Volunteering is often seen as an altruistic activity in which an individual, group, or institution gives services with no social or financial benefit in mind. Individuals frequently consider volunteering to assist a non-profit organization in achieving its aims or to offer assistance to people in the local community.
While these activities are vital, volunteering may have a significant impact on your professional growth, especially if you are a graduate student.
Volunteering may have a significant influence on your professional development. Volunteer work has several advantages, ranging from highlighting your work ethic on your CV to assisting your community.
Aside from graduate courses and scholarship options, the following are seven advantages of volunteering/community service for professional advancement.
1. Volunteering Can Help You Build Your CV;
Humanitarian work provides you valuable experience to add to your CV, especially if you are just starting out in your career and are still developing a solid work understanding. If you are a recent graduate or intend to change fields, it might be difficult to find work without being recruited. In any case, volunteering may help you build your job experience in a certain sector or function and demonstrate to potential employers that, despite a limited or no professional background, you have volunteer experience that can be utilized.
2. You Have The Option Of Expanding Your Network;
Another advantage of volunteering is the opportunity to network with others in order to build new professional contacts, learn about new job openings, and get information about various community groups that can lead to employment development. Whatever you volunteer for, you may broaden your network to include experts who may one day be able to help you with your job hunt.
3. Volunteering Might Help You Avoid Gaps In Your Employment History;
When job seekers have significant work gaps on their resumes, employers appear to prefer other applicants who have few or no employment gaps on their portfolios. Volunteering throughout career transitions might provide you with something to put on your resume if you have been out of work for a while or are just starting out.
For example, a student in school can volunteer with organizations in their fields of study to earn useful experience that they can showcase upon graduation and beginning their jobs. Similarly, a stay-at-home parent may choose to volunteer with non-governmental groups in order to maintain and build employable skills.
4. You Have The Ability To Acquire And Use New Talents And Skills;
Volunteering can also help you gain new skills, especially if you are changing careers or enrolled in a certification program.
Before making a complete career change or enrolling in a two-year post-graduate degree program, you may utilize volunteering to understand what it’s like to work in a certain capacity and the skills you’ll need to succeed. Volunteering may be an excellent approach to see whether you truly love working in a certain job before attempting to change careers.
5. Volunteering Can Help You Gain Career Confidence;
Volunteering not only allows you to acquire new skills and give back to society, but it may also help you gain confidence in a professional situation. Finally, by properly using new abilities, you may boost your confidence while approaching future professional settings such as job interviews, career fairs, or networking events.
6. You Can Demonstrate Your Suitability For Available Roles;
Volunteering necessitates persons who are diligent, honest, and considerate of others. These characteristics might make volunteers appealing to companies that are looking for devoted employees who can fit into their company’s culture. A potential employer, for example, may be interested in your CV because of your volunteer work in a library, where you may have honed your customer service abilities. This can demonstrate your capacity to work with the public professionally and ethically, as well as your dedication and hard work.
7. Volunteering Might Help You Prepare For A New Job Or Career;
Volunteering is an excellent approach to making a job shift. Volunteering in a leadership role can help you build important abilities that will allow you to demonstrate your ability to take on a managing job.
Serving on a board of directors, assisting in the recruitment and training of new volunteers, and planning community events are some other methods to earn leadership experience as a volunteer.
The methods and duties associated with leadership volunteering can provide you with significant experience in planning, leading, and evaluating a team.
In conclusion, regardless of how you look at it, volunteering experience is critical for every graduate. You are not just benefiting people or society, but you are also benefiting yourself. Encourage yourself and your friends to participate in volunteer opportunities as the need arises. It’s a worthwhile adventure.