A planned giving officer resume that only says "did planned giving" gets filtered out. The nonprofits hiring for this role care about one thing: can you cultivate legacy gifts, understand giving vehicles, steward donors, and work ethically with donors and their advisors. The resumes that land interviews talk about legacy gifts, vehicles, and stewardship — not just "did planned giving."
In one line: your resume should answer "what legacy gifts did you cultivate, what vehicles did you work with, and how did you steward donors ethically."
"Did planned giving" tells a development director nothing:
Quantify around: commitments/expectancies, legacy society growth, donor meetings, stewardship. See how to quantify achievements on a resume. Keep figures honest — planned-giving outcomes realize over time.
Group your planned giving officer skills so a reviewer can scan them:
See how to write the skills section. For a planned giving officer, lead with vehicles and ethical cultivation — paperwork is the means, committed legacy gifts and trusting donors are the result. Related roles are the major gifts officer resume guide and the prospect researcher resume guide.
These roles work in development but differ — keep your resume positioned:
One specializes in planned/legacy giving; the other leads the whole development function. Tailor to the target role — see how to tailor your resume to a job description.
Legacy cultivation, giving-vehicle knowledge, advisor collaboration, and stewardship. Use commitments/expectancies, legacy society growth, donor meetings, and stewardship to show what you cultivated and how ethically — not just "did planned giving."
Use real numbers: commitments/expectancies, legacy society growth, donor meetings, and stewardship activity. "Cultivated bequests, discussed vehicles, grew the legacy society" beats "did planned giving." Keep figures honest — expectancies realize over time.
A planned giving officer specializes in legacy/deferred gifts — bequests, trusts, and vehicles. A development director leads development overall — strategy, team, and all programs. One specializes; the other leads. Frame your resume to match the role.
Mention familiarity with giving vehicles and the ability to collaborate with donors' attorneys and financial advisors — but frame it accurately. You facilitate and cultivate; you don't provide legal or tax advice. Emphasize ethics, donor intent, and advisor collaboration.
The core of a planned giving officer resume is showing legacy gifts, vehicles, and stewardship. Make your cultivation, vehicle knowledge, and ethics clear, keep every figure honest, and your resume will compete. When it's ready, run it through Prism Resume's free check: prismresume.com/check.
Wondering how your own resume holds up?
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