I tell my clients all the time that volunteering in the right capacity will get you working faster. Some scoff that they don’t have enough time because they are too busy searching for work. Some say that it doesn’t really work. Some believe that volunteering for their local Job Club is enough. I say: you’re wrong, and I’ll prove it.
The benefits of volunteering for your job search are endless:
- Prevents a gap from growing on your resume
- Provides extensive networking opportunities
- Supplies you with fresh professional references
- Updates your skills and teaches you new ones
- Helps your community and shows your compassionate side
- Gives you confidence in your abilities
- Allows you to gain experience in a new field, function, or industry
From the employer’s perspective, it shows that you are a go-getter who will do whatever it takes to succeed, that you’re self-motivated and kind, and that you are really passionate about what you do. All are desirable qualities in an employee.
The closer that your volunteer experience resembles the work you do (or want to do) the better of an experience it will provide you. You don’t have to stick to just one opportunity or make a huge time commitment. Giving 2 or 3 organizations a couple of hours a week only adds up to 4 to 6 hours weekly that you’ll be spending, and it is well worth the investment. Even a few hours a month can make an impact.
I asked around for people who have made this strategy work for them, and stories came pouring in immediately. Here are several examples of real-life stories on why volunteering works!
BOUNCE BACK FROM TIME OFF
Nina Greenwood took 3 years off from her career to focus on family and to re-evaluate her career, and then began looking for contract positions. “I was officially considered unemployed by some or a stay at home mom by others,” she says. Through the Taproot Foundation an organization that places professionals on volunteer consulting teams to handle projects pro-bono for non-profits, she ended up as Marketing Manager on a project to develop an annual report for Brighter Beginnings. She got to work alongside the Executive Director of the organization, and a couple of months later she was asked to join the company as their Marketing Manager, with the bonus of having a flexible schedule and the ability to work from home! Nina says, “I jumped at the opportunity because I was already sold on the value of the organization, liked the people, and the working conditions were great. Definitely a win-win.”
Bonnie Johnson was laid off in February for a period of 5 months, during which time she jumped into further service with We Care Foundation, a charity she had been on the Board of Directors for. She volunteered more heavily there, joined other volunteer groups, went to every networking & major social event in town, was selected to lobby her local state congress for one of her organizations, and joined every committee she was asked to. The network she cultivated grew exponentially and led to her being hired in July as Community Relations for Seven Hills Behavioral Institute whose Director was a major supporter of the charities she volunteered with. Bonnie says, “I was in my first round interview before he even looked at my resume. In my interview I barely talked about previous jobs. Instead it focused on my experience in the last 5 months of serving more hands on with the charity I serve on the board of, networking, lobbying, etc.”
WIN NEW CLIENTS & CONTRACTS
Joyce Friel started her own organizational development consulting practice, Peak Performance Consulting, in 2003 and gained one of her major clients by giving away $10,000 worth of organizational assessment services for the President of a large nonprofit foundation. They have now hired her on every year since then. Joyce says, “I have well over a 90% return on that investment not to mention the other referrals the other members of his staff have provided and the lifelong friendships it is yielding. It all boils down to relationships, high quality service and knowledgeable work.”
Christopher Francis began New Focal Media, a video production company, when he moved to San Diego from Indianapolis. He recently volunteered his video services to create a micro-documentary to raise awareness about a local homeless outreach in San Diego for a church ministry. The church liked the video so much that they've since hired him to create 6 more videos for them and continue to call him every week with a new paid job. Chris states, “Doing strategic volunteer work has been a large part of making connections that has lead to paid work. I've always thought that the best way to get hired to do the work you love is to do it for free in exchange for complete creative control. That way if people like it and connect with your vision, they will hire you to be yourself instead of someone trying to fulfill a job description.”
LAND A JOB
Renee Brown was unemployed after a contract assignment ended in March when she scoped out her local Craigslist volunteer section, and found that her old high school was recruiting volunteers to assist in its big homecoming event. She joined on and became an instant contributor, so much so that they hired her as a temporary Alumni Consultant in April and she is still working there today.
Kristofer “Luke” Bolz got a speeding ticket which landed him 23 hours of community service, and he decided to work it off running the front desk at his local Red Cross office because he thought it would be quick and easy. He says, “After a week or so, I really started paying attention to the stories people were telling me, and the lives that were being changed all around me. I literally fell in love with the organization, and started volunteering 80 hours a week or more (while going to school full time) because I knew I was making a difference.” When a resignation came in for Director of Volunteer Services, Luke was the first to apply. He’s now the Director of Volunteer Services for the Greater Ozarks Chapter of the American Red Cross.
Many people aren’t aware of it, but when I moved to California from Massachusetts I got my first job here as a Job Center Manager because I walked into my local library and asked if I could volunteer to provide career advising services. Interestingly enough, they had a position open for months that was a perfect fit for me, and I got the job. I may have never known about it if I didn’t ask to volunteer!
Interested in volunteering? Try these resources:
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Comments
Amen to that. Laid off 4+ months ago. Volunteered for Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation 5 weeks ago. It's working.
I second that sentiment (or is it third?)
I started writing a blog to highlight nonprofit organizations in Chicago. I am a nonprofit professional and it has provided great structure to my job search. Organizations have enthusiastically welcomed me to interview them and I was even interviewed by OpEd News because of the blog. You will find it on blogspot at npoingenuity. (Not allowed to post a link.) I would love to hear from people-suggest interesting nonprofits for me to interview!
I am also working on monthly organized volunteer opportunities for job seekers in Chicago. Everyone has a little extra time when unemployed. So we will make it easy. Perhaps the Examiner would help promote? We are aiming for the first event in November.
As a Career Coach, I've been saying this very thing for 15 years. It is even more important now with the current economic situation and the high rate of unemployment. I, myself started in this business, after a full-length career in another-unconnected field, by volunteering. Even though my volunteer time didn't lead to immediate work as an employment counselor, the employer actively and aggressively recruited me away from my chosen career. Now I've had a 2nd career for over 15 years thanks to about 4 months of part-time volunteering.
Try volunteering at your local One-Stop Career Center or State Employment Services office. What better place to spend some time than right where all the jobs come through. You'll be one of the first to know about every new job that comes along.
You can find links, contact info and addresses for any State One-Stop or Employment Office at: careeronestop.com. Click on "STATE JOB BANKS"
Best of Luck
I have gotten several jobs in my past by volunteering. I am
currently volunteering at a position which became open and a paid
position. The funny thing is is that my unemployment pays my bills
and the salary for the "newly opened" position was half of my
unemployment check. So financial suicide to apply for the job
that I was volunteering for. Be aware this may happen when you
volunteer. Be clear with yourself why you are volunteering. Set
a goal. It works. I love being helpful and active and being around
people.
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