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20 years ago I was offered an interview for a Corporate Fundraising role at Breakthrough Breast Cancer. I could barely believe I& #39;d been shortlisted. I was living in Teesside, the job was starting in 4 weeks, and I knew bugger all about fundraising or charity partnerships...
I just wanted to leave my job dull job working for a dreadfully sexist e-commerce company to do something creative, meaningful, and for women. Interview task: & #39;Pitch a new corporate partnerships idea& #39;. This was a new one on me....
I was worried about how I& #39;d stack up against experience and London-based candidates. So, I decided & #39;not& #39; to pitch a product/company that would be a good/strategic brand fit. Odd move, but bear with me, I was worried about someone with more gravitas pitching the same thing..
So off I went to London with my & #39;big ideas& #39; on acetates under my arm. (Yep, acetates). The printing had cost me a fortune. As part of my pitch, I asked the all-male panel to role-play working for the company that I was pitching to. That company was Durex...
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I pitched an idea for sparkly pink & #39;condom caddy& #39; that empowered women to take control of their sex-lives by carrying condoms in their & #39;caddy& #39; whilst raising money to save lives from breast cancerhttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="☺️" title="Lächelndes Gesicht" aria-label="Emoji: Lächelndes Gesicht">( I know there& #39;s a LOT to say about this idea now, but then it was progressive!)
One panel member got really into role-playing being a staff member at Durex, leading him to use the unfortunate phrase & #39;wearing my condom hat& #39;, and everyone in the room being either mortified or in stitches. & #39;Well, Boult, you& #39;ve f**d this up& #39; - should have gone for make-up& #39;.
They actually gave me the job. I was asked how much I their £150K partnership with M&S should be worth. I chirpily guessed & #39;£1M - and said & #39;i can do that& #39;. Within two years I& #39;d turned it into £2M, that partnership is still going, and 5 yrs ago I became a Fundraising Director...
My degree did not get me that job. Ideas and gumption got me that job. Two brilliant men taking a chance on me, got me that job. I also learned how to interview from them. Look for the spark and the potential in someone. Not their academic record. I never did contact Durex....
