Good onboarding welcomes new colleagues into a team—like a welcome mat for the organization. That philosophy helps the University of California, Davis, U.S., start its newcomers in advancement off on the right foot. In 2021, the development and alumni relations division there launched The Learning DO–Development Officer Boot Camp. It’s a comprehensive, centralized, nine-week academy for fundraisers.

The average tenure for an advancement professional today is just five years. To keep staff on board, our workplaces need to be flexible, empathetic, inclusive, and transparent. Here, two researchers share what they’ve discovered about human-centered talent management and the key steps to retain staff: align talent to mission and values; engage the whole person; and recognize colleagues’ impact.  

CASE’s 50th anniversary is also a time to look to the future. Five advancement leaders share thoughts on the challenges ahead, along with what makes them optimistic in this roundtable discussion.

A solution to ensuring educational philanthropy and engagement workforce stability is considering candidates with transferable skills, says Ann Synder, CASE Senior Director, Communities Engagement. But what sorts of skills make someone good at advancement? Find out how to assess data-driven and strategic thinking, drive and follow-up, listening skills, and more when hiring to attract talent that will infuse the advancement industry with new ideas.

Dos and don’ts of virtual interviews.

The pandemic and the Great Resignation (on top of years of financial pressures and change) have created new levels of stress and mental health challenges for higher education staffs around the world. Here’s a snapshot of mental health in today’s advancement workplaces—including what institutions, leaders, and individuals can do to address burnout and support well-being.

With the Great Resignation, many professionals find themselves leading as middle managers for the first time. They got there because they excelled in previous roles; however, many have not had the appropriate training to help them reach their potential as team leaders. Several newer managers share how they’ve navigated the transition to leadership, along with their best advice for those new in such roles.

What are advancement leaders doing to build better listening practices and improve their skills? How important is active, deeply engaged listening—not just when it comes to constituents, but when it comes to the internal workings of a team, department, or division? How critical are these habits to strengthening educational institutions?

As advancement professionals, we must never stop learning. Our institutions require us to understand the external environment and be ready—and nimble—to adapt our strategies, communications, and relationships to ensure our institutions are carefully stewarded. These skills may be different depending on our specific discipline or our working environment, but rest assured that through CASE, you have access to professional expertise, instruction, and guidance that is rooted in the deep experience of practitioner-leaders.

Stop shying away from delivering presentations and step into the spotlight. Learn how to captivate your audiences and gain the visibility you deserve.