Point:  You may not hire her/he as a volunteer, but they can use the
experience on their resume or building their skills -- and soon someone will
appreciate the volunteer (worth their weight in gold they say).

If I had a volunteer who did an excellent job, knew what he/she was doing, I
would not hestitate to look at them when a job opened up.

Best,

John
SLC, UT
----- Original Message -----
From: "Robyne Miles" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2002 11:09 AM
Subject: reality check: getting a job & volunteering


> This scenario Lara posted is truly unfortunate, but I'm glad she posted it
> because it is truly a dose of reality.  It got me thinking on how many of
my
> hundreds of Volunteers _I've_ hired.  Not many.
>
> Simply put, the ratio of volunteer positions vs. paid positions is quite
> disparate, so no, obviously they won't all work out.  But I can say this
for
> certain:  If you SHINE, and that positions opens up, any smart Manager
will
> nab you in a heartbeat!  Personally, not only would I wish to reward a
> devoted volunteer, but why wouldn't I want someone who has not just been a
> proven asset, but who is familiar with my organization and even possibly
> trained already!!!
>
> Finally, when I have an amazing Volunteer whom I can't offer a job, I give
> GLOWING recommendations!   Remember, you are looking for experience and
> professional references.  No, it may not always (and possibly often won't)
> turn in to a job, but don't let it discourage you from gaining the
> experience.
>
> One last thought, and this sort of goes back to the strain on how long
> should you stay in a position.  Employers like to see stability in your
job
> experience, and your volunteer experience IS job experience.  In my
opinion,
> you are better off spending your time in a few places than doing short
terms
> in many.  As a Volunteer Manager, I am more inclined to train and/or give
> important projects to a person who is committed to me for a longer term
than
> someone who is looking for just a semester of work.  Volunteers, too, can
> "move up the ranks".  And there is no way a person can get to know you if
> they only work with you 4 hours a week for 10 weeks.
>
> Yes, it is hard... basically, we are saying "work for free and make
> Frappucinos to pay your bills".  But the ultimate payoff is worth it, if
you
> can do it.
>
> Sorry for the diatribe, and much of this is obvious, but having been
there,
> I feel very passionate about all this.  Incidentally, part of my Volunteer
> Program works with people (mostly single mothers) on welfare who have
never
> had any "professional" work experience.  They work as office assistants
with
> me 20 hours a week for 3-6 months.  It is a fabulous program, and I
mention
> it because 1. I don't have jobs to offer these devoted women, and it kills
> me every time, and 2.  If you think volunteering is not job experience,
> THINK AGAIN.  Most of these women (thankfully) have gone on to well-paying
> jobs with benefits!
>
> --
> "Reserve your right to think, for even to think wrongly is better than not
> to think at all." - Hypatia
> --
> Robyne Miles
> Director of Operations & Volunteers
> The Science Factory
> www.sciencefactory.org
> phone: 541-682-7882  fax: 541-484-9027
> reply to: [log in to unmask]
>
>
>
> > From: Lara Taylor <[log in to unmask]>
> > Reply-To: Museum discussion list <[log in to unmask]>
> > Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2002 10:00:04 -0600
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: Getting a job *without* volunteering
> >
> > I'm sorry to be pessimistic, but while volunteering can be a great way
to
> > find a permanent, paid position within the museum world, it is more
often
> > than not, I think, that volunteering/unpaid internships do not turn into
> > full-time positions.  It is an incredibly demoralizing problem with
museum
> > work (probably any non-profit work.)  My perspective of this is having a
> > masters, several internships and volunteer experience, as well as
teaching
> > experience.  This was all done while keeping a full-time position to pay
> > the bills.  For me, the internships, volunteering and teaching have not
> > paid off in a museum job even though I have been actively pursuing them.
> > My point of this tirade is this:  carefully weigh the time an energy it
> > takes to do these "volunteer" bits with a full-time job with the
realities
> > of getting--and being happy in--a museum job.  Carefully research
various
> > institutions in your area in terms of salary, upward movement within the
> > museum (or, at least, increasing responsibility and challenge), how
often
> > the institutions hire from volunteers/interns.  Also, consider wider
> > opportunities within your skills--editorial work, PR, advertising
agencies
> > work with museums and non-profits as well.  There is A LOT of idealism
with
> > people who want to get into museum work, but, too often, that idealism
is
> > not grounded in the realities of finding a job, living on the salary of
> > that job, and being happy with the upward mobility (or lack thereof) of
> > that job.  For me, it hasn't worked out, but I'm not saying that it
won't
> > for others.  Just make sure you think carefully about the realities of
the
> > choice to go into museum work.
> >
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