Turned down for Volunteer Job..not a typo.

Elfay

A month a go I offered to volunteer three hours a week (all they were asking) helping to plan a charity fashion show; great cause and really funky, funny idea for the show.

I have worked in the wardrobe dept on the Cosby show and been a stylist for many photographers in New york, including Annie Leibovitz. I had to send a CV AND be interviewed for this "job" and it cost me 30 Euro in travel money to get there and back....and last Friday, a MONTH after I interviewed, I got a rejection letter.

This is the letter and I'm posting it to remind anyone who is asking for volunteers; if someone sincerely offers, you're only answers should be yes, and thank you!

From:
Sent: Friday, August 06, 2010 12:33 PM
To: Lisa X. Xxxx
Cc: 3mfashionit@mmm.com
Subject: RE: Volunteer Project Assistant for Fashion Show

Hi Lisa,
Apologies for the delay in getting back to you. It was great to meet you and go through your work experience and ideas etc. We have taken on another candidate to be the Volunteer Project assistant for the fashion show. However, if you were still interested in taking part on the night itself in a small way in a voluntary capacity, feel free. You mentioned you are used to being backstage at fashion shows- perhaps you could take part with helping models backstage etc.
However, if you can't do this, we just want to say Thanks for taking an interest and it was lovely to meet you.

Best
Mary & 3M Fashion-it team.

Random

they found someone better suited and have suggested alternative positions for you?

Elfay

If you want someone else, of course ask them. Get three, get seven!? That's not my point at all.

My point is exactly what I said, You don't make people who are offering to work for nothing, send a CV, go to an interview and then send rejections letters. Are people nuts!!??

No one in their right mind behaves likes this in the name of a legit charity - people need to grow up.

Cat Melodeon

But they did offer you a position. Did you not read the letter?

The Big Red Button

They were offering valuable experience. Whoever got it, I presume it'll be a boost to their CV.

They couldn't take on all applicatants in the specified position; even though they found someone more suitable to the position than you, they still offered you an alternate position? What more could you want?

seensensee

Elfay wrote: »

A month a go I offered to volunteer three hours a week (all they were asking) helping to plan a charity fashion show; great cause and really funky, funny idea for the show.

I have worked in the wardrobe dept on the Cosby show and been a stylist for many photographers in New york, including Annie Leibovitz. I had to send a CV AND be interviewed for this "job" and it cost me 30 Euro in travel money to get there and back....and last Friday, a MONTH after I interviewed, I got a rejection letter.

This is the letter and I'm posting it to remind anyone who is asking for volunteers; if someone sincerely offers, you're only answers should be yes, and thank you!

From:
Sent: Friday, August 06, 2010 12:33 PM
To: Lisa X. Xxxx
Cc: 3mfashionit@mmm.com
Subject: RE: Volunteer Project Assistant for Fashion Show

Hi Lisa,
Apologies for the delay in getting back to you. It was great to meet you and go through your work experience and ideas etc. We have taken on another candidate to be the Volunteer Project assistant for the fashion show. However, if you were still interested in taking part on the night itself in a small way in a voluntary capacity, feel free. You mentioned you are used to being backstage at fashion shows- perhaps you could take part with helping models backstage ect.
However, if you can't do this, we just want to say Thanks for taking an interest and it was lovely to meet you.

Best
Mary & 3M Fashion-it team.

Looks like they could do with your help, are you a genuine volunteer?

Chuchoter

I actually completely agree with the OP. The job was probably given to someones daughter/son or something.

WolfeIRE

they cannot appoint everyone who volunteers to the position of 'Volunteer Project Assistant for Fashion Show'

You do sound suitably, if not over qualified for the role although over qualified should not come into play here.

The organiser's niece or someone ven more qualified could have got the gig.

Understand what you mean about the cv, interview etc. That process is ok as long as they say that this will be part of the process in advance. If they don't then I can understand why you are put out.

For what it's worth, I have my own company and have in the past provided a professional service free of charge. The groups receiving the free service were more demanding/harder to work with than a paying client. Never again.

Elfay

Again, nothing wrong with asking me to do something other than what I offered to do. That's simply not my point;

I posted this exchange as an illustration of the absurdity of putting any sincere, legitimate person through what was essentially a job interview, complete with rejection letter. When I offered, when ANYONE offers to help for free, the answer should only and always be; yes and thanks....period.

My original post is not obtuse or vague in any way from what I can see. I'll make my point another way; Do not put on hold, make hoops to jump through, stress or frustrate anyone who is offering to help raise money for a worthy cause you believe in - it makes you look ridiculous

Cat Melodeon

Elfay wrote: »

Again, nothing wrong with asking me to do something other than what I offered to do. That's simply not my point;

I posted this exchange as an illustration of the absurdity of putting any sincere, legitimate person through what was essentially a job interview, complete with rejection letter. When I offered, when ANYONE offers to help for free, the answer should only and always be; yes and thanks....period.

My original post is not obtuse or vague in any way from what I can see. I'll make my point another way; Do not put on hold, make hoops to jump through, stress or frustrate anyone who is offering to help raise money for a worthy cause you believe in - it makes you look ridiculous

If there is an official position such as project assistant, they probably have to pay to insure that person as they will carry out official duties, even if it is only a volunteer position. Instead, they have offered you an alternative role, as an unofficial volunteer for whom they probably do not have to pay insurance. They advertised one role. More than one person applied so obviously some people were going to be disappointed. You didn't get it, but they offered you another position. I really don't see your problem with this. A selection process is there for a reason, to select the right candidate for a role. It doesn't matter whether it is a volunteer position or not, there is only one place, you didn't get it, but they offered you an alternative. That sounds fair to me.

dory

Elfay wrote: »

Again, nothing wrong with asking me to do something other than what I offered to do. That's simply not my point;

I posted this exchange as an illustration of the absurdity of putting any sincere, legitimate person through what was essentially a job interview, complete with rejection letter. When I offered, when ANYONE offers to help for free, the answer should only and always be; yes and thanks....period.

My original post is not obtuse or vague in any way from what I can see. I'll make my point another way; Do not put on hold, make hoops to jump through, stress or frustrate anyone who is offering to help raise money for a worthy cause you believe in - it makes you look ridiculous

I see your point, but I think you have a grave misunderstanding of what a charity generally entails these days. Gone are the days of you going straight to heaven for throwing 10 pence in a bucket. Nowadays it's cut throat and whoever this is that was organizing it is probably desperately trying to stay afloat. Donations to charities are suffering too nowadays.

If this was a soup kitchen or a charity run or something, then I completely agree - they should say yes to everyone.
But for the position you were going for there can't be an infinite number. So you logic is a bit off. How can they say yes to everyone?

If you really care I think you should go help backstage and then you can see who got the job.

From the thread so far I would hazard a guess that you did not get it if you came over as cocky as you sound on here. How long ago was the Cosby Show, 20+ years ago?

And a CV and interview for a volunteer job is completely normal. I had to do it to go work in a slum in Calcutta. You have to see it (as employers do) as something that will benefit your CV too. It's a give and take situation. I personally don't enjoy working with volunteers who constantly act like I owe them something.

gbee

Elfay wrote: »

No one in their right mind behaves likes this in the name of a legit charity - people need to grow up.

You know, under child protection policies there are some bizarre procedures to be followed.

Just a thought.

munstergirl

Volunteer jobs are hard to come by too, when you have 400,000+ unemployed.

Lots of people offer to volunteer to fill their day.

1 position ? Applicants, company picked someone else, thats life.

They were nice to you in their email, and offered you something else.

TheIrishGrover

Maybe they didn't want any cosby sweaters



Nah, J/K.

when ANYONE offers to help for free, the answer should only and always be; yes and thanks....period.

But they did ask you to help in that letter. Alright it wasn't for the position you offered to help in but, without knowing the qualifications of the person who actually took the job, you can't really expect them to automatically give the position to you. If everyone got the position they wanted then you would have all chiefs and no indians. Plus a case of too many cooks clashing ideas etc.

PaulieBoy

Elfay wrote: »

When I offered, when ANYONE offers to help for free, the answer should only and always be; yes and thanks....period.

Sorry for your distress and all, but just because you offered, and you consider yourself the best suited, does not mean you should get the position.
The fact that it's working for free does not mean they accept any and all who happen by. They accept those that they think are best suited, and how are they to asses that ? By Interview, CV, etc.

I had to go for an interview, submit a CV and do my level best to get a position in a voluntary organization, many more applied than they have positions for, so I am at a loss as to how you would deal with that situation? You would take everybody, including those that were unsuited, on and then what ?
I think your just a little upset at not getting the position, I fully understand that and think rather than finding fault in others you look at yourself!
Were they afraid that you would have taken over the whole thing, throwing your weight about the place as your the one from "hollywood" ?? Could be, who knows, just move on and look for somewhere else where you could apply your skills to help others.
May be in a different area completely.

valleyoftheunos

Sorry OP but I think you are being a bit unreasonable here, they only had one position, so they could only take one person, why else did you think they held interviews?

They choose somebody else and that is a shame for you but they did offer you another position and you choose to turn it down, you obviously weren't very concerned about the charity behind the fashion show or the voluntary nature of the job and maybe that was the difference between you and the person who got it. Just because the position was unpaid and you have experience doesn't mean you are entitled to it simply because you applied.

fionav3

Elfay wrote: »

Again, nothing wrong with asking me to do something other than what I offered to do. That's simply not my point;

I posted this exchange as an illustration of the absurdity of putting any sincere, legitimate person through what was essentially a job interview, complete with rejection letter. When I offered, when ANYONE offers to help for free, the answer should only and always be; yes and thanks....period.

My original post is not obtuse or vague in any way from what I can see. I'll make my point another way; Do not put on hold, make hoops to jump through, stress or frustrate anyone who is offering to help raise money for a worthy cause you believe in - it makes you look ridiculous

I'm sorry you didn't get the position OP and I can understand your disappointment. However, I do think you're being just a tad unreasonable here. Like everyone else said, they obviously offered the job to another candidate, one who may be better qualified. That was their call to make. And from my experience with volunteer work, you do go through an interview or a vetting process because you're still being placed in a position of trust and/or responsibility where other people may have to rely on you for so they don't just let just anyone volunteer. Also, the company in question did send you a very nice letter thanking you for your time and offering you another position so it was hardly a rejection. Would you have preferred they didn't contact you at all and just left you hanging?

Elfay

a job three hours a week from my laptop at home helping out doesn't make me a primadona, cocky or bitter with sour grapes or long past it as someone implied. you people should hear yourselves...you sound nuts.

PaulieBoy

Elfay wrote: »

a job three hours a week from my laptop at home helping out doesn't make me a primadona, cocky or bitter with sour grapes or long past it as someone implied. you people should hear yourselves...you sound nuts.

They clearly made the correct decision in getting somebody else.

TheIrishGrover

Elfay wrote: »

a job three hours a week from my laptop at home helping out doesn't make me a primadona, cocky or bitter with sour grapes or long past it as someone implied. you people should hear yourselves...you sound nuts.

No, but that post does.

fionav3

PaulieBoy wrote: »

They clearly made the correct decision in getting somebody else.

Agreed. :rolleyes:

star gazer

Enough with the personal abuse. Attack points in a post but not the poster(s). Take this as a warning.

It's important to remember that people who want to volunteer can find it hard to get an organisation suitable that will take them on. It is a positive thing to want to volunteer to help, please dont forget that.

@Elfay
Well done for going through all that to try to volunteer. If you can still help out on the night, why not do it just to be in the thick of it helping out for charity?
Under the circumstances, there was an interview for the voluntary position, that in itself implies that there was a chance that volunteers being interviewed wouldn't ultimately be asked to take the position. If say ten other people had also applied for the one position it is simply impractical to expect that each would get the postion. It can take time to find the right fit in the right organisation for volunteering, maybe another organisation needs similar help out there.

Elfay

Moderator, just take the thread down, this is pointless

Fox McCloud

I do think you have a point that asking people to travel and interview and wait a month for an answer for a 3 hour a week job is a bit much.
I have traveled for interviews for proper volunteering positions, 20 hours a week and over, but for such a small job did they really have to go to all the trouble?

That is a reality with volunteer work these days, hundreds of graduates competing for unpaid tiny roles within big or small NGO's. They may have gone with someone who had a bigger interest in working within the field of whatever the charity was, you dont specify whether you have an interest in a career in NGOs etc. or not so i'm just guessing here.. you sound pretty quailfied!

lil_lisa

Over here in the US it takes about a month before you can start almost any volunteering. You have to get a TB test done and wait for the results, you have to have the interview and you have to get a background check. It is a hassle to go through so much but sometimes I think there are reasons for all the formalities.

Fozzydog3

Volunteering positions ive been turned down for :

1: Reserve Defence Forces

2: Civil Defence

3: Mission to seafarers


pass the prozac

Jesus Wept

You received a personalised rejection letter.

In the past I've attended some interviews and heard nothing back, nothing, which was so infuriating it made me want to go postal.

They have requested your help in another capacity however you appear to be only interested in the position advertised, your ego is clearly bruised.

miju

The-Rigger wrote: »

They have requested your help in another capacity however you appear to be only interested in the position advertised, your ego is clearly bruised.

QFT