A recent new article sparked a thought in me that I’ve always believed to be true:
Volunteering not only opens the doors for the people you help, but it can open doors for you as well.
The article, located at boston.com, reports that volunteering is turning in to a win-win situation for many people. While not everyone is finding a dream job through their volunteering activities, they are learning valuable skills that they can take back into the workplace when they do find a job that’s right for them. 
The non-profit sector is always in need of caring individuals to help make a difference in communities and in the lives of others. As someone who’s familiar with the business end of charities and not-for-profit business, you already know how important the generosity of others is to communities and individuals. But as the article reads, volunteering time benefits you as well.
Among the benefits:
New skills you can put to use in your job search
New connections and contacts through the people you meet. Any one of these could be job lead down the road.
A structured day similar to keeping working hours
Reconnecting with your community and learning about its needs
Staying on top of current trends in the non-profit sector
A chance to see the other side of non-profit business and how you can apply your knowledge of the needs and services to the community in your next job
Volunteering has changed in the last ten years. It’s no longer restricted to helping in soup kitchens and passing out blankets and sandwiches to the hungry. Many people now consider themselves professional volunteers as they have made it their business to help others. They sit on committees and help implement new programs. They work with government to keep families and kids safe. They are former Directors, CEOs and everyone in between.
Becoming a professional volunteer is one way to keep your skills sharp, but more than that, it’s providing services where they are in dire need. As Karen Alphonse mentions in Job Search: Creativity, Clarity, Competence and Contacts, harness the power of volunteering, and
“Identify five or more organizations of interest to you and pick one or two which you can serve as an advisor, mentor, board member or volunteer”
While most people don’t start volunteering as a way to advance their careers, there is a chance that by using your existing skills to help others, you could find your next job. If you do choose to volunteer while you’re pursuing a job search, take the experience for what it is; a way to put others ahead of yourself. Who knows what amazing possibilities could come your way from it.
image credit: stock.xchng
Last updated on July 29th, 2009 at 05:22 pm
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Volunteer work is definitely a good thing, as it’s both giving and taking (experience).
Being Dutch I find it hard sometimes to find volunteer work or just a job abroad. There are too little websites around that can properly help you find a job in a particular country.
Monster.com is not that bad but could still use some improvement in my opnion. I found this one called Jobs Abroad or something (I looked it up, it’s http://www.searchjobsabroad.com/International-jobs) which is not that bad, but still too widespread for me.
I definitely agree with the fact that the importance of the non-profit sector is bigger than most people think, though.
Excellent post! I can attest to the fact that volunteering does indeed create new opportunities and leads for jobs. I volunteer my time with a number of organizations – JobAngels, US Marine Corps’ Marine for Life and Wounded Warriors programs, CareerRenewal, TLA, ITEAC and others – where I not only assist with their technology and marketing strategies, but also train and mentor others in their job search skills. In this way, I hear from many individuals how their own volunteer efforts have led them to new interviews and even new jobs that they wouldn’t have known about otherwise.
Further, many hiring firms are actively looking for individuals who volunteer to help others, as this is a strong indicator of an empathetic team player.
Even if you are a job seeker yourself, organizations like JobAngels need volunteer mentors who can help others with what job search knowledge you already have!
Mark Cummuta
Blog: CIO Job Search: A Real Life Chronicle
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/MarkCummuta
Twitter: http://www/twitter.com/triumphcio/
I can only recommend 2 activities while in your career transition – continuing education and volunteer work.
Based on my experience, these 2 have been a good addition to job seekers’ resume in the eyes of recruiters.
Two resources I recommend for getting involved with nonprofits on a volunteer basis are VolunteerMatch.org and boardnetUSA.org.