In his article, People Are Just Too Busy: Recruiting Volunteers in a Self Employed Society, Tom discusses the four essentials which test to see if our volunteer recruiting methods will survive a changing culture.

Position Title: What is the title of the position? (Volunteer Receptionists)

Responsible to: Who is the volunteer responsible to? (Administrator)

Key Objective: What is the mission of the job? Answer each the following questions in as few words as possible. Sample answers are in bold.

1. What is the position?

   Receptionist for ABC Adult Care Center.

2. What are the duties?

   I answer the phone, take messages, take orders, distribute mail, make coffee and buy doughnuts.

3. What is unique about the person in this position?

   A very enthusiastic person, very positive and has great telephone voice and skills. Loves people and has a "nack" for details--get phone messages correct.

4. What is the service? (What are the benefits of this job to customers?)

   Customers feel great when they finish talking on the phone with ABC Adult Care Center. They have the confidence that their messages are going to be delivered. The office is always warm, friendly, and neat for all of our internal and external customers--making it a fun place to work.

5. Who are the customers?

   Internal: Who in the organization receives the benefits of my job?

   Every staff member -- seeking to serve them by delivering correct messages, and making the place a fun place to work. The receptionist must have a friendly, positive greeting for each person when they come in the door.

   External: Who presently receives the benefits of my duties (of our clients) and who potentially receives the benefits of my duties?

   All current clients: The receptionist seeks to know them all and keep up on their current business needs and keep records of what they want and make sure they are followed up with.

   Put the answers to these questions together in a few-sentence mission statement for your position. Start your mission statement with the words, "To contribute to the growth and profitability of ABC Care Center by . . . " An example of the position above would be the following:

Key Objective:

To contribute to the growth and profitability of ABC Care Center by assuming the primary responsibility for front-line contact with every vender, customer and employee. This will be done by building confidence and trust with each person who calls and visits ABC Care Center, communicating to all internal and external customers that they are very important to us and that we value their service. The receptionist will seek to build a trusting relationship with each customer and employee in such a way to ensure long-term satisfaction and to optimize the chances of add-on business and of the positive referral of new business to ABC Care Center.

List of Key Work Areas: (General)

Under each of the categories, list subcategories of duties.

Example:

General Duties (same for all volunteers)

1. Attend all staff meetings
2. Fill out weekly staff report
3. Turn in expense vouchers
4. Coordinate vacation schedule and daily time schedule with supervisor

Greeting

1. Great each visitor, staff member and volunteer as they enter the building
2. Offer visitors a cup of coffee
3. Seek to help visitors by answering questions, and directing them toward their desired need.
4. Have all visitors sign guest log

Answer the phone

1. Answer before the third ring
2. Take messages -- always writing down the phone number
3. Set up priority for answering the phone (who answers when you are on the phone?)
4. Set up system of delivering phone messages
5. Monitor the answering machine

Filing and mail

1. Update all files
2. Open mail and distribute
3. Record and file all receipts for volunteer expenditures

Coffee Time

1. Prepare conference room for volunteer and staff 10:00 and 3:00 coffee break
2. Pick up "goodies" for breaks
3. Clean up after coffee time Work Schedule Every Monday (9:00 -- 5:00)