Volunteering is a rewarding way to gain experience, self-confidence and connections all while giving back to the community. Volunteering is multifaceted as it includes working with people of all ages, corporations, and organizations of all sizes. The work may include organizational skills, interpersonal skills, construction, and may involve travel when desired. Volunteering creates exposure and sparks career interest, builds your resume, and deters you from choosing the wrong career. For laid off workers especially, volunteer work provides a purpose and a productive activity that both offers experience and is gratifying.
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to read about firsthand experiences of volunteers who found hope after being laid off.
Businesses are aware that it is becoming an ever increasing difficulty to find steady work. When examining resumes they may focus in on volunteering experience, especially if you have not recently held a paid position. There are key characteristics an employer may look for in volunteering experience such as:
Leadership Experience
Employers may ask what you gained during your experience. They may focus on any leadership experience. Did you create a program? Lead other people? Organize an event?
People Skills
Volunteer experience often requires a person to make sacrifices and consider the needs of others. Many volunteers work with at-risk persons, requiring sensitivity to needs and feelings of others. Employers consider who you volunteered with. Did you have to work with others? Did you have to collaborate with other volunteers or with individuals?
Personality Factors
Every business wants to find a personality for their work place that will be productive and work well with others. Businesses are also looking for someone who is assertive. Your volunteer experience may reveal that you are a person who can work in any situation and work with many different individuals.
Group Mindedness
Volunteers typically work in groups. You may have volunteered with people you know, such as church groups or friends. You may have been challenged to meet new people who would come and go. Volunteers work with organizations that support causes they believe in. The most important aspect of volunteering is working as a team to see goals met. Employers may take note of how long you stayed with one organization to find how dedicated you were to the goal. Were you able to work with others to achieve your goals?
Each person brings a different background experience to every job interview. Including experiences that reveal unique skills and qualities on your resume will set you apart from competitors. Different volunteering experiences reveal a great deal about a person such as: interests, goals, and skills. With a variety of volunteering experiences employers will see you as a well rounded individual. Volunteer experience is productive experience, which merits its own section of a resume. Do not use "Volunteer" as a job title, but rather use the actual job you did as the title. Your title often serves to describe the work you did. Job applicants often minimize their volunteer experience when compiling their resumes. In your description of the work you did you may include what was learned and the different leadership roles you filled. To find more information about what to include in the volunteer experience section of your resume click here .
While volunteering does not typically offer a paycheck, volunteers may receive tax credits for volunteering costs. Travel expenses such as gas, meals, lodging and transportation may be deducted so long as they are strictly volunteer related. Follow this link to find out what tax deductions apply to volunteering.
There are some key factors to consider when developing your plan:
- Determine your purpose for volunteering.
- Decide on the goals are you hoping to achieve through volunteering.
- Based on your goals, what are some potential volunteer sites?
- Learn about the vision of potential volunteer sites to find one that matches your own.
- Contact potential volunteer sites to arrange a meeting or interview.
- Find out what will be involved and expected of you during your volunteer time.
- Determine a schedule you can stick to, and decide how long you plan to stay with the organization.
Important: Once you determine a schedule for volunteering, treat it like a work schedule. Be consistent and be sure to call in advance to make any changes. Remember, the longer you volunteer in one place the more connections you make and the more you accomplish.
There are volunteer opportunities for every age, but most programs are offered to people age 16 and older. Elementary-aged or middle school-aged students interested in volunteering may need the assistance of a parent or other adult. Organizations are increasingly including children and teenagers. You should always contact an organization before you go in order to find out what you can do for them.