What is a volunteer?
A volunteer is someone who voluntarily contributes their time, labor, and expertise to a business, organization, or cause, without the expectation of monetary compensation. Volunteers often work for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) where they typically receive training and report to senior staff. Volunteering isn’t just an activity for the financially stable or retirees, it’s becoming more popular with both college students and alumni. Volunteering offers many career benefits and is viewed very favorably by potential employers, so it’s time to seriously consider volunteering.
Although their services are not paid immediately, volunteers gain valuable experience by completing their duties which are done in a variety of settings. People can volunteer in offices, religious groups, places of worship, political campaigns, emergency shelters, and more.
What are the benefits of volunteering?
A great feeling of worthiness
Surely it cannot be denied that providing help and working for a cause is uniquely satisfying and rewarding. You just know that you are making a difference by contributing to society. Your self-esteem and confidence will be boosted and you will feel awesome!
Keep yourself busy and stay positive
There’s nothing worse than being idle, having nothing worthwhile to do. With nowhere to go and nothing to do, many are in danger of having dull unexercised minds and engaging in uncomely activities such as taking drugs. Writing resumes, making applications, and waiting won’t give you the best interview experience. Volunteering is a great way of waiting for responses from your applications while you stay engaged, connect with others, and maintain a sense of purpose.
Work experience
On almost every vacancy post you see, one of the most important requirements is relevant hands-on experience. It’s a critical screening tactic used by employers to get the best person for the position. If the barrier between where you are and where you want to be is a lack of hands-on experience, volunteering is the perfect way to bridge that gap. Don’t expect recruiting companies to change their hiring criteria. Fit yourself into their criteria and increase your chances of landing your dream job.
Explore different opportunities
Volunteering allows you to try different roles in different industries and settings and get a better idea of what kind of career you want to pursue. Most volunteer opportunities do not require a long-term commitment, so you will be free to explore and move freely from one opportunity to another. During that process, you will discover more of what you like and match it with what’s available out there. Exposure opens up your possibilities.
Transferable skills
Beef up your resume with the professional skills you’ve developed through volunteering. Examples include teamwork, problem-solving, coping with pressure, prioritizing tasks, and taking initiative, all of which are applicable in any environment. Even better, volunteer in the field you want to work in and acquire industry-specific skills such as working with important computer programs or understanding industry terminology.
Show passion
Volunteers usually work for organizations and cause that are close to their hearts. Their passion which is an innate quality that cannot be taught is quickly ignited. Passion is very attractive to organizations because passionate people empower the whole team and tend to stay on the ball when the going gets tough.
References
When writing your resume, it’s important to be able to set yourself high above others. Volunteering will provide you with some great references who will not hesitate to recommend you as an employee.
Networking
Working as a volunteer puts you in the best position to network more broadly, both within your organization and in your industry. It is through relevant networks that you will come across your dream job. Make career connections and connect with as many different people and organizations as possible. You never know when or how those connections will be of help.
Impress future employers
All volunteer experience will be assessed positively during the interview. Working for no financial gain demonstrates your passion, determination, drive, and initiative, in your field giving you an edge over other candidates.
Broaden your skill-set
Many volunteer organizations are small and have limited resources. Therefore, they rely heavily on the participation and contribution of individuals whenever possible. This means that volunteers find opportunities to take on responsibilities and roles that are outside their expertise. By learning and developing a broad set of skills you develop your career faster than in a regular paid job. This puts you a step ahead of your peers when you finally secure a paid job.
Conclusion
While volunteering does not pay you financially, it however provides an appropriate platform for you to make a big leap into your dream job. The joy of helping those less fortunate than ourselves is one of the greatest benefits of volunteering.
Volunteering is also a great way to gain skills and experience in a field that can enhance your resume. Being a volunteer is a valuable and rewarding experience where you learn important skills. Since you are not being rewarded, there is little to no risk, so organizations and companies are more likely to give you the opportunity to learn and hone these skills. Getting a job is often difficult without relevant experience. Volunteering also shows that you do not only think about making money, showing a lack of self-interest.
You can also read:
7 Best Job Search Strategies for college students and recent graduates.
