Online Recruiting Opportunities

[afgeo4]

In my travels down the www highway I've stumbled across a great service website called www.volunteermatch.org.  They're free to use and set up advertisements of sorts for us.  They post your information and connect people interested in volunteering  with the set up administrators.  It's done by area, but I'm not sure how specific they are.  It states 20 miles, but I've gotten a hit from Mass even though we are in NYC.  Check it out!  It's a great way to recruit!

Any other websites you've found that might help with the same tasks?

[Becks]

Interesting site, thanks for the link Capt.

[ncc1912]

It states 20 miles, but I've gotten a hit from Mass even though we are in NYC.  Check it out!

Volunteer Match is searchable by ZIP code, so it is often expensive to isolate your ad to just your local area if you are wanting to advertise that way.

Depending on the application, it may be helpful to state the location requirements in the add itself and people searching for a volunteer opportunity can self-filter the adds.  I have done this.

Also, depending on the position you are "hiring" for, it may not be so important that they are in the local area.  For instance, if you need and IT person to do a squadron website, request examples of their work and they can build your site from Kansas City if they want.  Participation in CAP needn't be physical appearances.

Realize, also, we are all CAP recruiters, not necessarily just a Somewheresville Cadet Squadron recruiter.  Refer these hits from other areas.  If they don't join your unit, so what?  At least they joined and it is up to that gaining unit to retain them.

[RiverAux]

How well has this been working for the people using it so far?

[Pylon]

For the younger crowd, other agencies and even the military have found some success by recruiting through online venues frequented by their target audience.  Have any units considered recruiting cadets via MySpace or young senior members from local colleges via Facebook?

[MIKE]

IIRC that didn't work out so well for the USAF when they had a MySpace page up briefly.  Does the USMC still have theirs up?

[Eclipse]

We use it, or at least are on it, as are most of the active units in IL.

On a rare occasion we'll get a hit, but I would say the audience of people "loking for a volunteer opporunity" and stumbling through ads isn't really our best demographic.

Our single best recruiting tool has been running a good program, which grows organically based on word of mouth.

[PhoenixRisen]

IIRC that didn't work out so well for the USAF when they had a MySpace page up briefly.  Does the USMC still have theirs up?

Yup.  The Marines have theirs here.

IMO, if it was coordinated with National, set-up by National, etc, etc, why couldn't a CAP Myspace work out?

[RiverAux]

The problem the AF had was that a whole bunch of unsavory individuals made the AF their friend.  Made it seem like the AF was endorsing strippers, etc. by having them as friends. 

[RiverAux]

Signed up just a little over a week ago and have had 2 referrals.  Obviously too early to see if anything comes of them, but 2 is absolutely better than none. 

[floridacyclist]

I started setting up a Myspace page, but our CC shot it down because he didn't want us associated with Myspace....too many issues about kids getting in trouble on there.

[Psicorp]

Another option, sir, would be LiveJournal.com.  It has a better reputation and from what I've seen and heard, generally a bit higher maturity level in it's users. 

[fyrfitrmedic]

Another option, sir, would be LiveJournal.com.  It has a better reputation and from what I've seen and heard, generally a bit higher maturity level in it's users. 

I've seen a few folks here and there on LJ that I happen to know from CAP, but no real organized presence. I've only seen one community and it's not active.

[floridacyclist]

That might work. He has his own LJ page ( http://nurseatty.livejournal.com/ ), so he would have a hard time saying that the company on there wasn't worth keeping LOL

Of course, the networking style isn't the same as MySpace, so there might not be some of the same advantages.

[afgeo4]

So two months into the volunteermatch experience and here's what I have:

almost 600 views for 5 opportunities (mostly adults)
18 referrals (mostly ES and Comm)
2 new members

I am now a paying member ($8/month) which allows me to post photos, be at beginning of search results, and other goodies.

*disclaimer:  results may vary on demographics and georgraphics

[RiverAux]

If that rate keeps up that would be 12 new members in a year, which is pretty darn good for most squadrons. 

What are the opportunities you are listing?  Right now I've only put up one sort of general listing focused on emergency services. 

[thefischNX01]

I would also recommend putting things up on youtube (http://www.youtube.com).  There's already a good amount of CAP videos, but putting things up like encampment videos, SAREX videos and other stuff thats in good taste might work. 

[afgeo4]

I'm the Recruiter for the Group, so I hire for 6 squadrons.  Still... that's at least 2 members off of a basically free website a year on top of what they recruit on their own. As we know, websites tend to have snowball effects as they get more front page time as they collect more and more hits.

I've created a listing for Pilots, Cadet Programs Officers, Cadets, Emergency Services, and Communications.  In works are listings for Public Affairs, Personnel, Chaplaincy, Administration and Finance.