Dynamic Happenings

How Volunteering Can Help You Get a Job?

Ever thought of volunteering at your neighborhood church, giving a helping
hand to the local NGO, making a contribution to the homeless shelter,
or being a part of a fund-raiser? If you didn’t, here are a few good reasons why
you should consider it. Not only does it build good karma, but can also add value
to your job profile.

A majority of job seekers do not list their volunteer efforts on their resume, thinking it won’t make any difference to their work experience. It’s a misconception. You might overlook the value of volunteering as a professional pursuit but the employers see it very differently.

Here’s how volunteer work can be a key factor to help you get your next job.

1.    Include Volunteer Work with Professional Experience

Experts say that paid or unpaid, volunteer experience can be included in the total work experience on your CV. When a candidate volunteers to manage a non-profit event and handles the planning and marketing, he can present it as a real job with a relevant job title.

2.    Add Value to Your Portfolio

The skills used for volunteer work are weighed equally as for any other professional work.  If you have good experience in managing people, the recruiters will take it as valuable add-on when you apply for a related job.

3.    Expand Your Network

You get to expand your personal and professional networks. You may not gain that much on the pay scale but you can build a huge network of references and connections. This can come handy if you are setting up your startup or starting out fresh on a job hunt.

How Do Employers See It?

Whether you are an unemployed candidate or employed candidate, taking out time from your regular working hours or on weekends to volunteer can add valuable skills to your portfolio. When you get associated with a cause such as helping poor people, saving the environment, supporting non-profit groups and clubs and readily devote your time and energy, the employer infers that you will show the same commitment to achieving their company’s mission.

Keep in Mind

While it’s important for employers to get a full picture of your professional attitude and aptitude, be careful not to mention all your volunteering activities in the past. Rather, you should select and highlight those activities that are relevant to the job profile or those activities where you made a difference and got recognized. Simply put, it should serve a purpose of giving you a competitive edge over other candidates.