Young, educated, enthusiastic, and willing to do anything to gain work experience, these new recruits use volunteering as a means of pressing the flesh rather than pounding the pavement. Because the job market is tighter, there is a lack of opportunity for young post-graduates looking for their first gig in the real world. Volunteerism is a way to help them get started.
Although there are many benefits of volunteer work, there are significant drawbacks as well. Working without pay is not for everyone. For those who equate money with power and respect, working without pay can be disheartening. Sometimes volunteers provide even better work than regular employees because they’re committed enough to the project to donate their services. However, comparable work doesn’t always mean comparable respect.
Warning Signs at Work
- Many civic organizations consist almost entirely of volunteers and are therefore careful about how they are treated. However, in places where the majority of workers are paid employees and volunteers merely catch the work overflow, unpaid workers are often treated with little or no respect. The problem occurs when volunteers are used as a cost-cutting method rather than a means of achieving goals. Some organizations treat unpaid workers as disposables. These organizations have incredibly high turnover with volunteers because they run them into the ground with overwork and abusive treatment.
- Watch out when a company is using volunteer workers to fill in because of company layoffs. It’s a good bet that when the company finds funds to hire more people, they’ll rehire their former employees instead of the loyal volunteers. Businesses often label people as “hired help” and others as “volunteers” without realizing that many volunteers would like to move into the paid positions.
- Remember the ultimate goal of volunteering, and decide if the work is really worth the effort. Some volunteer jobs should be avoided no matter how desperate someone is for experience.
Other Points to Consider When Volunteering
- Higher unemployment rates have forced some people to compromise to find work, thus having less spare time and money for community involvement. While part-time workers may have excess time for volunteer work, full-time working parents may find their schedules too full.
- Single mothers (and fathers) often want to spend all their free time with their children to help diminish the possible traumatizing effects of divorce or death.
- Be careful when the cause becomes too personal. Caring about a cause is terrific, but not when a volunteer worker’s emotions affect their ability to make good business decisions. Can they leave this job if a better one comes along or are they emotionally tied to it despite its obvious drawbacks? If the job demands too much time, effort or emotion – as is often the case when working with children, the elderly, the sick or animals – then volunteers instead may want to choose an assignment they can walk away from without regrets. It can be dangerous to take volunteer work too personally. For example, people who rescue abused dogs know that after caring for the animals and growing attached, they eventually will have to release them to someone else. Giving up time is easier than giving up emotions.
Some organizations would be devastated without the help of faithful volunteer workers year after year. If these organizations treat volunteers with kindness and respect, provide pleasant working conditions, flexible work hours, occasional perks (such as dinners, gifts, awards, etc.), and job offers (when available), then they deserve the donated services of today’s volunteer workforce.
For more information about careers, read Ace Your Job Interview.
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