In one weekend, Taste of Atlanta brings together the incredible energy and diversity of the city’s food scene. From the trendiest new restaurants to down home favorites, from ethnic eateries to small gems that are off the beaten path – if it’s great food, you’ll find it at Taste of Atlanta! The 8^th annual Taste of Atlanta boasts a new location – the streets of Midtown at Tech Square and over 80 confirmed restaurants on Saturday, October 10^th through Sunday, October 11^th.

Volunteers are the key to making this event a success. We are seeking several qualified and enthusiastic volunteers to serve as Ambassadors for Taste of Atlanta 2009.
Ambassador opportunities include: Greeters, Chef’s Assistants (Culinary Students Only) and Restaurant Runners to name a few. Ambassadors are needed from October 10th through October 11th at various times (4 hour shifts).

Each Ambassador should be able to commit to a four hour shift and attend 1 of 2 Ambassador Information Meetings held on Tuesday, September 22^nd and Thursday, September 24^th, location TBA.
Taste of Atlanta is an excellent opportunity to meet people from Atlanta as well as from around the world! All Ambassadors will receive:

• (1) General admission to the 2009 Taste of Atlanta (includes 10 Taste coupons)
• Taste of Atlanta Ambassador Apron
• Letter of recognition

If you are interested in volunteering, please complete and submit the following online application  - www.eventsessential.com/events_volunteer.htm 

If you have any questions, please contact Qualena Odom-Royes, CSEP, CMP at volunteers(at)eventsessential.com or 770-413-8191. 

Application deadline is September 11, 2009 – We look forward to hearing from you!!

Part III  in a 3-part series on volunteering

By now you have received some solid leads on volunteering and you may have already completed some assignments.  Here are a few tips to help you get a high return on your investment (your time and your experience). 

Ask questions:  Make sure you understand the scope of your volunteer commitment including duties, length of time, attire, etc.

Do what you say you are going to do:  If you commit to a volunteer assignment, please show up.  A lot of people are depending on you!

Don’t be a No Show:  If your plans change and you cannot commit to your assignment or you are running behind schedule, contact the Volunteer or Event Manager as soon as you can.

Be flexible:  Sometimes things may not go according to the production schedule and plans may need to change.  It is important for volunteers to be flexible as your duty may change too!

Be open to learning new techniques:  When working with creative people like designers and decorators, follow their lead and directions. 

Build up your portfolio:  Ask for a letter on company letterhead thanking you for your services.  If things went extremely well and you’ve received compliments on your performance, ask for a letter of recommendation.

 I hope these tips are help you get the best ROI on your volunteer experience!!  If you are looking for volunteers please let me know OR if you are looking for volunteer opportunities check out The Q Spot Blog often!

Q

See Also:

Volunteering Part I: Why Volunteer?

Volunteering Part II: How to Find the Best Volunteer Opportunities

It is helpful to plan your volunteering strategy before raising your hand. How much time do you have to devote? Are you more interested in a particular area of the industry (catering, weddings, corporate meeting planning), or looking for a wide base of experience in all areas? To avoid spreading yourself too thin or doing taks that you absolutely have no interest in, write down your goals and try to stay focused. Some ideas to get you started in where to look:

 Local Chapters of Trade Associations

Many have planning committees to coordinate their member events. This may be a great place to try out many roles. Consider ISES, NACE, MPI, HSMAI, convention and visitors bureaus, chambers of commerce, women’s business councils etc.

 Public Events

Look for upcoming events advertised in local magazines and other media. Many will be very happy to have volunteers and may have an existing volunteer program in place. For larger events, get in on the planning early by contacting them for next year after you read reviews in the media. This may get you planning as well as on-site experience.

Conferences, Conventions,  Tradeshows and Exhibitions

Many large conventions or conferences that come to your town often need assistance with registration, greeters, room monitors, etc.   Contact exhibit halls and ask for a member of client services. Small, regional venues may be more open to your inquiry than large venues.

 Weddings

If wedding planning is your direction of choice, your best route may be to contact a planner and ask if you may intern or shadow them. A planner may be more accommodating if you agree to working a certain number of hours in the office or during site visits, before accompanying him/her to a wedding. 

Specific Disciplines (catering, event design, floral etc.)

The same applies to volunteering in specific disciplines as to weddings. By working with one company on numerous occasions, you will earn greater responsibility and be exposed to different work situations.

 Concierge Services

A great way to learn about what your city has to offer is to volunteer to staff an info booth with your local convention and visitors bureau. You don’t need to know a lot to start – you will pick it up very quickly. But you will be surprised how much you will learn about local attractions, hotels, modes of transport and restaurants.

Now that you have some ideas where to look for volunteer opportunities start researching them today!  And stay tuned to this blog,  I will post credible volunteer opportunites as soon as I receive them. 

In the meantime, if you have any volunteer opportunities you would like to submit for consideration to be posted on this blog, send me an email. 

I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Q

See also:

Volunteering Part I: Why Volunteer?

Coming Soon:

Volunteering Part III: How to Make the Most From Your Volunteer Experience

Part I in a 3-part series on volunteering

Volunteering can take many forms. Perhaps you help run Sunday School at church, assist at a weekend pet adoption, or engage in some other charitable work. But while often associated with philanthropic activities, volunteering actually refers to the type of compensation you receive. In a career environment, instead of a pay check, you receive experience. That’s why volunteering is one of my favorite methods for anyone looking to enter or develop their skills in the meeting/event industry.

Many meeting and event companies are more than happy to allow you to volunteer at their events in return for a chance to shadow them at work. Consider what you might learn from, say, working a tradeshow setup and floor:

• How loading docks work
• Union labor rules
• What kind of booth assembles quickly and easily
• Networking with exhibitors, conference planners, suppliers and venue
• Entertainment options as ‘attention grabbers’
• Tradeshow floor layouts
• What other conference components may take place alongside a tradeshow (general sessions, breakouts, evening events, exhibitor events etc.)
• Comfortable shoes are a must!

In addition to on-the-job training, volunteering is also a job search tactic. When an opening becomes available, the company will know you and you have already proved your dedication by working outside the payroll. Maybe not in this company – but don’t underestimate the value of networking. At the very least you will have a good reference from an established member of the industry. True, volunteering doesn’t ‘pay’, but don’t underestimate its value!

Look forward to hearing from you,

Q

Coming soon:  Volunteering Part II –  How to Find the Best Volunteer Opportunities