While you are looking for a job, or while you are working full-time, stay off the couch and do something for others. Volunteering improves your career. Here are the stats:
According to CareerBuilder, 63% of hiring managers said that volunteer work is relevant experience when it comes to evaluating a candidate. And according to a study done in the UK, 73% of employers would employ a candidate with volunteering experience over one without. When it comes to internships, employers offered jobs to 70% of their interns according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
What is it that makes a Volunteer attractive to an employer? We give of ourselves to others without expecting anything in return. We often do things as a volunteer that we don’t get paid to do at work, so we are using other skills or learning new ones. We generally volunteer to work with groups or on projects that bring us a sense of satisfaction.
Some of use a volunteer opportunity to try out or demonstrate our skills in organizing, fund-raising, cat-herding (leading), etc.
Why do you volunteer?
What have you learned through volunteering you were able to take into your work?
Great points about the usefulness of volunteer work in job search. At mid-career levels, service on a non-profit board can be useful in making it to the next level of management in your company or your job search. Relevant experience also is useful for those returning to the job world after a hiatus or those changing careers. Thanks for your reminders and insights!