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“Be of service. Whether you make yourself available to a
friend or co-worker, or you make time every month to do volunteer work, there
is nothing that harvests more of a feeling of empowerment than being of service
to someone in need.” - Gillian Anderson
It always pays to extend a helping hand to those in need.
There are, of course, the obvious benefits that charity does to the donor: the
feeling of accomplishment, a sense of purpose, and that joyful emotion you
experience when you share your blessings to others.
Now add “boosts hiring chances” to the list of its benefits.
According to a survey conducted by The Corporation for National and Community
Service—a federal agency that promotes volunteerism in the US—those who volunteer
have a 27% better chance of getting hired than those who don’t.
There are many factors behind this statistic. Let us show
you the hows and whys:
1. Teaches you new and transferrable work skills
Looking to gain work experience while unemployed and looking
for a job? It sounds like a paradox but it’s a problem that’s easily solved by
volunteering. It’s a great way for the unemployed to gain skills that will help
them gain employment in the future.
It’s a common misconception amongst job seekers that an
unpaid working gig doesn’t qualify as a real work experience and can’t be used
to fill a resume. However, many of the tasks you do while doing volunteer work
are transferrable when looking for paid work.
Take for example a volunteer job for a non-profit
environmental group where you were asked to promote one of their fund raising
events. For this role you may be asked to write press releases or seek out
sponsorships. Those experiences can then
be used to boost your hiring chances, most especially if you’re going after
jobs in the Marketing and Communication fields.
2. Presents you as an attractive hire for recruiters
In the job hunting game, those who are employed have the
edge over those who are unemployed. That’s why we always advise job seekers to
stay with their employers and resign only when they’ve found a new job. Sara Menke, the founder of a boutique
staffing firm in San Francisco, US agrees. “Companies want to hire the best of
the best and [those people] are usually employed,” she said.
But there are things in life that are unavoidable and there
may be instances where quitting is the better option even before you’ve found a
new job. In those cases, volunteering can help bridge the gap between jobs.
While you may not be earning for the work you do during this time, the skills
and experience you gain can help you earn meaningful employment in the future.
Likewise, a potential employer will also see a candidate who
does volunteer work as conscientious—a worthy trait that’s highly prized by
hirers and managers. They go for people who can show that they’re hard working
and motivated, and doing volunteer work accomplishes that.
3. Helps you grow your network
Networking while job hunting puts you as a more competitive
candidate ahead of your fellow job seekers, and volunteering allows you to do
that and more. Because most charity work requires you to work alongside people,
you’re suddenly given a ton of potential connections and references.
Nervous about going up to people? Let your work speak for
you. Do your job well and go the extra mile if you can. You might just get
hired for a permanent paid post if they like your performance. At the very
least, you can earn yourself several references who can vouch for the good work
you’ve done for the organization. Finally, building good relationships with the
people you work with will help you go far in your career, so work hard and be a
team player—be a person that people would want to work with.
4. Allows you to explore careers and roles
Do you find yourself wanting to make a career change but
confused over which path to take? Volunteering can help you explore different
roles for different industries and fields.
Unlike in a regular office or corporate setting where your
role is pretty much defined from day one, non-profits or non-government
organizations that take in volunteers allow for more flexibility in job
assignments or tasks. It’s not unheard of, for example, for top industry
players or celebrities to work alongside student volunteers building homes for
the poor. Your role is not defined by your educational background, age, gender
or status in life. Just as long as you have something to contribute to the
cause then there’s no limit to what you can do.
In a way it’s a form of exploring without doing the actual
act of job hopping—which is a less risky way to try out different roles.
5. Brings back a sense of purpose to long-time job hunters
Everyone who’s been out of work knows that the period
in-between jobs can be demoralizing for even the strongest of spirits. We
always stress the importance of having confidence and optimism to succeed at
job hunting, but when you’ve been out of work for so long those positive
feelings can be hard to come by.
That’s where the value of volunteering comes the most needed
in these trying times. Doing good deeds feels good for the soul, and it’s been
proven by science. Knowing we are able to help out our fellow men can
reinvigorate our spirits—the so-called “helper’s high”—resulting to less
stress, a renewed sense of worth and a more positive outlook.
Nancy Collamer of Forbes relates the story of a former
volunteer who shared how volunteering helped him feel good about himself again.
During a job search support group session, a member with volunteer experience
in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) said: “I’ve been unemployed for a year and
I’m feeling very discouraged. The one thing that has kept me sane is my volunteer
job with EMS. I volunteer once a week and when I’m out in that ambulance, I’m
just like everyone else. My services are needed and I’m able to make a
difference. Seeing someone lying on a stretcher reminds me that my life isn’t
so bad after all. I always feel better about myself after I volunteer.”
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