Frequently asked questions

General

Why is SEEK doing this?
SEEK wants to contribute to the communities where we work in a meaningful and long-term way. People who work at SEEK discussed at length how the company could best support important causes. Instead of just selecting one or two organisations to sponsor, we decided to donate what we do best — our leading-edge Internet technology.

SEEK's technology delivers outstanding results for search queries. SEEK Volunteer uses the technology that powers our job sites to help thousands of not-for-profit organisations find volunteers faster and with less expense.

At the same time, it makes it easier for Australians who want to contribute to their community to find opportunities to do so.

There is no cost to volunteers or qualified not-for-profit organisation to use this service and SEEK earns no revenue at all from this project.

What those of us from SEEK do gain is a sense of pride and contribution.

What does SEEK get in return if it's not money?
We get the satisfaction of knowing that with Volunteering Australia and the Boston Consulting Group we will help volunteerism take a monumental step forward in this country. Organisations will finally be able to reach potential volunteers easily and immediately AND just as importantly, volunteers will have easy access to opportunities they are interested in.

Is there any cost to me, at any time, if I'm looking for a volunteer opportunities here?
No, there are no charges to use SEEK Volunteer and search for volunteer opportunities. Throughout the whole SEEK network, all SEEK services to job seekers are offered free of charge.

Do I have to register to use SEEK Volunteer?
No. There is no registration or sign-in process for SEEK Volunteer. It's easy to use and available to anyone who is interested in volunteering.

How do I find volunteer opportunities?

Use the Quick Search on the SEEK Volunteer home page, or select "Opportunity Search" to use more detailed search criteria. Enter your postcode and how far you are willing to travel. You can select specific types of not-for-profit organisations and the type of volunteering work you would like to do. You can also choose one-off opportunities (such as an event) or ones which involve a regular time commitment.

To make your search criteria more specific or to locate a specific organisation, you can use one or more keywords. To make your search criteria broader, you can select multiple options within a category. Just hold down the "Ctrl" key (PC) or "Apple" key (Mac) while you select with your mouse.

Opportunities which match your search are listed in date order, with the most recently listed ones first. To view more details about any particular opportunity, just click on its title — this is a link to a more detailed description.

How long have the opportunities been listed?
New opportunities are listed for one month, unless they are extended by the volunteer organisation. The detailed view of each ad includes the date the ad was first posted.

Why can't I get to the next page of my search results?
Check that JavaScript (Netscape 3 and above) or Active Scripting (Internet Explorer 4 and above) is turned on in your browser. Look up your browser help menu or ask your technical support person about how to enable JavaScript or Active Scripting on your browser.

Why were no results returned when I did a search?
There may be no opportunities which match your search criteria: the results depend on what volunteer needs exist in your area. Try repeating your search with broader search criteria. If you searched using a keyword, try your search again without the keyword/s. Also try selecting multiple options within a category to search related activities. Just hold down the "Ctrl" key (PC) or "Apple" key (Mac) while you select with your mouse.

Can I search more than one option within a search box, at the same time?
Yes. Hold down the "Ctrl" key (PC) or "Apple" key (Mac) while you select with your mouse.

How do keywords work?
Using a keyword in your search returns more specific search results. SEEK has a range of keyword search options. The default setting is "OR". It also recognises:

• double quotes " " enclosing a phrase;
• AND
• NOT

All other punctuation (such as commas, brackets and full stops) is ignored.

The search looks for the keyword within the group of opportunities that match your criteria.

How do I let an organisation know I'm interested in volunteering for them?

Once you find a volunteer opportunity you are interested in, it's easy to express your interest, directly to the organisation. Select "Express Interest" from below the full description of the volunteer opportunity. On the next screen, you'll be asked for a few contact details. You can also choose to provide additional information or attach a resume or other document. This is immediately emailed to the volunteer organisation.

What sort of additional information should I include with my expression of interest?
It would help the volunteer organisation if you included some information about yourself, such as why you are interested in volunteering, what time you have available and what kinds of activities you are interested in doing or learning more about. If you have specific skills or experience you would like to use, include a brief description of these.

Do I have to have a resume to apply for a volunteer position?
No. Sending a resume with your expression of interest in a volunteer position is completely optional. If you wish, you can attach a resume from your hard drive or a floppy disk.

What kind of files can I attach?
Please take note of any messages in each ad about which file formats might be preferred by individual advertisers. In general, we recommend saving word documents in Rich Text Format (.rtf) format. This is easily accessed and opened by most word processing programs. It is not a good idea to send very large files (more than 1 Mb) or image files. Volunteer organisations are likely to have slower email connections and receiving and opening large files may cause them difficulty.

I can't work out how to attach my resume.
You must use a browser that supports "file upload" in order to be able to attach a file from your hard drive or a floppy disk. Internet Explorer 3 and Netscape Navigator 2 don't support file upload. If you wish to use this feature, you need to upgrade to a more recent browser.

Why should I send my expression of interest by email?
Applying online delivers your expression of interest to the volunteer organisation right away. By using the Internet, SEEK Volunteer makes matching volunteers with non-profit organisations much faster and more efficient. This makes it easier for more Australians to make a difference in their local community.

How long will it take to get a reply once I send in an expression of interest?
Your expression of interest goes directly to the volunteering organisation. The response to your application depends on them. If you have any questions, follow up with the organisation you applied to.