My very first fundraising job, fresh out of college, was with the Exploratorium, an uber cool San Francisco treasure featuring hands-on, interactive experiences in science, art, and human perception. Among my first tasks was to go through the scores of cover letters and resumes and send each applicant a nice letter letting them know that the position (my position!) had been filled. Most of the applicants had relevant work experience and some were extraordinarily overqualified for this entry-level job. This was in 1989. (Ya, I know. Before some of you were even born.) Back then, if you held the title “Director of Development” you were most likely a senior professional at the top of your game.

For at least the past ten years, receiving a plethora of qualified applicants has not been the norm when I have sought to fill a fundraising position…