Talk about your experience maintaining records in a digital database.

Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
How to Answer
1st Answer Example
2nd Answer Example

Nonprofits use a number of databases to manage information about employees, donors, clients, and other organizational stakeholders. The interviewer wants to know that you have the skills and knowledge to jump into this position ready to go.

Mention the specific names of databases with which you are familiar and how you used them in your daily work life. If you do not have experience with database management, share situations where you had to quickly master a new technology or an unfamiliar skill in order to complete a task.

"As an operations specialist for the fundraising team, I am very familiar with all aspects of managing our donor database, Blackbaud. I use it to input new donor records, update existing ones, run reports and analyze data, and pull addresses for acknowledgments and mass mailings. The data I compile is used by the fundraising team to inform strategic fundraising decisions. Because of my knowledge of and skills with the Blackbaud software, I feel confident adapting to new software as it becomes available, and I am always seeking opportunities to expand my abilities."

"In my previous job as development coordinator, I had used Raiser's Edge to manage donor and volunteer records. When I started in my current position, the organization was using Salesforce as its donor management system. I had to rapidly train myself on the differences between Salesforce and Raiser's Edge so that I could take on the role and offer assistance during the holiday rush. Understanding both systems has given me an intuitive ability to use any database to enhance the work of the development team. I believe I can use this skill to contribute to a smooth workflow of donor acknowledgment, profile building, and gift entry."