volunteerplaintalk

Tag: volunteer recruitment ads

  • Gig Volunteering and Intellectual Property: Do We Own Volunteer Work?

    How much do we “own” volunteer work? Is it all about the legal (and don’t we know, when it comes to anything bad happening on a volunteer’s watch, legal becomes oh-so important). But what of the talents and abilities a volunteer brings? This viral story on TikTok about a woman who watermarked her work (because her boss kept stealing it) has a different lesson, hidden under the obvious one: keeping your work safe. But how does this apply to volunteers?

    Shifting Trends To Watch

    Before the pandemic, the gig economy and freelance work had already been growing (Freelance work accounts for 35% of the global workforce. Source: financeonline.com), and company loyalty has been shrinking. Today, recognition and personal satisfaction may come from social media followers instead of within the hierarchy of your boss saying you’re a swell employee or volunteer (company or organization). In the above, the woman who watermarked her work was replaced (fired?) and had to find another job, but her video was viewed over 3.7 million times with many “followers” offering support.

    The support from 3.7 million peers overwhelmingly helped the sting of retaliation from a few petty bosses Volunteering is not static. It is rapidly changing (despite Covid and sped up by the pandemic) and reflects the societal shifts we are seeing. So will volunteers become freelancers? Gig volunteers? Can they watermark their work? Do they have 2,000 followers from whom they derive support and satisfaction and so, our lovely pats on the back can’t hold a candle to all that positive feedback? Are we foolish to ignore the idea that volunteers have their own intellectual property? (Intellectual property is a broad categorical description for the set of intangible assets owned and legally protected by a company or individual from outside use or implementation without consent) Source: Investopedia.

    What Do We Own Exactly?

    Our volunteer organizations own our training, our processes, our mentorship, our educational information, our mission goals, our policies, and the work performed under our umbrella, but what about the unique skills, talents and abilities our volunteers bring, such as spot-on empathy, crazy good listening skills, mad technical skills, drool-worthy organizational abilities, soothing voices, or Shakespearean writing chops? I’m pretty sure we don’t teach volunteers those innate abilities, but, we recognize and put those abilities to good use.

    While I am not even remotely suggesting that volunteers will rise up and fight to own the volunteer work they do under an organization, I think we can extrapolate some insights from gig work, and the TikTok story, because as society shifts, so will volunteering.

    We Have Already Shifted Away From Old Models:

    In the ancient past (like 1998), orgs pretty much used these volunteering edicts:

    • we need this, so you will fill this role
    • we determine what works, so take it or leave it
    • we are the experts on our mission focus, so don’t bring untried ideas
    • it’s the tasks we value, not what you bring to our table
    • you are a tool, so act like one

    Gig workers create resumes highlighting their skills, experience and talents. Why can’t a volunteer do the same thing? We know that student volunteers are increasingly looking for volunteer opportunities that teach them new skills, allow them to test leadership abilities and give them something in which to enhance their resumes and better themselves. Why don’t we help volunteers create their own Intellectual/Empathetic/Skill Property resumes?

    Leaders of Volunteers already recognize volunteers’ unique talents and skills. When interviewing, we look for those talents and note skills when placing volunteers. We worm our way into volunteers’ hearts and minds, not because we’re nosey (tell that to my husband), but because we need to know the volunteer inside and out. What makes them tick? What are they so freaking good at? And ultimately, what makes them an outstanding and effective volunteer?

    We are lavish with our praise, especially for a volunteer’s unique contributions. So, who cares? Well, what if volunteers had resumes that highlighted their unique talents, complete with endorsements and examples? What if you were searching for a volunteer who could not only speak Arabic, but had this unique talent of bringing out the buried stories in someone’s life? Wouldn’t finding that volunteer be magic?

    I had lists and lists of volunteers and their skills, such as speaking another language, artistic talents, engineering background, etc. But only in my head did I know who was sensitive enough to bond with an aching heart, or was astute enough to keep quiet while someone grieved in their own way. See, intangible stuff is like a beautiful sunrise. We appreciate it, but we don’t always know how to include it in concrete ways. Maybe we should.

    No Longer Harnessed

    Volunteers have moved away from the “I’m a tool of the organization” mindset. They freelance now, and reject the notion that organizations know best how to use their unique skills. Just look at any unfolding disaster and see the informal volunteers pour out.

    Here’s the thing: As volunteer engagement professionals, we scratch our heads and ask ourselves, “how do we harness the enthusiasm we find when disasters strike and how do we keep the volunteer mojo going?” Right there is the problem: Volunteers don’t want to be harnessed. They want to be engaged. And maybe for just a short time or for the adrenaline rush. Maybe for the autonomy or for the comradery found within a social network. Could be for the praise from followers or the immediate satisfaction. Can we supply that going forward? Must we?

    There will always be volunteers who fit so well, they stay at an organization. Thankfully, like in a magical fantasy, these volunteers have found the synergy that makes them want to keep at it. But for the rest of the volunteers out there, being harnessed isn’t what they have in mind. For them, it may be about using their unique talents or having some autonomy, or receiving support from social media rather than organizational structure. Does that make them selfish? Not really. And if we are truly interested in diversity and equity, we will open ourselves to a changing society and accept new thoughts. And most times, it means getting out of the way.

    What Their Property Means for Us

    From Indeed.com: “A gig worker is a professional who, instead of receiving a regular income, receives wages based on the one-time projects, or “gigs,” that they complete. This makes for a flexible work environment, where employers can offer payment for only the work that’s available for a gig worker to perform. The gig economy is the work and career environment in which these professionals work.”

    So what does this mean for us? For one thing, we can structure volunteer wanted ads to reflect our commitment to understanding volunteers are unique and we offer reciprocating benefits to volunteering. Instead of advertising “jobs” let’s advertise opportunities. For instance:

    • Engage your empathetic property in this manner (Subtle? Yes.)
    • Bring your unique talents
    • Put your skills to work
    • Enhance your abilities
    • Develop your leadership
    • Grow with us
    • See where this takes you
    • Our clients are unique and so are you

    In the future, volunteers will opt for their own volunteering resumes which they may use on social media or for job hunting. No longer will hours or tasks count. I can see a volunteer in the future, recording their experiences on their resumes this way:

    • With my ability to organize and motivate, I enlisted five volunteers to man the food bank during a power outage which resulted in no interruption of service to clients. The volunteer administrator said about me, “Without Jordan’s expertise, 30 families would have gone hungry that day.”
    • Because of my extensive software knowledge and ability to work under pressure, I fixed a bug in the keynote speaker’s presentation at the annual funder’s benefit, thus saving the keynote address. As the keynote speaker quipped, “I’m indebted to Anvi for her skill and especially for her calm during the chaos.”
    • My ability to structure partnerships was called upon when I sat on a task force to brainstorm encouraging STEM in schools. It was my partnering model that created a successful program. According to the principle at Main Street High, “our partnership with Computer Alliance Corp has led to a 30% increase in students choosing STEM universities.”

    No Swell Heads

    There is a risk in that too much praise can lead to swelled heads, but you know what? That risk already exists, because we praise volunteers a lot (at least in my experience). Somehow, many of us, myself included, feel like praise is a way to keep volunteers coming back. That’s not exactly accurate, so why not be less fluffy and broad and overly effusive about praise and be more specific in pointing out exactly why this volunteer is effective? Praise then becomes tangible and we can more easily attach meaning to something tangible and concrete than to broad phrases like “you’re so good with people.”

    To which a volunteer would ask, “how am I so good with people?” Um, well, yeah. Sometimes intangibles are just obvious, which makes them hard to define. It’s the feeling you get when you interview an exceptional volunteer; that “there’s something about this person” tingle that crawls up your arm. So, define it, especially when you see it in action. “Drake has this unique ability to put people immediately at ease.” How is Drake’s empathetic property valuable? Holy moly, how many times did I look for that quality in a volunteer when working with clients who were scared, abused, or closed up? And when I had a Drake in my midst, you bet Drake was on speed dial. (is that a thing anymore?)

    The Change Train Keeps Rolling

    We realize we must adapt to an ever-changing world. One way we can sustain (as opposed to retain or harness) volunteers is to help them chronicle their unique contributions to our work. By doing so, we give them the tangible evidence they need to find meaning in their volunteering. The two hours are not what it’s about. It’s about the volunteer’s unique ability to listen without judgement or the volunteer’s skill in teaching a child how to draw or the volunteer’s sense of humor that broke through to a client who didn’t get along with other staff or volunteers.

    I realize this is not a ground-breaking change. But, as we navigate the changing world, it will be the subtle shifts we make that position us to keep engaging volunteers. Ears to tracks on the ground, we can hear the train coming before it runs over us.

    With volunteer appreciation weeks coming up all over the globe, we are determined to appreciate volunteers for numerous reasons. Instead of trying to retain and harness volunteers, let’s engage them by giving them what they seek and appreciate them for the unique intellectual/empathetic/skilled properties they bring.

    Those unique properties are what we engage anyway.

    -Meridian

  • Stock Pictures or the LoVols Picture on Volunteer Websites?

    Photo by Artem Beliaikin on Pexels.com

    Stock photos are just so……..stock

    Stock pictures are the visual equivalent of “volunteers give from the heart,” or “volunteers are priceless.”

    Or my all time favorite, “volunteers are the sprinkles atop our caring cupcake.” MMMMMM, I feel so warm and squishy inside.

    Photos of real volunteers in action on your website do double duty. They show potential volunteers their peers at work and the types of jobs available. But think about a potential volunteer’s questions when navigating your site. “Who is the first person I will meet? Who will train me, direct me, encourage me, coach me, teach me what I need to know to succeed? Who will be there for me when I have an issue?”

    Hint: It’s not this guy.

    Stock photos or worse, no photos on your site lacks the personal touch. But again, the potential volunteer is wondering, “who will lead me?” A personal welcome from you is inviting and eases the potential volunteer’s crucial first step: Walking through the front door, not knowing what to expect.

    I’ve observed that entering the building for the first time was the hardest part of a new volunteer’s journey. Let’s make that less intimidating. Go further and film a short video in which you personally welcome a potential volunteer, and dispel some of their fears.

    Kapow! you’ve just saved time.

    Bam! In that short video, you’ve gifted yourself all the time you’d have to spend soothing potential volunteers. You know what I’m talking about. A new volunteer nervously arrives into those awkward minutes when they size you up and down, wondering what you’ll say, what you’re like, whether you’re warm or cold, authoritarian or encouraging. Now multiply those awkward minutes by each potential volunteer and thank yourself for making that welcome video.

    After watching your welcome video, a new volunteer arrives to meet someone they’re already comfortable with. Be authentic, and be yourself. You can write a script that gives you the opportunity to say all the things you want potential volunteers to know without having to remember and repeat each time someone contacts you.

    Look, we are all on zoom now and all used to regular folks on camera so now is the opportune time to film that video. Make it fun. Make it warm. Make it you.

    I made a sample video here:

    Ok, maybe that sample video wasn’t perfect, but don’t let that stop you.

    It’s about putting a face to volunteering at your organization. Your picture, your quotes about volunteering, your experiences and assurances all serve to quell the trepidation volunteers feel when mulling over whether they should take that first step.

    We want volunteers to feel welcomed. We want volunteers to know that we’ll walk with them on this journey. We want volunteers to know we’ve got their backs.

    Let’s show them in that first moment when they click on our websites.

    -Meridian

  • Volunteer Past, Meet Volunteer Present and Volunteer Future:

    Volunteer Past, Meet Volunteer Present and Volunteer Future:

    We are at a junction. Volunteer past is meeting volunteer present and volunteer future. How will we treat each one going forward?

    It’s too soon to know what changes will occur, but it is not too soon to start strategizing for a better present and future. Will we recruit new volunteers saying, “It’s a new day folks,” and by sweeping away the past, piss off all the volunteers who have stuck with us? Will we try to force all the new volunteers into old roles and methods and appear to not have gained any innovative insight from this crisis?

    Volunteer past is an organization’s foundation. Honoring volunteer stories and accomplishments from the past means your organization has created a solid base and has laid an infrastructure on which to continue building.

    I discovered long ago, that when seasoned volunteers spoke at volunteer orientation, new volunteers were impressed, but also thought, “Am I supposed to be like this volunteer or will I have my own volunteering path? Is there anything new to be done?”

    Moving forward, modern volunteers need to get excited about their volunteering journey. Volunteers are looking at the future instead of being content with the present. It’s a subtle, but significant shift.

    What does that mean for us then, when it comes to recruiting, sustaining and on-boarding new volunteers? It means balancing past volunteer methods, awards and accomplishments with present goals and visions for the future. It means setting the foundation and then inspiring new volunteers to put up the walls, or decorate the interior or construct another floor. It means focusing on moving forward.

    What if you’re not an exciting start-up organization with endless possibilities? Introduce expansion, new programs and future visions to volunteers who may be wondering, “why do you need me?”

    Nothing is more infectious than an inspiring vision that has movement. It gives volunteers an identity. It means that they won’t have to mimic volunteer past to make their unique mark.

    Volunteer Past infused with Volunteer Future looks something like this:

    “Our volunteers have won numerous awards for their work. But, we want to build on that and we need your unique passion.”

    “Our volunteers gave 70,000 hours in the past 5 years. That’s why we can expand our innovative programs. That’s where you come in.”

    “We’ve used this method for many years because it worked. Now, we are moving forward and you are part of the journey.”

    A well-rounded volunteer understands volunteer past and looks to make their mark on volunteer present and volunteer future.

    Our volunteers want to celebrate and understand the past, but own the future. Let’s give them both.

    -Meridian

    This is a more timely version of a past post: https://volunteerplaintalk.com/2018/10/03/volunteer-motivation-past-present-and-future/

  • Please volunteer for us, you caring person :-)

    You’re gonna love it!

    Picture a potential volunteer skimming through volunteer ads, and they come upon yours. Are they intrigued? Do they shout “Golly gee, this is fabulous,” and run for the phone, desperate for the wonderful opportunity? Or do they keep looking?

    According to research, the science of naming brands is more than descriptive words. Clever word coinage, rhymes that fall off your tongue and words that sound like the actual word (think fizz) all play into choosing a name.

    What if we rename common volunteer-wanted ad titles, using these techniques? But wait, let’s add a dose of job realism, shall we? For example, instead of:

    Office volunteer wanted:  Let’s use (and include a tagline)…

    • Mundane-Loving Myrtle; Boredom is the new black
    • Stays-In-The-Cubicle Carmen; see no evil, hear no evil, report no evil
    • Filing-Fool Fiend: keep your head and your hopes down

    Marketing/Fundraising Volunteer wanted: 

    • Shake-Em-Down Shirley; we’re all about the money, er the mission
    • Beggar Bonnie; sucking up to the donors so we don’t have to
    • Stay-In-Your-Lane Larry; we’re the experts here, silly, not you

    Events Volunteer wanted: 

    • Pack-Mule Pete; Hee-haw, following your dreams is so yesterday
    • No-Instructions-Needed Nell; Confusion is the spice of life
    • Stand-And-Wait Stanley; it’s just like being in line at Disney World except there’s no fun ride at the end

    General Volunteer Help wanted:

    • Obedient Ozzie; cause we don’t want no backtalk or new ideas
    • No-Personal-Life Latasha; stay by your phone, we might need something
    • Squeaky-Clean Shaquille; we can’t afford background checks

    While ad titles like Front desk volunteer, Office volunteer and the soul-sucking Dracula of all ad titles, Data Entry Volunteer may describe the positions, they lack the meaning that volunteers crave.

    Other outdated ad titles such as “Caring Volunteer,” or “Friendly Visitor,” feel like they were written with a chisel on stone. Recruitment ads forgotten on social media sites gather more dust than the speech I wrote in case I’m voted employee of the year.

    Or how about these dusty goodies: Bring Your Smile! Hold a Hand. They’re as effective as an ad for a VCR.

    Volunteer ads are passive recruitment which means they work for us while we are out talking to civic groups or sitting at community fairs or having lunch. Spending time and energy on writing these ads and regularly refreshing them is one of the most effective things we can do.

    Picture a student, late at night, phone in hand, swiping through ads that will fulfill their desire to be a change maker. Or a senior, recently widowed, searching in the still morning for something that will add meaning to a bruised soul. Or a working parent, sneaking a peek at ads while helping with homework, looking to spend some me time helping others. What speaks to them?

    Dive deep and find the meaning in your volunteer roles and convey that to potential volunteers. Try:

    • ask existing volunteers to help write ads
    • include quotes or testimonials from volunteers, staff, clients that get to the essence of why this job is important
    • use what I call the 3-way method: describe the job, describe what it means to clients/org and describe what benefits volunteers will reap
    • experiment with funny ads, pop-culture reference ads, or mimic current events
    • create a targeted volunteer profile and write for that person
    • write a question into your volunteer application that asks, “how did you find us,” and include a choice for ads, asking-“which one spoke to you and why?” Evaluate the feedback

    You work hard to recruit volunteers. Volunteer recruitment ads should work as hard as you.

    -Meridian

    This is an update from an old, old, old, dusty post: Caring Volunteers Wanted, Well duh.

  • Those Adjectives That Turn Off Prospective Volunteers

    Those Adjectives That Turn Off Prospective Volunteers

    Adjectives That Turn Off Prospective Volunteers

    Everywhere you see Volunteer Recruitment Ads that begin with “Energetic Volunteer Wanted.” Or “Caring volunteer.” Or even “Friendly volunteer.” Maybe “Enthusiastic,” “Flexible,” or “Compassionate” appears. But does “Detail Oriented” float your boat? Does “Organized volunteer” send you running in to help sort an organization out of their accounting mess?

    The point is, how can a volunteer be enthusiastic about a role they have not yet undertaken? And what does flexible indicate? That a volunteer will be called at 3 am? Or that they have to drive 50 miles just to participate?

    What about caring? How much can a volunteer already care about people they have not met?

    What does energetic mean anyway? That a volunteer will have to run back and forth at an event, carrying 30 pound boxes of give-aways?

    The World War II generation responded to these adjectives. They were after all, people who believed in humble service and assumed that they had to fit in with an organization, not vice versa. Today’s volunteers view things differently and our recruitment ads need to reflect a more updated approach.

    In place of asking for vague qualifications, our volunteer recruitment ads need to spell out who we are and what the volunteer will gain by giving us their precious time. What impact will their donated time have on the mission? What personal benefit will they gain by joining the cause? Why should they bother with us at all?

    Our volunteer ads are potentially our most potent recruitment tool. They are passive recruitment which means they are working when we are out talking to potential volunteer groups, while we are training new volunteers and even while we are sleeping. Recruitment ads are a way to encapsulate all the positive aspects of volunteering for our organizations and they have only a moment to speak to volunteers who are scrolling for something that sparks their interest.

    Try to look at it from the prospective volunteer’s point of view. Imagine this volunteer late at night, looking at volunteer ads, wondering what they can do to make a difference. They know nothing about your organization. If you had 10 seconds, what would you tell them to make them respond?

    Recruitment ads are elevator pitches and most of us write them aimed at what kind of volunteer we are looking for instead of aiming at what the volunteer is looking for from us. I know because I didn’t give ads much thought at the beginning either. Then I started to ask prospective volunteers how they heard about the organization and what made them take that first step. I found that recruitment ads needed to go way beyond a description of the job. They needed to have appeal.

    By flipping our ads to reflect what we offer, we will entice volunteers to contact us. Positives to include in ads:

    • Quotes from actual volunteers: Example: “I am made to feel that my contributions are important.”
    • Flexibility of assignments: Ex: Volunteer when your schedule allows.
    • Any trial periods or the message that you don’t judge people who don’t find a suitable fit: Ex: “Give us a try to see if we’re worthy.
    • Statistical impact: Ex: Our volunteers helped 750 people find housing last year.
    • Quotes from clients: Ex: “My volunteer helped me to…”
    • Humor or lighthearted messages or it’s not all doom and gloom: Ex: Do you get all giddy over other people’s junk?
    • Humanizing messages or we’re also new to this and we welcome you: Ex: We would love your help in creating new programs to…
    • Craft a tagline: (I love taglines…just saying) Ex: Where passion meets purpose.

    come in we re awesome sign
    Photo by Artem Bali on Pexels.com

    Volunteer recruitment ads are like having a personal robot assistant helping you. It never sleeps. It never stops. Program it wisely and it will work tirelessly. But a robot needs a tune-up once in a while just as our recruitment ads need updating so check yours to see if they sound fresh.

    For more really great tips on volunteer recruitment, see this post by Eileen at Volunteering Counts: A Volunteer’s eye view of recruitment.

    Today’s volunteers respond to modern recruitment ads. They need to be shown the reasons why they want to volunteer. So, if your volunteer wanted ad says, “Flexible, energetic and obedient volunteers needed to support our work. One year commitment required or you need not apply. Background check a must! Copy this number to your flip phone and download our application to your floppy disc,”……..

    …you might want to rewrite that one.

    -Meridian