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TECH TIPS

Learn tips and hints to use a variety of electronic and technical equipment to enhance work with volunteers.

~ September 2009 ~

 

SOCIAL MEDIA AND SCREENING VOLUNTEERS

Screening volunteers for appropriate placement to a volunteer task has involved such things as interviews, background checks, applications, and more labor-intensive activities.  The new world of social media has given managers of volunteers a mountain of new sources of information about potential volunteers. 

Review your application form and ask for the addresses to social media sites where you can learn more about the person, via the Internet.

FaceBook, LinkedIn, Twitter are all places where one can learn about people in a quick way.  Here are some things to look for in using social media as an additional screening tool.

LinkedIn is a place for people to discover connections of a professional nature, get connections for new jobs, or ask experts for advice.  People on this site can ask others to post recommendations in their Profile. 

When you read look for the following.

LINKEDIN
  1. Recommendations from peers, managers and colleagues
  2. Has a complete profile
  3. Has a picture
  4. Lists interests, hobbies and other information related to their life outside of work
  5. Lists volunteer work done related to their work or other things.
  6. Updates their status more often
  7. Asks and answers questions
On a Blog
  1. Has interesting things to say
  2. Provides glimpses into their life outside of work – family, friends, hobbies, etc.
  3. Does not bad-mouth their current or previous employer or volunteer placement
  4. Updates with new posts regularly
  5. Keeps it non-controversial – minimal discussion of sex, politics, religion and other such controversial topics.
  6. Is genuine and honest
  7. Has a blogroll with link to other interesting blogs
FACEBOOK
  1. Respects the overlap between their personal and professional lives
  2. Updates often
  3. Posts pictures of friends and family but keeps them pg-13
  4. Keeps it non-controversial – doesn’t take extreme positions on sex, drugs, religion, politics or other topics that could cause the organization to be embarrassed
TWITTER
  • Has a healthy followers/following ratio
  • Keeps a healthy balance between personal and professional tweets
  • Doesn’t just update, but also responds to others and generally seems to get Twitter

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