Common mistakes in volunteer recruiting and how to avoid them
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED AUGUST 14, 2019
Anyone in ministry knows the pleasure and pain of building a volunteer team. Church wouldn’t work without people coming together in teams, and it’s where relationships are built and discipleship happens. And yet building a team can be a difficult and frustrating process. People are busy, convincing them to give up some of their precious time for free isn’t a walk in the park.
I’ve noticed a few common mistakes we all make when recruiting volunteers. Here they are, and how to avoid them!
1. Trying to Fill Too Many Roles at Once. You may need 5, 10, or 20 people to fill your roster. It’s easy to get stuck thinking about how many people that really is, and it can lead to freezing up or giving up. Instead, focus on one at a time. You get lost when you think of the 20 people you need, but each volunteer is a big victory. Concentrate on one at a time and celebrate each win.
2. Missing the Power of a Referral. I get a large percentage of volunteers from my existing pool of volunteers. They bring friends, friends of friends, and family members to the table. I ask specific people instead of sending a general email- some have more contacts than others and have more people in their sphere of influence. When you find one new volunteer, ask them who else they would recommend for the team.
3. Not Following Up. Follow up every contact! No matter how bizarre, I follow up every suggestion and contact that I get. I am tenacious. I call, text, and email multiple times (keeping it upbeat and pleasant). Hearing about someone who might be a good fit on your team is only the first step, nothing happens unless you follow through and connect.
4. Structuring Your Team for Burnout. I don't ask anyone to serve more than once or twice a month, UNLESS- they have expressed to me that they have the desire and capacity to do so, or I feel they would help us out in a situation where we are short now and then. This helps my recruiting because the time commitment is a known quantity and doesn't seem to be overwhelming to potential team members. This is harder in smaller churches because of the smaller pool of people to draw from. However, finding someone who would be willing to serve every other Sunday is 50% better than having no one all month.
5. Letting it Slide. I never stop recruiting. Even when I seem to be filling all my spots I never stop looking. Someone will leave, quit or take a break...it's the nature of ministry. I always have my recruiting radar out, I’m always thinking about who I could ask to serve.
6. Not Praying About It. I saved the most important one for last. Many times I’ve griped about not having enough singers, or only one drummer, or not enough audio console operators. It’s easy to complain, these are real needs. And yet I’ve caught myself going months without praying for God to send qualified people my way. This is a big mistake. There is power in prayer! Continue to ask God to send you those he is calling into your ministry. And there is something personally powerful about giving up your control of the situation and relying on God to supply your needs.
That’s my best thinking on volunteer recruiting. I hope it connects and encourages!
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