Venting a little….
Twice this week, I was fascinated on how difficult people make it to volunteer. They ask for help, then it seems that they make you jump hoops.
Example 1:
A group asked me (via email) to volunteer my career coaching services every other Wednesday. I ask for more information like: location, dates, times, duties, etc. No response for over a week. I then pick up the phone to ask for more information like: location, dates, time, duties, etc. Their answering machine picks up; no worries; I leave a message asking for more information like: location, dates, time, duties, etc.
Two days later I get another email (not a phone call): “Oh, it’s not this Wednesday. And sometimes we have clients and sometimes we don’t.” They give me the location, but that’s about it.
It is ten days later and I still don’t when and what is expected. Suffice to say, I lost interest and turned my attention elsewhere.
Example 2:
Another group asked me (via email) to volunteer my dance instructions. The email directed you to a “Volunteer Sheet” with the dance dates and dance locations as TBA. I emailed back: “I will be happy to help. Once I understand where the dances will be held, I can better decide which dances I can assist”. Three weeks later I receive another email complaining that no one responded to their initial request for volunteers. I go back to their website volunteer sheet and it still has TBA on the locations. So I resend my original email and re-state that I will be happy to help once the locations have been determined.
Their response is “Oh – the locations have been updated on a separate website. If you want to volunteer, go to that site to find out the locations, and then fill out the volunteer form.” Suffice to say, I lost interest and turned my attention elsewhere.
I am the first to admit that I am very odd. My knee-jerk reaction was: “Why do I have to jump hoops?” I normally have better things to do.
One suggestion — if you really want someone’s assistance (on a volunteer basis), please make it easy for them. If you are paying for their time, that’s another matter. But, if you really value this person’s time and talent AND are not reciprocating with payment, please reciprocate with consideration and appreciation. Otherwise is just seems odd.
From the desk of one busy person to another
p.s. Thank you for your ear….
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