How To Get Over Yourself

What’s In It For Me?

Recently I’ve been volunteering. I like the idea of throwing myself open to new opportunities, learning new things and if I can help someone out in the process then it’s a win win situation. I’ve been doing some work for a local community radio station and I’m actually really enjoying it. Last week I went on a bit of a mission to find some new volunteers so I asked in a business group I’m in for some ideas of how to go about recruiting amazing new people. I got some great feedback but one person asked if I was expecting people to work for free. I was puzzled. Surely that is what volunteering is?

the attitude was that there had to be something in it for the volunteers. Well besides the doing a good deed, helping out others, offering your skills to those who need them, going the extra mile, getting your reward somewhere else in life? Nope, this person couldn’t get around the monetary value or basically only doing anything for cold, hard cash.

Fee not Free?

I’ve discussed this in the past about the value of your work and why cheap or free isn’t professional. However, there is a big difference between selling your services cheap because clients don’t see the value in them, or you don’t value your own work. And valuing your work enough to use your skills for something good. There are thousands of community organisations all over the country that rely on others goodwill to survive. Whether they be homeless shelters, food banks, crisis centres or grassroots sports, they are run by teams of volunteers that give up their time to help others. These organisations are underfunded and overstretched and without the kindness of others would not be in a position to help others. If you were in a position of need, wouldn’t you want to know that someone was there to help you?

That’s very different to a large corporation trying to drive you down on price and get a pint of blood out of you along with some cheap work. Or the person that wants you to work for free just because they don’t want to pay your value. Big difference.