Your opportunity posting is the first thing potential volunteers see from your organization. Follow these easy tips to make the most out of your volunteer opportunity posting & easily recruit volunteers to your organization!
First things first: complete the position description
Before you begin the recruitment process it is very important to make sure that you have a complete position description. Check out our free template here.
The position description is foundational to the entire volunteer engagement process because it will ensure that your volunteers are clear on what is expected of them. The position description also helps the volunteer understand how this role contributes to the mission and makes a beneficial impact for them & your cause. All of these elements increase the chance of finding a great volunteer who will be happy with their role and make a longer-term commitment to your organization.
With the position description in hand, you can move on to the next step of writing your opportunity posting with Volunteer Success!
Grab attention with a good headline or opening sentence
Remember that the opportunity posting is your key marketing piece and it needs to be interesting enough to keep your prospective volunteer hooked so that they continue reading and ultimately follow up with your organization.
Most people want to know that their volunteer contributions make a difference - so let them know what the impact will be with your opening sentence. For example: “Help neighbours put food on their table and stretch their monthly budget by serving your community food bank.”
In Volunteer Success, put this impact statement in the Summary section as it will show up in the search results page. All the other details about the volunteer opportunity can be added to the Full Description, including tasks/responsibilities, qualifications and benefits of volunteering.
What’s in it for me?
Even volunteers want to know how getting involved with your organization will benefit them. Consider adding the benefits of the position in the Full Description section on Volunteer Success. Benefits may include training opportunities, recognition events, reference letters, skills and career development, social interaction, the opportunity to give back and make a contribution to your community.
Use the most relevant keywords in your description and position title
You can use these keywords as tags - use one that has already been added or create a new one. Check out this article on writing good tags. And make sure you select all the appropriate causes, communities served and skills in the opportunity posting.
Everyone needs an editor!
Make sure your title, description and duties/responsibilities all make sense and appeal to the right audience. Have a colleague or better yet, another volunteer read it - you may even get ideas from them about how to present the opportunity better.
Ensure the volunteers are connecting to the right person in your organization
If you want prospective volunteers to connect directly with the person who will be screening them, add them to the People and Departments page on Volunteer Success.
No matter where you choose to post your volunteer opportunities, following these guidelines will help you find the right volunteers for your roles. Happy recruiting!
Sign up with Volunteer Success to post opportunities & find volunteers that match your qualifications today! Click here to create your profile!
