Before the Interview
A volunteer interview is a placement conversation, not a job interview. You want to know whether the person will show up, fit the role you have open, treat guests well and follow the rules that keep everyone safe. Write the role down first, ideally with the volunteer job description template, collect availability on your volunteer sign-up sheet, and then match the depth of screening to the risk of the role.
| Role | Examples | Typical screening |
|---|---|---|
| General, one shift | Wayfinding, parking, setup crew, info table | Sign-up form and a 10-minute chat or group briefing |
| Handles money or tickets | Cash box, raffle sales, merch, entry gate | Interview, one reference, cash-handling rules signed |
| Works with minors or vulnerable adults | Kids zone, school event, youth sports, care settings | Interview, references and a background check per your policy and local law |
| Leads others | Shift captain, zone lead, volunteer desk lead | Longer interview, references, a walk-through of the site |
| Specialist | First aid, interpreter, driver, AV | Check the credential or licence the role needs |
Motivation Questions
- What made you want to volunteer with us for this event?
- Have you attended this event or one like it before? What stood out?
- What do you hope to get out of volunteering with us?
- Which part of our mission or this event matters most to you?
- Have you volunteered before? Tell me about a role you enjoyed.
- Is there a role you would rather not do, and why?
Availability and Commitment Questions
- Which dates and shifts can you commit to right now?
- Can you attend the training or orientation session before the event?
- How will you get to the venue, and do you need parking or transit information?
- Are you able to stay to the end of a shift if the event runs late?
- Is there anything that could pull you away during your shift that we should plan around?
- Would you be open to a backup or on-call shift?
- How do you prefer we contact you before the event and on the day?
Role Fit Questions
- This role involves standing for most of a four-hour shift and lifting boxes up to a set weight. Can you do that, with or without an accommodation?
- What experience do you have that fits this role?
- Have you handled cash, a card reader or ticket scanning before?
- Are you comfortable using a phone app or radio to check in with your lead?
- Do you speak any languages that would help us with guests?
- Would you prefer a role facing the public or one behind the scenes?
- Do you hold any certifications we should know about, such as first aid or food handling?
- Is there a skill you'd like to use or learn while volunteering with us?
People and Guest Service Questions
- Tell me about a time you helped someone who was confused or lost.
- How would you greet a guest who arrives frustrated about parking?
- A guest asks something you don't know. What do you say?
- How do you keep a friendly tone when you've said the same thing a hundred times?
- How would you help a guest who uses a wheelchair find an accessible entrance?
- Tell me about working with people whose background is very different from yours.
- How would you handle a guest who refuses to follow a rule, such as a bag check?
Scenario and Pressure Questions
- The line at your gate is 50 people deep and your scanner stops working. What do you do first?
- A child tells you they can't find their parent. Walk me through your next steps.
- You notice a spill or trip hazard in a busy aisle. What do you do?
- Your shift lead gives you an instruction that conflicts with what a guest was told earlier. How do you handle it?
- Weather turns and the event goes on hold. Guests ask you what is happening. What do you say?
- Another volunteer leaves their post without telling anyone. What do you do?
- Someone offers you money to skip the entry line. How do you respond?
- Tell me about a time things went wrong at an event or job and how you reacted.
Reliability and Teamwork Questions
- If you couldn't make a shift, what would you do and how much notice would you give?
- How do you make sure you arrive on time for an early start?
- Tell me about a time you worked on a team with people you just met.
- How do you like to receive feedback during a busy shift?
- Would you be interested in leading a small team at a future event?
- Who could we contact as a reference for your reliability?
Safety and Policy Questions
- This role requires a background check under our policy. Are you comfortable completing one?
- Have you read our volunteer code of conduct, and do you have any questions about it?
- Are you comfortable following our rules on never being alone with a minor?
- Do you agree to our photo and social media rules for volunteers?
- Are you comfortable following our cash-handling rules, including two people counting together?
- Do you know what to do and whom to call if you see something unsafe?
Closing Questions
- What questions do you have about the role or the event?
- Is there anything we should know to make this a good experience for you?
- Would you like to bring a friend or family member to volunteer with you?
- If we can't place you in this role, would you consider another one?
What a Good Answer Sounds Like
| Topic | A strong answer | Worth a follow-up |
|---|---|---|
| Motivation | Names something specific about the cause or event | Only needs service hours, with no interest in the role |
| Availability | Gives exact dates and shifts and mentions training | "I'll try to make it" for every date |
| Role fit | Links a past experience to the tasks you described | Wants a different role than the one open |
| Guest service | Stays calm, listens, then points to a person or place that can help | Argues the rule or guesses an answer |
| Scenarios | Keeps people safe first, then tells a lead | Leaves the post or handles a safety issue alone |
| Reliability | Says they would text the lead early and suggest a swap | Would just not show up |
| Safety and policy | Accepts the rules and asks a sensible question | Pushes back on a check or a two-person rule |
Volunteer Interview Scoring Sheet
Copy this into a doc or form and fill one in per candidate during or right after the call. A 1 to 3 scale is common practice for volunteer screening: it's quick and hard to overthink.
Questions to Avoid
Keep questions about the role, not the person's identity or private life. Rules differ by country, state and organization type, so check your policy and ask your HR or legal adviser if you are unsure.
| Avoid asking | Ask instead |
|---|---|
| How old are you? | This role requires volunteers to be at least 18 (or your policy minimum). Do you meet that? |
| Do you have any disabilities or health conditions? | Can you do the tasks of this role, with or without an accommodation? |
| Do you have kids, or are you planning to? | Can you commit to the shifts on these dates? |
| What church do you go to, or which holidays do you observe? | Are there any of these dates you can't make? |
| Where are you originally from? | Which languages do you speak that could help guests? |
| Are you married? What does your partner do? | Who should we contact in an emergency on event day? |
After the Interview
- 1
Confirm placement quickly
Decide within a day or two and tell each candidate their role and shifts in writing, or thank them if you can't place them now.
- 2
Finish the policy steps
Collect consent, references and any required checks before the person's first shift, and record when each was done.
- 3
Schedule orientation
Book them into training and send the briefing pack from the volunteer orientation template.
- 4
Check you have enough people
Check your headcount against the shifts with the event volunteer calculator and recruit a few extra for no-shows.
- 5
Close the loop
After the event, thank people properly; the volunteer appreciation ideas list has options for every budget.