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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