7 Ideas For Innovative Volunteer Positions

Do you want a nonprofit job? One of the best ways to impress hiring managers is to have volunteer experience on your resume. This shows that you have passion for nonprofit causes, which is something organizations look for in potential employees.

While many job seekers think of volunteering as doing menial work, today's nonprofits are finding ways to set up more involved activities. In "The Idiot's Guide to Recruiting and Managing Volunteers," John L. Lipp wrote that this is happening because organizations recognize that volunteers are too often forced into roles that limit their creativity and prevent them from making a real impact.

Lipp suggested seven steps that nonprofits can follow to come up with innovative volunteer positions:

• Give staff about 15 minutes to write down all the tasks they perform in your organization.
• Ask them to review the list and circle all those duties that they have a hard time completing because they always seem to run out of time.
• Ask them to review the list and underline all those duties they feel uncomfortable doing because they never really had the proper training.
• Have them review the list one more time and ask them to put an asterisk next to those duties they just plain hate.
• Post the list on the wall, and then have them take out another sheet. On top of this sheet, have them write down any special projects they've wanted to do.
• On the bottom half of that sheet, have them write down ideas for new programs or services that they think your organization could offer the public.
• Post all the sheets on the wall, and lead your group in a discussion about which of those things listed could possibly be delegated and turned into a meaningful volunteer position.

4 Volunteer Risks

Volunteers are great resources for nonprofits. They provide organizations with free labor for special events and other programs, allowing them to save money. Yet for all the good they do, and it's a lot, they do come with some risk.

In his book "The Idiot's Guide to Recruiting and Managing Volunteers," John L. Lipp wrote that part of the challenge of managing volunteers lies in continually balancing the risks with all the advantages. While most mistakes caused by volunteers are not done with malicious intent, having good intentions is unfortunately not a valid defense.

One of the first steps to being prepared for volunteer-related risks is to identify the problems that could arise. Lipp identified four of these, along with the level of risk it brings:

• Low Risk: A volunteer stuffing envelopes with the risk of an occasional paper cut, or a volunteer making phone calls.
• Moderate Risk: A volunteer working in a warehouse where something could fall, or a volunteer using tools to help remodel a house.
• High Risk: A volunteer who drives clients to doctor appointments, mentors a child one-on-one, or counts the cash at fundraising events alone.
• Extreme Risk: A search-and-rescue volunteer who enters unstable buildings looking for victims, or a volunteer firefighter.

Recruiting Volunteers For Events

Not all volunteers are created equal.  Depending on the need of the nonprofit, the recruiting process can vary.  We could spend all day talking about the various types of work you could recruit a volunteer for but for today, let's focus on special events.

If you need volunteers for an event, the goal of the recruitment process is to gather a large number of people who require little training and are willing to work for a short period of time.  In his book "Making a Difference," Howard Berman wrote that an organization's recruitment effort must concentrate on disseminating information about the need for volunteers.  This has to be done quickly and to as many sources as possible.  So now that you know this all you have to do is start sending out your wanted ads, right?  Not quite.

To make sure you attract the right candidates, you have to make sure your ads are targeted to that particular demographic.  That means you need to make sure that if, say, you are sending out ads to local magazines, that they are publications that your demographic is likely to read.  For example, college students on vacation are some of the most likely candidates for short-term volunteer work.

With this in mind, Berman suggests three steps to begin your volunteer recruitment process:

• Contact the local media.  This can be done through press releases and personal phone calls.
• Make announcements at local community service centers, as well as reaching out to scout groups, college community/civic engagement centers, and other similar organizations.
• You can look inside your nonprofit for help as well.  Ask your staff and board members (both past and present) to volunteer along with others in the enterprise's "friends" database.

Professional Development For Volunteers

Cross-Posted from The NonProfit Times Blog

While nonprofit volunteers will often move on to different opportunities once their work is done, that doesn't mean you don't have an obligation to help them out with their future careers.

Helping your volunteers with their professional development is a good way to show how much you appreciate their work.  And, as John L. Lipp writes in "The Idiot's Guide to Recruiting and Managing Volunteers," it's also a great strategy to keep them motivated.  While this training will help volunteers develop career skills for later in their life, it can also lead to promotions within the organization.

In order to keep things fresh, Lipp recommends bringing in special guest speakers to speak on specific topics.  You may also want to schedule webinars that your volunteers can attend.  Either of these choices provide a level of interaction that will enable your volunteer workers to better enhance their skills.

So how often should you offer these professional development courses?  While Lipp acknowledges there is ongoing debate on how much is necessary, most agree that some follow-up training should be offered at least once a year.

The Future Of Volunteerism And National Service

Cross-Posted From The NonProfit Times Blog

As you are probably aware, the Dec. 1 issue of The NonProfit Times was just released the other day.  Included in that issue was a special report entitled "2012: The End Of The World Or Nonprofit Renaissance?"  This report features six columns by major nonprofit personalities like Adrian Sargeant of the Center on Philanthropy and Ben Duda of AmeriCorps Alums. 

Duda, who works as executive director at the organization, wrote a piece about national service and volunteerism.  And sticking with the end of the world theme, he discussed what place they have in America in the future.  He argues that they will endure as long as citizens demand that they do.

AmeriCorps was kind enough to blog about the piece he wrote for us, which we are very grateful for.  You can read the entire article in his blog post, but here's an excerpt from it to whet your appetite:

I’m not buying the “end-of-days” hype. I’m fully confident the Mayan Calendar will join the list of dubious doom predictions, alongside Harold Camping’s end of the world timing in 1994 or May 21, 2011, no, wait, Oct. 21, 2011, the hysteria of the Y2K computer failures, and those classic National Enquirer cover stories from the supermarket checkout line. But since we’re talking predictions, here’s where I think we’re going as a sector and as a country.

There’s a new wave of critics on the value of national service, as the (Mayan) calendar turns to 2012, with some in the House of Representatives advancing a zero budget going forward for AmeriCorps. That is not a very good idea. Its not very good for our country, especially for a generation of young Americans who want to serve their nation, and who will one day lead this country.

Is it the end of the world? No, although it certainly feels like a re-run of a bad sitcom. National service will endure and we’ll be thankful it does as a generation of nonprofit leaders, elected officials, and entrepreneurs ascend with a common career arc that is rooted in volunteerism and defined by national service.

More than 700,000 Americans have served in AmeriCorps since 1994. For 1,700 hours in service to the country this year, a member gets $5,550 toward loan repayment or future education. That’s a good investment in our future workforce and future leaders. Best of all, it represents a $2.01 return in essential services for every federal dollar, nearly unmatched when analyzing government spending.

6 Great Reasons to Do Volunteer Work (Aside From Building Your Resume)

Doing volunteer work is very helpful when it comes to getting nonprofit jobs.  Nonprofits look very highly upon resumes that include this kind of work history, so it makes a lot of sense to get started in this kind of service.  But did you know there are other advantages to doing volunteer work?

1. It's a great experience.  I suppose this can be subjective, but most people who volunteer will tell you it was one of the best experiences of their lives.  Even if the work you do seems meaningless, it will often help make other people's lives better.  There is something to be said for making the world a better place.
2. If you work hard enough, you could actually end up being hired.  Take the case of Stephen Anfield, who volunteered at AARP.  The work he did for them helped land him a full time job.  This is as great an example as any why you need to treat everything you do with seriousness.  You never know where the next opportunity will come from.
3. You can meet some pretty interesting people, many of whom can become great contacts or references for you.  When I volunteered for a local community center in my town, my supervisor became a valuable reference for me when I applied for jobs.  Even when throwing out the work equation, these are people who can become really great friends.
4. It gives you something to do in your downtime.  The importance of having some sort of structure can't be overstated, especially when you are unemployed.  It's unreasonable to spend your entire day working on your job search.  Having something else to do that is productive will really help improve your overall mood.
5. It can be fun.  It's rare to do work that can actually be labeled fun, but that's exactly what volunteering can be.  Depending on where you work, you can be doing work outdoors.  And now that it's summer, that can really be appealing.  It's certainly better than sitting in front of a computer all day!
6. Volunteering can open doors to career paths you never considered.  After doing a lot of volunteer work, it is entirely possible you might discover that the work you have been doing is what you truly enjoy.  This in turn can expand your job search options even further.

You might have been thinking before that volunteering is a waste of time.  Why spend time doing strenuous work when you need all the time you can doing your job search?  Hopefully, after reading this list, you have discovered that it really is worth the time.

The Public Service Work Generation

When I got into work today, I came across an interesting article while browsing the web.  It was a Knoxnews.com article about the sharp increase in college graduates doing public service work.  This isn't breaking news or anything, but I found the article very moving and it got me thinking about how this young generation is really renewing the public service concepts of their grandparents.

One of the recurring themes of the article is that these young people are not just doing public service because of a weakened economy; they are doing it because they really have a passion for it.  In fact, every one of these individuals interviewed mentioned how this was something they always wanted to do, and many of them have been doing this kind of work since they were very young.  Organizations like AmeriCorps are very much responsible in helping these young Americans connect with nonprofit and public service jobs. While graduates certainly appreciate the student loan help these organizations provide, they are also relishing the chance to really make a difference.  And, as an added benefit, they are gaining valuable national service experience that will make them attractive candidates for nonprofit jobs. 

The most interesting thing about all of this, however, is that many people view the younger generation of Americans as lazy.  Just looking at some of the comments in the Knoxnews article, I saw some people saying how these "youngsters" won't be satisfied with the stipends they get from these programs.  And in general, there is a perception that this generation is too obsessed with material things.  Yet this simply doesn't jive with what we are seeing with today's youth.  While it's true there are some who fit the stereotype, I think we are seeing the rise of a new service generation.  And, frankly, it will be for the benefit of our nation as a whole.

If you are interested, you can read the whole Knoxnews article by clicking here.

The Benefits of Volunteering: A True Story

I have talked in the past about the benefits of volunteering for nonprofit organizations, and how all that hard work could eventually land you the job of your dreams.  It may be true that it doesn't always work out that way, but it certainly gives you a better chance.  I have heard from plenty of people in the nonprofit sector tell me how badly they need volunteers, and today I want to share a story from someone who experienced success from his volunteer work. 

Recently, I had been searching for tips from people who work (or have worked) in nonprofits.  To be honest, I wasn't even thinking about the volunteering aspect, but I was reminded of its importance when I received an e-mail from a man named Stephen Anfield.  Anfield, who is 30 years old, told me that he found the best way to get a non profit job was "volunteering at an organization whose mission/vision you believe in."  And this is not just talk; Anfield is living proof of this.  He was recently mentioned in a piece on this very subject on SmartMoney.com.  Over a year ago, he began volunteering at AARP in Washington, DC, on top of a part-time PR job he had.  While the work was basically office your standard office jobs (writing blog posts, making PowerPoint presentations, etc), it eventually all paid off for Mr. Anfield.  After six months, he got paid work with the help of an AARP employee.  I'll leave it to Mr. Anfield to explain the whole story:

I started volunteering at AARP (Create the Good). They knew that I was looking for employment, so they referred me to a firm they use for temporary employees (since I was not a registered business). The company was called A10 Clinical, and they are based out of Cary, NC. I was working at AARP in Washington, DC.

After my time with AARP, a colleague then referred me to the AARP Foundation where I worked as a consultant. I served as the benefits access project coordinator and led 11 (retired) volunteers.

My contract with AARP has come to an end, but I was able to find a full-time employment by networking at AARP. Today is my first day with Marc Freedman's organization, Civic Ventures. I am now working on the national communications team in Washington, DC office.

So as you can see, there is a lot of benefits to doing volunteer work.  Sure, it may be hard to work for no pay, but if you make a good impression, like Stephen Anfield did, you could eventually find yourself with a full time job at a great non profit job. 

Want a Non Profit Job? Consider Volunteering First

It's National Volunteer Week 2011, so I today I thought it would be appropriate to talk about just how important volunteering is to getting a non profit job.  Yes, it is true that you might be able to break into the nonprofit sector with no volunteer experience, but there is no doubt that it will greatly improve your chances.

It might be hard to consider doing volunteer work when what you really want is to get started on full time employment at a non profit organization.  But what you have to realize is that the things you will be doing while volunteering will be a huge boon to your efforts.  Nonprofit managers will scan every resume they receive for certain keywords, and volunteering is one that will really stand out for them, especially if it's for a highly thought of volunteer organization.  Any volunteering you have done in the past is relevant, so even if you haven't worked at this place in a few years, you should include it in your resume.

So where do you start?  First of all, you will want to have an idea of what kind of nonprofit organization you want to work for.  If you want to, say, work at Save the Children, you are going to want to do volunteer work that will involve helping children; as a matter of fact, you might be able to do volunteer work with the organization itself.  What you might not realize is that most non profits have ample opportunities for volunteering, so you should inquire with the organization you want to work for.  If they don't, then you are going to want to search for volunteer organizations that do work similar to the nonprofit you want to work at.

As I said before, it is certainly possible to get a non profit job without volunteer experience.  This is especially true if you worked in the for-profit sector before.  Kerry Hannon, a financial expert who writes for Forbes, says you should seek out nonprofits that are looking for help on the business end.  But if you have little work experience (i.e. you are just out college), then you really need to consider doing volunteer work to get a leg up on the competition.

Nonproft Career Round-Up: National Volunteer Week 2011 Edition

Hope everybody had a nice weekend.  Did you know that it is National Volunteer Week starting today?  That's right, from April 11-16, we are honoring all the great volunteers in this country.  It's also a good time to start volunteering yourself.  With that in mind, are today's links...

• 'Connecting With Your Roots in Volunteerism'-This is a wonderful post about the wonderful experiences you can gain through volunteerism.  This is a must read and, as a former volunteer myself, I can attest to what the author writes about.  I often reconnect with the organizations I volunteered with; you can really make connections that last a lifetime.
• Volunteer Maryland-This is the official blog for Volunteer Maryland, and it contains great posts on the value of volunteering, specifically focusing on AmeriCorps.  A good read if you are looking to go down that path.
• Trollwood Performing Arts School-If you are passionate about the performing arts, you should consider volunteering at Trollwood.  In the particular post I have linked to, you can read about one of the volunteers there, Julie Snortland.  It will give you a great idea of what it is like to volunteer there.  And when you are done reading, there is information at the end of how to sign up to be a volunteer at Trollwood School.