When I accidentally fell into fundraising from a world of advertising and investment banking, little did I know this would lead to a career spanning three decades, several major campaigns and eventually a role advising other organisations on their fundraising strategies and resourcing. Yet my entry level temporary role covering the Individual Giving programme at the Courtauld Institute of Art opened up a whole new world of possibilities to me.

I soon discovered that I loved, and was even good at, asking people for money to secure amazing art, and that my experience as a student caller at the London School of Economics had stood me in good stead for the challenge. I fitted into the team really well and was able to demonstrate that my flexibility and ability to learn were ideal skills for the situation.

My next chance for progression came when I had the opportunity to fill a maternity cover in the Development team at English Heritage. Only a nine-month contract, yet I leapt at the chance to add new skills to my CV.

Although sad to leave the Courtauld, the opportunities to work with major HLF applications, develop the corporate partnership scheme, and add heritage and education as new and glittering strings to my bow were too great to pass up.

I knew that without this experience I had little hope of progressing to a more senior role, yet as someone who knew (or believed!) they had so much more to offer I didn’t want to get tied down to a long-term role that could ultimately be too junior for me. They took the chance on me because, after all, it was only for nine months, and they could see I was hungry to learn.

I loved every minute of it – my team sent me on training and made me feel a part of the team from day one. Within a year the person I was covering for had returned from their maternity leave, able to pick up where I was leaving off, and I moved to a role as Senior Development Executive at the Science Museum managing some major corporate sponsorships – a role I could not have dreamt of securing only a year before.

The benefits of short term contracts aren’t just about promotion – a friend of mine, who was already a very experienced fundraiser, was able to move from health fundraising to arts fundraising via a fixed term contract at an organisation that was willing to take a chance on her ‘different’ experience in a way they would not have if it had been a permanent role. From her perspective, she got to dip her toes in the water – and to confirm that she loved it as much as she’d thought she would. She was unexpectedly invited to stay on, and she is still there today.

From an organisation’s perspective, whilst nerves will always be present about how well the new person will adapt in such a short space of time, the temporary addition to the team also brings riches in great abundance. One organisation I worked with was able to draw on the different thinking the maternity cover brought from their own background and use it as a complement to the existing post-holder’s skills, leaving them highly grateful for his input and him with a glowing reference for his next position.

Next time you are tempted by a maternity cover or a fixed term role don’t dismiss it out of hand – it could be the making of your career.

3 Key Benefits of Being a Maternity Cover: