How to Interview Volunteer Applicants

Most volunteer programs don't do interviews. People express interest, get a welcome email, and show up for their first shift. For a lot of organizations and a lot of roles, that works fine.

But for some work, an informal intake conversation is worth the extra step. If your volunteers work with children, seniors, or people in crisis, if specific skills genuinely matter, or if you've had enough bad-fit placements to know the downstream cost of them, a short conversation early on can save a lot of friction later.

The goal isn't to make volunteering feel like a job application. It's to have a real conversation while there's still time to act on what you learn.

When a Screening Conversation Is Worth It

Adding a step to the volunteer intake process has real costs. It slows things down, some prospective volunteers will drop off rather than complete it, and it takes coordinator time to conduct. So it's worth being clear-eyed about when it earns its place.

Consider an intake conversation when:

• The work involves vulnerable populations. Children, seniors, and people experiencing mental health crisis require volunteers who understand boundaries, confidentiality, and how to stay calm when situations get complicated.
• Role-specific skills matter. If someone will be teaching, counseling, driving, operating equipment, or working closely with clients in high-stakes settings, you want to know whether their background actually matches what they've told you.
• Your program is small and personal. A volunteer program with 20 active volunteers is shaped significantly by one difficult personality. A program with 500 can absorb it more easily.
• You've had problems before. If past experience has taught you that certain mismatches are costly or harmful, building in a screening step is a direct response to real evidence.

For general labor shifts (setting up tables, sorting donations, packing boxes), you probably don't need an intake conversation. For roles where judgment, trust, and fit genuinely matter, it's worth the investment.

What to Actually Ask

The most effective intake conversations are short (15–20 minutes), warm, and honest about what the role involves. You're not trying to catch anyone out. You're trying to understand whether this is a good match.

Questions that actually help:

"What drew you to our organization specifically?" This tells you about motivation. Is it a personal connection, general community interest, a school requirement, or a corporate volunteering program? All of these are legitimate, but they suggest different levels of commitment and different things to set expectations around.

"What kind of volunteer work have you done before?" This helps you understand their experience, what they're comfortable with, and what they're used to.

"What's a realistic time commitment for you right now?" This lets you set mutual expectations before anyone gets scheduled. Better to have this conversation now than to deal with a string of cancellations later because the person agreed to something they couldn't actually sustain.

"Is there anything about the role that you have questions about or concerns with?" This is an open invitation for honesty. Some people will tell you something important here that they wouldn't have raised otherwise.

For sensitive roles: "If a client seemed distressed during your shift and you weren't sure what to do, what would your instinct be?" You're not looking for the right answer. You're listening for whether their instincts point in a reasonable direction.

What not to ask:

Volunteer screening is still subject to the same legal constraints as hiring in many jurisdictions. Avoid questions about age, marital status, disability, religious practice, national origin, and other protected characteristics. Keep questions focused on the role and the person's capacity to do it well.

Background Checks and What They Add

For many roles involving vulnerable populations, a background check is the appropriate follow-up after a successful intake conversation. Background checks aren't a replacement for the conversation; they're a complementary layer that addresses different questions.

The conversation tells you about fit, motivation, and judgment. The background check tells you about history. Both matter when the stakes are high.

Some programs also do reference checks. For volunteer roles involving close relationships with clients, or significant independent responsibility, asking for one reference and actually calling them is worth the extra step. Most volunteer programs skip this entirely, which means doing it tends to signal something real about the seriousness of your program.

How to Deliver a "No"

If someone isn't the right fit for a specific role, be direct and kind. You don't need to give a detailed explanation, but you should acknowledge their interest and, where possible, point toward a better match.

"Based on our conversation, I don't think this particular role is the right fit right now. I appreciate you taking the time to connect, and if a different role opens up that seems like a better match, I'll reach out" is honest without being harsh.

What to avoid: vague non-answers, or simply never following up. Ghosting a prospective volunteer is disrespectful and makes your organization look disorganized. A brief, clear "not the right fit" is far better than silence.

Making It Feel Welcoming

An intake conversation can feel like a job interview in the worst way if it's overly formal, runs too long, or gives the prospective volunteer no chance to ask their own questions. The tone should be conversational and genuinely warm throughout.

A few things that help:

Tell them upfront how long it'll take and what it's for. Most people are happy to do a 15-minute call; they just don't want to be surprised by a 45-minute interrogation.

Ask your questions first, then leave time for theirs. Volunteers who feel heard in the intake process are more likely to show up with a good attitude for their first shift.

Be honest about what the role actually involves, including the harder parts. Finding out the work is more emotionally demanding than expected on the first shift is worse for everyone than knowing upfront.

If your program has written volunteer policies covering things like confidentiality, conduct, and protocols, the intake conversation is a good moment to walk through the key ones and invite questions before the onboarding process begins.

After the Conversation

Whether or not you're moving forward, follow up quickly. Waiting a week to respond to someone who made time for a conversation sends the message that volunteers aren't a priority.

For volunteers you're moving forward with, have a clear next step ready: a background check link, an orientation signup, or a specific shift invitation. The moment after a good intake conversation is when someone's enthusiasm is at its highest. Don't let it fade into a vague "we'll be in touch."

A well-run intake process doesn't just protect your program. It tells prospective volunteers something about your organization: that you take the work seriously, that you're organized, and that the people running things are thoughtful. The volunteers you most want tend to be looking for exactly that.