Volunteer Jobs: The Icing on Your Career Cake

A job that pays well is always enticing; however, people are increasingly looking for volunteer jobs to make their career growth healthier. Read on to find out some of the benefits of picking a volunteer position in for-profit or non-profit organizations.

• Volunteer Jobs Strengthen Your Resume
  

A volunteer position in your resume always has a positive impact on your prospective employer. It shows that you have a sense of respect for the community and also a desire to give something back.

• Volunteer Jobs Provide Corporate Exposure

Volunteer jobs in both profit-based and non-profit institutions provide an opportunity to meet corporate biggies. Business leaders notice volunteers who make a difference in society. You always have a chance to get recruited by a large company if your work is appreciated universally.

• Volunteer Jobs Help Build Networking

A volunteer who works at a number of places tends to grow a network of like-minded individuals. Volunteer jobs help you expand your network of professional contacts, which is beneficial for your career.

• Volunteer Jobs Help Build Trust with Your Prospective Employer

It would be a good idea to look for volunteer jobs in the industry of your liking. In the event that the company decides to hire people, you may be among the first ones to know. The fact that companies prefer to hire internally will be advantageous to you. Even if you do not get a job where you volunteer, you can always get an excellent letter of recommendation.

• Volunteer Jobs Build Professional Skills and Experience

Volunteer jobs give people the opportunity to develop skills they can utilize at work. It is always a good option to find volunteer positions instead of a paid summer job. So, if you do not find a paid summer internship in a large company, there is little need to worry. Though you may find yourself low on pocket money, volunteer jobs will definitely help build your professional skills and experience.

• Volunteer Jobs Boost Leadership Skills

While volunteering, you often need to work in a team and make tough decisions. Volunteering provides you with excellent management experience, and helps develop your leadership skills.

Where to Look for Volunteer Jobs

Today, volunteer opportunities are found in nearly every industry.

Being a firefighter is among the most popular volunteer jobs in the United States. The country has more volunteer firefighters than career firefighters.

The American Red Cross and Salvation Army are popular organizations to volunteer with if that fits your needs or tastes. You can find volunteer jobs at the United Way of America, or look for hospitals and local libraries offering such positions.

Virtual volunteering is a fast catching trend. It enables you to work from your home — on your computer and at your convenience. A number of jobs, such as grant writing, online tutoring, and accounting, can be good examples of virtual volunteer jobs.

Start-up businesses often need volunteers who can help them with filing, mass mailings, running errands, typing, or even with designing a website or creating company brochures. Start-ups, as they grow, need to recruit a lot of people; you may end up as a prospective employee for the company.

Conclusion

One should keep in mind that while your stint with these organizations won’t help you fill your wallet, it will definitely help you in your future career growth. Volunteer jobs offer the best opportunity to broaden your career possibilities.