Volunteers drive the work of the American Red Cross. How do you motivate and manage volunteers?

Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
How to Answer
1st Answer Example
2nd Answer Example

Volunteers comprise the majority of the Red Cross's workforce. They work in a number of capacities serving national and international communities impacted by emergencies and natural disasters. Even if you are not directly applying to coordinate volunteers, it is possible that your role will involve managing volunteers in some way. The interviewer wants to know that you have experience in this area or at least an understanding of how to motivate individuals.

Share a situation where you were responsible for managing an individual or group of volunteers. Explain your approach to keeping volunteers engaged in their work. If you have never managed volunteers, talk about how you have successfully motivated employees in the past. If you have no management experience at all, talk about how you motivate yourself in the workplace.

"As a volunteer recruitment and engagement manager with a nonprofit that operates a mental health crisis hotline, it is imperative for me to foster an environment where volunteer staff stays focused, attentive, and positive in their interactions with clients we serve. I have designated more experienced volunteers as 'session leaders,' and their task is to lead a debriefing that allows time for reflection and suggestions after each shift. Participating in this reflection gives volunteers the opportunity to learn from and support each other in this important role. I find volunteers are largely self-motivated because of the mission of their work, but these sessions give them a chance to motivate each other as well."

"Although I have never recruited and trained volunteers, I have managed a crew of on-call social workers tasked with helping families secure emergency shelter. This work is emotionally and physically demanding since it requires working non-typical work hours and emanating calm in the face of difficult situations. It can be challenging for staff to avoid feeling motivational burn-out, so as a manager, I decided to help encourage them by offering frequent updates on the results of the program and the families they had helped. Next, I worked with human resources to bolster health and wellness benefits to support their mental and physical well-being. Finally, I worked with the team to coordinate a call rotation that allowed a better work-life balance while also covering the 24-hour hotline. As a result, the team was more motivated, more productive, and generally happier."