First impressions count!
Advertising your volunteer roles
Writing adverts to recruit volunteers is far more difficult than people might think. Some organisations are lucky enough to have a marketing team to do this for them. But for most people who recruit volunteers chances are they have just been on a short course to learn the basics or, more often or not have received no training at all - so it’s not surprising then that some volunteer adverts can be a little...uninspiring. With this in mind, we’ve compiled a few basic tips to consider before you write your ad.
Who are you looking for?
There’s no point in going to the supermarket if you have no idea what to buy. The end result will be a cupboard full of stuff that you don’t need and that are probably bad for you anyway. You’ll also realise that you didn’t buy the things youdoneed meaning that you’ll have go back to the supermarket again. The same is true when recruiting volunteers; if you start recruiting without a clear idea of the kind of person you require for the role you’ll just find yourself writing another advert a few months down the line because things didn’t work out. It’s all very well knowing that you need a fundraiser, administrative assistant or befriender but whatqualitiesdo you require? What kind of person would fit in to the culture of your organisation? Common attributes people usually advertise for include: ‘outgoing’, ‘friendly’ and reliable’ but other qualities may be ‘assertive’, ‘patient’ or ‘proactive’
It’s also worth thinking about the kind of skills you’d like you’re potential volunteer to have. Sometimes we become so engrossed with providing the best volunteering opportunity possible for the benefit of the volunteer that we neglect our own needs. We feel shy about asking for volunteers who have a particular skill – how dare we ask these good, selfless people to be equipped with the skills needed to carry out the role? We should just be grateful that these angels are happy to donate their time! Only, this attitude means that you’ll very rarely get the right person for the role. You might end up with a befriender who never listens, a fundraiser with no imagination or play-worker who can’t communicate with children. If the role requires a candidate to have a particular skill, don’t be afraid to include this in your advert.
Why Volunteer With You?
Let’s be honest, when most of us are applying for paid work the first thing we look at, aside from the job title, is the salary. If it’s attractive then we’ll go on to read the advert properly. For obvious reasons this doesn’t apply to volunteer opportunities so the next best thing is to highlight the benefits of getting involved. What will they gain from volunteering with you? Of course there are the usual things like ‘experience’, ‘something to put on your CV’ and ‘the opportunity to meet new people’ but let’s face it, they can get these benefits from pretty much any voluntary role. Think about the unique benefits that your particular organisation can provide and show them off! It could be something as simple as the fact that your organisation is based in a beautiful location or something more skills-based like accredited training opportunities.
Be Concise...
Avoid long, overly formal adverts. Clearly you need to include all of the relevant information but it is possible to do this without writing an entire essay or listing everything in a job description. One of the problems with adverts that are too long (apart from the fact that they are eye-wateringly boring) is the fact that it may put some potential candidates off. Also, try to avoid acronyms or terms that people outside of the voluntary sector may be unfamiliar with. This too can be very off-putting, confusing and even a little intimidating.
...but Concise Doesn’t Mean Vague
...So give as much information as possible about exactly what the role entails.The role of Administrative Assistant, for example, varies from organisation to organisation. Sometimes the role is purely clerical, (answering phones, filing, photocopying etc) whereas in other organisations more may be required (eg; managing the department’s budget, co-ordinating various projects, giving presentations on behalf of the organisation etc). These types of variations mean that adverts should clearly outline exactly what is required so the potential candidate can make an informed decision as to whether to apply or not.
Make sure your ad stands out from the rest
Make it stand out...
Catchy titles are always good to grab someone's attention. Avoid using ones like 'volunteers needed' - like duh, we knew that - instead focus on what the role is, what the project is, or what's on offer for the volunteer.
And if you're able use images or video put them in - opportunities that use media are far more likely to get viewed than those that don't.
...even more so online
When advertising on websites and social networking platforms, it’s even more important to ensure that you’re advert stands out from the rest. Do-it, the UK's largest volunteering website, has over 1m opportunities so you need to ensure that yours stands out! If your advert doesn’t grab someone’s attention, they’ll simply move on to another. Making sure that you tick all the right boxes in terms of content, language and length is a must.
Can you articulate what you need in 140 characters? Twitter is a great tool for generating interest. Maybe a page on Facebook.
It’s easy to blame the site you’ve advertised with if responses to your adverts are low (‘their site’s not as popular as we thought’. ‘They didn’t promote our opportunity properly’. etc) but before getting the hump it might be worth looking back at your advert to see if any improvements or adjustments can be made to increase interest in your role. Sometimes a little tweaking here and there can make all the difference.
First impressions count!
Finally don't forget that your volunteer advert may well be the first time that an individual comes into contact with your organisation or project. This 'first contact' is crucial to how they'll see you and if your ad looks like you can't be bothered or you can't communicate properly then chances are that's how they'll see you!