Volunteers are in high demand. Smart nonprofit organizations recognize they need skilled individuals from the for-profit world to help them accomplish their goals. Luckily many corporations now emphasize volunteerism and are actively looking for opportunities to demonstrate their good corporate citizenship credentials.
Large companies can, frankly, afford to be generous and many of them are. CR Magazine, which reports on corporate responsibility, lists the top 100 corporate citizens each year. It’s a big deal to be in the Top Ten. This year’s winner was AT&T which made leaps and bounds over their 33rd place last year.
There’s evidence AT&T’s influence is contagious. CR reports 26 companies joined the Top 100 for the first time, 32 rose in the ranks by an average of 20 points, 11 have had six straight appearances. But there are three companies that have remained on the list from the very beginning; Intel, Cisco and Starbucks.
Where Else But LinkedIn Can You Advertise For Volunteers?
Unless this is your first visit to The Fried Side, you know LinkedIn is the place to register yourself and your company. Whether you’re a one-person shop, a tech giant like AT&T, or a nonprofit organization, LinkedIn is a great resource for offering and finding talent.
Recently, LinkedIn created the Volunteer Marketplace where nonprofits can find volunteers and vice versa. Volunteer Marketplace offers a variety of services for nonprofits including the following: recruiting and community-building tips, posting examples, and advice from major nonprofit players like BoardSource, which helps potential board members and nonprofits looking for specific skills to find one another. There are also webinars and white papers to help you along the way.
Discounted Pricing for Nonprofit Listings
Nonprofits who want to join the Volunteer Marketplace will need to set up a company page on LinkedIn if they haven’t done so already.
LinkedIn heavily discounts rates for nonprofits advertising for volunteers. Registered 501(c)3 organizations can post opportunities on a sliding scale starting at $20 per day; a 90% discount off the corporate job posting rate. The more jobs posted and the longer the duration, the more value nonprofits receive for each post.
Searching LinkedIn’s Volunteer Marketplace for Opportunities
The Marketplace appeals to people looking to use their already acquired skills to make a positive impact. Similar to searching for a job, you are able to search volunteer opportunities by keyword, location, postal code and company. Seekers can see whether the nonprofits and positions which come up are a match for them.
Volunteering is, of course, not only attractive to employed persons but also for people seeking work or developing new skills. LinkedIn’s Reid Hoffman, who occasionally writes for its official blog, says 42% of hiring managers surveyed by LinkedIn consider volunteer work equal to paid work in terms of experience. About half said they had already hired someone based on their volunteer work.
By optimizing this great tool, volunteers are easily able to find opportunities that align with their interests and skills. Similarly, corporations can find great volunteer opportunities to enhance their image.
