Seasoned advancement leaders know that the team is, at best, only temporarily "fully staffed." Recruiting, training, motivating, and evaluating team members is never done. How do you spot talent? How do you train newbies? And how do you motivate, challenge, and refresh those valuable veterans who have been around for a while?
In hiring, don't be afraid to hire people outside of the profession if they have potential. But if you do, make sure there is a mentor. Advancement leadership must find ways to motivate and turn older, experienced staff into teachers/mentors. That will accomplish two things: training for the newbies and sense of self-worth for veterans. I have always told older staff that one of their jobs as they stay a part of the staff is to serve as a mentor/coach.
I have found that sending newbies to the CASE Summer Institute for newcomers is often a transformative experience for them and an excellent investment for their institution. It certainly was a game-changer for me when I started out in advancement. I also believe that people do their best work when they are pushing the edge of their comfort zones - so figuring out how to give your star performers new challenges that build on their past successes but take them into new territory is often a good management strategy. I once asked our head of Development Services (a technology guy) to lead the annual fund program during a transition period. I figured that he knew complex systems and project management. It paid off both for the annual fund and for his professional development. He subsequently went on to become a chief development officer.