Enthusiastic volunteers are worth their weight in gold.
Recruiting volunteers who are as competent as they are enthusiastic to donate their time and talent is essential to the morale and longevity of a nonprofit corporation, a community services network or a grassroots political campaign. To that end, the same amount of thought and preparation that goes into developing specifications for a salaried position needs to be applied to the task of writing a volunteer job description. The objective in both scenarios is to attract the best qualified candidates for the work that needs to be done.
Instructions
1. Give the volunteer job a title that provides some indication of what the responsibilities will be. Examples: Child Care Assistant, Cupcake Sales Coordinator, Garden Tour Guide, Conference Registration Clerk. Identify where the volunteer tasks will be performed. This is important because although HR documents such as job specs are typically issued by the headquarters office, the assignment being advertised may be physically located somewhere else.
2. Make a complete list of tasks the volunteer will perform along with an estimate of the amount of time each one will take. For example, a volunteer needed to staff a booth at the job fair will only be handing out brochures and answering questions. Contrast this to an office volunteer who may be answering phones, directing visitors, unpacking supplies, distributing mail, and running errands.
3. Identify the skills required for the volunteer position. Examples: Typing, key data entry, fluency in Spanish, software training. The qualifications section of the job description should also address desirable traits such as punctuality, creativity, being able to work with little or no supervision, and having a sense of humor. If possession of special licenses/certifications is needed, list these, too.
4. Specify the time commitment of the volunteer assignment. Applicants want to know whether they'll only be needed for a short-term project such as a weekend fundraiser or summer camp versus a long-term gig in which they'll be spending 10 to 20 hours as needed at a non-profit, hospital, school, etc.
5. Let prospective candidates know apply. Examples: Mail in a resume, fill out an application form online or in person, call for an interview with the volunteer coordinator, show up on a specified date for orientation. Identify in the job description whether there is a cutoff date for application or if opportunities are available continuously.
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