Razor-sharp skills, plenty of relevant experience, top-notch references … these are all great to have when interviewing for jobs or moving up the ladder at your current place of employment. There’s something else that can help your career in a significant way, but it often goes overlooked: volunteering.
April 7–13 is National Volunteer Week — there’s no better time to get started volunteering in your local community. Let’s take a look at four simple ways volunteering can help you expand your network and advance your career.
It Helps You Meet People
First, volunteering helps you meet new people, and it’s especially effective if you’re able to volunteer in a field related to your profession. Even if you end up volunteering in a completely different area, it’s a great networking opportunity. You just never know when someone you meet might know someone else who is looking for help or know about an available position … these kinds of connections can open up doors you never anticipated. Plus, volunteering gets your name out there in your local community — the more name recognition you have, the better.
It Shows You Care
When you volunteer for a cause without any expectation of a reward, it shows that you’re a caring, helpful person. That makes you an attractive candidate; hiring managers, bosses and fellow employees want to work with individuals who are genuinely good people. Simply put, volunteering shows others you’re in it for more than just the money.
It Helps You Learn New Skills
Another benefit of volunteering is you can learn, develop and hone skills you may not have had the opportunity to otherwise. You might gain experience on a new type of software, or have the opportunity to practice working with the public. When you turn your attention back to your profession, you’ll find the skills you learned can be put to good use!
It Helps During Job Interviews
Let’s face it — having volunteer experience on your resume, especially in an area related to the job you’re interviewing for, looks great on your resume. Plus, it helps tremendously during job interviews, because you have even more to talk about and greater ways to demonstrate your commitment. Hiring managers love to hear about what you’ve learned from your volunteer experiences, and how you plan on applying those lessons to your career in the future.
Are you ready to apply for volunteer positions or get your resume on the desks of the area’s top job recruiters? Our staffing service is here to help. Contact High Profile online or give us a call at 972-991-7900.