in the league? This is our fifth year playing in the league. Our first two seasons were pretty shocking - I think we won one game a season and one of those was potentially a walkover...nevertheless we all loved it and softball fever gripped the RNLI! We reached the last 16 of the Cup in our third season, and last year we made the semis of the Cup, losing out to Mind. So we were determined to reach the finals this year! What's the best thing about being part of it? Having the opportunity to socialise outside of work, with both RNLI staff and our lifeboat crew volunteers, meet people from other charities in the Tats and catch up with old colleagues that have moved to new teams. Also, being in a London park in the summer with a gin in a tin is pretty sweet! What's been your best or funniest moment this season? There was a moment in our semi-final against MSF when one of our fielders did a great stop and could have easily thrown the ball onto first or second to get an out, but somehow in a bit of a panic, managed to throw it vertically (probably the highest throw in recorded history) whilst essentially passing it to himself. It was quite a sight! Friendliest team you've played? We've played against some great teams this season - Global Make Some Noise definitely lived up to their name with the loudest cheerers! Sparks were nice in our quarters, and we had a really fun and close game against Sustrans in our group. Who've been your toughest opponents this year? Anthony Nolan destroyed us on a tough night in Regents Park where we conceded a mighty 73 runs over 4 innings (we probably should have just given up early and got home in time for Love Island). Their batting was great and a big hit towards third base resulted in a smack to our player Hannah's face 3 weeks before her wedding - fortunately the scar healed in time, phew! Who's been your MVP this year? It would have to be Sammy J, our 'Perfect Pitcher' (according to our umpire Jason from Marie Stopes), who is unfortunately is off on warm weather pitching training in Trinidad for the final. So what's the secret of your success? We always go into a new innings thinking its 0-0, we have an excellent cheer squad with chants and pom-poms, and we have incorporated some yogic breathing into our huddles which calms even the most competitive of us before each innings. We also have post-match reports each week done by different players which keep us all reliving the game and gets us pumped for the next one! What are you hoping for from the finals night? We'd love to bring back some silverware to the RNLI office but know it will be a tough game. Like last year we are also combining the night with a 'softball stag' for one of our players who is soon to be married - this year is Cub's turn so no doubt it will be a huge celebration if we win or lose! Georgina Carr - MS Society (aka The Mammoths!) Tell us about your team and the charity? We're the MS Society Mammoths - the most orange softball team around. The MS Society is here for everybody affected by multiple sclerosis. More than 100,000 of us live with MS in the UK. We're a community of people living with MS, researchers, fundraisers, campaigners and volunteers. We know together we're strong enough to stop MS. And we're working hard to make it happen. How long have you been involved in the league? The MS Society has been part of the league for 8 years, and this is very first final (and we are VERY excited about it - check out our video for more on how we've been preparing). We were re-branded as the Mammoths around 3 years ago, and since we adopted the name we've gone from strength to strength. What's the best thing about being part of it? There are so many positive things about being in the league - it's allowed us to develop lots of new relationships in the sector, which has been hugely beneficial for our work. It's also improved relationships internally no end - it's far easier to work with people when you get to know them outside of an office setting. It means you get a far better understanding of their work, their motivations and priorities in a more informal way, and that can have huge benefits when it comes to working together further down the line. There are many conversations internally that could have been far more challenging had I not got to know colleagues through the softball team. Getting to the final has just been fantastic - the entire organisation has got behind us, which is incredible, and it's likely that a few staff will come down and watch. Our internal news story about the final is the most engaged-with story on there - testament to the power of the league in getting people to rally together in support of the organisation! What's been your best or funniest moment this season? There have been many, but one my favourites was when our pitcher, Jonathan Blades, got someone out at home plate but couldn't seem to find the base - he looked like he was treating it like a dance mat. Friendliest team you've played? There have been so many - Shelter were particularly lovely in the semi-final. Who's been your MVP this year? Joe Murray - he's had a stormer of a season. What do you think has got you to the final? Hitting the ball LOW and HARD. And some seriously solid fielding - our fielding has got us through some very tough times this season. And lastly, how confident are you feeling about your chances this afternoon? We are obviously in it to win it, but we're genuinely thrilled to get to the final - of course, like any good captain I am going in confident (and the team have been playing exceptionally well), but this has already been our most successful season ever! Our huge thanks to Amanda, Nicola, Georgina and all the teams, players and supporters who'll no doubt be making it an unforgettable afternoon and evening. We're off to pick up an entire lorry-load of refreshments but we'll see you at the park (or the pub), and may the best team/s win! Team Harris Hill

Bring on the battle of the champions! It's crockery-holders all round for the big match as previous cup-winners Cancer Research UK take on previous plate-winners Plan, aka The Pandas! But first an apology. Somewhere in a previous post we casually referred to sunshine for the softball finals, and now we've broken the British summer. In our defence it's been on the blink for years (2018 aside) so it might not be entirely our fault, but just in case, we're sorry. Either way it's bound to turn out fine though, because even the weather gods love charity softball and there'll be sunny smiles all round, not least from the teams who'll be taking home a trophy. So with just 24 hours to go it's time to meet the contenders for the biggest and most prestigious annual prize in London-based inter-charity softball: the one and only Harris Hill Cup! For Cancer Research UK it'd be like bringing home an old friend as they've won it no less than three times already, with this being their fifth cup final appearance! Last year they triumphed in the Harris Hill Plate, and of the six 2017 finalists they're the only ones making a return appearance tomorrow. No pressure then for the plucky Plan UK, though they're previous plate-winners too (in their very first year!) who've consistently qualified ever since, with an equally consistent lineup of players that could prove to their advantage on the pitch. (Look at us pretending to write about sport! It's probably not even a pitch is it? Field, maybe? Court? We'll stick to running the bar...) Anyway, enough from us - over as swiftly as possible to CRUK co-captains Leah White and Anna Paynter, and co-captain Tarik Hasan of the Pandas! Leah White and Anna Paynter, Cancer Research UK Besides winning the cup (of course) what's the goal for Cancer Research UK? Cancer Research UK's vision is to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured. In the 1970s, less than a quarter of people with cancer survived. But over the last 40 years, survival has doubled - today half will survive. Our ambition is to accelerate progress and see three-quarters of people surviving the disease within the next 20 years. Tell us about your history in the league? Cancer Research UK has been part of the London Charity Softball league for ages! We've had some great successes in the past, having won the cup in 2008, 2009 and 2014, and sadly losing in the final in 2010. However last year we did win the Plate, so we're hungry for another victory! We both joined the CRUK softball team last year and absolutely loved it, so have really enjoyed being captains this year. What are the best things about the league and making the final? The best thing about being part of softball is getting to meet lots of new people, having some friendly competition and enjoying softball and drinks in the sun! We're really pleased to have made the finals as the majority of our team are new this year, with only four players from last season. To see how far we've come when compared to our first training session back in May makes us really proud and proves all those practices and friendlies were worth it! What's the most memorable moment of the season (so far, at least)? Best moment of the season has to be during a particularly tense match against the Raptors on the night of the England game! We'd had to stream the game to an iPad on the side of the pitch so we didn't miss it, and we halted play when England were awarded a penalty. All of the tension slipped away as both teams crowded around the iPad, British Red Cross players mixed in with CRUK players, with us all losing our minds when England scored the penalty! Friendliest team you've played? Easy question - every year it's Unicef without fail! This year we weren't in the same group, but made sure we organised a friendly with them just because we always have a great night playing and drinking with them! Who's been your MVP this year? One of our newcomers Alex 'Briggsy/TheBull/Bully' Briggs has been sweeping the floor with MVP awards this season! So what's been the secret of your success? We think it's probably that we've approached every game with the same attitude - keen to win, but there to have fun! Most of our team being brand new this year worried us at the start, but everyone's been so keen to play, even cancelling plans once we got through to the knockout stages, to make sure they were part of the team that got us through to the next round. We may be biased, but we think we have the best team around - they're funny, no one puts pressure on each other, you get the p*ss taken out of you and they're as committed to going to the pub afterwards as they are attending the games - what else could we ask for? A fourth cup win on Thursday? We're going to approach the finals as we have all our other games - play hard, have fun and enjoy the atmosphere. We're obviously hoping to be up on that stage lifting the cup as the team goes wild - fingers crossed that's what we see tomorrow! Last year's night ended with the teams popping champagne on Hyde Park at 1am whilst making human pyramids, so we've got big expectations for tomorrow night! Tarik Hasan, Plan International UK Tell us about Plan and The Pandas... Plan International UK is a global children's charity. We work to give every child the same chance in life. The Plan Pandas softball team is made up of members from throughout the organisation representing all departments. We have an incredibly dedicated bunch of people, and we usually have the same team every week. How long have you been involved in the league? We've been playing in the league since 2012, and after a very difficult start that year, we found a rhythm and then went on to win the Plate final! Since then we've managed to qualify for the Cup or Plate every year, but our best achievement was the cup quarter-final three years ago. We have currently have three players in the team that were part of the Plate winning team of 2012, and most players have been around for at least two or three seasons. What's the best thing about being part of it? Getting to meet so many people from across the charity sector, and also getting to know people at work really well and creating lots of new friendships. We currently have one softball related wedding on the cards! Friendliest team you've played? St John's Badgers. They are very friendly and always give us a very competitive game (and they don't mind a beer or two after the game). We regularly play friendlies against them when we don't meet them in the league. And who've been your toughest opponents this year? British Heart Foundation were an incredibly good team in our last 16 game. They were very well organised, very competitive, and also very fair with all of their calls. It was a very tight game that finished 30 - 26. What's been the secret of your success? Balance. In previous years we always relied on a few players to carry the team through, while this year everyone knows their positions and can get to first base. In this game (just as they say in Moneyball) it really is all about everyone getting to first and not about players scoring home runs. So the big question: who's going to be taking home the trophy tomorrow? I think it'll be close, but if we play our game I think that we have a really good chance. It's definitely going to be one to watch - thanks and best of luck to Leah, Anna, Tarik and their teams for tomorrow! We'll be squeezing in one more set of finalists in the morning but in the meantime, get some rest, sleep well, and failing that you can always check out some of our other features below... Team Harris Hill

Who are the brains behind the super-successful softball league and just how do they make it all happen? We caught up with the committee members who've most recently joined to find out more... L-R: Vanessa Furey, Leo Visconti, Paul Mehta, Rob Wyatt, Anastasia French, Matt Glass, Palak Bhatt London Charity Softball League 2018: meet the organisers! Team Harris Hill will be out in force (of course) for the finals this Thursday, where - via the world's biggest beer run and armed with enough ice to build a small Arctic village - we'll be racing to keep the refreshments coming cold and fast for up to 1,000 thirsty supporters. But if we think we've got a challenge, it's nothing compared with the tremendous team who do the real hard work of keeping the whole show on the road throughout the summer, co-ordinating countless charities and a multitude of matches each week to make it happen. Factor in that they're all volunteering on top of their full-time charity roles, and you have to wonder just how they do it. We caught up with the original fab four back in 2016, who are still very much present and invariably correct (it says here), but since the team's grown bigger along with the league, we wanted to find out more from relatively-new kids on the block Anastasia French, Matt Glass and Palak Bhatt... L-R: Anastasia French, Matt Glass, Palak Bhatt What made you want to join the committee and how did it happen? Palak: When I joined the league, what was intended to be a casual pastime for the summer turned into a genuine passion when the Royal Parks and Will2Win threatened to stop play and charge charities to play at Hyde Park. The league decided to protest and Will2Win had no idea what they were getting themselves into! Everyone came together and defended the right to play for free and since then, I've been hooked. Frankly, it was a no-brainer when I was asked to be part of the committee. The league is unique, welcoming and such incredible fun, and I'm so proud to be a part of it Matt: I'd stepped down from being a captain as I wanted to just get back to playing the game. Little did I know that, along with Palak, the committee had noticed my enthusiasm and decided to see if I wanted to get involved - which I totally did! Anastasia: I've been a captain for a few years now, leading my team to no success whatsoever, but was very impressed with the amount of effort that the committee put in to making it work. I had a very tense showdown with Leo last season though, so when I offered to help out I wasn't sure they'd accept it! What are the best things about being involved, and the biggest challenges? Matt: The best thing about the league is without doubt finals night. I can't describe how rewarding it is to see how many people come together to support the league and the finalists each and every year! The most challenging is fitting the time in around your work and personal lives. Anastasia: The best thing has been getting to know the committee more! I was a bit scared of them but they're a really committed, lovely bunch of people. I have nothing but admiration for the sheer amount of skill, effort and enthusiasm they all put in to make it happen. Palak: The best thing about being in the committee is to be able to watch the league unfold and seeing so many people get involved and excited about softball. Not least, witnessing the unabashed rivalry between committee members is always very entertaining. Balancing a full-time job/education while helping out as the committee is always tough though. I'm currently finishing up my Masters so it's been challenging juggling committee duties and writing a dissertation! Although time-management has been a lifelong issue so maybe I'll get my act together eventually! (I won't.) How has this season differed from previous years? Palak: Unfortunately due to issues beyond our control, the league had to be condensed into fewer weeks - but as per usual, the teams have handled the challenge like pros! It did help that most of July saw London bathed in a cool 35-degree heat, ensuring our teams were able to play all of their games and get a bunch of friendlies in. Matt: Definitely the weather - it's been blisteringly hot which NEVER happens. Given the condensed season, we could never have done it if the sunshine hadn't come through for us! Anastasia: As the groups stage had to be squashed, we played more friendlies than competitive games. This actually made it more fun and relaxed, letting the teams focus on having fun, which is why it was created in the first place. What have been your highlights or surprises of the season so far? Matt: The biggest surprise I have to say, given it was only their first season last year, was seeing Dogs Trust make it all the way to the Cup playoffs this time - an incredible achievement they should be very proud of! My personal highlight was watching Alzheimer's Society get the furthest they've ever been and make it to the Plate quarter-finals. Anastasia: I heard a rumour that one player got it on with a rival player after being invited back to "stroke her ferrets"! Palak: Letting Leo have control of the Instagram page has been a revelation. Waking up on Thursday mornings to typos, blurry photos, the overwhelming amount of St Mungo's posts - it's truly a sight to behold. Any predictions for Thursday - and who will you be (secretly or otherwise!) supporting? Anastasia: A lot of my favourites are out so I'll be cheering on all the teams, whilst clutching a free beer courtesy of Harris Hill! Palak: It doesn't matter which sport or life event, I always root for the underdog - I've never really known why but it may have something to do with being 5ft3. I think it's the Saints' first time in the finals so I guess my money's on them! (FYI, Leo did not make me say that) Matt: All my favourites are already out, but I do hope Leo gets another win under his belt, despite how insufferable he'll be after - good luck! Lastly as long-term league veterans, what's your advice for teams who are just starting out... Matt: Keep the games fun and you'll always have plenty of people wanting to turn up week in, week out. Have more than two captains - being a captain is a lot of work and splitting it between three people can really help with the workload when holiday season comes along. And get out and practice, the weather usually allows for friendlies to start in April! ...or thinking of joining the fun? Anastasia: Get involved! Merge with another charity, get a catchy team name and you'll be sure to get a spot. Palak: Do it! Bats, balls and beer - what's not to love?! Many thanks to Anastasia, Matt and Palak (and the rest of the committee of course!) - and if you've been inspired to get involved next year, check out the league homepage, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter feeds for ways to get in touch.

It's time for the softball league finals! Yes, already. We couldn't believe it either. But if you're thinking 12 months can't possibly have passed because you'd be a year older which is obviously nonsense, we have great news: they haven't! Well, not quite. This year's London Charity Softball League grand finals hit Hyde Park a week earlier than usual, on Thursday 16th August, making it a mere 11 months and three weeks. So we're all still hurtling towards our own demise at a frankly terrifying speed, but at least it's fractionally less terrifying than you might have thought at first. Hurray. But we're even more delighted to see the third sector's legendary league going from strength to strength in its 16th year (and our 12th as lead sponsors), getting bigger and better than ever, and bringing together well over 120 charities from all corners of the sector in fierce-but-friendly competition. We'd love to claim credit, but in reality it's all down to the energy and exceptional efficiency of the league's organisers (more of whom in due course) and the sheer enthusiasm and commitment of the teams who've bravely battled through months of relentless sunshine and socialising to make it this far. Not forgetting our brilliant fellow sponsors Bluestep, RNB Group and joining the party this year, Brightspot Fundraising - who'll all be helping to make sure Thursday's finals are a day to remember, even if it's a little groggily, some time the following afternoon. So with no further ado, let's meet the teams who'll be tussling for one of the three top titles: the Harris Hill Plate, the Bluestep Shield, and the Harris Hill Cup! First up it's Saints vs Sluggers, better known to the wider world as St Mungo's and Sustrans! Both teams are first-time finalists who'll be battling to blag the nearly-priceless Harris Hill Plate: we asked Sustrans' team captain Cliff Matsuya, and what transpired to be almost half the St Mungo's team, about their success in the season so far... Paul Nanson, Katie Wimpenny, Matt Taylor and Emmeline Wilcox, The Saints Tell us about the team? We're The Saints, made up of staff and clients from St Mungo's, where we work to prevent homelessness and support people's recovery to stay off the streets for good. We're an inclusive and diverse team and that's what makes us click. We have staff based all over London, so it's a great chance for people to meet others in the organisation they wouldn't usually meet up with. How long have you been involved in the league? The Saints were reincarnated four years ago by Emily Whittaker: if it wasn't for Emily and her extremely loud grunting, we wouldn't be here today. It took us a while to get the knack of throwing and catching, taking us three years to win a game. Since then we've been absolutely flying though, making the Cup knockouts last year and through to the Plate final this year. What's the best thing about being part of it? The chance to do a bit of throwing and catching with a beer in the English sun. The best games are the ones where both teams play with a great spirit and don't let the competitive edge get the better of them. Best/funniest/most memorable moments of the season? Best: the team togetherness and the way everyone supports each other no matter what. Funniest moments have got to include Kevin admiring his hit before realising he has to run and falling over at first base, Kerri hitting herself in the face, and seeing our MVP jacket evolve over time! With the zebra print jacket being at the heart of the outfit, each MVP adds something different for the next week. The outfit now has a strong animal print theme, some great gold trousers and funky sunglasses. Each MVP has to travel home in it and takes a picture for proof! Who've been the friendliest team you've played this year? Comic Relief, St Joseph's, FareShare, Rethink - they're all 100% absolute babes. And the toughest opponents? Rethink - we drew 12-all and they were great in the field, with some absolute huuuge hitters. They came top of the league and 100% deserved it. Any mascots or MVPs to mention? Jordan, who is a St Mungo's client, is our official cheerleader. He comes along to every game, music playing from his phone. He even made a special semi-final playlist. Hold tight for his final one. He's also won MVP twice without even playing. Absolute bloody legend. MVP = the whole team. Everyone contributes to each game, we wouldn't be in the final without each person that's played. So what's the secret of your success? Having fun, playing with a smile on our faces and not taking ourselves too seriously. Also, doodle polls and saying Saints very, very loudly. And how are you feeling about your chances on Thursday? To have got this far is unbelievable. Our aim for Thursday is enjoy it as much as possible. If you can't enjoy the game, there's no point in playing. There'll be some nerves, there'll be some dodgy team talks and there'll definitely be a few drinks afterwards. Good luck to Sustrans, we hope it's a great match! 'King' Cliff 'Batsuya', Sustrans Sluggers How long have you been involved in the league? The Sustrans Sluggers (affectionately known as the Slugs), formed in 2016 - since then Slug Spirit has swept the office, and match days will usually see a sea of slugs behind each desk. The Sluggers are usually fairly easy to spot on the field, as we're the ones with a horde of bikes parked up by our game. We've also been known to spend (far) more money on Sluggers branded clothing and accessories, and resorting to cable tying our cheap gloves together before each game. Friendliest team you've played? Pitch 'n' Mix have to be one of our favourite teams to play. We set up a friendly with them first thing of the season, because we know that no matter which way the game goes, it'll be great fun. We also love to play the Dogs Trust - particularly because of their amazing hats with ears on. Best catch/longest hit? Too many to mention. Our outfield will be the stuff of folk songs and legend. Who's been your MVP this year? Ben 'Hedge Catch Guy' Addy and 'Mean' Roisin both have been awarded two MVPs each this year, Izzy Stannett 'Baratheon' has the most appearances with 31 innings, while 'Sharface' Sharland has a perfect batting average of 1.000. But all round MVP has to be first baseman Toby 'TJ' Jones with a batting average of 0.867, thirteen put outs, and a swing that just won't quit. Lastly, congrats on making the finals for the first time (in only the team's third year!) - how have you done it? As you can see from the above answer, there's two secrets to the Slug Success - nicknames, and stats. Each player is given a nickname that will stick with them - whether they like it or not - both on and off season. We (by which I mean 'I') also love collecting detailed records from each game and inputting them into an overly complicated spreadsheet to generate wealth of stats. This provides no tactical advantage, but it does create one hell of a competitive spirit in the office. Big thanks from us and best of luck to both teams for Thursday! Meanwhile don't forget you can follow the build-up over on the league's Twitter feed, and watch this space for more from the finalists tomorrow... Team Harris Hill ​

​It's often said that the best things come in small packages, though apparently never within earshot of anyone from Amazon, which is why your watch battery's arriving in a box the size of Bristol. But size certainly isn't everything when it comes to choosing the kind of charity you want to work for. Small charities make up a mighty 97% of the sector, so whatever the scale of your ambition there's sure to be somewhere you'll fit. It might be the mega-charities who hit the headlines, but there's a big world beyond the big names, and it's one that can have plenty of advantages for your career. As this year's Small Charity Week draws to a close you may have seen some of the fantastic things even the smallest of organisations can achieve, and if it's inspired you to get involved, we're sharing some good reasons and great opportunities to go for it. Why work for a small charity? The lovely people over at Charity Job came up with 6 reasons why working for a small charity is amazing and if you already do, you'll probably know of plenty more. Both large and small organisations have their advantages of course, but one of the key differences is in the breadth of experience you're likely to gain in the role. Major charities may have teams for everything from data management to digital fundraising, challenge events, corporate partnerships or internal communications, which can often operate as fairly separate functions. So you could become a first-class community fundraiser, or master the dark arts of DM, but the opportunities to get involved (and gain experience) in any other capacity may be relatively limited - those things will be someone else's job, after all. If you're widely-experienced already that may not matter too much, but early in your career there's a danger of pigeon-holing yourself before you've had chance to try anything else. Smaller charity = bigger remit This is somewhere smaller charities can really shine. In a small organisation you'll generally have more responsibilities since there are fewer people to share them, and they can often be things that wouldn't normally come anywhere near your remit. The fewer people on board, the more likely you'll need all hands on deck, particularly around things like events and major projects, when you could easily find yourself pitching in as a publicist, events manager or volunteer co-ordinator for example, and almost certainly as a fundraiser. Even within your 'official' role, you're likely to have a wider remit than you might do elsewhere, giving you broader experience of many more things, which can only be good news for your career prospects. So with no further ado, here are six of the best opportunities we currently have with fantastic small charities - just click any of the titles or links for details of each role and how to apply. Corporate Fundraising Executive London £25,000 - £30,000 We're delighted to be supporting The Big House, an award-winning London-based charity who are undergoing an exciting phase of development. The charity supports care-leavers through a three-month programme that includes employability workshops, pastoral support and culminates in a three-week theatre production. This opportunity is ideal for someone with a good understanding of corporate fundraising who is looking to take on more responsibility for this income stream in a small but ambitious charity. Read more... Marketing & Social Media Co-ordinator London £23,552 A fantastic opportunity has arisen to join an award winning, thriving community association in the heart of North London. Working in a small but high profile vibrant local charity, your role will be broad and varied. The primary purpose of this exciting role is to market our activities and services, grow our social media presence, updating websites, creating regular newsletters, developing and implementing the marketing and communications strategy for the association and its new and emerging social enterprises. Read more... Communications Officer Oxford £25,000 - £30,000 full or part time Are you passionate about helping support people out of homelessness and enhancing the skills of homeless people to get them back on their feet? This is a newly created role, where you'll develop and deliver a comprehensive, innovative and effective communication and campaigns programme on behalf of the charity. The aim is to create a movement around social value through the planning, designing and implementing of impactful campaigns. Read more... Fundraising Development Manager Farnborough £27,000 - £30,000 Harris Hill are very pleased to be working with a UK Health charity based in Farnborough to recruit a Fundraising Development Manager. This development role will cover the whole spectrum of fundraising including corporate, community, challenge events and charity led events. This is an exciting opportunity for an innovative, ambitious fundraiser to develop skills in all areas of fundraising and really make your mark! Read more... Fundraising & Marketing Officer Sutton £25,000 This is a role with a faith-based charity, covering many aspects of both fundraising and marketing. Working on a full-time permanent basis, you will be responsible for providing key support to the Head of Fundraising & Marketing and the Direct Marketing Manager. You'll also work closely with the fundraising and marketing team, finance team and other heads of department in support of objectives set out the organisation's overall strategic plan. Read more... Project Coordinator London £24,500 This rewarding role supports the delivery of a popular project for older people, with particular emphasis on the volunteering elements which ensure that older people using the project feel an increased sense of community, become more active, experience improved physical/mental health because of their engagement, and feel less lonely or isolated.

As part of our commitment to the sector, we sponsor a hugely popular series of inter-charity events including a giant quiz night, ten-pin bowling and the London Charity Softball League! Collectively known as The Harris Hill Charity Series, the contests get more popular by the year, with co-sponsors Bluestep Solutions, RNB Group and Bright Spot Fundraising now also providing fantastic support, while the tireless organising committee (all from charities themselves) do an outstanding job of organising the hotly-contested events each year. We're delighted that the events really bring charities together: more than 120 charities now take part in the softball league every year, with well over 1,000 participants and supporters getting involved from charities like RNIB, CRUK, Sparks, Muscular Dystrophy UK, the British Heart Foundation, Mind, CLIC Sargent, Marie Curie, Diabetes UK, Macmillan Cancer Support and many (many!) more. Not forgetting of course the cup-winning champions of both 2016 and 2017, CoppaFeel and Movember UK, collectively known as Tits'n'Tache! Aside from the series' events, staff at Harris Hill regularly organise and participate in our own array of charity fundraising activities, from dress-up days to sponsored walks, the London Marathon, rugby matches and the occasional attempts at baking. July 2018: Latest from the softball league Hard to believe it's here already but this year's league has hit the quarter finals! It'll be a super-competitive couple of weeks as the 24 remaining teams are knocked down to the last few standing, who'll be tussling for one of the tremendous trophies at the grand finals on Thursday 16th August. There could be some new names taking the honours too, having already said farewell to half of last year's finalists, including a surprise knockout for the British Heart Foundation last week, while things finally went Tits'n'Tache up for last year's winners too. You can keep up with the build-up on Twitter and we'll be talking to the teams who've made the finals on the Harris Hill blog very soon. February 2018: Charity Quiz Night February's annual inter-charity quiz night was another huge success this year, kicking off the 2018 Harris Hill Charity Series in style! For all the details of what went down and who came out on top, check out our blog via the link below: The 2018 Charity Series is off to a winning start! November 2017: Striking it lucky 2017's Charity Series bowling night was an absolute ball, full of friendly competition and surprises galore on the scoreboard too. Over on our blog, you can get the lowdown on the throwdown in our post-match report. Get ready to roll! As the nights draw in and the clocks go back, that little beacon twinkling through the darkness can only mean one thing: yes, it's time for Age UK to comprehensively thrash everyone at bowling again! Or will they? Last year a strong challenge from Macmillan Cancer Support came close to toppling them, Action on Hearing Loss maintained their impressive top three placing, and with strikes to spare from Anthony Nolan, St Mungo's, St Joseph's and many others it really could be anybody's game.. We'll be there with the beers, pizza and those all-important medals for the players, while selflessly keeping the bottom end of the scoreboard warm (totally intentional, of course). And with an enormous 39 teams taking part this year, selling out in record time it's all looking set to be a big, big night on November 23rd! The London Charity Softball League finals, August 2017 Well, another summer season of softball may have shimmered into the September sunset (ok, late August but we're anyone's for a little alliteration, look at our name) - but what a fantastic finale it was! The pitches at Hyde Park were probably the busiest and undoubtedly the buzziest we've seen in our long history of supporting the league, with the cheers of the hugely supportive crowd carrying far and wide as the three tightly-fought contests reached their conclusions. Taking second places but nonetheless able to hold their heads up high - or as high as possible under the sheer weight of an almost-priceless 100% genuine imitation silver Harris Hill medal - were the valiant teams from Muscular Dystrophy UK, Save the Children and Mind. But the grand honours went to Cancer Research UK for the Harris Hill Plate, a nailbitingly close finish saw the Raptors of British Red Cross raise the BlueStep Shield, and taking home a trophy for the second consecutive year, this time the mighty Harris Hill Cup, the seemingly-unstoppable Tits & Tache! Can they bust their way to a third win next year or will their chances finally get a little hairy? We'll be back in 2018 to find out for sure - our thanks as ever to the brilliant organising committee who do the really hard work (not forgetting founding father of the league Leo Visconti who couldn't be there for the first time ever but was surely somewhere in spirit!), our fellow sponsors RNB Group for the post-match pints, BlueStep Solutions for our fantastic new tent, t-shirts and much more, and above all the sheer energy and enthusiasm of the hundreds upon hundreds of players and supporters of charities from all corners of the sector, who continue to make the league such a pleasure to be part of. If you'd like to register an interest in getting your charity involved in next year's league, the aforementioned Mr Visconti is the man to talk to - or just get in touch if you'd like the details of how to do so. Meanwhile you can check out more pictures from the grand finals over on our Softball Gallery page! Last but not least, here at Harris Hill we ran something of a softball-themed contest of our own over the summer, and the result was revealed on Friday 1st September. So it's congratulations to the winning player in our prize draw, Jonathan Birrane of The Children's Society, who are the team we'll be taking on a great night out to celebrate very soon! That's all from us for softball this season but with the approach of autumn it's almost time to bring on the bowling - look out for details of the next event here soon... Charity Quiz Night - February 2017 We're delighted to say that this year's quiz night on 21st Feb was a record-breaking success! Packed to capacity as ever, a fantastic selection of prizes from fellow sponsors Snap Print Management, together with the teams' generosity, helped us to achieve record sales of raffle tickets, contributing to a grand total of more than £1500 raised for the Mental Health Foundation. Huge thanks to everyone involved in organising, our excellent hosts Patch Bar, Snap Print Management, and many congratulations to the team at Friends of the Earth UK who can legitimately claim to be the smartest people in the charity sector, at least for the next 12 months! Obviously as key sponsors, our very own Harris Hill team were playing just for fun, deliberately trying not to win: clearly the only possible explanation for our score so we're sticking to it!

The 2018 Harris Hill Salary Survey is here! We're delighted to bring you the Harris Hill 2018 Salary Survey, our 13th annual guide to remuneration for roles throughout the charity and not for profit sectors in the UK. Based on the thousands of third sector jobs we've worked on in the last 12 months, we provide comprehensive and detailed salary ranges for both permanent and temporary positions at all levels for the key roles and job functions in each of our specialist areas, including: Data Management ▪ Digital ▪ Executive Search ▪ Fundraising ▪ Finance ▪ Human Resources ▪ Marketing & Communications ▪ Operations, Admin & Support ▪ Press & PR ▪ Projects & Programmes ​​ We also highlight some of the major trends we've observed over the past year in each specialism and the wider sector, such as: What's at the top of 2018 candidates' wishlist when it comes to their next role? Are salaries being pushed up by the high demand/short supply of candidates in many areas? On limited budgets, how can charities attract and retain talented staff? What are employers really looking for, and what kind of skills and experience are likely to be among the most highly-prized over the year ahead? Executive salaries This year we've also taken a closer look at the senior executive market, in particular the ever-controversial issue of remuneration for charity CEOs: are six-figure salaries as widespread as some suggest, and what are the particular responsibilities of a charity CEO that justify the higher level of pay? How we gather the information All the data is taken from the actual roles we've worked on over the past year (approximately 3,000 in total), then analysed by our specialist consultants, applying their insight and expert knowledge of the wider market to ensure the figures are a realistic reflection of the salaries being offered in each field. As such it is not an exhaustive list of every charity and not-for-profit salary paid in the last year but is a detailed and representative guide which we hope you'll find a genuinely useful reference tool. If you'd like any further information on salaries with the sector, please get in touch with us on 020 7820 7300 or contact the relevant team below: Data Management 020 7820 7304 data@harrishill.co.uk Executive Search 020 7820 7323 executive@harrishill.co.uk Fundraising 020 7820 7326 fundraising@harrishill.co.uk Finance 020 7820 7340 financerecruitment@harrishill.co.uk Human Resources 020 7820 7340 humanresources@harrishill.co.uk Marketing, PR & Digital 020 7820 7333 marketing@harrishill.co.uk Operations, Admin & Support 020 7820 7304 operations@harrishill.co.uk Projects & Programmes 020 7820 7304 projects@harrishill.co.uk Temporary & Interim 020 7820 7325 teamtemps@harrishill.co.uk

Ever feel like you're faking it? You're in good company, as Nicola Greenbrook explains in this month's guest post, exploring the psychological pattern of Impostor Syndrome (IS), how it could be affecting you, and what you can do about it. You're fully-qualified and experienced in your industry, role or position but do you worry one day you'll get 'found out'? Even with regular praise for your accomplishments, do you discount your efforts and feel like a total fluke? Do the voices in your head tell you you're no good before that all-important presentation? You may be suffering from Impostor Syndrome...and you're not alone. What is Impostor Syndrome? Every quarter the Oxford English Dictionary adds a raft of new terms or words to keep up with the rapid development of the English language. Along with 'binge watch' and 'silent generation', the latest update includes IS. Defined as 'the persistent inability to believe that one's success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one's own effort or skills', it's not a new syndrome despite the recent OED entry. It was first identified in 1978 by clinical psychologists who noticed that certain high-achieving women believed the success they had worked so hard for was purely luck and, therefore, were unworthy of it. They thought they'd fooled everyone and were a fake, an impostor. Facebook's COO Sheryl Sandberg talked about IS in her 2013 book Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead. She admitted being a sufferer, explaining "...every time I took a test, I was sure that it had gone badly. And every time I didn't embarrass myself - or even excelled - I believed that I had fooled everyone yet again". How do you recognise it? People affected by IS usually have a proven track record of success and receive plenty of external validation of their achievements. They're often on the receiving end of praise and compliments, but the cunning nature of IS means that for sufferers the effects are heightened rather than alleviated - they'll believe the confidence trick they play must be working even better. Rather than accept, they'll bat off compliments or discount their personal involvement in a successful project. Other symptoms of IS include: - Belief that success is only down to good fortune, not hard work or talent, or that someone has clearly made a mistake or is going to take it away from you any time soon. - Fear that people you consider important (seniors, mentors, people you look up to etc) will find out you're not as capable as they think you are. - Constantly comparing yourself to others, believing everyone else to be superior or more intelligent than you. - Being dismissive of praise for an accomplishment, toning it down or depreciating the importance. - Focusing or ruminating on incidents where you've not done your best, or made a mistake, more than the times when you did do your best. Perfectionism is often seen as a correlate of IS. Those with a tendency to consider themselves an impostor will internalise every flaw, mistake or criticism and feel a glum sense of satisfaction when it happens - 'there you go, that proves it. I'm not perfect and therefore, no good at what I do'. Mistakes can slowly but surely dent self-confidence and people who feel the need to do everything perfectly may feel fraudulent when they can't achieve this impossible standard. Who does it affect? Although IS generally affects high-achievers and those with a reputation for success, the phenomenon doesn't discriminate. From Maya Angelou (Pulitzer Prize nominee, multiple Grammy-winner for spoken recordings and much more) to Lupita Nyong'o (hugely influential actress, Best Actress Oscar winner) and Albert Einstein (you may have heard of him), there are many well-known and successful people who suffer from low-esteem. Actress, comedian, writer and producer Tina Fey once confessed that she sometimes screams inside her head, "I'm a fraud! They're on to me!". According to a major 2011 study, it's estimated that 70% of people will experience the feelings of IS to some degree in their lives. It's often perceived as something more likely to affect women, while Yomi Adegoke writes in The Pool that race can also play a part, noting that 'when you're at the intersection of both race and gender - as women of colour are - the feeling can be doubly hard to shake'. Meanwhile The British Psychological Society recently reported research claiming that under pressure, IS may actually hit men harder than women, causing increased anxiety and impacted performance, which they speculate may be due to traditional gender norms placing a greater expectation on men to be competent. So it seems IS can affect anyone - from actresses to journalists, to inventors to authors. Oh, and me. Why do we need to address it? IS is an insidious creature. According to New York Magazine's Science of Us, those with high IS have difficulty feeling satisfaction about a job they've done really well, which could mean they take less pleasure and meaning from their work. It's also been reported that IS sufferers tend to people-please, overwork and may even suffer from stress and depression. They often experience self-doubt and are generally uncomfortable with their achievements, refusing to believe in themselves. This can be damaging for their colleagues, their team and even their personal relationships. However writer and life coach Fiona Buckland believes that if you spot the symptoms, this can present a great opportunity. You may develop greater self-awareness, 'generate pragmatic empathy' and apply practices in your work and personal life that could support you to live a more fulfilled life. How to cope with it Inspired by Fiona's article for The Guardian, here are some of my suggested coping strategies: - Next time you convince yourself you're a fake, stop and take a breath. Name the feeling for what it is - impostor syndrome. You may start to feel a sense of control and begin to spot the signs before you're overwhelmed. - Don't forget you're the expert in your field and if someone is asking for your help or guidance, they lack the knowledge only you can provide. If the CEO is asking for your HR advice, it's because they aren't an HR professional. They genuinely value, and need, your expertise. - Write down 'your story'. Think about your qualifications, jot down a synopsis of your career history and proudly list your key achievements. Refer to it privately in those 'wobbly' moments. Soon you may realise it's not down to luck, but sheer hard work, tenacity and skill. - Enlist the help of a mentor or someone else you know with IS who may be willing to share similar experiences and swap coping strategies. Ask HR if you're unsure where to begin. - Clarify your values, think about what you stand for and write it down somewhere you can easily refer to it. You'll soon know what you uniquely have to offer so you can stop pretending you're someone else. ------------- Impostor Syndrome is a complex and difficult condition but if you can relate to any of the symptoms or descriptions in this article, or if the voices in your head are particularly LOUD today, you're not alone. Fiona believes if you recognise your IS, sense some control over it and practice some of the coping strategies that work for you, it can be overcome. Consider how you can use IS to your advantage to keep on your toes and motivate you. Helen Mirren once said "It would be wrong to think that you're always right and correct and perfect and brilliant. Self-doubt is the thing that drives you to try to improve yourself." Life is a lot better, after all, when you can appreciate who you are and what you've accomplished. You're doing great. Nicola Greenbrook - HR Specialist & Freelance Writer Contact Nicola

Our 2018 salary survey is now available, with comprehensive salary tables for roles at all levels within charities and not for profit organisations. Along with the figures, we look what's happening more broadly with recruitment in each of the areas we cover: here are some of the key trends noted by our specialists in data management, operations, admin/support and projects/programmes. Data Management The rights and wrongs of data usage are headline news these days, and a major focus for many charities too, dealing with their own data-based demons but also recognising the potential benefits and building teams accordingly. Following a steady influx of data professionals for some years, time has naturally progressed, as have most of those hired, which means the once rarely-spotted charity data manager can now be found in far greater numbers. The challenge for many now is where to go next, as further opportunities for progression within the sector are relatively limited. For many experienced data managers, seeking more scope, variety and responsibility, the answer is often a move to a smaller charity, where with a smaller team (or as sole data manager) they'll generally have a far bigger remit. Demand remains high and ongoing for staff with Raiser's Edge skills, while Salesforce skills are increasingly sought-after, and those who are multi-skilled (particularly with systems migration experience) are the most highly-prized of all. Meanwhile in our experience, data professionals are just as keen to work from home as their colleagues in other functions, but for data confidentiality reasons, anywhere outside the office is rarely an option. Many employers in this field are fairly receptive in this respect though and often prepared to offer flexibility on working hours instead. Operations, Admin & Support Over the past year the most noticeable trend has been the increase in part-time or contract-based roles, generally at the expense of full-time, permanent positions. Some things never change though, one being that vacancies for junior level positions continue to generate hundreds (and hundreds) of applications. Given the numbers it's a real challenge to make the shortlist - both for the candidate and employer - but for candidates, demonstrating genuine interest and commitment to the charity sector (for example through volunteering) will make a difference. Meanwhile the nature of admin and support roles continues to evolve as it has for some years now. Purely secretarial roles are giving way to more wide-ranging admin and support roles involving tasks like data cleansing, social media updates, organising events or preparing proposals. The traditional office manager role has all but disappeared too, with their responsibilities often absorbed into an EA/PA role. Projects & Programmes This area can be particularly affected by the political climate, and with continued cuts in government funding, there's high demand for people with experience of successfully sourcing it elsewhere, such as from institutional donors. Next year we'll be publishing this guide, in theory at least, from somewhere outside the EU, with whom we'll have some as-yet-unspecified agreements. Or not. One of the few things we do know is that there will be fewer available funding options for UK projects, increasing competition for what remains. As a result there's high demand for those with experience of proposal/bid writing, and the ability to put together a winning grant application is likely to be one of the most valuable skills going. Last year we noted the growing number of educational programmes, but in the year of #MeToo it's perhaps fitting (or connected) that this year's most noticeable increase has been in projects relating to female empowerment. The subject of the role/project is particularly important for those in this field - often significantly more so than salaries, which remain fairly static. Projects and Programmes people are often more willing than most to be flexible on things like salaries, hours and location, but it has to be for the right project, ideally something for which they have a genuine passion.

Every so often in the press - usually once we've finished frothing about GCSEs being too easy/too hard but before we start panic-buying for the Worst Winter In 200 Years (again) - we're all invited to be incandescent about the salaries of charity executives. But while the weather prediction will be 99% nonsense with a tiny titbit of truth ('Met Office says Carlisle to be bit chilly for fortnight in Feb'), are the stories of 'vast sums being pocketed by charity fat cats' any more accurate? In the past seven years, our senior executive specialist Jenny Hills has recruited more charity CEOs than you'd fit on any of the superyachts they supposedly sail around in, so for our 2018 Salary Survey, we asked her for the truth behind the tabloid tales: what do charities really pay their chief executives, and just as importantly, why? Over to you, Jenny! Standard executive salaries For roles at this level it's difficult to provide a meaningful or truly representative list of market rate salaries. Firstly, non-executives in the sector very seldom receive salaries for their work. Secondly, for CEO roles, salaries vary wildly depending on the organisation. In the past year, we have placed CEOs on salaries of £45,000 to £100,000, and everything in between. CEO salaries are dependent on the scale of the organisation, its complexity, location, geographical coverage, sector, regulatory requirements, as well as the particular challenges of the role. For example, CEOs who are hired to turn around an organisation at risk of failure are often compensated for the additional work, compared to the same role at an organisation on a more even keel; or we often see higher salaries for CEOs who are expected to take on the lead fundraising role for their charity. These multiple factors make setting useful categories for organisations and their CEO salaries more complex than we have space for here. However, a service we do provide is bespoke salary surveys for organisations looking to benchmark the salary of a particular role. For these pieces of work, we are able to focus in on, identify and interpret the data that is most relevant to your organisation and role, using all the criteria discussed above. Pay and public perception As ever, charity sector salaries are often a point of contention in the press and public consciousness, especially those paid to CEOs. The myth of the typical charity executive being paid six figure salaries is just that - a myth. Of the 168,237 charities registered in England and Wales as of 31st December 2017, just over 0.5% of them had any employees earning £100,000 or more, according to official figures from Charity Financials. Nevertheless, we regularly have conversations with boards looking to hire their next chief executive who are nervous about openly advertising the salary. To which our answer is always: are they worth it? To really hone in on what trustees are looking for in their next CEO, we like to focus on the impact the board expects them to make. How is the organisation going to be different in one year, five years or ten years, if the new CEO is successful? The shape of success Most of the time, our CEOs are brought in to deliver significant change, such as dramatically growing a charity; turning around an organisation with tough challenges; or developing new services and income streams. They need to do this in a highly regulated environment - always the Charity Commission, often CQC, Ofsted, the Fundraising Regulator, the Information Commissioner's Office, not to mention the oversight requirements of statutory and grant funding. They are also often in the full glare of the public eye: think of the difference in profile between the CEO, for example, of your local hospice, versus the CEO of the average local commercial business of comparable scale. At the same time, they need to lead on strategy for the organisation, manage its finances (often taking a large chunk of responsibility for bringing in the income in the first place), manage the staff and volunteers and any physical assets. They need to be skilled negotiators, managing relationships with stakeholders from the life-long supporter to the actively hostile, so to dramatically understate things, it's a big job. The smaller the charity, the more hands-on they have to be. As well as leading the organisation, we know many CEOs who, when needs be, will literally stuff envelopes. Setting the salary Every charity CEO role is different, but it's safe to describe it as a job that most people could not do, and of those who could, many make use of their skills elsewhere in the public or private sector - for considerably higher salaries. We will always help our clients to set the right salary - one that will attract the talent they need, and that also fits the organisation's circumstances. Sometimes this involves tough conversations about the board's expectations versus the salary budget, and advising on what can be done to stretch it further. Options could include offering the role on a part time basis, or offering home or more flexible working. On a few occasions this year, we have secured a new CEO on a lower salary than the board were expecting. ---------------- Ultimately, once the decision to pay a given salary is made, the strongest argument against those who object to charity staff getting paid at all is the complexity and breadth of the job description. Charity CEO is a highly skilled professional position with exceptional demands, requiring a highly skilled professional with exceptional capabilities in order to be successful. Jenny Hills, Harris Hill Executive Search View the full Harris Hill 2018 Salary Survey A brief introduction to Harris Hill Executive Search Now a distinct and growing brand within Harris Hill, our executive team have been building a rock-solid reputation with charities around the country for exceptional service, a genuinely bespoke and consultative approach, and a record of successful executive and non-executive appointments that's unmatched within the sector. Principally recruiting Chief Executives, Trustees and Chairs, plus SMT positions such as COOs, Senior Directors and Deputy CEOs, the team deliver superb results every time, thanks to their extensive candidate network, sector knowledge and search capabilities, coupled with an unwavering commitment to highly professional, diligent, ethical and inclusive recruitment practices.

Our all-new 2018 salary survey has current market rates for roles at all levels within charities and not for profit organisations. Along with detailed salary tables for all key teams and departments, we look at the factors behind the figures and what they mean for recruitment - here's what's happening in one of the most challenging areas for charities... Fundraising For all the changes in fundraising over the past few years, some things remain remarkably constant - but unfortunately those things include the shortage of candidates for almost every income stream. Not all areas are equally affected though, and while sourcing quality candidates is a challenge for everyone, those in events are perhaps having a marginally easier time of it than those looking for community fundraisers, particularly outside London, and those seeking major donor specialists, who may frequently feel they've more chance of finding Elvis. Straight to the source? 'Maybe you're just terrible at recruiting?' a (very) untrained observer might wonder, but we can sadly confirm that it's not just a problem for us, or recruiters in general, but charities hiring for themselves too. Across the board, many organisations are seeking to recruit more staff directly, given the array of easily-accessible digital tools now at their disposal. But when it comes to fundraising, many of our clients are nevertheless finding vacancies harder and harder to fill, and enlisting our help precisely because the direct routes have already been tried and exhausted. This is where our vast network of candidates and sector contacts really comes into play by the way (subtle plug alert..) along with the size and structure of our fundraising team. Each of our fundraising consultants recruits for specific income streams, and this tightly-focused approach means they're able to maintain exceptionally comprehensive, sector-wide knowledge of their particular market at all times. So if anyone can find you that elusive corporate partnerships specialist... Keeping it real Naturally, as the shortage enters its 173rd successive year (give or take), many fundraisers are well aware they're in short supply, expecting sizeable salary boosts with each move. Which can be frequent if there's ever-more money on offer. Many of the increases requested would have seemed far beyond achievable just five years ago, and many still do, but candidates whose expectations are fairly high but rather more realistic will often find them met. Some employers may also benefit from a little more realism when it comes to remuneration, as those hoping to get the same for £25k as they've done in years gone by are likely to be a little disappointed. However many charities have now recognised the issue, having become more aware of what candidates are offered elsewhere and the salaries needed to attract them. Maybe somebody published a guidebook. Great expectations Having accepted the need to pay more, employers may often (and understandably) expect rather more for their money, like experience of multiple income streams at second-job level. However, few candidates are likely to have this, so filling these vacancies may once again require a certain level of expectation-adjustment from both parties. Candidates can help themselves out here by taking on extra responsibilities and getting involved with other income streams where possible, but ideally without job-hopping too regularly. Finding the right fundraiser isn't often easy, and the last thing many employers are looking for is to be looking again in six months' time. So a long list of short-lived jobs can be seen as cause for concern; they want someone who'll stick around. After several short-term roles you might be longing to do just that of course, but if that's not the impression your CV's creating, consider how you can make it clear that you're looking for the long haul. It had to be you... Candidate shortages also explain one final trend of note: the increasing number of requests we're receiving to headhunt specific individuals. Traditionally the preserve of senior executive search and selection firms (rather than we regular recruitment mortals), it's a sign that charities are having to pull out all the stops and for candidates to beware: your next employer could be stalking you on Facebook as we speak! Although in reality: a) it's more likely to be LinkedIn, and b) they're probably far too busy for that, or somewhere sobbing quietly in a cupboard. Possibly both. To sum up then: Recruiting fundraisers? Still difficult. Next!

According to the CIPD's People Management magazine, starting a new job 'is like going to a party where you don't know anybody - pretty intimidating and not very enjoyable'. Regardless of the organisation, the role or your previous experience, beginning a new position has to be up there with one of life's most terrifying prospects. You've survived the interview process and accepted the offer triumphantly. Yet, before you know it your first day has arrived and your legs are like jelly. For this month's guest post, I'm exploring why we feel nervous about being the newbie, some effective strategies to deploy, and what to do (and not to do) in your first few weeks, to ensure a happy and successful inauguration. Following a career change in 2017, I recently started a new part-time HR Specialist role in the City which I'm enjoying hugely. I've had a thorough induction and my colleagues have been warm, friendly and welcoming. However, I've had lingering new girl nerves since day one and discovered that as well as the role technicalities the most unexpected things, like familiarising myself with the general office environment nuances, have left me feeling unusually shy. Three weeks in, I'm still pulling doors that need be pushed. Despite having a good memory, names fly out of my head the minute their owner is introduced to me. I keep mistaking the dishwasher for the fridge. I'm not alone. According to the CIPD, 'an effective induction process can help new joiners become productive more quickly and help prevent them from leaving within their first six months in the job'; which suggests it could take half a year for new recruits to feel fully integrated. Being the rookie is overwhelming; navigating the mysteries of a new role, meeting a whole new set of people and learning about not just your team, but the wider team's dynamics. It's hard to know how to feel productive and show capability from day one without being appearing flashy. Thankfully there are survival techniques to deploy as you wade through uncharted territory. Writing recently for Stylist Magazine, Jason Sackett, an executive coach and contributing author to the book Compassion@Work: Creating Workplaces that Engage the Human Spirit, shared an important game plan to keep in mind when starting a new job and aiming to gain the respect of your colleagues and superiors. He suggests focusing on others rather than talking too much about your past achievements and future aspirations, as this can unnerve or annoy people when they haven't had the chance to get to know you just yet. Instead, be curious and inquisitive; ask about others' talents, and successes - this will demonstrate good listening skills and a willingness to learn and collaborate. Here are some other ways to ensure you survive - and thrive - in your first few weeks: ► Be prepared: Allow extra time to arrive comfortably on your first day and treat it like a first interview, even if familiar with the area and premises. Running late will send you flying into an even bigger panic. Although it's obvious, check the day's forecast and dress/protect yourself appropriately. I failed to do this on my first day at Breast Cancer Care and got drenched in an unexpected downpour en route to the building. My newly blow-dried hair stuck to my head and you could hear the squelch of my shoes a mile off. I've never forgotten to pop an umbrella in my handbag since. ► Start before you start: Pre-read as much as you can before the big day - enquire with HR if any materials are available to read in advance and get up to speed on company and people profiles via LinkedIn and Twitter. This provides a great opportunity to familiarise yourself with internal structures, policies and procedures and key people to track down in your first week. Even gleaning a small amount of prior knowledge can be provide some comfort as you venture into the unknown. ► Expect to feel stupid: Reached the end of Day 2 and still none the wiser? Try not to be too hard on yourself or be tempted to be carry on the interview façade; it takes time to embed into a new organisation and you're not expected to know it all or to excel at everything right away. All you can do is listen intently, take plenty of notes and ask questions to fill in the gaps or iron out any confusion. Use downtime to trawl the intranet and re-familiarise yourself with any induction paperwork provided. ► Audit your past: According to Management Today, it's useful to reflect on your previous role and ask yourself some honest questions; What did I do well? What could I have done better? What should I avoid doing in this role? Use your responses to create a vision of how you want to approach your new position - what to replicate, what to improve on and what to abstain from - and apply this as soon as you can. ► Use your initiative: It's likely your first few weeks won't be too work-heavy, so offer help to your colleagues where you can. Whether yours is a newly created role or you're replacing someone, it's likely your team will be swamped as they adjust to your joining and give up time in their diary for your induction alongside work commitments. Any tasks, whether menial or unfamiliar, form part of the learning process and it will help you feel part of the team. ► First impressions: Carefully consider how you present yourself and savour the first few meetings with your colleagues; preliminary interactions may seem trivial but first impressions really do count. When I left my last job, I was touched when a few colleagues said 'I still remember your first day' and 'you were the first person I met/who interviewed me and I'll never forget it'. When you're new, your initial impressions of the company have a lasting impact on how you see the employer brand but don't forget, it works the other way round too. As a general rule, be friendly to everyone you encounter! ► Bring your entire self to work: When you feel ready and when appropriate, reveal the true 'you', like your hobbies and interests (but avoid anything too political or contentious). At my new workplace, new joiners are encouraged to post a 'hello' message on Yammer (a social networking site for businesses) which outlines not just their role and team, but where they worked before, their interests, where they live and anything else of interest. I received some lovely, inquisitive responses and emails following my post and have already discovered one colleague with a mutual love of music, running and Dave Grohl. Our interaction has really helped to ease my nerves and made me feel less lonely. The first few weeks in a new job often mean experiencing a steady torrent of newbie nerves and smiling so much your face hurts. However, enjoy the discomfort if you can; as difficult as it may seem, this means you're pushing the boundaries of your comfort zone and doing great things. Your new role will provide a fresh start; the opportunity to break from the past and help shape a new and exciting future. Soon, you'll be enjoying the party. In fact, you'll be the life and soul. Nicola Greenbrook - HR Specialist & Freelance Writer Contact Nicola

2018 salary survey: marketing, PR and digital roles Our brand new 2018 salary survey is out now, with current market rates for roles at all levels within charities and not for profit organisations. Along with comprehensive salary tables for each specialist area, we also highlight some key trends we've observed in recruiting for them - here's the view from our marketing and communications specialists. Marketing, PR and Digital Candidate availability in marketing, communications, digital and PR is rather more mixed than in fundraising, but over the past year we've seen a particular shortage at marketing manager level in most areas. However when it comes to senior media and PR-related roles, it's a slightly different story: candidates may be relatively plentiful, but often feel the salaries on offer don't adequately reflect their skills and experience. As a result, rather than going through a job move only to continue feeling undervalued, many will choose to wait things out for a better offer. Press Officers aren't too impressed either, where the issue isn't a lack of candidates, but that the offers intended to attract them just aren't considered attractive enough. Feast or famine? There are mixed fortunes elsewhere too. The world of direct marketing has no shortage of job opportunities, but a significant shortage of candidates, and we've seen counter-offers to try and retain staff increasing sharply over the last year as a result. Meanwhile there's no shortage of people looking to work in policy, advocacy and campaigns positions, but vacancies in these areas are less plentiful. Digital expansion... If you've visited a charity news site over the past few years, you'll rarely have been more than two clicks away from something about the need for charities to go digital and the many advantages of doing so. And it's a message that's clearly been heeded, with charities investing more in their digital skills and strategy, creating more roles and making this a real growth area. However as time progresses, and more and more of us become more digitally-proficient, the pool of suitably-skilled and experienced candidates is expanding too. Taken together, this means employers haven't needed to raise salaries as much or as quickly this year as they often have in the past in order to fill vacancies. ...and consolidation As the digital market grows it's naturally also maturing, becoming more established and thus behaving rather more like others. With an urgent need to rapidly develop digital offerings some years ago, charities typically faced tough competition for the few candidates available, causing rapid rises in salaries. Many of those initial roles will have been as the organisation's first/only digital specialist, responsible for the entire digital remit, justifying high rates and regular hikes. These days however, larger digital teams often mean that responsibilities can be more widely shared, giving rise to more structured teams and specialised roles, each handling a smaller, more specific part of the overall remit, like social media or digital fundraising. This has taken pressure off the pay pedal too, with salaries having become more stable and consistent across the sector as a result. Recruitment and retention It's not all about salaries in digital, nor necessarily the organisation's particular cause. Many candidates (as you might expect) have a strong interest in new technology, but this means they can be difficult to retain for long: many will readily move for a charity with the latest/more innovative/better systems, so staff turnover can be fairly swift. In comparison with many departments however, digital teams are often considerably more open to looking outside the sector to bring in the skills required, largely out of necessity, though this may gradually decline as the number of digital specialists within the charity sector grows. For the rest of the guide including salary tables and trends for all of our specialist areas, you can view or download our 2018 Salary Survey here. Alternatively if you have any queries for our marketing specialists, please call 020 7820 7300 or email the team.

Our brand new salary survey for 2018 has just been released, with current market rates for roles in all the major job functions within charities and not for profit organisations. As ever, we've also taken a look at the key trends and changes we've observed in recruiting for the sector over the past year, in our market update. 2018 market update It's certainly been another eventful year for the third sector, not least for fundraisers, PR and data teams, among many others. Few sectors are currently enjoying a golden period of good times and growth and the charity sector would appear to be no exception, with little sign of significant expansion. Yet given the formidable challenges many organisations have been grappling with, it's encouraging to have seen demand from employers and the flow of vacancies holding remarkably steady throughout the year, suggesting a sector in reasonably robust health. Also holding steady is the shortage of candidates in many key areas, and this year we've seen a marked increase in counter-offers as organisations bid to retain their existing talent. And while many won't yet have seen any significant change, there are some signs that the ongoing scenario of high demand/low supply is beginning to exert greater pressure on salaries. Flexibility is your friend In discussing this year's trends with our specialist teams, several common themes emerged, but top of the list by far - highlighted in all areas from finance to fundraising - is a steep rise in candidate requests for flexible working arrangements. Whether it's technology making home working more viable, changes in the work itself, or simply a greater appreciation of Dolly Parton's wisdom, the standard nine-to-five is no way to make a living for an increasing number of candidates, particularly at senior levels. Working one day per week at home is especially popular, as are flexible hours (often to accommodate family/childcare responsibilities), or a four-day week, freeing up a day for activities like voluntary/trustee work or a secondary career. While some organisations remain unwilling or unable to accommodate these arrangements, it's a major selling point for those who do. Strong candidates will typically have multiple offers at the moment, and between one with the desired flexibility and another without, there's very little question as to which contract they'll sign. Charities struggling to retain experienced talent could benefit from becoming more flexible too, removing one of the key motivators for staff to change jobs. The place to be Recently we've also seen location becoming a more important factor in candidate choices. It's probably fair to say that advances in transport haven't quite kept pace with those in technology (or those of an elderly tortoise, for those reliant on a certain southern rail firm) - and this combination may explain why fewer candidates appear willing to contemplate the long commuting times of the past. With several offers in play, a convenient location can often trump all other considerations. Minimum wage or living wage? As ever, salary increases are easier to find at senior levels where candidates are scarce, than at entry level where pay rises are rather more elusive. But the last year has seen some welcome development here too, thanks to (at time of writing) more than 800 charities choosing to become accredited Living Wage employers. This means offering at least the minimum salaries established by the Living Wage Foundation - something we're also committed to at Harris Hill. The picture's not entirely rosy though, as the recent Low Pay In The Charity Sector report makes clear, with many smaller charities unable to meet these minimums (the 800 signed up are predominantly the bigger names) and a full 26% of charity workers currently earning less than the real living wage. For the purposes of our salary survey in providing recommendations, we've excluded salaries beneath the Living Wage minimum, but for now at least, they can certainly still be found. Battle of the sexes No current salary discussion would be complete without mention of the Gender Pay Gap of course. With a roughly 65% female workforce it's probably little surprise that the charity sector scores more favourably than many: recent analysis published in Third Sector, Civil Society and elsewhere showed an average gap of 8% in favour of men, while 20% of participating organisations reported gaps in favour of women. And while women accounted for 71% of the lowest-paid employees, they also made up 63% of the highest-paid individuals, although purely at chief executive level Third Sector's 2017 research found just 32% were female - a trend we're proud to be bucking with women accounting for 48% of our CEO placements and 57% of our non-executive appointments in the past year. There's little else to add here from our own experience: some have suggested that pay requests are slightly more likely to originate from men and flexible working from women, or that requests may be more readily granted for one gender than another, but with zero actual evidence to support this (hey, it's 2018, who needs facts any more?) we'll just leave that right there. Answers on an ethically-sourced recyclable postcard if your DM team have any going spare. GDPR (and PR) challenges Few of our clients have yet been reporting or anticipating a major impact on revenues from the introduction of GDPR, but there's been strong demand in areas like marketing and communications, data, digital and HR for people with GDPR expertise, mainly on a temporary or contract basis. And while the recent string of high-profile allegations, revelations and resignations from major charities may not be great PR for the sector, we've yet to see any noticeable impact on recruitment, with most of the sector's best-known names (including those concerned) remaining popular employers of choice among candidates.

We're delighted to bring you the Harris Hill 2018 Salary Survey, our 13th annual guide to remuneration for roles throughout the charity and not for profit sectors in the UK. Based on the thousands of third sector jobs we've worked on in the last 12 months, we provide comprehensive and detailed salary ranges for both permanent and temporary positions at all levels for the key roles and job functions in each of our specialist areas, including: Data Management ▪ Digital ▪ Executive Search ▪ Fundraising ▪ Finance ▪ Human Resources ▪ Marketing & Communications ▪ Operations, Admin & Support ▪ Press & PR ▪ Projects & Programmes We also highlight some of major trends we've observed over the past year within each specialism and the wider sector, such as: What's at the top of 2018 candidates' wishlist when it comes to their next role? Is high demand and short supply in many areas pushing up salary offers for candidates? How can charities attract and retain talented staff on limited budgets? What are employers really looking for, and what kind of skills and experience are likely to be among the most highly-prized over the year ahead? Executive salaries This year we've also taken a closer look at the senior executive market, in particular the ever-controversial issue of remuneration for charity CEOs: are six-figure salaries as widespread as some suggest, and what are the particular responsibilities of a charity CEO that justify the higher level of pay? How we gather the information All the data is taken from the actual roles we've worked on over the past year (approximately 3,000 in total), then analysed by our specialist consultants, applying their insight and expert knowledge of the wider market to ensure the figures are a realistic reflection of the salaries being offered in each field. As such it is not an exhaustive list of every charity and not-for-profit salary paid in the last year but is a detailed and representative guide which we hope you'll find a genuinely useful reference tool. If you'd like any further information on salaries with the sector, please get in touch with us on 020 7820 7300 or contact the relevant team below: Data Management 020 7820 7304 data@harrishill.co.uk Executive Search 020 7820 7323 executive@harrishill.co.uk Fundraising 020 7820 7326 fundraising@harrishill.co.uk Finance 020 7820 7340 financerecruitment@harrishill.co.uk Human Resources 020 7820 7340 humanresources@harrishill.co.uk Marketing, PR & Digital 020 7820 7333 marketing@harrishill.co.uk Operations, Admin & Support 020 7820 7304 operations@harrishill.co.uk Projects & Programmes 020 7820 7304 projects@harrishill.co.uk Temporary & Interim 020 7820 7325 teamtemps@harrishill.co.uk

Finding the perfect candidate is only half the story when it comes to hiring fundraisers. With strong competition from other charities, it's just the start of the battle to secure them - and in our experience it's a battle that's only getting tougher. So how can you improve your chances of victory? Standout salaries might swing it, but with very few charities in a position to offer them, the deciding factor could well be something you have much more control over: the hiring process itself. Here are four of the reasons you might be missing out on top talent: (originally posted via Third Sector) 1. Decisions, decisions At a time when candidates are scarce and charities are competing for the best talent, things move quickly. By the time you've completed your interview rounds, deliberated over your chosen candidate and contacted them, they may have already accepted another offer. If you think someone is right for the job, make your offer without procrastination before they're snapped up elsewhere. 2. Employer brand With competing offers on the table, fundraising professionals are increasingly factoring the employer brand into their choices. Your working environment, culture, values and benefits can really make a difference to which offer they accept. Another charity may have offered a better remuneration package, but it could equally be that their working culture was more attractive, or simply demonstrated more effectively to the candidate. 3. Counter-offer In recent years we've seen a notable increase in charities fighting to hold on to their valuable talent and offering more to keep them. This is normally in the form of a salary increase but could also involve a promotion, greater flexibility or other benefits the candidate hoped to gain from a move. 4. Laborious application process It's not uncommon for charities to ask candidates to complete a lengthy application form as well as their CV (covering the same information), a supporting statement and several rounds of interviews. This risks losing their interest during the process and deters many of the strongest candidates from the outset, as they know there'll be other opportunities with fewer hoops to jump through. To secure the best, evaluate how much of your recruitment process is really necessary, make it quick and easy for people to apply, and run the interview process as swiftly and decisively as possible.

Since I steered my career path in a different direction last year, I've been dusting off my CV and dedicating time to reflect on my work experience as I prepare for interviews. I have over eighteen years' HR experience gained in both charity, commercial and creative environments; a deliberate move to broaden my skill set and although I've enjoyed them all, there have been some notable differences. For this month's guest article, I'm exploring: what differentiates working in charity HR from other sectors the challenges and considerations unique to the not-for-profit (NFP) sector ideas and tips for charity HR people to improve processes, even on a limited budget I've also reached out to other HR specialists with experience in both sectors to seek their professional views. What's different about working in charity HR? If you asked charity people what their key motivator is, I'm confident the spirited response would be 'passion!' You only had to be a spectator at the London Marathon 2018, observing a sea of charity running vests, masses of thunderous charity cheering squads and tired but enthusiastic post-race reception volunteers, to feel the sheer force of enthusiasm and personal investment that charity people give to their day jobs. Back in 2003, I worked for a large engineering firm that offered career progression, a competitive salary and financial support towards my professional qualification. Yet, I had a nagging, unshakeable feeling that something was missing. It's only when I saw an advert for 'HR Coordinator, Breast Cancer Care' in People Management magazine and immediately scrawled a ring around it (yes, an actual advert...on paper!) that the realisation hit; I was lacking a sense of purpose. I applied, got the job and never looked back. An HR manager with NFP experience I spoke to - now working in the legal sector - relates to this, explaining: 'It's often a very personal and passionate journey that charity employees go through. By comparison in professional services, employees are equally driven in their roles, but the reason for that drive is not the same kind/depth of passion'. Additionally, charity HR people may naturally be, or are often required to be, empathetic in their delivery and decision making which can ensure a considered approach and a high degree of integrity. However, this passion can sometimes be an obstacle for charity HR specialists, as supporting key procedures such as restructures, performance management processes and fair dismissals can feel much more difficult. What are the pros and cons? One potential 'con' for HR charity specialists (although dependent on type and size of charity) is often money; whether take home salary, budget availability or the justification on how to spend donated funds. Often, procedures such as recruitment authorisations or L&D expenditures are tightly managed and require careful explanation, and management structures including authorisation from trustees can take some getting used to. Harris Hill's 2017 Salary Survey (look out for the 2018 edition in just a few days' time! - Ed) reports average salaries for HR managers ranging from £35,000 to £42,000 per annum, depending partly on charity size. This compares with an average of £38,000 to £50,000 per annum in other sectors, so may be a key factor when considering a transition to the charity sector. However, Danielle Alsey, who moved from a large financial bank with no charity experience and is now HR Business Partner at Cancer Research UK (CRUK) has never looked back. 'I may not receive the (wonderful) annual bonus' she reflected. 'However I LOVE the organisation I work for and now have a lot healthier work-life balance'. Danielle also describes her fierce passion for the success of the charity and how 'immensely proud' she is to work for CRUK. Common misconceptions One myth I personally have to dispel, especially since seeking part-time roles outside of the charity sector, is that working in charity HR is easy. That it's soft and 'fluffy' and the HR issues I managed, the senior managers I partnered with and the pace I worked at during my charity sector experience was less complex or challenging. This is simply not true. Perhaps because of the passion, personal investment and individual experiences of the cause, it can be even more demanding. I worked with hard-working, creative individuals with incredibly high-expectations and my HR experience was enriched as a result. Danielle agrees, explaining 'to be clear, it is still a very demanding, high-expectation, driven organisation'. However, a definite 'pro' for working in HR in the charity sector is the potential to achieve a better work-life balance. As our legal sector HR manager points out 'the sector is not known for the same long-hours culture as other sectors' and Danielle has enjoyed CRUK's culture that 'doesn't expect/leave you checking your phone all evening and weekend'. Finally, although money is important, working in HR for a charity gives you a sense of contributing towards a much bigger goal. You are supporting, training, coaching and developing talented people who are working to change the world or make a difference - and that is hugely rewarding. What do I need to consider if I want to move into the charity sector? For those contemplating a career in charity HR from another sector or seeking progression you may want to consider the following: - Firstly, do the maths; the financial differential can be hard to adjust to at first, although there are many other benefits! Calculate your living and essential costs and the