Volunteers develop skills
Employers can look favourably on valuable work for non-profit organisations
VOLUNTEERING is a great way to brush up your skills, it looks great on a resume, and is an opportunity to give back to your community.
Taking the time to work as a volunteer shows you’re interested enough in your chosen career path to do it for no financial reward (in the short term, of course), and it highlights to potential employers that you can put the needs of others ahead of your own.
It might be tough to make the time commitment, especially since it means working for no income, but the longer term rewards will be worth the sacrifice.
Many non-profit organisations rely on volunteers to keep their service viable.
So while you might be approaching volunteering as a professional or personal development exercise, don’t forget that you’re also having a positive impact on both the organisation and those who rely on its services.
Volunteering or work experience is ... useful for older workers or those who have been out of the workforce for several years.
Like volunteering, work experience is (usually) unpaid, but is a great way to get a foot in the door and build networks with the people who will hopefully be your future colleagues. Making a strong impression during work experience can often lead to job offers, and even if not, gives you a deeper understanding of the industry you’ve chosen to work in.
Think of it this way – studying is largely about getting book smart. To balance that with street smarts, you need experience. There’s a world of difference between learning and doing, and work experience or volunteering is one of the best ways to really get a feel for your chosen career.
Most universities encourage students to undertake work experience as part of their degree, and will award credit towards degrees for completing set periods of work experience.
Volunteering or work experience is particularly useful for older workers or those who have been out of the workforce for several years. If you fit either of those categories, you’ll likely notice big changes, particularly around technology and the role of IT in the workplace.
Volunteering gives you an opportunity to familiarise yourself with the workplace and its new features and functions, without the added pressure of having to do so in the first days and weeks of a new job, when you’ve got plenty of other processes and procedures to learn.