How volunteering can boost your career
There are a lot of personal benefits you can gain from a volunteering experience. It can give you a new perspective, you can make new friends, gain a sense of accomplishment and generally become happier. Volunteering can help fulfil you and it is a powerful way to stimulate personal growth and increase self-worth.
But a volunteer experience can also boost your professional development. Have you ever heard of a company seeing charity work on a resume and complaining? Absolutely not! Volunteering can add depth to a resume and it really can be the thing that makes you stand out from the rest of the crowd.
If you’re on the hunt for your dream job or looking to put yourself ahead of the game, we have one word for you: volunteering.
Volunteer experience can often be professional experience and most employers want people with a bit of hands-on work up their sleeve. It shows an employer that you are able to make a commitment and complete tasks on time. It also highlights that you are willing to do more even when there is nothing tangible in it for you. So, not only will you look qualified, but also diligent.
Nowadays, businesses have very strong values around social responsibility. What better way to show your involvement then sustainable community work! Potential candidates that have volunteered are most definitely going to shine because it will show they have passion and are community-minded.
Volunteering your time can also prove that you are willing and want to learn new skills or possibly build on the skills you already possess. Maybe you’re not so great in a team environment? Well, volunteering can definitely help you better this skill.
With that being said, volunteering also helps you expand your network. Your “network” is made up of all the people you know as well as all the people that they know. Volunteer experiences offer you a chance to meet new and possibly like-minded people. We would recommend you to get everyone's socials and contact information while you volunteer. Sometimes it’s the people you know that can help get you to where you need to go.
Volunteering is mutually beneficial. By helping others around you, you too have the chance to not only boost your well-being but your professional growth. When it comes to volunteering, a little bit of passion and a dash of positivity is all you need. Take your career in the right direction and sign up to volunteer today!
This article was written by Sarah Dean, Student Engagement Officer at Challenges Abroad and Volunteer Alumnus.