Each year, SCORE counselors touch thousands of lives, generously sharing their knowledge and experience so that entrepreneurs can realize their dreams of business success. If you want to share your business expertise, give back to your community, gain satisfaction from seeing others succeed and connect with the like-minded people, consider volunteering with SCORE.

Nationwide 10,500 men and women in 389 SCORE offices, retired and working, donate their time and talent to assist America's entrepreneurs. At SCORE Orange County, volunteers provide confidential one-to-one and team business counseling and low-cost entrepreneurial training workshops and seminars. In addition, many counselors are virtual volunteers, providing online counseling directly from their home or offices.

Counselors come from a variety of occupations and backgrounds. Many volunteer counselors owned small businesses for years while others have worked for Fortune 500 firms. Counselors share a belief that small business owners are more likely to succeed if they have a business mentor to guide them.

Make SCORE Your First Choice in Volunteerism.

We currently are seeking new members to complement our current team of over 90 volunteers. Today, we have a wide diversity in the background of our membership and how they choose to contribute to our mission; but, a significant percentage of our counselors are focused primarily on helping aspiring entrepreneurs develop their business plans and launch their first business, Therefore, we are especially interested in complementing these skills with volunteers that have the following profiles.

Finance and Accounting Counselors
We are looking for individuals with financial / accounting backgrounds that are willing to provide assistance to our clients who need help in developing Cash Flows and Projected P&L data for their Business Plans. Experience with QuickBooks would be an asset.

Women Counselors
We need more women in a number of areas who have owned their own business or who have been senior managers in order for our membership to be more representative of the current business environment.

"Cyber Counselors"
Cyber counselors are individuals who counsel clients through email exchanges throughout the US. Currently, our local chapter members create about 800 email exchanges per month. This is our fastest growing area of service.

Advisory Boards
This is a non-cost service for CEO's or founders of existing small businesses who desire ongoing mentoring and business advice from a SCORE advisor usually at the client's headquarters location. The primary advisor is assigned to an Advisory Board client based on their major business opportunities and they will complement their skills with other SCORE counselors are required.

Market Development
We are interested in counselors that can develop new client markets for SCORE Orange County. This person champions an incremental market (often a vertical industry) by creating an overall plan, attracting an initial client based and, helping to build up a complement of our chapter's volunteers to address the needs of this market.

Internet Marketing and High Tech Counselors
We need more counselors that can assist start-up and existing high tech businesses as well as counselors that can help existing businesses across industries maximize their internet investments.

Website Development / Maintenance
Individuals who have high levels of technical skills creating and maintaining websites with active server pages (ASP), and/or database backgrounds using Microsoft Access, and/or Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS) software.

Workshop Presenters or Facilitators and, Guest Speakers
Individuals interested in assisting with or presenting regularly scheduled workshops on business subjects or, as a guest speaker at local organizations. Knowledge of Microsoft PowerPoint is desired.

Counseling Coordinators
Individuals who prescreen clients and schedule appointments with appropriate counselors in our Santa Ana office or at satellite locations.

Spanish and Asian Speaking Counselors
We continue to need second language counselors to service clients who are not proficient in English.

Retired Attorneys
Individuals with legal backgrounds. We do not provide legal advice to clients, but we assist them in finding and selecting an attorney, and in finding legal resources. We presently have one retired attorney member who needs assistance.

Marketing Committee - Public Relations
Our marketing Committee is seeking someone that can assist with our chapter's PR efforts.

Marketing Committee - Fundraising
Our chapter has recently begun a program to complement the funding that we receive from the SBA of through workshop fees by establishing a formal sponsorship program.

Various Committee Leadership Positions and Special Events Coordinator

We recommend that you begin by downloading the Cover Letter and Supplemental Questionnaire, Membership Application and Code of Ethics (all in PDF format) and follow the instructions in the included cover letter. Or, if you have any questions, please e-mail us at Information@score114.org or, call our office at 714-550-7369 and leave a message for our membership coordinator to call you.

After you apply, you will have the opportunity to get to know the local SCORE chapter by meeting with our membership coordinator and other counselors as well as attending a monthly chapter meeting. You will then be asked to participate in a short interview process where you and SCORE can ensure that there is a good fit. Once a chapter admits you as a volunteer, you will be invited to participate in SCORE's volunteer orientation and training program. You will have a chance to learn more about SCORE's services, goals and leadership opportunities. All business counselors honor a code of ethics that ensures client confidentiality and professional conduct.

Do I Have To Be Retired To Join SCORE?
No. Both retired and working professionals are welcome in SCORE, provided that no SCORE member may provide services to our small business clients for monetary consideration.

Why Do I Need To Meet With The Membership Coordinator And/Or Other Members Of The Membership Committee?
Before you begin the membership process, we want you to have the opportunity to learn more about SCORE and what is required from our members.  For example, on average our members provide over 100 hours of volunteer service per year.  We want all of our members to be active, attend monthly chapter meetings, and find SCORE personally satisfying.

The initial meeting, typically over lunch or coffee, provides an informal process to ask questions and exchange information about what SCORE does and what we expect from our members.  This allows you, the prospective member, do decide whether on not SCORE can meet your volunteer expectations.

Why Does SCORE Interview Candidates Before Accepting Members?
Transferring business skills into counseling and mentoring situation requires different and additional skills than a business owner or manager may have used. The interviewing process permits both SCORE and the applicant to see if there is a good fit.

Why Do New SCORE Members Participate In A Training Program?
The orientation and training program permits the new member to understand SCORE's mission, services, and opportunities with the organization. The Counselor Professional Development Program provides guidance on how to be a good business counselor and how to develop good listening, interviewing and problem-solving habits. Also, the training process is an excellent opportunity to become familiar with your fellow volunteers as we often refer clients to each other for specific skills, contacts or backgrounds.